What do you need for a smoker? You might have come across this question several times before searching it up on the internet. So, I am here to resolve your concerns and answer all your queries. There is a large variety of food smoker accessories available around the market and can often confuse which ones should be purchased to ease the overall grilling experience.
In this article, we have offered you a detailed overview of the 16 essential smoker accessories that can be used on a regular basis while smoking various ingredients ranging from heat-resistant BBQ gloves to wireless thermometers and chimney fire starters. So without any further ado, let’s read the article below to help you determine the required smoker accessories for regular use.
Essential Smoker Accessories
Wireless Meat Thermometer
Wireless Meat Thermometers are ideal for those that prefer cooking meals on slow heat. This will help them carefully analyze and monitor the temperature while you are preparing the BBQ for your friends and family.
These wireless thermometers are highly accurate and precise and will definitely beat the built-in thermometers that are available with the main smoker package. It is one of the highly suggested smoker essentials despite your skill and frequency of smoking the meat.
It is better to choose a product that is versatile in nature and can easily measure the temperature from both your cooker as well as the meat. Another factor that must be considered while purchasing an external temperature is wireless connectivity.
It would be better if you could choose a thermometer that can work wirelessly with a variety of smokers without the requirement of readjustment of the hassle of managing all the wires.
The majority of the high-quality and advanced wireless thermometers available around the market are incorporated with LCD screens that help you read the temperature conveniently and are highly useful for novice users that are not well adept at noting the temperature reading—this aids in a user-friendly and trouble-free cooking experience.
Heat-Resistant BBQ Gloves
You might be wondering what else we need while choosing the smoker utensils? Well, there is nothing that can replace the Heat-Resistant BBQ Gloves. When you work around a smoker and have to prepare large quantities of meat, burning your hands is inevitable.
Even if you prevent the hand from getting damaged due to direct contact with the open fire, you will still feel some burning sensation and redness in your arms and hands. Therefore, it is essential to purchase a good pair of heat-resistant BBQ gloves for yourselves.
There are a multitude of options available around the market, but you should choose those that cover not only your hand but also the arms properly. This will prevent the arms from getting burned or sustaining injuries, especially when the smoker grill is large, and you have to extend your hand to reach the distant meat slices.
The heat-resistant material of construction will also help in heat dissipation and will absorb low heat while you are cooking. Thus, preventing the gloves from heating up immediately. Such conditions are ideal for those that have to BBQ for a long time and are tired of redness and burning sensation accompanied with longer smoking sessions.
BBQ Grill Brush
Keeping your workplace clean is as important as preparing a healthy and delicious meal. Therefore, purchasing a BBQ brush will help you in keeping the grill clean and tidy when it is not being used. Similarly, you can also use it in between the sessions to eliminate the mess in the surroundings. However, you should be extremely careful while working with a cleaning brush as it can not be directly used on the hot grill.
Using the brush immediately after you have cooked the food will not only damage the cleaning brush but also the grill itself. We suggest waiting for 10 minutes once you are done with the smoking task.
Then, use the wire brush to remove the fresh junk from the grill. Once you have thoroughly cleaned the exterior surface of the grill, then you can move towards the interior. Remove the interior grate from the system and clean it properly using freshwater.
This will help you in extending the average life of the grill. Once you are done with cleaning the grate, insert it back into the smoker and increase its temperature before you again start cooking the meat.
Remember to purchase a cleaning brush with a long handle to keep yourself away from the grill. Also pay attention to the compatibility of the brush to various construction materials such as stainless steel, ceramic, cast iron, and porcelain.
BBQ Tongs
BBQ Tongs is another essential gear for smokers and will prevent you from burning your hands and fingers from excessive heat when you grab BBQ pieces with your bare hands. The tongs will help you in grabbing the meat slices effectively and will reduce the injuries associated with holding hot meat in your hands. This is especially useful for those that do not have prior grilling experience and are not aware of the proper method of handling the meat slices.
The tongs are also useful for advanced users and are often sold with the complete 12 to 13 piece toolset. In addition to this, high-quality tongs are constructed using heat-resistant stainless steel materials that help in heat dissipation and prevent the specified BBQ accessory from heating up. Thus, allowing you to hold it for long hours with little regard to harming yourself.
Similarly, you can also create a combination of using both tong and heat-resistant gloves at the same time as it will offer additional protection from the damage and will help in turning and flipping the meat pieces without any difficulty. Also, ensure that the tong you are planning to purchase is characterized by scalloped ends as it will help you in effectively grabbing stubborn pieces that are difficult to grab otherwise.
Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
You might be wondering why there is a need for another thermometer when we already have two of them? Well, let me explain. The instant-read meat thermometer is different from its previously mentioned counterparts and serves a different purpose. This product is specially designed to help you check the temperature of the meat every few seconds so you do not overcook.
This is necessary when you are preparing a steak and even a one-degree increase in the temperature can significantly contribute to the overall taste of the output. These are also essential for those that generally prefer cooking at slow speed and low temperatures and often need to monitor the temperature of the food so that the input heat can be managed effectively.
Build quality and speed and accuracy are a few significant factors that you must pay attention to when choosing an instant-read meat thermometer. This will help you get precise results without any doubt for error. Similarly, a digital screen is also important that can display the temperature in front of you and make it easier for different users to read temperature without any prior knowledge for this purpose. Chose the best thermometer by reading our review guide about instant read thermometers.
Basting Brush
Among the multitude of smoker grill accessories, a basting brush is my ultimate favorite. The reason for this is its user-friendliness which makes it easier for me to spread the sauce and other seasoning items without getting my hands greasy or dirty in the process.
You can use the brush to gently spread out the butter, oil, sauce, and marinade across the meat slices. This will help you reach every corner effectively and will offer you a perfect blend of different flavors without leaving any part untouched.
The brush features the shape of a mop that can be soaked inside the sauce before its application on the meat slices. The mop absorbs sufficient amounts of the sauce, which can then be transferred onto the BBQ.
This helps you in keeping the meat moist and greasy while grilling it. It is also essential to choose a basting brush that contains a relatively long handle. It will help you work effectively without being extremely close to the grill itself.
Moreover, the long handle protects you from open fire and high grilling temperatures, thus, allowing you to work for longer hours than you originally expected. In addition to this, the basting mops come in both thin and thick versions and must be selected according to the requirement of the meal that is being prepared and the thickness of the sauce that you want to apply.
Butcher’s Block
BBQ smoker accessories also include a Butcher’s Block to help you in cutting the meat slices effectively. Whether you are a professional chef or just cooking for fun, a cutting board will help you divide the meat into equal slices before grilling it.
Similarly, you can also use it to cut the cooked meal after it has been taken off the grill. Cutting boards are available in different sizes and shapes and therefore, can be selected according to your needs and requirements.
For those that usually grill for a family of five to six people, an average size cutting board is sufficient. However, if you are using larger pieces of meat or whole chicken that need to be divided into pieces then, it is necessary to select a large size board. This will help you avoid future troubles by allowing you to effectively cut large meat pieces.
Another thing worth mentioning in this regard is the construction material. Bamboo boards have been highly popular among consumers in the past few years because of their exceptional durability and lightweight construction that allows you to use them for years without any major issues. Various advanced high-quality boards also help in sharpening knives to easily slice through stubborn meat blocks.
Boning Knife for Trimming
It is unfair if we only talk about the cutting board and not the trimming knife. Thus, we have also included the Boning Knife for Trimming into our list of barbecue smoker accessories. Unlike ordinary knives, these tools come with sharp blades that are highly durable and sturdy and can easily cut through large meat pieces effectively without any additional effort from your side.
Furthermore, they are also ideal for removing the fat on the meat that you might find difficult to eliminate otherwise. The overall length of the blade is also essential when trimming the meat and therefore, we highly suggest going for at least six in large blades. This will help you maintain better control over the knife when cutting the meat.
However, be extremely careful during this process as the trimming knife is extremely sharp and you might end up ripping your own flesh if you exert more force while slicing the meat. Also, look into the handle of the blade. A sturdy handle will make it last for a long time and will also aid you in the procedure without compromising comfort.
Slicing Knife
Apart from trimming the knife, we also present you with the slicing knife. Both these tools serve a different function and therefore, should be purchased separately to ease the overall pre-processing steps before grilling the meat.
Usually, the job of the boning meal is to cut and clean the meat before it is placed on the grill for smoking. The slicing knife is somewhat different and will help you make the final output presentable.
You can use it to cut the meat into smaller pieces when you have cooked it properly and is mostly used for cutting steak. Similar to its previously mentioned counterpart, the slicing knife should also be integrated with a sharp blade that can divide the meat into different pieces in a single attempt and you do not have to struggle with the meat while repeatedly cutting it.
Sometimes, slicing various foods such as tri-tip helps you improve their texture, and hence, the role of slicing knife is extremely important in such cases. We always recommend going for knives made up of carbon steel blades as they are not only sharp but also exceptionally durable. The length of the blade is also important and should all be taken into consideration while choosing one for yourself.
Charcoal Chimney Fire Starter
Well, you will not be able to cook anything unless you start a fire. This is where a Charcoal Chimney Fire Starter comes in handy. Not only is it lightweight but also exceptionally durable, and thus, you will get the most out of charcoal starter than any other related product available around the market. Previously, consumers used to go through nerve-wracking steps in order to start the fire for grilling using charcoal or other ignitable materials.
However, the process has now been eased by the charcoal chimneys. All you have to do is to put a sufficient amount of charcoal into the chimney. Add a few paper towels or other spare papers into the chimney to help in starting the fire. Apart from this one or two tablespoons can also help in starting the fire and are highly recommended to increase the speed of the process.
Once these materials have been introduced into the chimney, use the matchstick to start the fire and the rest will be done by the materials introduced into the chimney by themselves. Some users also prefer using paper towels underneath the chimney to decrease the time required for starting the fire completely and accelerate the overall process by 10 to 20 minutes.
Rib Racks
If you usually prepare a meal for more than ten people especially when you are on trips with your friends and colleagues, accommodating a large number of ribs into the grill smoker can be an issue. This is especially true if the grill contains small racks for storing ribs and does not have sufficient space to accommodate additional rib pieces. To resolve the issue in this case, you can invest in a high-quality rib rack for yourself.
The external rib rack can be introduced into the grill to include more ribs without having to invest a large sum of money on purchasing products that contain large rib racks. However, there are a few things that you must pay attention to when selecting a suitable rib rack for yourself. First and foremost, the capacity of the rack is highly important. After all, you are purchasing an external rack only because you need additional space to fit in more ribs.
So, the large capacity will do the trick for you. But, you should also be mindful of the overall size of your grill. A large size rib rack will be of no use if you can not fit it inside the grill, So always check the size of your grill before purchasing an external rack. Besides this, the material of construction is also important and we especially recommend steel-based racks that are coated with porcelain for extended durability and sturdiness.
Pink Butcher Paper
The days of using aluminum foil to wrap the meat have passed long ago and now these foils have been replaced by butcher paper. To be more specific, I should be referring to these products as the pink butcher papers. These papers were first introduced by Aaron Franklin for wrapping the meat, and since then, have been used by professional chefs to wrap the meat pieces while grilling and smoking them.
The advantage offered by these papers is the remarkable development of the bark which you might not achieve using a foil. Moreover, they also help in keeping the meat tender and juicy for a long time and can help you generate a delicious and mouthwatering output at the end of the day.
But, you should ensure that the butcher paper you are purchasing is manufactured using high-grade materials and is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as the unwaxed paper which can be used for wrapping and smoking the meat.
You can easily find the pink butcher paper on any convenience store or other related markets in your area at a reasonable price range and do not have to go through any trouble to purchase these remarkable pellet grill accessories.
Stainless Steel Grill Basket
Stainless Steel Grill Basket is one of the smoker’s must-haves. This is perfect for cooking vegetables and other ingredients that are usually smaller in size and can not be directly placed over the grill.
One of the major advantages these grill baskets possess is the deceased space among them, which prevents the small ingredients from falling off while you are grilling them. This also decreases the risk of burning them due to excessive heat.
Moreover, since these baskets are made up of stainless steel, they are highly durable in nature and are not prone to damage due to multiple factors. Stainless steel is also easier to clean and can be washed easily without worrying about removing stubborn stains. I prefer washing the vegetables and then cutting them into medium size pieces before placing them inside the grill basket.
To aid the cooking process, I also coat the basket with olive oil so that the food can be prepared conveniently without getting stuck to the basket itself. This is especially true for small meat pieces that can easily get stuck to metallic objects. This prevents the food from burning and the basket from getting excessively dirty and therefore, helps you in easing the overall cleaning process.
Disposable Gloves
Next on the list are the Disposable Gloves. I remember mentioning the heat-resistant BBQ gloves previously, which are different from disposable gloves. The heat heat-resistant gloves help you in keeping your hands and arms away from excessive heat generated by the grill and protect them against burns and other associated injuries. However, disposable gloves are more of a BBQ uniform than protective equipment.
These are essential for handling meat as they are slip-resistant in nature and will help you in grabbing the meat slices effectively. Furthermore, if you do not like the stench of the meat, these gloves are an ideal option for you. The smell of raw meat is long-lasting and can remain in your hands for a long time after you touch it. These disposable gloves keep the smell away from your hands and allow you to apply sauce and marinade on the meat with utmost accuracy and balance.
In addition to this, the gloves can absorb the grease and will prevent it from reaching your hands while you are wearing them. One major advantage of these gloves is that they can be disposed of, once they have been used by you. Some highly popular gloves available around the market are Nitrile and latex gloves, among which Nitrile gloves are the most used because they do not contain any chemical or powder.
Bear Claws
Bear Claws might not be necessary for you but they are highly recommended if you want to imitate professional chefs and want to try something different. These tools are used for shredding the meat and will prevent the smaller shreds from getting stuck in your nails.
So, ladies, if you have long nails and you often find it difficult to shred the meat from your bare hands, then you must try out these bear claws to conveniently shred the meat into thinner pieces.
Another benefit offered by these remarkable products is their ability to aid in transferring and lifting the meat especially if it is slippery or greasy. Not only will they prevent your hands from getting slippery, but they will also eliminate the need for cloths and wrapping sheets for this purpose.
Moreover, these gloves are relatively cheaper and do not cost you a hefty sum of money. So, they can be purchased by users of diverse financial backgrounds without worrying about overstraining the budget and other related issues.
Grill Brush
The smoker starter kit also contains a grill brush that can be used for cleaning the grill once you are done with the cooking task. Maintenance and cleaning are as important as preparing the food and must never be neglected if you want to use the grill for a long time. Negligence in maintenance can lead to durability issues and can significantly decrease the average life of the smoker to a great extent.
Similarly, cleaning the grill before you introduce food into it is also important and should be done every time to ensure the preparation of a healthy and delicious meal. Therefore, grill brushes are our utmost recommendation to all the users out there.
These products feature a unique spiral shape that can effectively reach the corners and empty spaces between the grill. This helps in the removal of grease and other residues that might be difficult to clean using a regular brush or a cloth.
Furthermore, the bush prevents your hands from getting dirty in the process and can be cleaned afterward for a second time. A wide variety of users also prefer using these grill brushes because of their user-friendliness and low price which makes them affordable for a diverse range of users.
So, if you’re a regular BBQ grill user, you should definitely try out the grilling brushes to conveniently remove the grease and dirt that might be stuck inside the grill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrapping Up
If you are often confused about the essential accessories that can be used with a smoker’s grills, then you are at the right place. In this article, we have helped you sort out some essential smoker accessories that can be used on a regular basis to ease the overall smoking process and improve your grilling experience.
We have discussed 16 different accessories on a whole, among which the most notable include the charcoal chimney fire starter, stainless steel grill basket, heat-resistant BBQ gloves, grill cleaning brush, wireless thermometer, basting brush, and slicing knife. So if you are facing issues while choosing the correct accessories, carefully read the above article and follow our suggestions to get yourself out of the misery.
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