With summer around the corner, barbecues and outdoor meals are becoming more frequent. But before you light the fire, it's worth knowing which barbecue utensils are truly essential and which are just a luxury. This guide covers the essentials for grilling at home, whether or not you have a garden with an outdoor grill.
If you're looking for a step-by-step recipe for homemade Moroccan-style skewers, we have a complete guide at Moroccan-Style Skewers: Homemade Recipe, Varieties, and Tips. Here, we'll focus on the equipment you need to prepare them and any other kebab or grilled item.
The Essentials for a Home Barbecue
There's no need to spend money on unnecessary accessories. These are the barbecue utensils you'll actually use every time you fire up the grill:
- Reusable skewers or kebab sticks: made of stainless steel, they won't burn or splinter like wooden ones.
- Long kitchen tongs: to flip food without burning yourself or piercing the meat (which causes it to lose its juices).
- A grill pan or griddle surface: whether it's an outdoor grill, a griddle plate, or a grill pan, depending on the space available.
- A skewer mold or support: it makes preparation much faster when cooking for several people.
No Outdoor Grill? Here Are Your Alternatives
Not everyone has a garden or patio for a charcoal barbecue, but that doesn't mean you have to give up the grilled flavor. These options recreate that result in the kitchen:
Grill Pan with Lid
What is it and what is it used for?: A pan with a raised grill pattern that marks the meat and fish like a real barbecue, suitable for all types of stoves, including induction.
Ideal for: Apartments and homes without outdoor space, or for rainy days when you can't go out to the patio.
Our recommendation: The 28cm Grill Pan with Lid and Marble Coating includes a lid, which helps the meat cook more evenly.
Marble-Coated Toasting Grill
What is it and what is it used for?: A surface larger than a single pan, designed for grilling several items at once: vegetables, meat, and fish.
Ideal for: Family meals where you need to cook for several people at once.
Our recommendation: The 32cm Marble-Coated Toasting Grill is just the right size to not take up the whole kitchen while still cooking several servings.
Large Grill Plate
What is it and what is it used for?: A large flat plate designed for large quantities: family gatherings, birthdays, or summer parties.
Ideal for: When you're cooking for a large group and a single pan isn't enough.
Our recommendation: The 47cm Marble-Coated Grill Plate is one of the largest options available for cooking several items at once.
Kebab and Skewer Accessories
Skewer Mold
What is it and what is it used for?: A compact mold that allows you to assemble several skewers at once by placing layers of meat or vegetables and skewering them through the lid.
Advantages: It saves the time of threading each piece by hand and helps all the skewers end up the same size and cook evenly.
Ideal for: Preparing several skewers at once for Moroccan-style skewers, chicken skewers, or vegetable skewers when cooking for guests.
Our recommendation: The Chicken and Meat Skewer Mold allows you to assemble up to 49 skewers at once.
Precision Kitchen Tongs
What is it and what is it used for?: Long tongs for flipping meat, fish, or skewers without piercing them or burning your hands.
Advantages: The 2-in-1 design with a built-in spatula is useful for both flipping large pieces and handling small skewers with precision.
Ideal for: Handling hot food on the grill, griddle, or pan without risking burns.
Our recommendation: The 2-in-1 Blue Nylon Kitchen Tongs with Built-in Spatula are suitable for all types of stoves and easy to clean.
Prefer the Oven? This Is What You Need
When the weather doesn't cooperate or you simply prefer the oven to the grill, a good rack makes a difference compared to roasting directly on the tray.
Universal Oven Rack
What is it and what is it used for?: An adjustable and expandable rack that is placed on the oven tray, allowing air to circulate underneath the food like a real grill.
Advantages: The food does not end up submerged in its own grease, and the result is much closer to the texture of a barbecue than roasting directly on the tray.
Ideal for: Skewers, ribs, vegetables, or fish in the oven with a finish more similar to grilling.
Our recommendation: The Non-Stick Universal Oven Rack is adjustable, so it adapts to different tray sizes.
How to Choose According to Your Situation
- You live in an apartment without a patio: a grill pan or a grill plate gives you 90% of the result without the need for outdoor space.
- You have a large garden or patio: invest in handling accessories (long tongs, skewer molds) that make it easier to cook for more people.
- You mostly cook skewers and kebabs: the skewer mold is the one that saves you the most time compared to threading each piece by hand.
- You prefer the oven to direct heat: the universal rack is the piece that makes a difference compared to roasting directly on the tray.
Conclusion
You don't need a charcoal grill or a huge garden to enjoy a good barbecue at home. With a grill-style surface, suitable tongs and, if you prepare skewers frequently, a mold to assemble them, you have almost everything you need for grilling in summer. If you also want a classic recipe to try with this equipment, don't miss our guide to homemade Moroccan-style skewers, or return to our complete kitchen gadget guide to continue equipping your kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions About Barbecue Utensils
What do I need to make a barbecue at home without a garden?
Without outdoor space, a grill pan or a grill plate with a non-stick coating reproduces much of the result of a traditional barbecue directly in the kitchen. Combined with long tongs to flip without burning yourself, they cover most of the needs of a home barbecue in an apartment.
What utensils are useful for preparing skewers or Moroccan-style kebabs?
The most practical thing is a skewer mold, which allows you to assemble several pieces at once with a uniform size, along with reusable stainless steel skewers or kebab sticks. For cooking, a grill pan, a large plate, or even a universal oven rack allows you to prepare them without the need for a charcoal barbecue.
How to achieve a grill-like result using the oven?
An adjustable universal oven rack, placed on the tray, allows air to circulate underneath the food instead of it being submerged in its own grease. The result is much closer to a real grill than roasting directly on the oven tray.
