Category — Grill

Forks, by and large, are easy to operate, so by that thinking they must be due for a makeover. As fork-users have had it far too easy for far too long, it’s about time they were presented with something of a challenge.

Designed for use on the grill as a thermometer and a timer, the Cuisinart Programmable Digital Temperature Fork takes the guesswork out of grilling meats, poultry and seafood. (Assuming of course one has learned how to use it.) Set the temperature or desired doneness level and let the timer do all the heavy lifting. (Of numbers, that its—the fork still has to do the real lifting.) As for the forkophobes technophobes out there, used to the blinking 12:00 lifestyle, the fork may have a timer, but a clock is not incorporated!

Beer can chicken making gadgets come in all shapes and sizes, but rarely do they double as anything else. Which is usually fine: the idea is to add a flavoring liquid of your choice (that’s right—gasp—it doesn’t have to be beer) and let it bubble up and permeate the meat while it is cooking. Results are tender, delicious and juicy.

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Okay, enough. Grill baskets are great, but when we start making them for hamburgers, well then that’s when it has gone too far. There are those grill grates sitting there after all. Usually. Most of the time. Not always when camping, I guess. Or at a bonfire. And those grates at the park can be kind of nasty, I suppose… All right, you win Cuisinart Hamburger Basket, I take it back. You can exist. Even if it’s just to show that more than just hot dogs and marshmallows can be held over a campfire.

Some grill accessories create inspiration simply by existing. Burgers and hotdogs may dominate the grilling landscape, but the proliferation of specialized grill racks means that those old standbys are going to have to give up some space on the grill. We’ve seen the Chile Pepper Grill Rack, we’ve seen the Chicken Rack, and now we have the Fruit Grill Rack to add to the arsenal.

Priced at only twelve bucks, the stainless-steel contraption provides an inexpensive way to secure round fruits and vegetables on the grill. Perfect for apples, peaches, pears or even tomatoes, the no-nonsense design eliminates the balancing act normally required when jostling round food about on the grill. Safely secured in one location there may even be enough room left over for the occasional hamburger and hotdog.

As long as grilling is in the air around these parts, might as well think about some of the things the grill has to offer. But that’s just the problem—if you could call it a problem—the grill makes everything taste better. (Try grilling an apple fritter if you don’t believe it.) While there may be endless possibilities for the grill, not all of them fit so nicely on the grill, unless of course you have something to hold them.

Encouraging experimentation on the grill, the Steven Raichlen Non-Stick Rectangular Compartment Basket holds four different items at one time. The design keeps loose items from falling in the fire, which opens up a world of new possibilities. Best of all with four compartments, there will be enough grilled goodies for everybody.

It’s baseball season, which in turn means hot dog season has officially begun. However, hot dogs spinning eternally on stainless-steel rollers are only but one way to welcome in the new season. It’s time for the grill to come out of hibernation, and a good idea might be to step up your grilling game while you’re at it. A simple way is to do it with smoke.

The Steven Raichlen Double-V Smoker Box gives grillers the ability to add complex flavors by imparting foods with not only smoke, but also liquids. The double box construction allows for wood chips to be added to gas or charcoal grills, while the lower compartment is designed for adding juice, beer, wine or other flavored beverages. The traditional snap of a hot dog that accompanies the sound of baseball being smacked across the infield hasn’t usually included a palate-pleasing aftertaste of merlot or chardonnay, but hey, there’s always this year.