They there fellow lovers of all things smoked food and welcome to my post where we will discuss my 10 best BBQ gifts for that smoking fanatic in your life this year.
It is as Christmas approaches that we realize that us BBQ afficionados are simple creatures. For here the thing to understand which is that our general answer of “I don’t need anything” should always be translated to “I want anything you can get me so I can play with my smoker even more”.
Best BBQ Gifts for Christmas
And now that you understand that, let’s check out some of the things that we “don’t need”…
1. High-Quality Meat Thermometer
When it comes to BBQ Thermometers, I would be surprised if your BBQer does not already have one in their smoking arsenal. However, there is always room for another especially if the one they have is either not wireless, or they want to cook many different meats at the same time.
Alternatively, if they are new to BBQ, then a reliable thermometer is a tool used to measure the internal temperature of meat and other foods during cooking. It ensures that food is cooked to the desired level of doneness and helps prevent undercooking or overcooking.
Check out my: 3 Best Wireless Meat Thermometers
2. BBQ Rubs and Seasoning Sets
Some believe that the success of any BBQ can be very heavily accredited to the rub that is used. And for the uninitiated, a BBQ rub is a blend of spices, herbs, and seasonings applied to meat before cooking to enhance the flavor of the meat.
When it comes to rubs, there are two options – 1. make your own, or 2. play around with pre made options until you find the one you love. Hence, if you are looking for a good BBQ related gift, then a good rub set may be just the ticket.
3. Pellet Smoker Tube
Also known as a smoke tube or pellet tube, a pellet smoker tube is a perforated metal cylinder (or in my case, more of a block) that is filled with wood pellets – or even chips – lit, and then added to the cooking chamber to add smoke to the cook.
Originally designed to turn a standard grill into a smoker, they are also often used to enhance the flavor in pellet smokers as outlined above as well. These make a great gift for those who have been smoking for a little while as it opens up a whole new array of options to play with smoke flavors.
Check out my post: Do You Need a Pellet Smoker Tube?
4. BBQ Tool Set
When most of us start out with BBQ, we tend to pull together an eclectic mix of tongs, knives and so on to get us through our cooks. And whilst many a BBQer will have their favorite tools, a good BBQ kit can help to round out their collection to cover all bases at the time of need.
You can of course purchase these tools individually as you need them however in general, a kit will include as a baseline:
- Spatula: Used for flipping burgers, steaks, and other food items on the grill.
- Tongs: Essential for picking up and turning food items that are too small or too delicate to be flipped with a spatula.
- Grill Fork: Useful for piercing and flipping larger cuts of meat.
- Grill Brush: For cleaning the grill grates before or after cooking.
Check out my: 3 Best BBQ Grill Tool Sets
5. Cast Iron Skillet
Should smoked dishes such as reverse sear steak, vegetables or ever desserts on the smoker be a favorite, then a cast iron skillet can be a fantastic addition and a great gift. This is because cast iron accessories retain heat exceptionally well and incredibly durable, making them perfect for outdoor cooking on the smoker or grill.
Additionally, cast iron distributes heat evenly across its surface, preventing hotspots that could cause uneven cooking which can work really well in tandem with the smoker.
6. Brisket Board
My new brisket cutting board is one of the best gifts I have ever received. Not only does a high-quality, cutting board provide for a great gift, but it is also a very helpful addition as well and ideal for carving brisket, pork or any smoked delicacy.
Typically larger than standard cutting boards, brisket boards provide ample space to accommodate the full size of a brisket or other large cuts, preventing meat from slipping off the board during carving. Additionally, many brisket boards include deep grooves around the edges to catch the juices released when slicing, keeping the workspace tidy as well.
Oh, and if you would like to make it extra special, you can often get them engraved or personalised as well.
7. BBQ Knife Set
As with the BBQ Tools we talked about above, many a BBQer will have a favorite knife that they use for cutting, trimming and boning – usually the same one for everything. And again, as with the tool kits above, a good knife set can provide extra advantage by including a variety of blades designed to handle a wide range of tasks, from slicing and dicing to carving and filleting.
One of the key advantages of a knife set is its versatility. Sets often include essential knives like a chef’s knife for general tasks, a slicing or carving knife for precise cuts of meat, a boning knife for trimming, and a paring knife for intricate tasks. Some sets even include specialty tools like a cleaver for cutting through bones or a specialized brisket knife as well.
Check out my: 3 Best BBQ Knife Sets
8. Wood Pellet Storage Containers
Whilst wood pellets are incredibly effective as a fuel for cooking smoked foods, they are actually highly sensitive to moisture where exposure to humidity can cause them to swell, break apart, or become unusable. This leads to uneven or undercooked results leading to hours of wasted cooking time.
Storage containers are designed to be airtight and moisture-resistant, keeping pellets dry, dust free and protected pests and other contaminants that could compromise their quality. Many containers are also designed with user-friendly features such as built-in pour spouts or scoops as well.
9. BBQ Gloves
This one is probably very simple to explain but when you put things in a smoker for any length of time, they get hot. So in the interests of keeping this nice and simple, BBQ gloves are an designed to protect our hands from extreme heat, hot coals and sharp tools whilst they are are pitmastering to our best abilities.
To be honest, if it is just the pans, coals and tools that your BBQer is using, then they can really use any type of gloves that have some heat resistance to them. If they are planning on handling the food with them as well however, then in the interests of food safety, a dedicated pair of gloves for grilling is probably a better choice.
Check out my post: 3 Best BBQ Gloves
10. BBQ Cookbook
A few years back, my daughter bought me a BBQ cookbook for my birthday. And to be honest, I put it in the bookshelf and forgot about it. But once I found it again, I have been working through it one by one and not only have I learned to make different dishes, but also learned some new techniques as well.
So whether you are looking for a gift for a novice, or seasoned pitmaster, a good BBQ cookbook can open up a whole new world of possibilities.
Conclusion
So there you have it, my 10 Best BBQ Gifts for Christmas this year. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.
Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.
Until next time
Have fun and get smoking!
Paul
How I Turned My Smoking Passion Into A Full Time Income
Hey there! I’m Paul, and like you, I started as a BBQ beginner with just a Traeger and a dream. Now I’m helping others turn their smoking passion into a sustainable online business.
