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Since humans discovered fire, someone’s been out in the backyard grilling. Grilling has come a long way from a pile of lighted wood and a sharp stick to hold the food. Today you can purchase gas or charcoal grills that cost more than some cars, with attachments and tools for every grilling desire.

Grill food is not just relegated to burgers and hot dogs anymore. You can practically move your kitchen out onto the barbecue during the warm months. Tune into the Food Channel or cruise the cookbook aisle of your local bookstore and you’ll find directions for creating exotic, elegant cuisine using the grill. Once you’ve got the right accessories, healthy barbecue cuisine can be a snap.

Grilling Accessories
Accessories are pretty important. Your grill doesn’t need a lid or a cover, but for some foods you do need some way to cover them. A metal colander can be used to cover grilling food to create a steaming effect. Invest in a metal colander with handles for grilling purposes.

If you plan on doing different types of cooking on your grill, you’ll need a cast-iron pot for stews and a hinged wire basket for grilling veggie burgers, extra firm tofu or slices of vegetables. You’ll want a sharp knife available, to cut into veggies to determine their doneness. Long-handled tongs are easier to use for turning food than spatulas and can double as serving utensils. Metal or heat-resistant wood skewers are useful for making veggie kabobs that are easily turned on a grill. Heavy-duty foil is the type to use for lining grills or for wrapping food to be placed on the grill. Invest in some long-handled brushes for cleaning the grill too.

Wood and Fire
Wood and fire are highly personal items for the experienced griller. Different types of wood, such as cherry, mesquite or maple, can impart different flavors to the food. You can select different types depending on their availability.