7 Essential BBQ and Grilling Products to Buy for the Holidays
December is here and the holidays are fast approaching. If you are still looking for the perfect gift for a barbecue and grilling fan or are just looking for some new ideas for products to use in the backyard, The Smoke Sheet has you covered.
For this gift guide, I chose seven products that I absolutely love to use when cooking in the backyard. Here are my seven essential picks for barbecue and grilling products you should check out this holiday season.
My favorite new grilling tool is the versatile BBQ-AID 5-in-1 Set. (Photo by Wai Chan)
BBQ-AID 5-in-1 Set
The BBQ-AID 5-in-1 Set allows you to push the boundaries and unleash your creativity on the grill. This set includes a vertical beer can chicken roaster, smoker box, jalapeno pepper rack, elevated grilling rack, and flat skewer tray with four BBQ skewers. Best of all, the 5-in-1 Set is completely crafted from high-quality stainless steel, is 100% dishwasher safe and will never rust. This is by far my favorite new tool for BBQ and grilling this year. ORDER HERE.
Blues Hog was created by the late Bill Arnold, whose acclaimed sauces are used by champion BBQ teams. (Photo by Blues Hog)
Blues Hog Premium Gift Set
Blues Hog sauces have won more national and international awards than any other sauce on the market. Their products are made with the highest quality sugar and spices, which is why they are used by competition BBQ teams and top chefs around the world. The Blues Hog gift box contains all the award-winning, “Choice of Champions" Blues Hog sauce varieties. The gift set includes pints of the Original, Tennessee Red, Smokey Mountain, and Honey Mustard sauces, plus a 5.5 oz bottle of Dry Rub Seasoning. ORDER HERE.
The Dalstrong Crusader Series Kiritsuke Chef’s Knife is lightweight and razor sharp. (Photo by Wai Chan)
Dalstrong Crusader Series Kiritsuke Chef’s Knife
The Dalstrong Crusader Series 8.5 inch Kiritsuke Chef’s Knife features a razor sharp German made ThyssenKrupp x50crmov15 blade steel at 58+ Rockwell, delivering exceptional performance. The blade is painstakingly hand sharpened to 16-18 degrees per side, maintaining the perfect balance between ultra-thin slicing and maximum resilience. The knife also features a seamless and sleek transition from the blade to a high-chromium stainless steel handle and includes a beautifully designed, hand-crafted blade sheath with engraved magnet to hold the knife securely in place, embossed Dalstrong logo and pin, and Dalstrong microfiber cloth for polishing. ORDER HERE.
DennyMike’s Seasonings Rubs for All Set includes five different classic spices. (Photo by Amanda Rummel)
DennyMike’s Seasonings Rubs for All Set
DennyMike’s Seasonings are super-premium, all-natural, and gluten-free seasoning blends. Over 15 plus years ago, DennyMike Sherman set his mind to creating a high-quality line of BBQ sauces and rubs. Since then, and over 60 awards later, he’s still producing products that continue to prove his tagline, “One taste is all it takes.” The Rubs for All Set includes five 7 oz. classic signature bottles of spices. This set includes Chick Magnet, Sublime Swine, Cow Bell Hell, Fintastic, and Pixie Dust. ORDER HERE.
Every grilling enthusiast needs a set of GrillGrates. (Photo by Wai Chan)
GrillGrate Universal Grill & BBQ Gift Set
The GrillGrate Universal Grill & BBQ Gift Set works on nearly all grills, including gas, charcoal, and pellet grills. With their reversible interlocking panels, you get two grilling surfaces in one. The grill rails on one side will help you get beautiful sear marks on your food while the flat surface on the other side can be used as a griddle. Because they are constructed from hard-anodized aluminum, GrillGrates will never rust. The Universal Grill & BBQ Gift Set comes with three 15 inch GrillGrate Panels, a GrateTool, and a recipe and user guide. ORDER HERE.
A Raikes Beef Co. Four Season Subscription Box includes a variety of different cuts as well as delicious recipe ideas. (Photo by Wai Chan)
Raikes Beef Co. Four Season Subscription Box
The Four Seasons Subscription Box from Raikes Beef Co. features a seasonally curated mix of top sellers as well as some favorite lesser-known items and delicacies, complete with recipe suggestions and some of great seasoning add-ons. Each box changes with the season and is based on availability and will contain aprox 7 lbs of high quality, Nebraska-raised beef directly from the Raikes family farm. ORDER HERE.
The ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE provides lightning fast, accurate readings. (Photo via ThermoWorks)
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE Thermometer
With full readings in one second or less, the Thermapen ONE from ThermoWorks approaches the speed of thought - allowing you to focus exclusively on the quality of your work. Never has an instrument been able to achieve such speed and accuracy without sacrificing durability and usability, until now. ORDER HERE.
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These are just a few gift ideas for the serious BBQ and grilling enthusiasts in your life. We wish you a happy and safe holiday season!
Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Sheet
Raikes Beef Co. specializes in 100% Nebraska born and raised American Wagyu and Angus beef. Grass fed, grain finished, and always hormone free. Learn more about Raikes Beef Co.
—Franklin Barbecue has fully reopened after only offering takeout for the past 20 months. (Photo via Franklin Barbecue / Instagram)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Franklin Barbecue, one of the best-known barbecue joints on the planet, reopened its doors in Austin on November 23 after being a takeout-only operation for the past 20 months. Texas Monthly’s Emily McCullar was at the restaurant as it reopened and the long lines resumed. “The mood was celebratory, reminiscent of a similar day four years ago, when Franklin reopened after a fire devastated the pit room in the summer of 2017,” McCullar writes. “That reopening took place on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, which was one reason Aaron Franklin and his team decided on November 23, 2021, for the official return of the post-COVID line party. The team also needed enough runway to transform what had become a takeout business back into a functioning restaurant.” READ HERE.
DFW-based Zavala’s Barbecue, of which we recently reaped high praise, has announced plans for a coffee shop and beer garden behind the restaurant. Joe Zavala, co-owner of Zavala’s Barbecue,and his wife Christan Zavala plan to build a standalone coffee shop behind the barbecue joint (the coffee is being served inside for now). Then, the Zavalas plan to open additional coffee shops under the name Mas Coffee Co. in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that will also sell barbecue breakfast tacos. The couple hopes to have the operation running in 18 to 24 months. “We kind of want to create a little compound, where people can stay for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Joe Zavala told the Dallas Morning News. READ HERE.
Carey Bringle, owner of Peg Leg Porker in Nashville, will open his newest restaurant — aptly named Bringle’s Smoking Oasis — this Saturday in the Nations neighborhood of Nashville. Unlike Peg Leg Porker’s “Tennessee BBQ,” the Smoking Oasis will be focused on Texas Hill Country style barbecue, reports Eater Nashville. The menu will include “brisket, beef ribs, turkey, and chicken plus special occasion fried chicken” while sides will include “roasted street corn and Texas-style baked beans.” It will also have year-round outdoor patio dining. READ HERE.
ADDITIONAL READS
The team behind popular New York barbecue joint (and occasional wedding venue) Pig Beach was profiled on CBS Sunday Morning.
Texas Monthly has published a new guide on the 23 best barbecue joints in Houston.
St. Louis barbecue newcomer Navin’s BBQ has earned its place among the top local BBQ joints in the city, reports the Riverfront Times.
J.C. Reid writes in the Houston Chronicle about the promising new barbecue joint Burro & Bull, which serves boudin balls and much more.
Battambong BBQ, a Texas-meets-Cambodian style barbecue pop-up, is serving up inventive eats in Long Beach, California.
The folks from Barbecue Bros. had kind words in their review of the Carolina Dry Rub and BBQ Sauce from Carolina Brewery.
If you want to compete at the next Memphis in May barbecue contest, here's what you need to know.
Use the code BBQTOURIST10 to save 10% off your order of DennyMike's seasonings. Learn more about DennyMike's here.
—Erica Blaire talks with Patrick and Erin Feges of Houston’s Feges BBQ.—
WATCH
Talking Texas BBQ and More with Patrick & Erin Feges of Feges BBQ in Houston — The Smoke Sheet
Erica Blaire is a pitmaster, winner of BBQ Brawl season 2, and correspondent for The Smoke Sheet. In this video interview, she visits with Patrick and Erin Feges of Feges BBQ, one of the top BBQ spots in Texas. They opened the first location of Feges BBQ in Houston's Greenway Plaza food court in 2018. In 2021, they opened their highly anticipated second location in Spring Branch and were named one of Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ joints. This power couple discusses how they got started on their journey in barbecue. Special thanks to Conor Moran of On3Media for creating this video on behalf of The Smoke Sheet! WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Richard Fergola and Dusty Ware — Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Veteran competition pitmaster Richard Fergola has won dozens of contests, been on BBQ Pitmasters and Food Network’s Chopped Grillmasters. But his biggest personal accomplishment in food sport occurred recently as he captured Grand Championship honors at the KCBS World Invitational. The Tailgate Guys also check in with Dusty Ware, co-owner of the Iowa BBQ Store in Ottumwa and pitmaster of Darty Q. In his first year of competing with store co-owner and teammate Sam Heinrichs, the duo won a KCBC Grand Championship, using drum smokers, then went and bought the jambo and cook trailer of BBQ legend Rod Gray. They ask him about that and the latest from the Iowa BBQ Store. LISTEN HERE.
READ
The Complete Guide to Smoking Meat: 100 Smokin' Good Recipes for BBQ and More — Derrick Riches and Sabrina Baksh
There’s something about the intoxicating aroma of brisket roasting over an open flame. Makes your mouth water, doesn’t it? The Complete Guide to Smoking Meat gives you the know-how to make melt-in-your mouth smoked meat at home. This essential smoker cookbook provides clear, step-by-step methods and recipes that will get you fired up about BBQ and turn you into a meat smoking master. Make everything from traditional low and slow BBQ to hot and fast meat dishes, including Central Texas Barbecue Brisket, Spicy Smoky Dino Ribs, and Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde. You also get smoked sides and fruit- and vegetable-based recipes to add to your wood-fired repertoire. Cook up the best BBQ in town with The Complete Guide to Smoking Meat. PRE-ORDER HERE.
—Brent Little’s Hasselback Sausage Bacon Cheeseburger recipe is a tribute to Memphis barbecue. (Photo by Brent Little)—
Hasselback Sausage Bacon Cheeseburger
By Engineer of Que
This week’s Recipe of the Week comes from Brent Little of Engineer of Que on Instagram. Little is one of two finalists facing off in the Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman contest before the SEC Championship game this weekend in Atlanta where he will be fortunate enough to have Melissa Cookston helping him in his corner. His recipe for the Memphis Style Hasselback Sausage Bacon Cheeseburger is a tribute to Memphis barbecue restaurants, almost all of which seem to have some form of cheese and sausage plate as an appetizer on the menu. In this recipe, Little cuts the Johnsonville sausage with a Hasselback potato cutter and grills before filling the inside of the burger with chopped jalapenos, cheese, and cream cheese.
—The Jacksonville BBQ Festival will be one of the last big barbecue events of the year.—
December 10-12, 2021: Jacksonville BBQ Fest — Jacksonville, Florida
The inaugural Jacksonville BBQ Fest is happening this December at TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jaguars. Don’t miss this chance to grab an ice-cold brew and sample pure smoked bliss from award-winning pitmasters from across the country. MORE INFO HERE.
February 19-20, 2022: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Auckland edition) — Auckland, Australia
Meatstock will feature a stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The two-day event brings American pitmasters Down Under; sees BBQ teams go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks, and pop-up bars. Additionally, American BBQ joints such as Sugarfire Smokehouse will be putting on demonstrations. MORE INFO HERE.
March 12, 2022: Tex Mex BBQ Festival — San Antonio, Texas
This event will be full of the best food, education, and entertainment ever assembled in one spot. The menu will be masterminded by Miguel Vidal of Valentina’s Tex-Mex from Austin, Tx. The food will be executed by some of the most talented pitmasters, chefs, and cooks coming in from all over the nation. Mark your calendar for an amazing experience! MORE INFO HERE.
March 18-21, 2022: AmazingRibs.com Meat-Up in Memphis — Memphis, Tennessee
Join Meathead Goldwyn and the AmazingRibs.com crew at the Meat-Up in Memphis. There you can hang out and toss a few back with experts. The Meat-Up will be based in the famous historic grand Peabody Hotel. Things will kick off with a whole hog cooking demonstration Friday afternoon followed by a welcome dinner Friday evening at the famous Rendezvous. Saturday be will be a day of pork-centric seminars in the hotel, with special porky meals because Memphis is most famous for pork. The hotel's kitchen is highly regarded and we have ordered their best meal packages. Sunday, attendees will board buses and visit four BBQ joints for a deep dive into the historic tastes of Memphis barbecue before concluding the weekend with a bash on Beale Street! MORE INFO HERE.
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