Food & Drink, Sports & Recreation
The Best Outdoor Grilling and Entertaining Supplies for the Big Game
Come game day, you need to bring your outdoor grilling A-game. An outdoor Big Game party needs more than just a good grill though. A fully decked-out outdoor kitchen needs the proper tools and accessories to keep your guests well fed and comfortable during the game. Here’s a list of the best outdoor grilling supplies and outdoor entertainment to get you ready for your Big Game party.
Grills: Which Is the Best?
A good grill should be the centerpiece of any great outdoor kitchen. Whether you’re new to the world of grilling or you’re looking for an upgrade, you’ve come to the right place.
First you need to decide what type of grill works best for you. There are several different kinds to choose from.
- Gas grills
- Charcoal grills
- Pellet grills
- Electric grills
The heat source for a gas grill is typically gas or propane. These grills are by far the most popular type of outdoor grill. They’re easy for novice cooks to use since all you have to do is turn a dial or push a button to activate it. The temperature dials also give you more control over how hot your grill can get. Propane gas grills typically need propane gas tanks to work, whereas natural gas grills only need to be hooked up to a natural gas line. Natural gas grills have virtually unlimited power as a result.
Charcoal grills burn hotter and deliver a punchier, charred flavor you won’t get from other grills. You need some serious cooking skills and technique to work a charcoal grill, since it can be easy to burn whatever you’re cooking on it. These grills can get as hot as 700 degrees Fahrenheit and ruin your cooking time. They’re also the most portable grills.
A true grill master will appreciate the versatility of charcoal grills due to their ability to grill or smoke chicken wings, burgers and more right over the coals. You can also do indirect cooking by placing an easy-to-clean grate over the coals. Charcoal grills tend to take a lot longer to clean, but some people swear by the chargrilled flavor they produce.
Pellet, or wood, grills are becoming increasingly popular. They deliver a unique smoky flavor that can’t be reproduced on other grills. Sometimes they have an electric power switch, making them easy to start or turn off. They’re still rather uncommon, though, so you can expect them to be pretty pricey.
Grill Accessories
If you have a grill, you’ll need a kit of sturdy, heat-resistant grill accessories and tools. Here are just a few grill accessories your outdoor kitchen should have equipped:
- Grill brush: A decent barbecue grill brush can add the perfect amount of glaze to a steak, chicken breasts, wings or any other game-day treat.
- Grill tongs and fork: Sturdy grill tongs can help you scoop or flip a stubborn piece of meat stuck to your grill. Grill forks (or barbecue forks) can help you skewer any particularly large cuts safely without burning yourself or your cooking.
- Spatula: Cooking a party’s load of burgers requires a good spatula to keep on top of all that flipping.
Thermometer: Getting a reliable probe thermometer or instant-read thermometer can help you keep tabs on how hot the food you’re grilling really gets. This tool is essential for people who opt for a charcoal or pellet grill, where you can’t easily turn down the temperature.
Patio Furniture
Your outdoor kitchen most likely sits right by the backyard patio. If you’ll be doing some backyard entertaining, your guests will need a place to sit and eat. Getting patio furniture that can weather a storm and excited game-day partygoers can be quite a challenge. You’ll also need to account for the number of guests who plan to attend. Plan ahead to get the right number of chairs, benches and patio tables.
Coolers and Ice Tubs
Keeping your drinks cool is essential, especially since watching the Pro Football Championship can get heated at times. A large cooler or tub of ice can keep all your favorite drinks refreshingly cold all game long.
Games
Backyard parties tend to have at least a few lawn games lying around so younger guests can keep themselves occupied. A good, old-fashioned bean-bag toss game, a pack or two of washable chalk or water balloons are always great options. Just make sure the games you pick have easy clean-up.
FAQs
That depends on what you need. Gas grills tend to be the best all-around grills for outdoor living due to their accessibility. A portable gas grill can also be a good investment if you’re taking the grilling to other parties after your own.
Expert grillers will swear by charcoal grills’ potent flavor for chargrilled meat. Others adore the smoky flavor a good pellet grill can bring. Whichever sounds more appealing to you should be the grill type you go with.
Professional chefs are split on whether they prefer pellet or charcoal grills. Some chefs will even use a combination wood and charcoal grill so they don’t have to sacrifice any flavor. |
Join The Conversation