74 JUNE 2020
claim yourgrill spaceThe grill is the heart of any cookout. And
while family and friends may want to hang
out where you’re grilling, to cook effectively
you need your space. Think like a chef, and
set up your cooking area for maximum
efficiency and economy of movement. Start
by setting up your grill in a low-traffic area
with convenient kitchen access. Then trick it
out to your liking.Rimmed Baking Sheets
Keep a stack of clean pans
nearby for holding hot-off-
the-grill food.Utensils and Caddy
Corral your tools (grill tongs,
spatula, basting brushes) to
cut down on clutter.Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil
Cover items after they come
off the grill to hold in heat
and discourage bugs.Paper Towels
Keep a roll handy to mop up
spills and to keep your out-
door kitchen space tidy.Small Trash Can
Tuck one under the prep
table to dispose of spent
citrus, plastic wrap, foil, etc.gas or charcoal?“For me, it’s not gas versus charcoal;
it’s Monday night versus Saturday
night,” says Food & Wine Editor in
Chief Hunter Lewis. “On the
weekend, I love nothing more than
cooking over coals, using smoke to
build flavor. But on weeknights, when
the chips are down and I need to get
dinner on the table for my family or
friends, I want the speed and
convenience of my Weber Genesis
gas grill. I think of it as the Swiss
Army knife of outdoor stoves. There’s
always a cast-iron skillet on the side
burner, and I keep a Lodge griddle on
the grates as a plancha. It’s super
multifunctional and offers a
high-BTU lift when I’m in the weeds.”4 TABLE
SERVICE
Position a small table
near the grill to give you
a spot to place items pre-
and post-grilling; set it up
perpendicular to the grill
to block off your work-
space. Have these items
on hand to reduce dashes
back to the kitchen:KONA SAFE/CLEAN
BRISTLE-FREE GRILL
BRUSH
With no meltable parts,
this brush removes every
fleck from the grill to help
reduce sticking. ($19,
konabbqstore.com)THERMOWORKS
SMOKE 2-CHANNEL
ALARM
This wireless probe lets
you monitor temperature
from 300 feet away and
multitask with confidence.
($99, thermoworks.com)KUDU GRILLING TONGS
These telescoping tongs
keep you far from the
blaze while allowing a
precise grip on every-
thing from cherry toma-
toes to rib eyes. ($34,
kudugrills.com)SLOW ‘N SEAR DELUXE
GRILL INSERT
Slip this into your kettle
grill to create customiz-
able zones for indirect
slow cooking, baking,
turbo-searing, and more.
($100, snsgrills.com)CHAR-BROIL HALF-
TIME CHARCOAL
STARTER
In a hurry? This gener-
ously vented chimney
cuts lump charcoal heat-
ing time in half. ($15,
charbroil.com)GEAR UP!
Your cookout can be as simple
or elaborate as you make it.
If gear gets you excited about
grilling, give these high- and low-
tech tools a try.FO
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0620_FT_Summer_Cookout.indd 74 FINAL 4/22/20 11:44 AM