The award medallion at right is given to products that are highly recommended, that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
When a product is available on Amazon.com, I often provide a direct link. Amazon.com often has the best prices anywhere, even better than many manufacturers' websites. That's because manufacturers know that if they undercut retailers, these important resellers may drop their products. In addition to low prices, Amazon.com offers fast delivery (often free), no sales tax (in most states), gift wrapping (on many items), and painless refund policies. Amazon's Gift & Wish Registry is a great way to drop not so subtle hints about what you'd love to get for Christmas, Mother's Day, Dad's Day, your wedding, housewarming, graduation, birthday or other event.
Full disclosure.Amazon.com pays me a small referral fee when you purchase from them after clicking on a link on this site, so purchasing from them helps underwrite the cost of operating AmazingRibs.com. If you like all the info I give you for free and would like to help me buy charcoal, copy the link below bookmark it. It takes you to Amazon.com and tags anything you buy with my code so I get that small referral fee. It works on anything from grills to diapers and it has zero impact on the price you pay. http://tinyurl.com/yazmwlq
Grill and smoker
replacement parts
If something breaks, start looking for replacement parts with the manufacturer. But if they don't have it, or if they're out of biz, try these sources:
Low and slow cooking on hot summer days means you need a good cooler and a beer stein with a lid.
Amazing Ribs steins and aprons. Heft a cold one in this 22 ounce ceramic stein with gold trim. We have a range of mugs that say "BBQ God", "Jeet?", "Got Ribs?", "iRibs", "Eat Me", and more. Dishwasher and microwave safe. We have coffee mugs and clothing with these fun captions. Sold through CafePress.com.
La Chaise Recliner. These are a rip off of the famous French recliner by Lafuma. I own two of them, and, man, are they comfortable. This model is cheaper. Park it next to the cooler, pour a cold one into your stein, set your Maverick remote temperature monitor on top of the cooler. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Lawn Furniture. The Park Catalog has some nice lawn furniture and sturdy picnic tables designed for parks and recreation services. Click here to see their offerings.
Gar Grill Rotisserie Coffee Roaster Kit. Now here's one of those slap your forehead and mumble "why didn't I think of that" ideas. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here
Don't waste your
money on these
Here are some popular items that you should avoid:
Toolkits. These kits sure look cool, but I've never seen one with all the tools I need, and the ones I've looked at up close came with poor quality tools or unnecessary tools. I buy them a la carte.
Corded mops. Corded mops are popular for applying sauces and mops, but they are impossible to keep sanitary. I think they're a tummy ache or worse waiting to happen.
Small bristle brushes. They do a good job of cleaning, but wear out too quickly.
Pig stickers and forks. They just puncture the meat and valuable juices leak out. A cooked slab of ribs can rip if manhandled by these. Use tongs and spatulas to turn things on the grill.
Burger presses. The best burgers are loosely packed and a bit jagged on the edges so they get crispy. So skip these presses that make your lovingly made burgers look like they came from a fast food joint.
Great grate cleaning
One of the keys to successful grilling is having clean grates. Alas, there is no single tool that does the job perfectly. Below are links to my favorite tools.
I use the Grill T-Brush to brush off the dust from the Grill Bricks and to clean while cooking and while flipping meats, and once a month or so I use a Billy Bar to get the sides and bottoms. Click here for a complete list of all grill brushes available on Amazon.com.
Grill T-Brush. This is a large brass-wire brush that is best used for quick cleaning of a hot grill between racks of ribs or after flipping fish.
The long handle keeps your fingers from burning. It is my all-purpose fave. Just be very careful that no bristles are left on the grill grate. It is very rare, but there have been choking incidents when bristles on the grate got onto food and were ingested. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Grill Bricks. These pomace stone bricks are great for cleaning wire cooking grates, especially the flat stainless grates on my charcoal grill. I do not use it on porcelain or cast iron grates. They are very fast, much faster than Grill Floss or Billy Bars, but they get only the tops. One package includes 12 bricks. Each brick will scrub about 100 grates before it wears out. They leave a bit of dust behind, so you need a wire brush to finish the job. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Grill Wizard BBQ Brush. This device uses a woven stainless steel pad that does a great job or cleaning the grates. The scrubber can be removed and run through the dishwasher. When the scrubber gets disgusting and starts falling apart you can buy replacements at the grocery store. And it does eventually begin to unravel. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Billy Bar. This simple device does a great job of grate cleaning. Made with a wooden handle and nitride coated steel that the manufacturer claims will never rust, it is 23" long so you can use it on a hot grill without burning your hand. The angled tip makes it easier to get the sides and underneath. Click here to order: Billy Bar.
Barbecue and cooking accessories, tools, and toys we absolutely positively gotta have. Pretty please honey?
Here's a list of tools, equipment, gadgets, and toys that can help make you a better cook.
Click the red links for current pricing and more info
GrillGrates are the best thing for grillers since salt and pepper
This is the best new product I have tested in years. Everyone who has a gas grill that does not have a sear burner or infrared burner should get these. I have made my best steaks and burgers ever on gassers with GrillGrates. They are the best thing to happen to beef since salt and pepper.
The concept is so very clever on so many levels: Most gas grills just don't get hot enough to properly sear a steak. GrillGrates are sold in interlocking sections and sit on top of your current grill's grates or replace them. The hard anodized aircraft grade aluminum rail tops are flat and wide and make the most beautiful dark crunchy grill marks you've ever seen where they contact the food and cook it by conduction. Because there is much less space for heat to escape than with wire grates, heat is trapped below and builds. As a result, the base can get very hot and the aluminum alloy distributes the heat evenly across the cooking surface eliminating hot spots. The bottom plate becomes the main heat source which is now only a fraction of an inch below the food further amplifying the radiant heat cooking. This is the same concept behind the new expensive infrared cooking systems on the market. The heat also wraps around the edges creating convection when the lid is closed.
The base blocks flareups and helps prevent burning. As a result you get really crispy chicken skin without scorching. Juices drip into the valleys between the rails where they are vaporized and the vapors penetrate the meat enhancing flavor. The holes in the base allow some juices through where they burn, and smoke and combustion gases travel up through the holes to reach the food adding more flavor. The bottom plate even keeps asparagus and other small foods from falling into the fire.
I have even thrown wood chips, pellets, and sawdust into the valleys between the rails and then put food on top. The wood begins smoldering almost instantly and imparts a delicate wood smoke flavor even on fish and other quick cooking foods. In this picture you can see a couple of T-bones on GrillGrates sitting on a Weber Kettle. The grates have darkened from use. The handheld thermometer tells us that the GrillGrates are 668F. I have seen them go over 700°F with a single layer of briquets. Them's steakhouse temps. Notice the beautiful crispy grill marks. GGs are a welcome addition to charcoal grills, but they are almost a necessity for gas grills (click here to read more about the differences between gas and charcoal).
The sturdy stainless steel custom designed spatula has fingers that slip between the rails and lift even the most delicate pieces of fish with ease. As an added bonus, GrillGrates can be turned upside down and be used as a griddle! Upside down, they put an incredible sear on burgers.
They are easy to move from your charcoal grill to your gas grill. The manufacturer has several pre-cut sizes, but he will custom cut to fit your grill. The company also makes another surface called RealEase, a porcelain enamel hybrid coating that they say is more non-stick and easier to clean. I've never tried it. The standard anodized aluminum surface releases the meat nicely when it is ready, especially with the custom spatula, and you can easily spray or wipe it with oil if you want.
The surfaces of GrillGrates are unbelievably easy to clean with a wire brush when hot, but the valleys tend to build up carbon which reduces their efficiency. A long bristle wire brush from the hardware store works well, but the standard wire brushes for grills do not. I've had good luck cleaning the valleys with a narrow scraper blade (and heavy glove) when they are hot. I tried superheating them and then hitting them with a hose, and, sure enough, most of the carbon popped right off, but one of the sections warped, so this is probably not a good idea.
I cannot recommend GrillGrates more enthusiastically. I have added them to almost all my grills, especially my gassers. ClickGrill Grates for discount pricing and direct ordering for their various sizes from Amazon.com.
TheSmokenator and the Hovergrill turn a Weber Kettle into a darn good large capacity smoker
If you have a Weber Kettle grill, you need a Smokenator and Hovergrill.
For less than $70 you can easily convert a standard Weber Kettle into a smoker capable of making restaurant quality smoked ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, turkey, or salmon. If you have a limited budget or limited deck space, there is no need to buy a standalone smoker.
Here's how it works: The Smokenator is a simple piece of bent 18 gauge stainless steel that inserts into the lower half of the kettle. You can place meat on the lower and the upper rack so it is possible you can get 8-10 slabs on at once. Then you put some unlit charcoal in the Smokenator, some wood chunks on top of them, some lit charcoal on top of the wood, and some water in the water cup. And, no, unlit charcoal will not make your food taste bad unless you use the stuff that has accelerant in it like Matchlight. Read my article on The Zen of Charcoal.
Put the lid on, adjust the dampers, and go drink a beer. The Smokenator will pump out aromatic smoke and just the right low and slow temp for hours. I had no trouble keeping the temp under 250°F on a 100°F day. The thick steel plate blocks your meat from direct exposure to the flames becoming a large flat radiator providing indirect heat. The water bowl puts moisture in the oven which helps develop the smoke ring. Keep in mind that this is a "hot" smoker so it can't do cold smoking for things like lox or cheese. But it can do just about anything else the fancy-schmancy smokers do. A very clever, inexpensive gadget that actually works as advertised.
The Hovergrill is a grate that sits on top of the grill's top grate. It is a bit flimsy, but if you don't abuse it, it should last for years and increase your capacity significantly.
I find another use for the Hovergrill. When I am grilling steaks I want high heat, like they get in steakhouses, so I remove the Smokenator and place the Hovergrill on top of the charcoal grate and under the cooking grate. Then I put a layer of hot coals on the Hovergrill. This locates the heat about 1" below the meat and generates 700°F or more. That's what you need to get steaks dark brown and crispy on the outside and still have them rare to medium rare in the center.
Click here for discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon:
Help break our addiction to oil! Reduce air pollution! Or just get your charcoal started faster, cheaper, and without that petrochemical smell. This Weber chimney holds enough briquets to start most cookers. Just stuff some newspaper in the bottom and dump the charcoal in the top. Light the paper, and in a few minutes the coals are glowing white, and there is no residual solvent in the coals to flavor your food and poison your guests. The thermoplastic handle doesn't melt, and it stays cool. Made from durable aluminized steel, mine is five years old and it sits out all winter. The previous one I bought, another brand, rusted out and the wooden handle fell off in one year. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Extra Long Suede Leather Gloves
Real heavy duty suede gloves with cotton lining that go almost to my elbow. I use mine to lift hot grates, push coals around, reach into the fire box to place logs, lift food from deep down inside the Weber Smokey Mountain. I have even used it to pick up hot coals.
They beat oven mits because they have fingers making it much easier to manipulate tongs and handle grates. I have two pairs, one for lifting food, and one for all else. When they get dirty I just put them on and wash my hands with a bar of soap. Ranked #1 by Cook's Illustrated. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Grill Friends Silicone Brush
Silicone brushes are the best thing to happen to barbecue since the charcoal briquet. I long ago relegated my natural and nylon bristle brushes to cleaning computer keyboards. They load up with lots of sauce, deliver it evenly, and are so easy to clean and decontaminate. They are dishwasher safe. We have three: One for barbecue, one my wife uses for egg washes and other baking, and one for whatever. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here or check it out on the OpenSky Project.
BBQr's Delight Pellets
Are you a pellethead? I am. Pellets are made of compressed sawdust (here's an article that discusses them). That's all. No glue. My favorite supplier is BBQr's Delight brand. There is a wide range to experiment with: Jack Daniel's, sugar maple, cherry, pecan, black walnut, oak, orange, sassafras, mulberry, alder, and savory herb. Another advantage is that you can add pellets precisely from a measuring cup, so you can get the right amount for your smoker and no more. There is nothing worse than oversmoked meat. They also have "Smoke Stix" which are logs of compressed sawdust about 8" long for large cookers. To order, click here.
Weber Gas Barbecue Rotisserie Basket
This is by far the best design for a rotisserie on the market. First, let's see what's wrong with the standard rotisserie. Most have a long steel poker that goes through the center of the meat. It holds them in place with sharp forks. The problem is that the center rod gets hot, and can cook the inside of a beef roast to well done easily. This is not a problem with chicken. The forks are dangerously sharp and I have gouged myself on them wile mounting a chicken. I is near impossible to get the weight centered and as a result the whole thing wobbles, often tearing the meat and burning out the motor. Some come with counterweights, but they are tricky to set.
The Weber basket, on the other hand, holds the meat in a basket. It's easy to get the meat in there and clamp it in place. It comes with a good strong motor. Alas, this basket is designed to fit Weber Genesis Silver, Gold, and Platinum grills with a 21.5" long spear. That should fit most gas grills, but it may be too short for some. If you are handy you can adapt it to fit longer grills by welding on a longer spear. Also the brackets are designed for the Weber, but again, the handy can make them work. I had to remove the plastic handle to make it fit my Char-Broil Quantum, but it works just fine. To order, click here.
Weber Kettle Charcoal Rails
These are designed for banking coals into two piles on a Weber grill, but I use mine for something else entirely. I have a second bottom grate that I put on top of the rails, and the coals go on top of this elevated grate. That puts them at the perfect height for searing steaks, just below the cooking grates. Yes, if you're cooking red meats, the secret is a very hot fire, and raising the coals just a few inches makes a huge diff. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Here's how you can fit four slabs of ribs on a small grill like a Weber Kettle or Weber Smokey Mountain. Good rib racks hold the slabs upright with enough airspace between them to allow airflow and smoke penetration. Bad rib racks hold the meat too close together so they don't cook properly (see my article on rib racks). For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
LamsonSharp Fish Tongs
A jumbo hybrid of tongs and spatulas, this is the proper tool for flipping fish, burgers, and other crumbly foods. Rosewood handle protects you against the heat, and there is a leather loop for hanging. They come with a lifetime warranty. I find them to be indispensable. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Weber Hinged Cooking Grate
Much better than the grate that came with your 22.5" Weber Kettle, this hinged grate let's you easily add charcoal for long low and slow cooks. Made from bright nickel-plated steel, you just lift the handle and drop in coals. No fumbling to lift up the whole grate only to have your meat slide off and onto the coals. Yuk. This grate even works with GrillGrates (above), which are cut to leave room for you to lift the hinged section. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Grill Grabber
Use a Grill Grabber to lift your hot and dirty grill grates, even if there's the food still on them. Us this gadget when you need to add coals, wood, water. water pans, or to rescue food that has dropped through the grates. This may seem like a frivolity, but it is a thoroughly useful tool. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Frogmats
Have you ever had a delicate piece of expensive Chilean Sea Bass stick to the grates and disintegrate when you try to lift it off, or try to grill small things and have them fall between the openings into the fire? Here's a great cheap solution: Frogmats, a sturdy wire mesh with a non-stick coating capable of resisting high heats, yet easy to clean. I use mine for jalapeno poppers, onion rings, potato slices, mushrooms, bacon, biscuits, and I've even used mine to wrap a meat loaf so I could crisp it on all sides. Frogmats come in a variety of sizes, even large enough for a whole hog. They cannot handle extreme heat or direct flame, however. Click here to order Frogmats.
Ash can
So what do you do with the ash from your grill? Wood ash is high pH, highly alkaline, and, in small quantities, can be used as a substitute for lime, to correct acidic soil. But the fine particle size can clog pores in soil causing drainage problems. There is a debate over use of charcoal ash, however. Charcoal has additives that some say may be harmful to the garden, lawn, or compost, but it is not clear to me how much, if any remain after combustion. I have heard that if sent to the landfill it actually helps decomposition of trash. I have also heard that putting it around the edges of gardens and patios will keep grass from encroaching. When my fire cools, I dump my ash in a Galvanized Ash Can with a lid. This summer I'll try some along the edge of the patio.
Diverstech Grill Pads
My wife hasn't noticed the burn hole yet. It's pretty substantial. For the life of me I don't understand why the deck didn't go up in flames and take the house with it. Must be some sort of flame retardant in the wood. But a hunk of charcoal somehow jumped from my grill and tried to escape before I caught it. But not before it burned a substantial hole. My wife hasn't noticed because I covered the burn with a Grill Pad. A little late, but not too late. This lightweight flexible fiber cement pad protects my deck from runaway coals, spills, and grease dropping from the grease pan on my gas grill (have you emptied yours lately?). Grill Pads come in a variety of sizes, shapes and logos. I got mine with a Florida Gator logo, my alma mater.
Coleman 40 Quart Cooler
Capacious (67 cans), with can holders in the lid, large wheels, a long tow handle, and a drain plug. The manufacturer says it is sturdy enough to sit on, keeps ice for 6-7 days at ambient temperatures up to 90°F. Most importantly: You can keep your meats and marinades in it when you need a faux cambro (a very important tool). For discount pricing on the 40 quart and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here. For discount pricing on the 50 quart and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
The Grill Gauge
Not much more than a glorified fish scale, but it works just fine. An empty tank weight 20 pounds, and a full one is 40 pounds. Hoist your tank and the gauge gives you a pretty good guesstimate of how much is left. I take mine when I exchange empty tanks for full ones. You'd be surprised how many are underfilled. Of course you do have a backup tank, don't you? And you do backup you computer don't you (one copy on premises and one copy off premises)? Click here to order the Grill Gauge from Amazon.com.
Cedar and alder planks
Soak a thin plank in water, put the salmon or meat on top, put it on the grill, and it steams, gives off seductive aromas, and the bottom chars and smokes, all of which are absorbed by the food. Salmon is the classic, but I've done shrimp, meatloaf and even pineapple on planks. You cannot use construction lumber because it is usually treated with preservatives that are poisonous. Click here for food grade plank pricing on Amazon.com.
Grillslinger BBQ Tool Belt
Too cool. This is what you need when you don't have enough shelf space outdoors. Features a wide nylon belt with four deep reinforced side pockets that can each hold a number of large tools. Included is a starter set: a wide spatula, an all-purpose knife, and scalloped tongs, all with long, sturdy rubber-clad handles. When you're done, throw it in the washing machine. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Rock's Stoker
The Stoker is a modern wonder, a computerized thermostat connected to a blower and damper that manages the oxygen supply to your charcoal or wood fire, allowing you better temperature control. It even has an ethernet port, and if you hook it up to a wireless router, you can control it from a web browser anywhere.
It can control the temperature from 100 to 450°F., just set it and forget it. You can use multiple probes, and the controller can handle multiple blowers on multiple cookers. Set the blower to high to get your coals started quickly and sear your meat as you start cooking, then it can be turned down for low and slow, then it can be turned down lower to hold the meat at your desired finished temp, and finally it can be turned off to kill the coals. You can even set it so alarms ring when certain temps are reached or after an elapsed time period. Verrrrrry cool. Or hot. As you want it.
The basic Stoker system includes a Stoker, a five cubic feet per minute blower, one pit temperature sensor, power supply, and manual. For more info, click here: Rock's Stoker.
BBQ Guru
Similar to Rock's Stoker (above), there are several configurations and accessories for a wide variety of grills and smokers. BBQ Guru.
Bear Paws
These handy plastic paws are helpful for lifting large roasts and birds, but they really shine when you need to pull hot pork. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
OXO Good Grips Tongs
Rated #1 by Cooks Illustrated and winners of the Tylenol/Arthritis Foundation Design Award. Dishwasher safe stainless steel with OXO's popular nonslip rubber handles. The ends are scalloped for better gripping. There is a loop for hanging and a mechanism that locks them in closed position for storing (which has failed after several years on all three pairs that I have). Regardless, they are still my faves. I just store them with a cardboard toilet paper core over the ends. I use mine for everything from the grill to tossing salads. For discount pricing on the 12" tongs and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
The 18" tongs don't have the locking mechanism, but they are necessary if you have a deep pit. But be warned, the longer the tongs, the less leverage you have and the harder it is to get a grip. For discount pricing on the 18" tongs and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
I also recommend their nylon tipped tongs for use on non-stick cookware. For discount pricing on the 9" tongs and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Lodge Logic Pro Cast Iron Grill/Griddle, 20" x 10 7/16"
You need a good cast iron griddle. Especially if you like fish, burgers, grilled sandwiches, home fries, or pancakes. Coat the flat side with oil, and you can sear fish so it is golden and crispy on the outside just like that great pan-seared fish you get in restaurants. Throw some dried herbs onto the flame, and you'll get a whisp of smoke in the meat.
You can even bring it indoors and it will straddle two burners. Use the flat side for pancakes. Flip it over and you get grill marks and conduction cooking from the ridges on steaks, burgers, or asparagus, and the fats and juices drip into the grooves where they vaporize and flavor the meat and cook by radiation.
This is a very handy tool. One word of caution. You may need two. If you use it for fish a lot, the flavor will remain on the surface, even after cleaning, so you won't be able to use it for pancakes.
I have two of them by Lodge, known for quality cast iron, and I use the ridged sides of both, one on top and one on the bottom, for making paninis. And my spatchcocked (butterflied) Cornish game hens pressed between the flat sides are unbelievably crisp and juicy in only 20 minutes. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Double Pie Iron
Here's how to make two perfectly toasted panini style grilled sandwiches at once. Use this old fashioned double pie iron, originally designed for filled pies, for everything from Grilled Cheese to Pulled Pork. Just butter your sandwich on the outside, open up the hinged mold, insert the sandwiches and put it over the coals, campfire, or gas grill. This Old Mountain cast iron double square pie iron is 4 1/2" x 8 1/4" and is pre-seasoned and ready to use. The long handle allows you to grill in comfort away from a camp fire. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here .
Coleman InstaStart Butane Burner
If your grill didn't come with a side burner, here's how to make up for the deficiency. Butane burners like this get very hot very fast, and are great for keeping sauces warm or even for frying side dishes. My only complaint is that it does not come with a carrying case. Note that the butane tanks do not come in the box and they are hard to find online or in hardware stores, but they are easy to find in Korean or other "Oriental" groceries where these burners are popular. Make sure you have a source for fuel before you buy one of these. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
ZaGrill Pizza Cooker
These are great for pizza because the perforated pan sits on legs on two plates that dissipate the direct heat and deliver even heat and color to the crust. Or you can just use the perforated top part as a grill topper for grilling cubes of meat, veggies, and small shrimp. I only wish it was larger than 12". For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Eastman Stainless Marinade Injector
Most of the top competition chefs inject their butts, hams, turkeys, briskets, and large cuts with flavorful marinades. This Italian stainless steel model is not the cheapest, but stainless is much easier to clean and harder to break. It has 12 holes on the 6" needle for thorough distribution of marinade, a comfortable three-hole finger grip, and a removable lid to make filling and cleaning easy. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here
Tell Meathead what you think, or ask him a question
But please, please, please read this first:
1) Please use the sitemap or the search box, at the top of every page. There's a good chance the answer is already on this site.
2) Please read this article about thermometers.Chances are your thermometer is the problem! I cannot help you troubleshoot unless you tell me that you are using a digital oven thermometer at meat level (not in the lid), and/or a digital meat thermometer. You simply cannot believe your grill's built-in bi-metal dial thermometer. They are often off by as much as 50°F!
3) Please tell me everything I need to know to answer your question.
4) Please don't ask me "What grill (or smoker) should I buy?" Read my Buyer's Guides and follow the links. I've shared just about everything I know on those pages. I cannot pick the right cooker for you any more than you could pick the right car for me. But I've explained everything you need to know to make your decision.
AmazingRibs.com is all about the Zen of barbecue, grilling, and outdoor cooking, with great BBQ recipes and techniques: Barbecue baby back ribs, spareribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, steak, burgers, chicken, smoked turkey, lamb, barbecue sauces, rubs, and side dishes, with the net's best buying guide to barbecue smokers and grills. It is written, photographed, illustrated, and coded solely by Meathead.
My philosophy about food is simple. First of all it must taste great. It must be easy to make and emphasize fresh seasonal products with a minimum of processed ingredients. I think that people need to know why as well as how, and that there are no rules in the bedroom or dining room.
About Product Reviews and Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards. Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards are highly recommended products that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
About links on this site. Other than clearly marked ads, links and recommendations on this site are all products, services, and websites I truly admire, and are never paid endorsements. Your suggestions are always welcome. If you would like me to link to your website, click here to read my links policy first. Advertising policy. I do not accept ads from products that I review such as grills, charcoal, etc. Click here for more on my advertising policy.
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Disclaimer. The information on this website is for educational purposes only. All material within comes without warranties of any kind. I am human, and capable of mistakes, so I make no guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or safety of the information. Under no circumstances am I liable for any damages that result from use of the site (so you can't sue me if you burn your tongue on hot ribs, or get a tummy ache, OK?).
GrillGrates are the best new product I have tested in years and the best thing to happen to beef since salt and pepper. The base superheats, eliminates hot spots, smokes, and blocks flareups. This is the concept behind the expensive new infrared grills. Click here for more about GrillGrates.
The Smokenator:
A Necessity For Weber Kettles
If you have a Weber Kettle, you need the amazing Smokenator and Hovergrill. The Smokenator turns your grill into a first class smoker, and the Hovergrill can add capacity or be used to create steakhouse steaks. Click here to read more.
ThermoWorks Pocket Thermometer - No More Guessing
A good thermometer is why I never serve overcooked or undercooked food. No more guesswork. This one has a very thin tip with a tiny thermocouple so it gives an accurate reading in just six seconds. I cannot recommend it more highly. It will improve your cooking overnight. And it is inexpensive. Click here for more about thermometers.
This link takes you to Amazon.com and tags anything you buy with my affiliate code so I get a small referral fee. It works on anything from grills to diapers and it has zero impact on the price you pay. Low prices, fast delivery (often free), good refund policies, and often there is no sales tax, are the best reasons to buy from Amazon.com, but clicking on that link before you shop helps me devote more time and money to you. Thanks!
The award medallion at right is given to products that are highly recommended, that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
is a great way to drop not so subtle hints about what you'd love to get for Christmas, Mother's Day, Dad's Day, your wedding, housewarming, graduation, birthday or other event.
Amazing Ribs steins and aprons. Heft a cold one in this 22 ounce ceramic stein with gold trim. We have a range of mugs that say "BBQ God", "Jeet?", "Got Ribs?", "iRibs", "Eat Me", and more. Dishwasher and microwave safe. We have coffee mugs and clothing with these fun captions. 
available on Amazon.com.
Grill T-Brush. This is a large brass-wire brush that is best used for quick cleaning of a hot grill between racks of ribs or after flipping fish.
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The base blocks flareups and helps prevent burning. As a result you get really crispy chicken skin without scorching. Juices drip into the valleys between the rails where they are vaporized and the vapors penetrate the meat enhancing flavor. The holes in the base allow some juices through where they burn, and smoke and combustion gases travel up through the holes to reach the food adding more flavor. The bottom plate even keeps asparagus and other small foods from falling into the fire.
I have even thrown wood chips, pellets, and sawdust into the valleys between the rails and then put food on top. The wood begins smoldering almost instantly and imparts a delicate wood smoke flavor even on fish and other quick cooking foods. In this picture you can see a couple of T-bones on GrillGrates sitting on a Weber Kettle. The grates have darkened from use. The handheld thermometer tells us that the GrillGrates are 668F. I have seen them go over 700°F with a single layer of briquets. Them's steakhouse temps. Notice the beautiful crispy grill marks. GGs are a welcome addition to charcoal grills, but they are almost a necessity for gas grills (click here to read more about the 
If you have a Weber Kettle grill, you need a Smokenator and Hovergrill.
The Hovergrill is a grate that sits on top of the grill's top grate. It is a bit flimsy, but if you don't abuse it, it should last for years and increase your capacity significantly.
Weber Chimney Starter
Extra Long Suede Leather Gloves
Grill Friends Silicone Brush
BBQr's Delight Pellets
This is by far the best design for a rotisserie on the market. First, let's see what's wrong with the standard rotisserie. Most have a long steel poker that goes through the center of the meat. It holds them in place with sharp forks. The problem is that the center rod gets hot, and can cook the inside of a beef roast to well done easily. This is not a problem with chicken. The forks are dangerously sharp and I have gouged myself on them wile mounting a chicken. I is near impossible to get the weight centered and as a result the whole thing wobbles, often tearing the meat and burning out the motor. Some come with counterweights, but they are tricky to set.
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Weber Kettle Charcoal Rails
Weber Rib Rack
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LamsonSharp Fish Tongs
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Have you ever had a delicate piece of expensive Chilean Sea Bass stick to the grates and disintegrate when you try to lift it off, or try to grill small things and have them fall between the openings into the fire? Here's a great cheap solution: Frogmats, a sturdy wire mesh with a non-stick coating capable of resisting high heats, yet easy to clean. I use mine for jalapeno poppers, onion rings, potato slices, mushrooms, bacon, biscuits, and I've even used mine to wrap a meat loaf so I could crisp it on all sides. Frogmats come in a variety of sizes, even large enough for a whole hog. They cannot handle extreme heat or direct flame, however. Click here to 
So what do you do with the ash from your grill? Wood ash is high pH, highly alkaline, and, in small quantities, can be used as a substitute for lime, to correct acidic soil. But the fine particle size can clog pores in soil causing drainage problems. There is a debate over use of charcoal ash, however. Charcoal has additives that some say may be harmful to the garden, lawn, or compost, but it is not clear to me how much, if any remain after combustion. I have heard that if sent to the landfill it actually helps decomposition of trash. I have also heard that putting it around the edges of gardens and patios will keep grass from encroaching. When my fire cools, I dump my ash in a
. This summer I'll try some along the edge of the patio.
Diverstech Grill Pads
Coleman 40 Quart Cooler
The Grill Gauge
from Amazon.com.
Grillslinger BBQ Tool Belt
Rock's Stoker
Bear Paws
OXO Good Grips Tongs
Double Pie Iron
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Coleman InstaStart Butane Burner
ZaGrill Pizza Cooker
With a $25 donation you'll get a 100% cotton brushed twill adjustable low profile cap with the AmazingRibs patch sewn on. I'll even toss in a small bag of 
