What are some of your "must have" items?

[JoeSousa]

What are some of the "must have" items every griller/smoker/meat cook should have in their arsenal? I am not necessarily talking about different grills or smokers but what other gadgets, accessories, tools, etc. are you a big fan of?

This list would probably change every time I put it together but I think my top 5 would be:

1. Tongs - Hard to live without a good pair of tongs
2. Sheet pans - Very versatile
3. Cast Iron - Can't think if a piece of cookware that is as versatile and durable
4. Chefs Knife - In a pinch a chefs knife can be used in lieu of almost all other knives
5. Disposable gloves - I go through a ton of these almost every time I am in the kitchen

What do you have on your list?

[Mr. Bones]

Likin yer list, so far, totally agree!

Gotta go to bed, sleep on it, but I'll add

Fire Extinguisher,

fer now...

[jfmorris]

Yep, I needed a fire extinguisher once, and only once, to put out a grease fire when making the bad mistake of cooking pork bely on a hot gas grill!

[Fire Art]

Must have thermometer

[Dr. Pepper]

Boning knife, very large cutting board, alligator loppers (for the KBQ C-60), weber chimney charcoal starter (I use it for starting the wood for the KBQ)

[WVsmoke]

Without question a must in the grilling toolbox.

[dsohmer]

Thermometer and a heat source are the only two "must haves" I can think of.

[Mudkat]

If I was stranded on an island and I could pick what washed up on shore I would pick:

A 22" weber kettle
A good meat/grate thermometer
A cow
A pig
Salt & pepper
MMD
And someone to share it with.

[CaptainMike]

One edit would be a bull and a cow, and a boar and a sow. (I think there's a nursery rhyme in there somewhere)

[Mudkat]

Not bad CaptainMike. In my scenario I was only gonna spend the winter there. 😄

[FireMan]

As my dairy farmer buddie would say, a bull & 2 cows, cuz, ya know.

[Frozen Smoke]

Among the things I now own the only must have is probably my Thermapen besides the obvious things like tongs, smoker etc. That being said of the things that I own and use that I wouldn't want to be without and consider money well spent are my Carlisile (same thing as Cambro) holding cabinets and my Big John's 3 bay portable propane fired steam table. Both have been proven to be good investments.

[BKYDBBQ]

Mine mirrors what others have said...but I would like to add:

[Mudkat]

That Captain Morgan would look good on my Island. 😎

[klflowers]

Beer

[Troutman]

Faith, family, friends ?

[Dadof3Illinois]

Those and the other 3 "F's"............Food, Football and Firearms....HA!!

[jfmorris]

My list would be, not counting grill and grill accessories, meat and spices.

1. Good instant read thermometer
2. Good wireless leave in thermometer with a least 2 channels (meat and pit temps)
3. Good boning or filet knife
4. Good 12" slicer
5. Big cutting board with groove around outside to catch juices
6. Lots of foil pans and lots of foil.
7. Meat shredding claws

[CaptainMike]

SnS is becoming a pretty much got to have, even if you can do everything without it.

[Skip]

Along with all of the previous posts, I always need "Time". Usually if I'm rushing a cook too much it won't turn out the best.

[Troutman]

Heard that, I'm perpetually late with my cooks.

[klflowers]

Whenever I say I am cooking for dinner the same day, my wife knows we are looking at 8PM at the earliest, cause I take my time (and I always under estimate how long it will take and start late).

[Steve B]

Besides, motioned before, BEER. We cannot do what we do without a good pair of BBQ or welding gloves.

[DavidNorcross]

Totally agree with the gloves...well the beer too. But that is a given.

[klflowers]

I can work around most other stuff, but not beer.