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    Home

    Mads' Must Haves

    All of our favorite products, all in one place.

    You'll notice we consistently use these products in our recipes and on our YouTube Channel.

    We are constantly trying out new products, so check back often for updates!

    As an Amazon Associate, we earn on qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Jump to:
    • Thermometers
    • Knives
    • Seasoning
    • BBQ Sauces
    • BBQ Accessories
    • Pellet Grill Accessories
    • Electric Smoker Accessories
    • Wood Pellets, Chips and Chunks
    • Grill Cleaning

    Thermometers

    Our favorite instant read thermometer is this one from ThermoPro.

    ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer for Cooking with Ambidextrous Backlit, Waterproof Kitchen Food BBQ Grill Smoker Oil Fry Candy Instant Read
    ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer
    Check Price on Amazon

    For an affordable leave in thermometer, we have this ThermoPro.

    ThermoPro TP08 300FT Wireless Meat Thermometer for Grilling Smoker BBQ Grill Oven Thermometer with Dual Probe Kitchen Cooking Food Thermometer
    ThermoPro TP08 300FT Wireless Meat Thermometer with Dual Probe
    • 300ft remote range
    • Oven safe with highly accurate stainless steel meat probe and oven/ grill/ smoker temperature probe, to allow you to monitor both food and ambient temperature simultaneously
    • Food temp & HI/LOW ambient temp alarm
    • Highly accurate temp range 14˚f to 572˚F; Displays both Fahrenheit and Celsius
    Check Price on Amazon

    Our splurge meat thermometer is the MEATER, which measures the internal temperature of the food as well as the ambient temperature on a single wireless probe. The probe pairs with a free app on your smart phone via Bluetooth to allow you to monitor the temperature up to 165 feet away, or more if you connect it to your wifi.

    It gives you an estimated finish time just like a GPS.

    MEATER Plus: Premium Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth | for BBQ, Oven, Grill, Kitchen, Smoker, Rotisserie | iOS & Android App | Apple Watch, Alexa Compatible | Dishwasher Safe
    MEATER Plus: Premium Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth
    • Dual temperature sensors enable you to monitor both the internal meat temperature (up to 212°F) and the ambient/external temperature (up to 527°F) at the same time.
    • Dishwasher safe
    Check Price on Amazon

    Knives

    Our favorite meat slicing knife is this one from Mairico. We use it for just about everything from brisket, to turkey, and even to cut dense vegetables like sweet potatoes.

    MAIRICO Ultra Sharp Premium 11-inch Stainless Steel Carving Knife - Ergonomic Design - Best for Slicing Roasts, Meats, Fruits and Vegetables
    • IMPECCABLE PERFORMANCE: The long, ultra sharp blade is engineered to deliver highly precise cuts with minimal effort.
    • PROFESSIONAL DESIGN, SUPERB QUALITY: Most desirable length by professionals. Sharp blade with premium stainless steel engineered to excel on all cuts of meats, including big roasts. It is also designed to last.
    Check Price on Amazon

    Our favorite knife for trimming fat from meat is this boning knife from imarku. It's small and sharp and does the trick.

    imarku Boning Knife, German High Carbon Stainless Steel Professional Grade Boning Fillet Knife, 6-Inch Professional Boning knife, Pakkawood Handle for Meat and Poultry
    imarku Boning Knife
    • Made of high-carbon German stainless steel to provide maximum sharpness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Properly balanced to allow precise close-to-bone slicing
    • Lifetime guarantee
    Check Price on Amazon

    Seasoning

    We love trying new BBQ seasoning any chance we get, so we have a lot of favorites. The ones we use most often are Three Little Pigs Championship BBQ Rub, Bad Byron's Butt Rub, Famous Dave's Rib Rub and Chicken Rub, and just about anything from Meat Church.

    Three Little Pigs Kansas City Championship BBQ Rub LARGE 12.5 Oz
    Three Little Pigs Kansas City Championship BBQ Rub LARGE 12.5 Oz
    Check Price on Amazon
    Bad Byrons Butt Rub Barbecue Seasoning 4.5 Ounce - Pack 2
    Bad Byrons Butt Rub Barbecue Seasoning 4.5 Ounce - Pack 2
    • Try Bad Byron Butt Rub on fish, vegetables, potatoes, potatoes, eggs, popcorn and much more!
    • All natural and gluten-free
    Check Price on Amazon

    BBQ Sauces

    Blues Hog is our favorite brand for BBQ sauce. We've been using their Tennessee Red for many years on pulled pork and pulled chicken. Their Original Sauce is very thick and great on chicken and ribs.

    Blues Hog Tennessee Red Barbecue Sauce (Pack of 1)
    Blues Hog Tennessee Red Barbecue Sauce
    Check Price on Amazon

    Blues Hog caught on that many BBQ competitors were mixing these two sauces and started selling Blues Hog Championship Blend. We love this sauce because it combines the best of both worlds.

    Blues Hog Champions' Blend BBQ Sauce (64 oz.)
    Blues Hog Champions' Blend BBQ Sauce (64 oz.)
    • Gluten Free
    • Award winning
    Check Price on Amazon

    BBQ Accessories

    In order to safely BBQ, you must have a good pair of heat resistant gloves. Ours go up to 1472°F!

    GRILL HEAT AID BBQ Gloves
    GRILL HEAT AID BBQ Gloves
    • 🔥 EXTREME HEAT RESISTANT GLOVES: The GRILL HEAT AID gloves can withstand heats up to 1472°F
    Check Price on Amazon

    When we are rotating or carving hot meat, we always use food-safe disposable nitrile gloves on top of cloth liners.

    TitanFlex Disposable Nitrile Exam Gloves, 6-mil, Black, Medium 100-ct Box, Heavy Duty Disposable Gloves, Cooking Gloves, Mechanic Gloves, Latex Free Gloves, Food Safe Rubber Gloves for Food Prep
    TitanFlex Disposable Nitrile Gloves for Food Prep
    • HEAVY-DUTY
    • LATEX-FREE
    • FOOD-SAFE
    Check Price on Amazon

    We use these Silicone Basting Brushes to apply oil, BBQ sauce, or glaze to just about everything.

    HOTEC Silicone Heat Resistant Marinading Meat Grill Basting Pastry Brush for Oil Butter Sauce Sausages Desserts Turkey Baster Grill Barbecue, Multicolor
    HOTEC Silicone Heat Resistant Basting Brush
    • BPA Free
    • Temperature Resistant -104℉~660℉(-40℃~315℃).
    • Dishwasher safe one piece design
    Check Price on Amazon

    For a whole turkey or a turkey breast, a V shaped rack is a must. It lifts the bird up to allow more air flow and even cooking.

    Norpro Nonstick Roasting Rack Heavy Duty | Extra Large 13" x 10
    Norpro Nonstick Roasting Rack Heavy Duty | Extra Large 13" x 10" | 1-Count
    • Large side handles for easy lifting
    • Jumbo size ideal for turkeys and family size roasts.
    Check Price on Amazon

    We use a wire rack over a baking sheet for dry brining skin-on poultry like chicken wings, chicken thighs, turkey wings, and turkey thighs. We also use it for salmon and for resting seared meat like hamburgers and steaks to prevent the bottoms from getting soggy.

    Wildone Stainless Steel Cookie Pan with Cooling Rack
    Wildone Baking Sheet & Rack Set
    • 🍒4 Pieces Baking Set - Including 2pcs baking sheet 17.3 x 12.2 x 1 inch and 2pcs cooling rack 16.8 x 11.22 x 0.67 inch
    • 🍒Made of high quality 18/0 stainless steel without chemical coating or any other materials. Rust resistant.
    Check Price on Amazon

    Pellet Grill Accessories

    If you watch our YouTube Channel, you know we are huge fans of the Oklahoma Joe's Pellet Storage Bucket and have many of them. It has a mesh screen to filter out pellet debris, which will not burn efficiently in your grill.

    Oklahoma Joe's Pellet Bucket Kit, Black
    • Store up to 20 pounds of hardwood pellets in the heavy-duty plastic pellet bucket.
    • Weatherproof, airtight lid protects pellets from the elements, keeping them fresh and dry
    • Wire-mesh filter separates wood dust from the pellets for a clean burn
    • Heavy-duty plastic scoop to easily transfer pellets
    Check Price on Amazon

    While some pellet grills like the Pit Boss 1150 Pro do feature a direct heat option, many do not. Even with direct heat, the area above the firepot is small. We use a set of Grill Grates to sear meat on our pellet grills. They can get over 700°F and provide a larger, more evenly heated searing surface. We use them to sear steaks, burgers, turkey burgers, and more. They come in different sizes to fit different grills so make sure to measure first!

    2 Panel GrillGrate Sets of 19.25" (Interlocking) + GrateTool
    2 Panel GrillGrate Sets of 19.25" (Interlocking) + GrateTool
    Check Price on Amazon

    An alternative to using the Grill Grates is to use a cast iron pan or a cast iron griddle.

    Lodge LPGI3 Cast Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle, 20-inch x 10.44-inch, Black
    Lodge LPGI3 Cast Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle, 20-inch x 10.44-inch, Black
    Check Price on Amazon

    One of the biggest complaints we hear about pellet grills is related to temperature problems. We experienced these ourselves and found that using a Heat Deflector and a Flame Tamer from Smokes Like A Boss helped tremendously.

    We found a similar product to the Heat Deflector on Amazon, as well as a similar product to the Flame Tamer.

    SUPROJDM New 304 Stainless Steel Heat Conduction Plate air Gap Module. Thermal Deflector Air Gap Module, Temperature Probe Cover, Suitable, Suitable for PB AustinXL/Pro 1100 etc.
    SUPROJDM New 304 Stainless Steel Heat Conduction Plate air Gap Module. Thermal Deflector Air Gap Module, Temperature Probe Cover, Suitable, Suitable for PB AustinXL/Pro 1100 etc.
    Check Price on Amazon
    Smoke Daddy OEM Heavy Duty 10 Gauge Heat Diffuser for PIT BOSS Grills Smokers - Modified for Pit Boss
    Smoke Daddy OEM Heavy Duty 10 Gauge Heat Diffuser for PIT BOSS Grills Smokers - Modified for Pit Boss
    • Compatible with Traeger, Z Grill, Camp Chef, and many more pellet grills
    Check Price on Amazon

    Some of our viewers recommend the Smoke Daddy Heavy D, which serves as a flame tamer and smoker box.

    Smoke Daddy Heavy D: Pellet Grill Stick Burning Heat Diffuser
    Smoke Daddy Heavy D: Pellet Grill Stick Burning Heat Diffuser | Heavy Duty Heat Baffle Pellet Smoker Accessory for Pellet Grills and Smokers | Authentic Hardwood Smoke Flavor in your Electric Pellet Grill | Replaces Existing OEM Heat Deflector
    • UPGRADE: Add the high quality stick burner smoker to most pellet grills
    Check Price on Amazon

    Electric Smoker Accessories

    We have two favorite accessories for our Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. The first is a stand with rear wheels which allows you to move the smoker around easily.

    Masterbuilt MB20101114 Universal Leg Extension Kit, Black
    Masterbuilt MB20101114 Universal Leg Extension Kit, Black
    • Raises the smoker 10-inches for easier access
    • Fits all Masterbuilt digital electric smokers
    • Rear-mounted wheels make moving the smoker easier
    Check Price on Amazon

    The second is the Masterbuilt Cold Smoker Attachment. This is truly a game changer for smoking with an electric smoker. As the name suggests, you can cold smoke inside the chamber by using this exterior heating unit. We find that the most useful feature of this product is that it has a large chamber for wood chips. This means you can smoke a large piece of meat like a Boston butt or brisket for many hours without having to refill the wood chips!

    Masterbuilt MB20100112 Slow and Cold Smoker Accessory Attachment, 10 x 10 x 18 inches, Black
    Masterbuilt MB20100112 Slow and Cold Smoker Accessory Attachment, 10 x 10 x 18 inches, Black
    • Continuous smoke when cold smoking or hot smoking up to 275˚F
    • Automatically heats wood chips with the push of a button
    • Continuous wood feed system provides up to 6 hours of continuous smoke without reloading
    Check Price on Amazon

    Wood Pellets, Chips and Chunks

    Not all pellets are created equal. You will find that some brands of big box store pellets look like compressed sawdust and crumble into dust easily. For a mid-price brand of pellets, we like Bear Mountain Brand.

    Bear Mountain BBQ 20 Pound Natural Hardwood Outdoor Grilling Smoker Pellets with Gourmet Blend, Hickory, and Apple Smoker Flavors (3 Pack)
    Bear Mountain BBQ 20 Pound Natural Hardwood Outdoor Grilling Smoker Pellets with Gourmet Blend, Hickory, and Apple Smoker Flavors (3 Pack)
    Check Price on Amazon

    Our favorite premium brand pellet is by Knotty Wood, particularly the 100% Plum Wood Pellets and the Almond Cabernet Wine Blend Pellets.

    Knotty Wood Barbecue Almond Cabernet Cooking Pellets BBQ Smoker Red Wine Oak Blend 100% Pure Natural Almond Wood No Fillers Oils or Additives Two 20# Bags, 40 lbs Total
    Knotty Wood Barbecue Almond Cabernet Cooking Pellets BBQ Smoker Red Wine Oak Blend 100% Pure Natural Almond Wood No Fillers Oils or Additives Two 20# Bags, 40 lbs Total
    Check Price on Amazon

    To save money, we place these high end pellets in a pellet tube smoker and use the less expensive pellets in the hopper for heat.

    LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube 12 inches - 5 Hours of Billowing Smoke - for Any Grill or Smoker, Hot or Cold Smoking - Stainless Steel 304 - Silicone Oven Mitt - Silicone Basting Brush - Free eBook Grilling Ideas and Recipes
    LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube 12 inches
    • ✅ This accessory is designed to WORK IN ANY GRILL (gas, electric or charcoal) and with any smokers. UP TO 5 HOURS SMOKING
    Check Price on Amazon

    One of our favorite ways to add smoke flavor on a pellet grill is by using a firebox with charcoal and real wood chunks. We get exceptional smoke flavor using this method!

    The Flip Professional Hot & Cold Smoker Box - Patented BBQ Grill Smoke Box for Gas or Charcoal Grill w Firestarters - Infuse Smoky Barbecue Flavor in Thanksgiving Dinner - Great Grilling Gift for Men
    The Flip Professional Hot & Cold Smoker Box
    • Converts any grill into a hot or cold smoker
    • Produces 1-2.5 hours of flavorful smoke, making it ideal for every type of grilling style
    Check Price on Amazon

    In our charcoal grill, we set it up for indirect heat and add wood chunks on top of the charcoal.

    Weber Hickory Wood Chunks, for Grilling and Smoking, 4 lb.
    Weber Hickory Wood Chunks, for Grilling and Smoking, 4 lb.
    Check Price on Amazon

    For our electric smoker, we typically go for Weber or Cowboy brand wood chips.

    Grill Cleaning

    Our favorite bristle free BBQ brush is the BBQ Daddy Grill Brush. Because pellet grills do not get hot enough for a traditional burn off, it makes cleaning the grates so easy without any chemicals.

    Scrub Daddy BBQ Daddy Grill Brush - Bristle Free Steam Cleaning Scrubber with ArmorTec Steel Mesh - Replaceable Head Cleaning Brush + Scraper for Grill Grates (1 Count)
    Scrub Daddy BBQ Daddy Grill Brush - Bristle Free Steam Cleaning
    • Flexible Stainless Steel Fibers
    • Water Activated Grill Cleaning Brush
    • Easy to Clean
    • Replaceable Grill Brush Head
    Check Price on Amazon

    We like the GrillArt Brush for gas and charcoal grills.

    Grill Brush and Scraper Bristle Free – Safe BBQ Brush for Grill – 18'' Stainless Grill Grate Cleaner - Safe Grill Accessories for Porcelain/Weber Gas/Charcoal Grill – Gifts for Grill Wizard
    Grill Brush and Scraper Bristle Free – Safe BBQ Brush for Grill – 18'' Stainless Grill Grate Cleaner - Safe Grill Accessories for Porcelain/Weber Gas/Charcoal Grill – Gifts for Grill Wizard
    Check Price on Amazon

    A wooden scraper makes cleaning off the flame broiler of a pellet grill much easier.

    Grill Dog Cedar Hog BBQ Grill Brush Scraper - Full Size
    Grill Dog Cedar Hog BBQ Grill Brush Scraper - Full Size
    Check Price on Amazon

    We use CitruSafe Degreaser Spray inside our grills to clean up grease on surfaces that will not be touching our food.

    CitruSafe Grill and Grate Cleaner Spray (16 Oz) - Heavy Duty Spray Safely Cleans Burnt Food and Grease from BBQ - Great for Degreasing and Cleaning Grates, Racks, Pellet, Ovens and Electric Smokers
    CitruSafe Grill and Grate Cleaner Spray (16 Oz) - Heavy Duty Spray Safely Cleans Burnt Food and Grease from BBQ - Great for Degreasing and Cleaning Grates, Racks, Pellet, Ovens and Electric Smokers
    Check Price on Amazon

    Primary Sidebar

    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • pork shoulder on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill with a probe thermometer inserted in the meat
      Pulled Pork on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • slices of smoked beef brisket on a cutting board
      Smoked Beef Brisket on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • baby back ribs on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill
      Baby Back Ribs on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • boston butt on the shelf of a masterbuilt electric smoker with a water pan beneath
      Smoked Boston Butt in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker

    AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER

    Thanks for visiting Madbackyard.com!  As outdoor living enthusiasts, we love to mention and link to various products we have used or researched.  Assume those links are affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission if you click and buy.  As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Seasonal Recipes

    • smoked prime rib sliced on a cutting board with a small glass bowl of Dijon horseradish cream sauce
      Smoked Prime Rib on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • slices of smoked beef brisket on a cutting board
      Smoked Beef Brisket on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • Pit Boss Smoked Macaroni and Cheese in a cast iron skillet
      Smoked Mac and Cheese on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • smoked ribeye roast sliced on a cutting board
      Smoked Ribeye Roast

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