Cool Grill Tools

If you don't want to fire up the oven on a hot day, consider cooking your pizza on an outdoor grill. Instead of putting the crust right on the rack, buy a heavy-weight baking stone that will help evenly distribute heat. Some stones come with a raised stainless-steel base that houses a thermometer, for more precise cooking. The stone can also be used indoors in a conventional oven, if you prefer.

To truly add a personal touch to your grilling, get a branding iron and mark your meats. These irons work like smaller versions of cattle brands and can come with such personal options as single, double or triple initials. Party guests will be sure to comment.

Making sure that grilled kebabs are cooked evenly can be problematic. Flexible skewers allow you to bend the kebab easily to accommodate the cooking space. Circular skewers offer a new twist on a traditional method of cooking.

If you're camping, or perhaps want to have some outdoor fun on your deck or patio, try a popcorn popper made just for the grill. All you have to do is add oil and kernels and shake gently. Like Jiffy Pop popcorn, the corn will pop up into the container. Turn the nonstick base over and use the dome lid as a serving bowl.

You can find baskets for grilling all sorts of items, but a garlic bread griller will handle a whole loaf. Instead of just wrapping up your bread in foil and placing it on the grill, this tool can accommodate different bread sizes, works on gas or charcoal grills, and will give bread a nice, smoky garlic flavor.

After you're finished grilling dinner, you might want to try roasting some marshmallows for dessert. Because it's not always easy to find a wood stick, look for a special tool made for roasting marshmallows. It not be as authentic or quaint as a stick, but it's readily available. Squeeze the prongs together, push the marshmallow on and hold over the heat. When the prongs separate, the marshmallows are done. Perfect for s'mores.