Pitmasters say these 5 bad grilling habits are totally ruining the cookout — here's what to do instead

Your steaks shouldn’t look like charcoal.

Ditch These Grilling Habits

• Guessing Doneness: ThermoWorks Thermapen One Instant-Read Thermometer, $74, originally $115 at thermoworks.com
• Using Gunky Grates: Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper, $18, originally $25 at amazon.com
• Pressing Out Juices: Weber Precision Grill Tongs, $15, originally $19 at weber.com
• Burning Your Hands: Rappica Heat-Resistant Gloves, $16, originally $30 at amazon.com
• Mixing Raw With Cooked: Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet, $15 at amazon.com

Grill guides, video tutorials, and user manuals can only get you so far over hot coals and live fire. When the heat ramps up in your outdoor grill, things can escalate quickly, which is where experience and essential grilling tools become the most helpful. That’s why we reached out to expert pitmasters about the most common mistakes they see people make when grilling. Before you light your charcoal or hook up that propane tank, read up on their simple fixes to common bad habits, like a Grillart bristle-free grill brush to prevent injury and burnt food, or a Thermoworks instant-read thermometer to take the guesswork out of checking doneness.

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Cutting Meat to Check Doneness

“Constantly checking meat by cutting into it or lifting the lid does my head in,” said Jorge Thomas, founder of Swaledale Butchers. Slicing meat that’s still cooking allows juices to escape, which can make it tough and dry. With every lift of the lid, the grill’s ambient temperature also drops, prolonging the cook time and resulting in uneven cooking. Not to mention, reaching over the hot coals to perform the finger test can be dangerous and inconsistent. Preferring to avoid these issues, Thomas said, “A simple digital thermometer cuts out all the guesswork. It gives you a quick read, helps you cook with more confidence, and is especially useful with thicker cuts like côte de boeuf or tomahawk, where it’s very easy to overcook the middle whilst chasing color on the outside.”

• Alpha Grillers Digital Meat Thermometer, $12, originally $16 at amazon.com
• ThermoWorks Thermapen One Instant-Read Thermometer, $74, originally $115 at thermoworks.com
• ThermoWorks Square Dot, $51, originally $79 at thermoworks.com
• TempPro TP20 Dual Wireless Meat Probe, $38, originally $57 at amazon.com
• Meater Block Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer, $160, originally $240 at amazon.com

Cooking on a Dirty Grill

Cleaning your grill grates ensures food safety and prevents acrid flavors, but, according to Longhorn Steakhouse Grill Master Trenton Carver, you may not be cleaning them as often as you need to. Carver doesn’t recommend only cleaning the grates before using your outdoor grill. “Once things get messy, it can slow you down, and you can lose control of the steak,” said Carver. To keep control over heat and flare-ups and make deep-cleaning easier later, he also recommends giving the grates a quick scrape or brush as you flip or remove meat.

The grill brush you choose also matters. Jess Pryles, Austin-based founder of Hardcore Carnivore, said that one of her biggest grilling pet peeves is using wire brushes to clean grates. Pryles explained that these can lose fibers, which can end up in your food; “no one asked for a perforated bowel with their cheeseburger,” said Pryles. Below, we highlighted Pryles’ favorite natural bristle brush, Carver’s choice bristle-free grill brush and scraper, and more.

• Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper, $18, originally $25 at amazon.com
• Mr. Bar-B-Q Steam Clean Grill Brush, $20 at amazon.com
• Williams Sonoma BBQ Cleaning Brush, $45 at williams-sonoma.com
• Grillbadger The Original Non-Metal Grill Brush, $30 at amazon.com
• OXO Outdoor Coiled Grill Brush with Replaceable Head, $40, originally $45 at amazon.com

Cross-Contamination

Another of Pryles’ pet peeves is using “the same board or tray for cooked and raw meat. Cross-contamination is one of the fastest ways to ruin a backyard barbecue and make people sick, so disposable cutting boards are a great solution. Fold, throw away, and grab a fresh one for the cooked stuff.” Alternatively, having an extra sheet pan or two in your kitchen is never a bad idea. When you don’t have time to wash a tray between tasks, simply throw the raw meat tray in the sink and grab a clean one.

• Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet, $15 at amazon.com
• Nordic Ware 2-Pack Naturals Eighth Sheet Set, $14, originally $17 at amazon.com
• Cuisinart Prep & Serve Trays, $20, originally $30 at amazon.com
• Hardcore Carnivore 30-Pack Disposable Cutting Boards, $44 at amazon.com
• Stock Your Home 15-Pack Aluminum Pans Set, $27 at amazon.com 

Pressing Meat Down Constantly

Isaac Bernal, the executive chef of the Representation of Spain to the United Nations, told us, “One of my biggest barbecue pet peeves is watching people constantly press burgers or meat down onto the grill thinking it will cook faster or better.” According to him, the extra pressure does the opposite by forcing out moisture and causing fiery flare-ups. The tool that “makes a huge difference” for Bernal is “a good pair of long, professional stainless steel tongs, like the Weber Precision grill tongs.” Grill tongs are made longer than average kitchen tongs to give you room for operating over the intense heat of an open fire. Bernal prefers them to other grilling tools because “they give you much better control over the meat without damaging the surface, and they hold up incredibly well under high heat and constant grilling.”

• Weber Precision Grill Tongs, $15, originally $19 at weber.com
• OXO Outdoor Grilling Tongs, $18, originally $20 at amazon.com
• BBQ Croc 3-in-1 Grill Tongs with Flashlight, $35 at amazon.com
• Schmidt Brothers 4-Piece Carbon 6 Grill Set, $120 at crateandbarrel.com

Grilling With Bare Hands

Pitmaster-owner of Prime Barbecue, Christopher Prieto, doesn’t like it when people operate a grill without heat-safe gloves. Prieto went as far as saying, “Using kitchen towels or oven mitts that slip or burn through is neither safe nor effective for grilling.” Instead, he recommends heat-resistant grilling gloves, as they “significantly improve safety and build confidence behind the grill.” Prieto’s personal recommendation is Rappica gloves, “because they offer dexterity, are affordable, and provide secure protection when moving hot grates or tending to the coals.”

• Rappica Heat-Resistant Gloves, $16, originally $30 at amazon.com
• Grill Armor Gloves BBQ Grills, $25, originally $30 at amazon.com
• Ooni Grill Gloves, $35 at amazon.com
• Weber Silicone Grilling Gloves, $20, originally $25 at weber.com

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