07/07/2008

Guide to High Tech Barbecue Gadgets

Summertime and the gadgets are easy. The barbecue season is in full swing and it’s the right time to check out some cool barbecue gadgets. Mouth-watering steaks and sausages are a great way to enjoy a lawn party.

Branding and Barbecues
Let’s not talk about brands like Weber or Big Green Egg. This is a home version of the cattle ranchers branding iron. If personalizing your steak with your own custom brand sounds appealing then check out the Monogrammed Barbecue Branding iron for around $60.

Tumbling Steaks
How about a high tech tumbler for marinating things before you put them on the grill. Reveo MariVac Food Tumbler Marinader goes round and round to make things taste better for $199. ($150 on amazon.)

Barbecue Light (not lite)
For barbecuing after dark you might want to spend $14.94 on the Outset magnetic light that has 3 bright LEDS and holds fast to your grill with a strong magnet.

High Tech Thermometers
A good thermometer should be part of every serious grill master’s tool kit. The Bonjour laser thermometer uses infrared light to measure the surface temperature of a pan or grill. It includes a probe thermometer for measuring meat temperatures. The Thermapen digital, instant-read thermometer costs around $90 and was Cook’s Illustrated top rated thermometer. It’s noted for its super fast response and small probe tip. You can buy a thermometer from Williams-Sonoma that has a voice alert to tell you when your meat is done.

Grill Recommendations
Here are few top picks for grills:
The Weber Genesis E-320 is a nice looking gas grill that is built to last with porcelain coated grates and a 10 year warranty on the 3 stainless steel burners. It comes with one side burner. If you don’t need a side burner, you can get the Weber Genesis E-310. The Weber Performer has a great feature; you start the charcoal with a propane gas burner and once the charcoal is lit you turn off the gas and start grilling. The Brinkmann 810 gets good reviews and a “Best Buy,” from Consumer Reports.

Portable Green Grill
Woodflame makes a very cool, or should we say hot, portable grill that burns a small hardwood cube in an enclosed space and uses forced air to produce a very high heat in minutes. The unit weighs about 15 lb is safe and efficient to use.