Manning the grill is traditionally a dad’s job, and, for many fathers, it is also one of the true joys of summer time. So with Father’s Day coming up, what better gift to give for the dad that loves to grill than some accessories for his barbecue.
Cuisinart Grill Set
When it comes to grilling, there are no accessories more essential than a solid set of tongs and a good spatula. Cuisinart’s 14-Piece Grill Set ($40) includes these two all-important workhorses, as well as a bunch more that your dad will love. Featuring well-constructed tools that are long enough to keep your dad’s hands far from the grill’s flames, the set also comes wrapped up in a handsome aluminum carrying case.
iGrill
If your dad loves cooking large cuts of meat — from whole chickens, to roasts to pork shoulders — a probe thermometer is an essential tool that allows the cook to pull the meat off the grill the second it reaches its peak doneness. Traditional probe thermometers, however, require multiple trips to the grill to check on dinner’s progress, which just makes barbecuing seem like work. Enter the iGrill, a bluetooth enabled thermometer that sends real time updates to your iPhone or iPad, allowing your dad to spend his time lounging with a cold beer while the barbecue does its thing. The only way you can make cooking more stress-free for your dad is if you offer to fetch the food yourself when it’s done.
Barbecue Starters
The taste of meat grilled over a charcoal cooker can’t be beat, but getting a heap of coals going can take 30 or 40 minutes, an excruciating wait when you’re really hungry. A Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter ($18) — which packs coals in more tightly, while ensuring a steady flow of air to fuel the fire — can cut that time in half.
If you’d prefer a less combustible alternative to the chimney, get your dad an electric charcoal starter ($17). For purists that want to avoid even the slightest hint of lighter-fluid flavors in their food, this is definitely a must-have.
Grill Daddy
Cleaning the grill of cooked-on gunk is one of the least enjoyable things about barbecuing. The Grill Daddy ($60) is a steel-bristled barbecue brush that adds water into the mix from the reservoir in its handle, giving your dad’s grill a steam-clean finish.
BBQ Book
No matter how great a grill master your dad is, there’s always something more for him to learn. And who better to learn from than Weber, the makers of America’s most iconic barbecues. “Weber’s Big Book of Grilling” ($15) will take your dad from the humble hamburger to herb-stuffed roasts and everything in between. Perfect for the pop with enough humility to know there are still a few tricks he has yet to master.
Meat Grinder
If your dad is sick of cooking frozen, factory-made hamburger patties, maybe it’s time to get him a Waring Meat Grinder ($200) and a nonstick burger press ($20). Once he tastes a real, freshly made burger ground from the finest chuck and steak, he’ll never want to go back to those bland, fast-food slabs again.