Gear We Use
Backyard BBQ gear, not trophy-case equipment.
Our setup is practical: Traeger pellet grills, a Weber gas grill, thermometers, basic prep tools, and the gear that helps us learn without turning BBQ into a science fair.
Our take
Better notes beat more gadgets.
Good gear helps, but paying attention helps more. Temperature, timing, tenderness, rest, and taste are still the real tools.
Grills & Smokers
The current backyard lineup.
Sal’s pellet grill for low-and-slow cooks, family-style recipes, and smoke experiments.
Nick’s pellet grill for pork shoulder, steak starts, recipe testing, and longer smoke sessions.
The hot finish machine for searing, quick grilling, and building crust after a low smoke start.
Helpful Basics
The stuff we reach for constantly.
- Reliable instant-read thermometer
- Leave-in meat probes
- Butcher paper and heavy-duty foil
- Sheet pans and wire racks
- Spray bottle for spritzing
- Sharp knives and a solid cutting board
- Heat-safe gloves
Pellet Notes
Wood flavor is part of the experiment.
We like apple and cherry for color and sweetness, hickory for pork, oak for steak, and competition blends when we want a flexible all-purpose pellet. The right answer depends on the meat, the weather, and the flavor goal.