Digital CraveSix sizzlin' BBQ gadgets for the summer
Summer is in full force, which for many of us translates to one thing and one thing only: grill season.
Whether you're fired up about barbequing in your backyard, at the cottage or camping site, Americans coast to coast are sparking the 'que, piling on the meat and cracking a few cold ones. Toss in a few friends and loud music and it's the closest thing to heaven during football's offseason.
Sure, barbequing is a longstanding tradition, but that doesn’t mean modern-day technology can't make it even tastier. The following are a few recommended BBQ gadgets to add some tech to your deck.
Checking the temperature of your meat? There's an app for that. The aptly-named iGrill ($79.99) is a Bluetooth-enabled meat thermometer and accompanying app available at the App Store or Google Play. Stick the silver probe into your beef, poultry, pork or lamb, and the temperature of the meat is displayed both on the tabletop unit connected to the probe as well as up to 200 feet away on your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or Android device. Other features include a timer, multiple alerts, a smoker option and graph screen to see history. A smaller, iOS-compatible iGrill mini is also available for $39.99.
Fire Wire Flexible Grilling Skewer
You can file this one in the "why didn't I think of that" folder. As the name suggests, the Fire Wire Flexible Grilling Skewer ($9.99 for set of four; firewiregrilling.com) is a cable-style grilling skewer that makes it easy to fit meat or veggies on a grill of any size. Made from food-grade stainless steel, the Fire Wire cables are roughly twice as long as traditional straight skewers and can weave around the grill, where needed, to avoid other food you might be cooking at the same time. The inexpensive product comes with a lifetime guarantee.
From the fine folks at ThinkGeek.com – home of the Bluetooth watch and video recording pen – comes an ideal BBQ gadget for the master griller who has everything. The BBQ Branding Iron ($14.99) lets you call your beef your own. Use the included letters and spaces to spell out your name and sear it into the flesh. Or perhaps burn in the names of the people you're grilling steaks for, so they know which one is for them. This quirky tool ships with every letter in the alphabet, including spaces, and no tools are needed to set it up.
Coleman RoadTrip LXE Portable Propane BBQ
Take your barbequing seriously? The Coleman RoadTrip LXE Portable Propane BBQ ($146.99) is ideal for cottaging, camping or tailgating. Savor the flavor of open-flame and drip-through grilling, thanks to its two independently controlled burners (20,000 BTUs), 285 square inches of total cooking surface, retractable side tables and push-button ignition. This portable, collapsible unit comes equipped with wheels and handle, removable grease tray operates on a 16.4oz propane cylinder (not included).
Cuisinart BBQ Beercan Chicken Tool
You've seen the makeshift models on those manly outdoor cooking shows, and now you can pick up the real deal for the chicken lover on your gift list – if you’re will to shop on a Canadian retail site, that is. The Cuisinart BBQ Beercan Chicken Tool ($24.95) is a durable stainless steel chicken roaster to cook the perfect barbeque bird. Simply, er, straddle the chicken on top of the fillable cup after you've filled with precious beer, and it'll infuse the chicken with moisture and flavor. The basket can also be used to grill vegetables at the same time. When you're done, the cup can be removed for cleaning.
If you haven't yet noticed, your iPad (from $299) is an extraordinary tool for reading digital books – and cookbooks are no exception. You'll salivate over Southern Living's The Big Book of BBQ ($7.99), an app with mouth-watering recipes, barbeque cooking tips and high-resolution photos, videos and audio clips. Use your fingertip to flick through more than 100 recipes, including sections like "Low & Slow" (baby back ribs, brisket and smoked trout), "Speed BBQ" (kabobs, fajitas and burgers), "Scrumptious Sides" (corn, beans, salads and dips) and "Sweet Stuff" (cakes, dessert bars, etc.). You'll also find cooking tips and tricks, on everything from cleaning grates to applying sauces to using charcoal.
