Best BBQ utensils

I need recommendations for best bbq utensils. I’ve gone through a few cheap sets that are either too flimsy to fall apart fast.

I want something strong enough to lift a chicken or turkey into the grill. Something that has a nice handle that doesn’t burn my fragile hands would be nice too.

 

My top four tools are
1. a special set of long tongs for handling charcoal. They are about 18" long
2. regular cooking tongs
3. metal spatula with a very thin edge
I use those for scootinig and flipping, most of the food handling that gets done on the cooking grate, with #2 and #3

4. silicone heat resistant gloves. i don't remember what brand I have, mine are bright orange. I wash them in the dishwasher, cuff end down, in the silverware holder. Get big ones. when those run out heat resistance it is going to get very hot in there and you will someday want to be able to take them off real fast.

I guess five. # 5 is disposable nitrile gloves from medical supply placs or NAPA. I use those for handling big pieces of meat going into the cookers, like a turkey.

 

@Bigdaddy4760

 

@wilcam47's BBQ scraper is my most used accessory. I sometimes use the tongs or the spatula or the thermo or the hook or the grill grates or any number of accessories. I always use that scraper, though.

 

Thats great! I still have a few, they are a little rough looking. Next contest Ill donate one or two

 

Pigtail flipper!!!! So useful.

 

Anyone have a preference of brands that has quality stuff?

 

We have some sitting in our stock also.

 

The big green egg forum is really active and has some great recommendations. I tend to like the companies that take a shitty name brand product and make it better and overbuild it so it lasts forever

 

I think I have 4 to 6 tops may have to sell some you got unless @bvbull200 wants them? I hope next month to get back into starting making stuff once we get into our house.

 

Ya I’ve got the ones we ordered from you in case we needed to laser to send out.

Then stuff got crazy.

 

Yeah I know that feeling....we can figure out when to etch them next month if you want.

 

Tongs-Metal tipped and silicone tipped, short and long (so a total of 4 tongs); “he man barbecue spatula”-google it and you’ll see a bunch if results. Wire grill scraper. Avoid forks, pigtails etc. essentially anything that pokes holes in the meat which drains juices.

 

I've had the same spatula for ten years...wood handle and easily cleanable stainless steel. No idea who makes it, but it IS worth spending $$$ to get the good stuff. I just bought a pair of Kingsford leather gloves from the closeout bin at Walmart. They used leather from half a cow to make these go over the elbows. $7! Actually purchased to handle my collection of encephalartos.

 

Heres some grill scrapers I made.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hardwood-grill-scrapers.641209/

Pitfaced logo laser etched by @Kanyon71

 

A few weeks ago I bought a new silicone tipped tongs for the grill. They ended up being too damn slippery for a mustard rubbed pork tenderloin. Just about dropped the damn thing.

The tongs I've had for years (stainless steel and wood) work well enough, they just take too damn much pressure to close.

My spatula is also wood and stainless steel but the rivets are starting to loosen so I'm on a hunt for an entire set of grilling tools now.

At least my temp probes are working well.

 

I got this set (with a brush and long knife too) for my wedding in 2004....the things are indestructible. They are so incredible beefy Im not really sure what could go wrong with them. I was skeptical because they were not made by a BBQ company but out of all the tools I have used, abused and killed- these have lasted!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Williams-S...s-New-with-Tags-rosewood-handles/164259843225

 

This is the rest of the set. Maybe they never all came together or maybe they did....in 2004 LOL

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Pc-Long-...For-BBQ-Grill-Tool-Approx-18-1-2/353026104661

 

I'll put in a vote for the cheap stuff. I do cook most of our meat outdoors year round and usually when the snow melts I will find a spatula or tongs sticking out of the melting snow at the outdoor kitchen. It happens.

I like to get tongs and spatulas at the second hand store. I really like the spatulas made in the 1970s, molded on black pastic handle with a blade made out of pot metal but about as thick as a cigarette paper. Joint paper, sorry. The ones with generic flower blossoms molded into the plastic handle are especially nice. For tongs, I look for the ones that are in good shape except for the keeper being loose. Five seconds with a channel lock on the keeper, two trips through the dishwasher, golden.

I have been using SS scrub pads to clean my grates. Like an SOS pad, only stainless steel and no soap. I stopped using bristle brushes to clean my grates the night I served a bristle from one of those brushes to my preacher when he was over for dinner, the bristle was charred into the crust on his ribeye. I will try a wooden scraper when a likely looking scrap of hardwood shows up on the floor of my shop, enough people like them it is probably worth trying.