Tools For The BBQ and Grill

I sometimes get asked what tools for the BBQ and grill are best to have around, so I thought I’d put my list of tools here for you to check out.

Candy Thermometer: I know you’re wondering what in the hell would I use a candy therm for so I’ll tell you. I use it for reading the air temp when using my Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) smoker. The candy therm reads low temps and is easy to read. Don’t get the cheapest, I got mine at Sears.

Instant Read Thermometer: I have a digital instant read therm that comes in handy when grilling thick cuts of meat and I want to take several temp readings from different parts of the meat.

Remote Thermometer: I currently use a Maverick ET-7 remote therm when doing BBQ. The ET-7 has two probes that can be used for meat and/or air temp monitoring. You can also be up to 100′ away and still get a reading.

Honestly, I don’t care for the ET-7 as much as I should and plan on getting an ET-73 in the very near future.

Extinguisher: Fire, fire, fire!

Grill brush: Each grill/smoker I have has a grill brush nearby.

Grill gloves: A good pair of heavy duty grill gloves come in handy quite often. I use a pair of welding gloves that can be bought at Northern Tool, Sears, etc. They come in handy when using the smoker, moving grates, moving lit coals, etc.

Chimney starter: I have a Weber Perfomer grill with the propane ignition system for lighting coals, but I prefer to use a chimney starter in conjuntion with the Weber’s starter so I get the coals evenly lit. It also make transporting lit coals from the Performer to the WSM when I’m going to smoke something.

Tongs: Get long, strong tongs. Those short flimsy things you get in the kitchen department just don’t cut it when your working over expremely hot coals. I have Steven Raichlin’s tongs from Amazon.

Spatula: You need a good spatula so don’t skimp. Mine’s the bomb! It came from The Pampered Chef and is big and strong. It has a nice leading edge to get under your food, a tenderizer, knife and best of all, a bottle opener. It also comes with a sheath to protect it.

Rubber gloves: Whenever I prepare food for guests I’m sure to use rubber gloves. I don’t like my hands getting dirty and the guests know I’m being safe. The gloves also come in handy when rubbing and pulling BBQ. I pick them up in big boxes at BJ’s.

Metal Trashcan: A small metal trashcan is great for spent coals. Never put old coals in paper, plastic, or anything that could melt or catch fire. Coals can stay lit for days after a cook so you need to be safe.

Grill Cover: Protect your grills and they will last years.

Lighter: You never know when you’ll need a lighter so keep a long stemmed one around the house. I have a beautiful Ducane Natural Gas grill the sometimes needs a little help getting lit so the lighter comes in handy.

Spray bottle: I’d never use a spray bottle over coals, but a spray bottle with water is sometimes nice to have when using a gas grill. That is, until you learn to grill and keep the flare-ups from happening.

Oven cleaner and plastic bags: When you want to do a deep cleaning you can spray your grates with oven cleaner and put them in plastic bags while the magic happens. Ummm, I don’t do this. I just heat the crap out of the grates and thoroughly brush them.

Grill Light: I don’t have one for the gas grill because that one is under roof and lit, but I’d like to get one for the Performer. The clip on style is best with LED lamps. The batteries will last much longer with the LED’s.

Sauce stuff: No, I don’t mean sauces, but you need a good silicone brush for applying sauces and whatnot. I’ve found silicone to be the best for this because the bristles don’t come out. A stainless steel sauce bowl goes well with this.

More items could easily be added, but most of the above in needed, not wanted.

Hope this helps.

EDIT, JANUARY 23, 2009:  If you’re using a gas grill, it’s a good idea to have some baking soda handy.  Read this to find out why:  Clicky here.

Babies Move Fast

I recently wrote about letting your child explore, well maybe you should keep a closer eye on him as he becomes more mobile.

Yesterday I stepped out of the room for about 2 minutes and when I returned I found Belly Slider on the fifth step. By himself!

Time for the baby gates.

On another note, Belly Slider can now be called Knee Walker as he has learned to crawl over the past few days. There’s no turning back now, is there?

Sammy Baugh Dies

People never forgot Slingin’ Sammy Baugh.

Every day as many as four letters arrived at the West Texas ranch the pioneering quarterback called home.

Baugh, whose use of the forward pass took him to the Hall of Fame after a career with the Washington Redskins, died Wednesday night. He was 94.

The letters came from young and old. Some asked for an autograph from Baugh (pronounced Baw). But in the last several years of his life he couldn’t oblige them.

His son David Baugh responded to each one, telling fans his father could no longer hold a pen.

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett even wrote to Baugh, and like so many others “just talked about how he was an inspiration in their lives,” David Baugh told The Associated Press. “He did a lot of things pretty good, not just as an athlete. He was a good rancher, roper. He was a pretty good man.”

Click to read the full report.

Panties and Gloves

A YOUNG MAN WANTED TO PURCHASE A GIFT FOR HIS NEW SWEETHEART AND AS THEY HAD NOT BEEN DATING VERY LONG, AND AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, HE DECIDED A PAIR OF GLOVES WOULD STRIKE THE RIGHT NOTE:  ROMANTIC BUT NOT TOO PERSONAL.

ACCOMPANIED BY HIS SWEETHEART’S YOUNGER SISTER, HE WENT TO NORDSTROM’S AND BOUGHT A PAIR OF WHITE GLOVES.  THE SISTER PURCHASED A PAIR OF PANTIES FOR HERSELF.  DURING THE WRAPPING, THE CLERK MIXED UP THE ITEMS AND THE SISTER GOT THE GLOVES AND THE SWEETHEART GOT THE PANTIES.  WITHOUT CHECKING THE CONTENTS, THE YOUNG MAN SEALED THE PACKAGE AND SENT IT TO HIS SWEETHEART WITH THE FOLLOWING NOTE:

 –Darling–

 I chose these because I noticed that you are not in the habit of wearing any when we go out in the evening.

 If it had not been for your sister, I would have chosen the long ones with the buttons, but she wears short ones that are easier to remove.

These are a delicate shade, but the lady I bought them from showed me the pair she had been wearing for the past three weeks and they were very soiled.  I had her try yours on for me and she looked really good.

I wish I was there to put them on for you the first time, as no doubt other hands will come in contact with them before I have a chance to see you again.

When you take them off, remember to blow into them before putting them away as they will naturally be slightly damp from wearing.

Just think how many times I will kiss them during the coming year!”

All My Love

P.S.  I understand the latest style is to wear them folded down with a little fur showing.

Thanks Stan for the laugh.

Baby’s First Words

Our baby’s first words have been predictable… until now.

Oh sure Floor Mop started off with “dada” (tear in my eye) which made me very happy and proud.  Then he did the “mama” thing which is real cute, especially at 3am!

Well now his newest word is… No it’s not “car” or “ball” like every other Wooble Stander, it’s “TOUCHDOWN!”  My gosh we laugh everytime he says it!

You see, we have a little game we play that makes him so excited he often gets the hickups.  I take his little feet and move them back and forth while saying “Running, running, running”.  Then I take his arm and swing it forward while saying, “Throw the ball.”  Next I take his feet and do the “running, running, running” thing for a few seconds.  I stop and put his arms together and say, “Catch the ball!” and we do the “running, running, running” thing again.  Finally stopping and raising his arms above his head and say, “TOUCHDOWN!”  Then I bring his arms together to clap and cheer.

“Running, running, running – Throw the ball – running, running, running – catch the ball – running, running, running – TOUCHDOWN! – YEAH!!!!”

Good times and smiles all around.

Redneck BBQ

Redneck BBQ picture: