Amanda Haas’s Top Picks for Grilling Out This Memorial Day

Show me a better spatula for handling grilled chicken, brisket, or pork shoulder, and I’ll show you a liar. Its super-durable, flat surface allows you to scoop things off the grill without putting your hands above the heat source. Plus, all of that surface area allows you to keep big cuts of meat — or even your fancy whole roasted cauliflower — in one piece as you transfer your favorite foods to and from the grill.

If I could recommend one tool for the person who wants to master grilling, it would be this Thermapen MK4 Instant Read Thermometer. Understanding the internal temperature of your meat when you cook is the only accurate way to know when it’s done. This thermometer reads the temperature in 2-3 seconds and is accurate within .7 degrees F, making it the most exacting in speed and temperature. It’s waterproof, backlit for use at night, and turns off automatically to save battery use. Even better, it’s just as useful indoors for baking, roasting, sautéing and more.  This is the tool that made me a better griller. And if you’re wondering, I bought the pink one(!)  

My chef friend always says, “You can’t cook good if you don’t look good!” It always makes me smile when I fire up my grill. This trucker hat with the pig logo is my go-t0 when I’m cooking outside and want to stay out of the sun.

So many tongs designed specifically for grilling tend to be bulky, slippery when handling food, and made of wood that cracks when being washed. That’s why I turn to my OXO tongs every single time.  These 16” tongs are extra long so you can turn the food at the back of your grill without exposing your hands to the heat, and their non-stick rubber gripper handles stay cool and keep your hands from slipping.  I own all sizes of these and use them for cooking indoors and outdoors on the daily. Plus, they’re dishwasher safe.

These simple white towels are my version of oven mitts. I fold them over and use them constantly to place and remove food on my grill. The best part? They’re perfect for clean-up, too. Toss them in the washing machine with some bleach, and they’re good as new.

These pans may cost a bit more than their nonstick counterparts, but they’re so durable that I use them for everything. Whether I’m roasting veggies on my Traeger Grill or simply using them to carry all of my ingredients to and from my grill, these are some of the most-used items in my kitchen.