Lunatic Singe BBQ - Essential Tools for BBQ

Reasons Having the Right Tools Is So Important:

Consistency - Smoking a brisket (or almost anything) requires controlling the temperature of your smoker, as well as cooking the meat to a precise temperature. Without the right tools like a thermometer, it's much more difficult to get the best results.

Efficiency - Your time and the number of trips out to the smoker can be cut way down by using the right tools.

Safety - Dealing with heat and fire can be dangerous. Using the right heat-safe gloves, long tongs and sharp knives greatly reduces the risk of injury.

Flavor - Using the right type of wood and fuel while you smoke the brisket has a big effect on the flavor of your brisket. Choosing the right type and size of wood is super important.

Spray Bottles

Hot, dry air moving through a smoker dries out the surface of your meat resulting in a layer of crust (bark) that holds the juices inside. Spritzing the meat surface gives your rubs and seasonings, particularly salt, a little help in providing flavor and moisture.

Basting Brush & Saucing Pan

A quality basting brush and saucing pan helps you evenly distribute barbecue sauce or garlic-infused butter for better absorption and a well-rounded flavor on the outside surface of your meats.

Marinaters & Injectors

Don’t you want your meat extra tender, extra juicy, extra tasty? Marinade can take it there. Injecting before a long smoke works flavor deep into your meat; even an overnight marinade firsthand helps seasoning (especially salt) infiltrate the deepest layers, supporting deliciousness throughout the entire cook.

Knives & Boards

Your sharpest knife is going to be the best knife, but if you plan on frequently smoking meat, investing in some specific knives is going to make it so much easier. You want a specific knife for trimming before the cook and another specialty slicer for slicing the smoked meat like brisket.

Boning Knife
A curved boning knife with a semi-stiff blade is perfect for trimming fat and cleaning up silver skin on the meat before smoking.

Slicing Knife
A long granton blade slicing knife for slicing cooked meat not only makes the job so much easier and quicker, but you can slice much thinner and more precisely.

Large Cutting Board
Used for both trimming and prepping before you smoke the meat, and for slicing it after it's cooked. A heavy, large cutting board makes the job so much easier.

Thermometers

A quality thermometer or two is one of the single most important tools in your arsenal when it comes to smoking meat. Being able to locally or remotely monitor your smoker's temperature and meat as it cooks is an absolute game changer. We cook to a temperature, rather than to a time, and accuracy is key for the best results.

Remote BBQ Thermometer
There are different models of remote probe thermometers available. They are amazing tools that monitor the temperature of the smoker and the internal temperature of the meat. It will can provide a remote alarm based on parameters you set.

Meat Thermometer
Use an instant-read probe thermometer to get precise internal temperature reads of your meat. These are great for spot-checking to verify your remote probe.

Butcher Paper

Pink butcher paper is super handy for wrapping meats like brisket, pork butts, and shoulders. It comes in either 18" or 24" width and provides for easier wrapping of large cuts of meat. Aluminum foil can also be used.

Drip Pans

Disposable aluminum drip pans for a water bath to keep the smoking environment moist and to catch drippings prevent flare-ups and help keep your smoker clean. They are also handy for cooking meats in the smoker. These come in different sizes and available in bulk at many stores.

Sheet Pans

With countless uses, sheet pans are great for seasoning and transporting the meat to and from the smoker or in the fridge. They also work great as serving platters.

Tongs

Tongs have a lot of uses in and out of the smoker, from transferring meat to moving coals or wood chunks. Having a few pairs of long tongs outside and inside just makes things easier.

Nitrile Gloves (rubber gloves)

Black disposable gloves, nitrile gloves, provide a strong barrier against bacteria and are resistant to tears and punctures, making them durable and safe for handling meat for both prep and serving. Nitrile gloves are powder and latex free.

Heat Resistant Gloves

Heat-resistant gloves protect your hands from the high temperatures of the fire and allow you to handle hot grates and cooking surfaces with ease.

To handle hot foods, just put a pair of disposable nitrile gloves over them so they stay clean.

Fire Extinguisher

If the flames do not die out, douse the fire with a fire extinguisher designed to fight Class B (flammable gas or oil) or Class K (grease) fires.