Sunday, July 26, 2015

BBQ Tools - Idea for a Grilling Gear Box

People that have to travel a lot often keep a "go bag", a bag of essentials that is always ready to go at a minute's notice.  I keep a "go box" of my essential grilling gear for BBQ competitions, grilling demonstrations, and offsite cooking.

Setting up for Fire Day Friday at lunch this week.  My Director and I surprised our staff with burgers, smoked sausages, homemade ice cream and the usual accompaniments.

Each time my "go box" has shown up in my social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), people have asked about it so I thought I would do a quick post about it.

Grill Dome, Bostitch tool box, grilling gear box, grilling tools, bbq tools
Loaded up for heading to the Blue Ridge BBQ Festival in Tryon, NC last month.  As Molly H noted, it color coordinates with the Grill Dome charcoal bag.  That was unintentional but cool.

Alexis bought this for me this year when we were having competitions and events every weekend for months on end.  It is a Bostitch toolbox she bought on Amazon that currently runs about $80.  It may be just a tool box but if I didn't know better, I'd swear that Bostitch made it specifically for grilling tools.



It has a top loading tool box, two pull drawers, and a tilt bin on the bottom.  It's made out of plastic, which might not be ideal for carrying heavy duty shop tools but it is perfect for carrying grilling tools because it is grease resistant and easy to clean/sanitize.  

Grilling tool box, grilling gear box
One of my favorite features is that it is modular so it can break down like this.  This makes it easier to fit into your vehicle when traveling.  It is great for cooking because these fit nicely on top of the tables in our trailer for easy and frequent access.

The top box is for general stuff like my remote probe thermometers (stacked 3 high), twine, extra kamado thermometers, measuring cups/spoons, extra temp probes, extra injector, poultry sheers, knife sharpener, floral wire, and more stuff.  Floral wire?  It comes in super handy for securing things in place, clearing clogged injector needles, and 101 uses.

Thermapen, Thermoworks, TimeStick, Char-Broil
Electronics drawer
I keep most of my electronics in the second drawer, plus pencils and a sharpie or two.  You can never have too many sharpies, right?  Electronics include
  • Couple of instant read thermometers (Thermapen, Thermoworks, Char-Broil)
  • TimeStick timers
  • mini flashlights, worth their weight in gold for overnight cooks
  • Internet - I always like to bring my wifi hot spot so our team has internet for devices.

I use the next drawer for a box of nitrile food gloves, silicone gloves for handling hot food, and welding gloves for handing hot metal and ceramics.

I use the bottom tilt bin for my spices and rubs.  It is over a foot deep so it holds even larger containers.  I always have the basics (salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne) and then jars of my own rubs, commercial rubs, and injection mixes.  Being a foot deep, this bin would be useful for lots of things. 

One of my favorite features is these two slots on the back.  Seems like they were MADE with long handled grilling tools in mind.  Plus they have bungee straps to hold the tools in place when driving.

It has a telescoping handle and 7 inch wheels so you can either roll it or pick it up by the top tool box handle and carry it.  

Since I got this gear box, it has proven useful time and time again.  Organization is huge for cooking off-site and this has helped me immensely because I can be "organizationally challenged".  I try to use it every time I cook at home - that way if I frequently need something, it's in the box, whether I am at home or away.

So that's my "go box".  What do you use for your "go bag/box" and what's in it?

[FTC Standard Disclosure]  We paid full price for this tool box and received no compensation for this post, we just like it.  That Amazon link is an affiliate link, so I might make a whole $0.37 if someone buys this through Amazon.  You can also cut out my $0.37 and buy it a Lowe's under the Stanley brand.  Actually, that's a few bucks cheaper as of today and you won't have to wait for it to arrive.