Summer is getting closer. As temperatures rise, so too does the smell of cooked meats, meeting the nose as the sun sets each evening. It’s a great time of year for people who revere campfires, coals, and sizzling meat. And that means it’s also the perfect opportunity to look over your grilling gear, weed out the old stuff, and try out some new tools to help you grill your meals to perfection.
Maybe you need to throw away some old BBQ tools, or just pare them down to the essentials. You could try some new sauces and rubs, expanding your gustatory preferences and impressing your neighbors. Bring in a wacky contraption or two to liven up your time in front of the fire. Maybe even add a digital component to the ancient experience of cooking over fire.
So whether you’re a grilling newbie and want to elevate your BBQ skills, or you’re an old hand who’s been searing steak for years, these are our gear suggestions that can benefit you.
The serious BBQ master knows a good spice rub adds complexity and deep flavor to your flame-grilled creations. Primo’s four spices are perfect for the task. Guided by a chef and food scientist, Primo combined herbs, spices, and oils mixed with red wine, white wine, and bourbon extracts to build seasonings that sing. Choose from Bourbon Whiskey Twist (best for steak), Chicago Stockyard (essential for beef), Kleftkio Barrel Wine (a Greek-styled concoction great for lamb), and Tupelo Honey Crunch (punch up some pork) for your next fiery feast. [$18, primogrill.com]
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Barbecue Sauce Set by Lewis Barbecue
Not everyone’s a fan of the thick, sweet BBQ sauces that dominate the Kansas City scene—so stock up on this variety pack of thinner, but still succulent, Carolina-style sauces. Created by Texas-born pitmaster John Lewis, the Charleston, S.C.-based Lewis Barbecue has three great options: Carolina BBQ fans will love the vinegar-based Tangy sauce, Texas-bred cowboys will dig Original Red, and those into Mexican heat will flare up with Hatch Green Chile. [$30.95 for three, lewisbarbecue.com]
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BBQ Variety Pack by Rufus Teague
Sometimes, slathering on a few luscious layers of sweet, thick BBQ sauce is imperative—ribs and chicken especially. For those recipes, try out Rufus Teague’s tasty Kansas City-style collection. These sauces buck convention a bit by their inspired pairings. In the pack you get a nice blend of bottles that range from the sugary Honey Sweet, tart Apple Mash, smooth Whiskey Maple, mild Touch O’ Heat, and intense Blazin’ Hot. [Variety pack for $24.49, rufusteague.com]
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Steaks by Nebraska Star Beef
When you want to impress some guests, or just treat your family and friends to a five-star steak dinner at home, hook up with Nebraska Star Beef for Angus beef. The family-owned and operated company sources meats from ranchers in the northern American plains. All meats are processed by a small, local butcher shop and each half is hung and aged the old-fashioned way. We suggest springing for a USDA Prime pack, which includes filet mignon, top sirloin, NY strips, rib-eyes, and a seasoning choice. [USDA Prime Pairs package for $219.99, nebraskastarbeef.com]
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Rib Ring
Ribs are one of the most finger-licking meats you can barbecue, but cooking fall-off-the-bone ribs can be finicky. A rack of ribs is basically just a flat, floppy slab of pork—so it can eat up precious grill space and block hot air, increasing your cook time and requiring frequent adjustments. The Rib Ring solves this problem by standing the ribs their side. You not only get a nice, even heating range, but can also cook more pork at once—up to six racks. An included drip pan will also help keep your grill cleaner and prevent flare-ups. [$49.99, bbqguru.com]
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iGrill 2 by Weber
Grilling and smoking bigger cuts of meat are a great challenge for the aspiring pitmaster: you need to constantly monitor the temperature, making sure you don’t overcook anything and managing the heat to power past any mid-smoking stalls. With Weber’s iGrill 2, though, you can track the internal temperature of up to four cuts via smartphone-connected Bluetooth probes, so you never miss the perfect temperature. (The thermometer comes with two probes; you’ll have to buy the two others separately.) The app features cool temperature graphs and handy alarms so you can grill like a pitmaster without having to put in long hours at the grill. It works with newer iPhones or iPads, as well as most Android phones. [$99.99, weber.com]
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BBQ Multi-Tool by Traeger
Once you really get into BBQ, you can amass a lot of gear. Why not cut down on a few of those items by tossing all of your mismatched, worn-out BBQ tools—and consolidate with a multi-tool instead? This compact, four-in-one beauty features a wood handle, spatula, pigtail, basting brush, and corkscrew—all perfect and handy enough to make any grilling session a little bit more efficient. [$49.99, traegergrills.com]
The serious BBQ master knows a good spice rub adds complexity and deep flavor to your flame-grilled creations. Primo’s four spices are perfect for the task. Guided by a chef and food scientist, Primo combined herbs, spices, and oils mixed with red wine, white wine, and bourbon extracts to build seasonings that sing. Choose from Bourbon Whiskey Twist (best for steak), Chicago Stockyard (essential for beef), Kleftkio Barrel Wine (a Greek-styled concoction great for lamb), and Tupelo Honey Crunch (punch up some pork) for your next fiery feast. [$18, primogrill.com]
Barbecue Sauce Set by Lewis Barbecue
Not everyone’s a fan of the thick, sweet BBQ sauces that dominate the Kansas City scene—so stock up on this variety pack of thinner, but still succulent, Carolina-style sauces. Created by Texas-born pitmaster John Lewis, the Charleston, S.C.-based Lewis Barbecue has three great options: Carolina BBQ fans will love the vinegar-based Tangy sauce, Texas-bred cowboys will dig Original Red, and those into Mexican heat will flare up with Hatch Green Chile. [$30.95 for three, lewisbarbecue.com]
BBQ Variety Pack by Rufus Teague
Sometimes, slathering on a few luscious layers of sweet, thick BBQ sauce is imperative—ribs and chicken especially. For those recipes, try out Rufus Teague’s tasty Kansas City-style collection. These sauces buck convention a bit by their inspired pairings. In the pack you get a nice blend of bottles that range from the sugary Honey Sweet, tart Apple Mash, smooth Whiskey Maple, mild Touch O’ Heat, and intense Blazin’ Hot. [Variety pack for $24.49, rufusteague.com]
Steaks by Nebraska Star Beef
When you want to impress some guests, or just treat your family and friends to a five-star steak dinner at home, hook up with Nebraska Star Beef for Angus beef. The family-owned and operated company sources meats from ranchers in the northern American plains. All meats are processed by a small, local butcher shop and each half is hung and aged the old-fashioned way. We suggest springing for a USDA Prime pack, which includes filet mignon, top sirloin, NY strips, rib-eyes, and a seasoning choice. [USDA Prime Pairs package for $219.99, nebraskastarbeef.com]
Rib Ring
Ribs are one of the most finger-licking meats you can barbecue, but cooking fall-off-the-bone ribs can be finicky. A rack of ribs is basically just a flat, floppy slab of pork—so it can eat up precious grill space and block hot air, increasing your cook time and requiring frequent adjustments. The Rib Ring solves this problem by standing the ribs their side. You not only get a nice, even heating range, but can also cook more pork at once—up to six racks. An included drip pan will also help keep your grill cleaner and prevent flare-ups. [$49.99, bbqguru.com]
iGrill 2 by Weber
Grilling and smoking bigger cuts of meat are a great challenge for the aspiring pitmaster: you need to constantly monitor the temperature, making sure you don’t overcook anything and managing the heat to power past any mid-smoking stalls. With Weber’s iGrill 2, though, you can track the internal temperature of up to four cuts via smartphone-connected Bluetooth probes, so you never miss the perfect temperature. (The thermometer comes with two probes; you’ll have to buy the two others separately.) The app features cool temperature graphs and handy alarms so you can grill like a pitmaster without having to put in long hours at the grill. It works with newer iPhones or iPads, as well as most Android phones. [$99.99, weber.com]
BBQ Multi-Tool by Traeger
Once you really get into BBQ, you can amass a lot of gear. Why not cut down on a few of those items by tossing all of your mismatched, worn-out BBQ tools—and consolidate with a multi-tool instead? This compact, four-in-one beauty features a wood handle, spatula, pigtail, basting brush, and corkscrew—all perfect and handy enough to make any grilling session a little bit more efficient. [$49.99, traegergrills.com]
