The appeal of the barbecue, perhaps, is its simplicity: Add meat to fire. Drink beer. Eat meat. Still, a few select accoutrements can enhance the experience greatly — and, importantly, bring your end product that much closer to carnivorous perfection. Here, the best barbecue accessories.
The Thermometer
You could check your meat repeatedly, creating a series of slits and perforations — or you could rock a Grill Right Wireless Talking BBQ/Oven Thermometer, which offers a heads-up when your beer can chicken is nearly done. US $60
The Gauge
Because the only thing worse than running out of beer is running out of propane, mid-grill. Avoid humiliation and possible ex-communication — or at least anticipate it — with the GasWatch gauge. US $18
The Chips
What happens to Jack Daniel’s white oak barrels, used to age Tennessee whiskey, when they die? The lucky ones become Wood Smoking Chips, which infuse your meat with the boozy, smoky South. $5
The Slider Set
Inevitably, women and children attend barbecues. For these occasions, and for breakfast, there’s the Sur La Table Slider Mini-Burger kit, so you can cook and flip nine perfectly round mini-burgers in tandem. US $45 1-800-243-0852.
The Sauce
If men truly ruled the world, BBQ sauce would be a beverage. Especially Bone Sucking Sauce: Developed in a dude’s kitchen in Raleigh, North Carolina, it contains all-natural ingredients, like honey, garlic and horseradish. About $9
The Light
If your outdoor lights offer ambiance for patio cocktails, then you’re cooking in the dark. Strap MEC’s Princeton Tec Remix Headlamp onto your head and embrace its pragmatic dorkiness. $45
Lead image courtesy of LoremIpsum; others courtesy of manufacturers.
