Barbecuing is a lot like fishing. It is a hobby that takes very little supplies to get you started but lends itself to inventions of every kind that you will eventually buy because you think it will make you more successful in your endeavor. Here is a list of barbecue tools that you may eventually want to own.

Tongs:

Long handles that won't get hot are a sign of quality to look for in your most frequently used tool. The long handles will help to prevent burns. Tongs are handy for everything from turning meat to moving coals. Wood-handled ones are nicer because they won't get hot, and in a real pinch you can use them as fuel! If you flip food with a long barbecue fork, it will pierce the food and allow the juices to escape.

Barbecue Fork & Flipper:

Long wooden hanles are desirable for these two tools. The fork is designed to pierce food so it doesn't wriggle off the grill when you're turning or slicing, and the flipper (also called a spatula) is used as an aid in turning it over. Don't use the fork to turn food: use the flipper or tongs. Again, piercing the food while it cooks allows the juices to escape.

Basting Brush:

A long handled one is best. In a pinch you can use a new natural bristle paint brush that you have washed.

Matches or Butane Lighter:

Unless you have a gas grill with an automatic starter, you will need something with which to create the original flame. A butane lighter with a long neck is the ideal fire starter.

Bottle Opener:

You know, in case you get thirsty and want a cold and frosty beverage.

A Cook's Apron:

Although you may think it is silly, there's a very good reason to wean an apron while cooking. Splattering sauces, flying sparks, mistakes, burning embers, and all sorts of other things are part of the hazards of barbecuing. Wearing an apron made of sturdy cotton will deflect a lot of violence to the clothing you are wearing beneath it, or to your skin if you are a nudist or barbecuing in the raw for some other reason.

Fuel:

Charcoal, briquettes, wood, kindling, newspaper, other forms of consistent fuel to help you start, maintain, and stoke a fire.

Grill Scraper:

This tool is used to remove the residue of baked-on crud from your grill. On a public grill, you don't know what was cooked on the grill before you use it, so a good scraping is suggested.

Oven Cleaner, SOS Pad, Bucket of Hot Soapy Water:

There are many ways to clean a grill, and oven cleaner or scouring pads do a good job.

Spray Bottle:

Mine holds a pint of water, has an adjustable nozzle, and will shoot about 10 feet on a calm day. A cheap plastic squirt gun will work, too.

Fire Extinguisher:

It better to be safe than sorry. Most people will never need to use an extinguisher to put out a fire on the grill, but it is comforting to know that you have one handy, just in case.

Meat Thermometer:

Your best friend when it comes to checking the doneness of meat. Traditionally, meat thermometers look like spikes with a dial on top. They are inserted into the meat and as it cooks, the thermometer registers the internal temperature. An "instant read" thermometer looks like a fork and when inserted into the meat, give you the temperature---instantly. Unlike the traditional meat thermometer, instant read thermometers are not inserted into the meat while it is cooking.

Wire Brush:

A long handled wire brush will make your grill cleaning much easier. Get the kind with a metal grill scraper attached to the brush. It will help you chisel off baked on food. You can use the metal brush to clean the grill while it is still hot, which is nice. Once the food cools on there, it is harder to get off.

Oven Mitts:

Need we remind you that you are dealing with fire here, and fire can be quite hot? The best kind of oven mitts are heat and fire resistant and are long enough to go part way up your arm. You will wear these mitts while cooking, to make emergency adjustments to the grill, and to remove drip pans from the fire bed. Invest in your safety.

Clean Cotton Cloth & Cooking Oil:

Grease your grill before you place food on it. This makes for easier cleanup.

Carving Board:

The best carving boards are decided not by the material with which they are made ( for example, plastic, wood, or metal), but by the fact that they have little troughs to catch juices. Make sure you wash the board thoroughly between uses. Pores in the surface can harbor harmful bacteria. Also, if you cut up raw meat on it before grilling, make sure you wash the board thoroughly before cutting anything else, including cooked meat, on it.

Charcoal Container:

Make sure you buy an airtight, moisture tight container to store opened bags of briquettes. Moisture will mess up you cooking time. A 50-pound trash container with a snug-fitting lid will be fine. Make a nifty scoop by taking an empty 1-gallon water jug and slicing off the neck and part of one side to form a handled scooper for the charcoal. For most grills, one scoop is about as much as you'll need.

Side Table:

Even if your grill comes with a shelf on the side, you probably won't have enough room to rest a platter, all your tools, your water sprayer, and your drink. Pick up an inexpensive outdoor bistro table at a yard sale for the perfect extra space.

Conclusion:

There you have it. Just some basic barbecue tools that will make your barbecuing much easier. You can find more great barbecuing suggestions, tips and recipes by buying The Everything Barbecue Cookbook by Dale Irvin and Jennifer Jenkins.