We often think of summer as the high season for homemade ice cream, but really, would anyone ever turn down a scoop (or two)? Frozen desserts have been around for centuries, and once old-school hand-cranked churns gave way to more compact countertop versions, which skip the potential inconveniences of ice and rock salt, it’s been pretty simple to make ice cream—and frozen yogurt, gelato, and sorbets—in small batches right at home. 

If you think you’re not brave enough to try making your own ice cream, listen to the wisdom of author and ice cream expert Max Falkowitz. “The truth is that making ice cream is really easy,” he says. While he admits that figuring out which machine to buy can be a big psychological hurdle, once you add yours to your countertop, it’ll be just like a microwave or toaster oven. In other words, you’ll use it. A lot. 

Can a home ice cream maker achieve the same quality and flavor you find at exclusive scoop shops? Without a doubt. And making your own ice cream is also fun, says Jessie Scarola, owner of Vanilla Jill’s ice cream and Elegant Elephant Fine Foods in Eugene, Oregon. “Home ice cream making is just so much more forgiving than commercial production,” she adds. “It’s easy to make at home, and you know, homemade is always best.”

Falkowitz agrees: “Most home ice cream recipes are pretty foolproof,” he says since you get to control what goes in and what doesn’t. Once you’ve made a few batches, you’ll get a feel for it, and then you can start messing around with flavors and add-ins. If you make a few mistakes as you perfect your technique, no matter, he adds: “Even bad ice cream is better than most other things.”

• Best Overall and Best Value: Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream Maker
• Best for a KitchenAid Mixer: KitchenAid Stand Mixer Ice Cream Attachment
• Best Splurge: Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker
• Best for Soft Serve: Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream and Slushy Maker
• Best Non-Electric: Chef’n Sweet Spot Ice Cream Maker

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Size

Though single-serve and quasi–industrial size electric ice cream makers can be found on the market, most home ice cream makers are in the 1- to 2-quart range.

Design and Look

All of the ice cream machines we discuss here are designed to look good on the countertop. You’ll find classic white models and stainless finishes, plus fun, bold colors to match your kitchen décor.

Freezing Mechanism

Ice cream needs to be frozen somehow, and thus all countertop ice cream makers rely on either old-fashioned added ice, a freezer bowl, or a self-contained freezer. Self-contained ice cream makers with their own compressors are certainly an option, but they come with a hefty price tag, so they may not be a beginner’s first option.

Kid-Friendly Options

If novelty and fun are important—or you’re looking for a device to use with kids—a soft-serve ice cream maker might be just what you’re looking for, emulating the commercial experience right down to the mix-ins. 

Our Top Picks

Best Overall & Best Value: Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream Maker

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This takes the top slot in both categories, thanks to Cuisinart’s quality and thoughtful design. Almost everyone who uses it loves it, and the price is reasonable. This machine, which relies on a freezer bowl, is a Falkowitz favorite for many reasons, including its simplicity. “There’s like, one moving part,” he says, “and very little that can break.” Plus, the design offers easy access at the top of the bowl, which is crucial once the churn has done its work. “You’re in a race against time when the ice cream is finished turning,” says Falkowitz, “because it’s going to start melting really fast while you’re trying to get it into the container.” Get past the minimal inconvenience of having to freeze the bowl in advance by keeping the bowl frozen all the time, or at least being sure to pop it in the freezer the night before you plan on making a batch. With that little bit of planning and about 20 minutes on the counter, you’ll be rewarded with a homemade quart of ice cream to share. Gift-wrap this Cuisinart with a good ice cream recipe book and it’s a best-bet present for the novice—practically foolproof. 

Best for a KitchenAid Mixer: KitchenAid Stand Mixer Ice Cream Attachment

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If you already own a KitchenAid mixer and want to start experimenting with homemade ice cream without adding to your countertop appliance array, this special freezer bowl is a great acquisition. This is the machine that Scarola started on at home before she took on commercial batches at Vanilla Jill’s. Freeze the bowl overnight, attach it to the mixer, start at a slow churn, add your ice cream base, and in less than half an hour, you’ll have two quarts of homemade ice cream. Assembly can be tricky for some: As with many KitchenAid accessories and the strength of the mixer’s motor, you have to be certain everything is put together correctly before turning it on. You’ll also want to plan how to add your ice cream base as the bowl is moving, pouring around the mixer head, but if you’re attuned to the way your KitchenAid works that will come naturally.

Best Splurge: Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker

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If you want something that’s self-contained—no freezer bowl required—and are willing to spring for the extra expense of a countertop ice cream freezer, this Breville choice offers the best features, including controlled temperature that allows the user to decide how hard the finished ice cream will be. It’s not the thriftiest option, and it does have a larger countertop footprint, but this maker allows for more impromptu desserts. Just be certain to use a reliable ice cream recipe and follow Breville’s instructions.

Best for Soft Serve: Cuisinart Mix It Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker

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Cuisinart’s novel soft-serve ice cream maker requires a bit less planning, as the ice cream you’re making in its freezer bowl is meant to be eaten fresh out of the machine. In other words, it’s not cured before serving, so you’re not battling with the one element Falkowitz notes is so often overlooked in ice cream making: speed from churn to pint. As a bonus, it also allows you to add mix-ins as you serve. Fun.

Best Non-Electric: Chef’n Sweet Spot Ice Cream Maker

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This ice cream maker operates on the same principle as rolled ice cream, which has its roots in Asian and Middle Eastern cultures—no electric churning required. It makes just a few servings, but it does so almost instantly. Spread your ice cream base out over the pre-frozen surface, scrape it up in rolls, and voila! Just remember that you still have to work from a recipe with the right proportions of fat, sugar, and flavor, because that’s what makes ice cream so creamy and soft.

Ask the Experts

How long does it take to make ice cream in an ice cream maker?

Whether you opt for a self-contained machine with its own compressor or one that relies on a freezer bowl, an irresistible batch of homemade ice cream can be churned up in about 20 to 30 minutes. A soft-serve machine is quicker on the counter, but that’s for instant eating. In almost all cases, you’ll want to be sure you start with a good recipe that uses the right proportions and have your base mixed, melded, chilled, and ready to go before you start. Do you have to chill it overnight? That’s up for debate, says Falkowitz, who adds that while overnight chilling “is not strictly necessary, it just does something to the flavor.” 

Prep is important when making homemade ice cream, but don’t let that scare you off. It’s no more trouble than chilling a pie crust before rolling it out. Scarola likens freezing the work bowl to the process of making whipped cream: “You want it to whip up quicker, right, so you chill the bowl and mixers first.” Same with the ice cream maker bowl: Just freeze it in advance.

The bottom line is that homemade ice cream is well worth the effort, and certainly not the Olympic undertaking you might think. “Really,” says Falkowitz, “if you can make box brownie mix, you can make ice cream.” Grab your spoon and your sprinkles — it’s time to get started.

The post The Best Ice Cream Maker Is Also the Simplest appeared first on Saveur.

Named for a small town in Thailand, created by a Chinese immigrant from Vietnam, and made in California, Huy Fong Foods’ Sriracha became the standard hot sauce for anyone eating Southeast Asian food in the United States in the 21st century. Vietnamese American food writer Andrea Nguyen holds a theory as to why that is: “It has the texture of ketchup.”

When David Tran started making the famous “rooster sauce” in the U.S. in 1983, few other hot sauces shared the space in North America, and Nguyen notes that Tran did his best to appeal to a wide audience by using multiple languages on the bottle. It worked: its ubiquity and lack of competition in the category helped propel it to viral popularity. Tran’s Vietnamese background meant that his version of sriracha landed on the table of restaurants specializing in pho, and for many non-Vietnamese people, it became the assumed topping for the dish—a fact that makes Nguyen sigh in despair. “I find that to be an insult to the pho broth,” she says.

The way that it sits in the broth without disappearing—thanks to that aforementioned ketchup-esque thickness—appeals to Americans, theorizes Selah Kendall, an account executive at Snuk Foods. “Unlike a traditional hot sauce, which is really runny and has that vinegary kick,” she explains, “sriracha has that really nice, thick, luscious texture. So when you add it to dishes, it really feels more like a salt than a heat.”

Though it gained popularity in Vietnamese restaurants, sriracha originated in Si Racha on Thailand’s east coast, about an hour south of Bangkok. “Vietnamese food is full of rolling hills,” describes Nguyen, “whereas Thai food is full of these lusty peaks and valleys of sharpness.” Sriracha goes well with those bigger flavors, she says. If people really love the classic version of the condiment, she advises that they branch out and explore the Thai brands. “There are many versions of [sriracha],” Nguyen reminds people. “The rooster brand isn’t the only brand.”

How We Tested Them

A team of testers from a variety of culinary backgrounds tasted each sauce alone and on a selection of foods—namely noodles, eggs, and potatoes. Among the bottles that tasters enjoyed, ranking became a matter of individual preference, but when it came to the best on individual foods, the choices became much clearer.

After tasting a slew of different styles of sriracha, one conclusion stood out to us: The Huy Fong style so dominates the category in the U.S. that it served as a reference point for comparison. Tasters declared sauces “sweeter,” “saltier,” “runnier,” or “spicier,” but always used Huy Fong as the anchor.

• The Original: Sriraja Panich Chilli Sauce
• The Classic: Huy Fong Sriracha Chili Sauce
• Best for Noodles: Shark Brand Sriracha Chili Sauce
• Best for Meat: Fix Sriracha
• Best Nontraditional: Bushwick Kitchen Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha

Features to Keep in Mind

Ingredients and Taste: 

A set of five core ingredients and a fermentation-based process define what makes a sauce a sriracha. Each sauce begins with a red pepper (type varies) that gets aged. The length of time at this step brings in a second variable to the flavor equation: Versions from Si Racha use a red chile pepper similar to tabasco peppers, explains Kendall. Milder than traditional Thai peppers, these yield a much sweeter flavor than the sriracha most Americans know. Vinegar, sugar, salt, and garlic round out the core ingredients, and the amount of each ingredient used creates the wide differences between the various styles. 

Preservatives:

The other big difference between various types of sriracha comes from whether the sauce uses thickeners and preservatives. Sauces with xantham gum or modified tapioca starch felt smoother and more luxurious on the tongue. Other sauces use MSG to boost the flavors, and many use sodium benzoate to stay fresh longer. These ingredients seemed to have little effect on the outcome of the taste test, but if you have a preference, check the bottle before purchasing.

Our Top Picks

The Original: Sriraja Panich Chilli Sauce

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The woman who is said to have created the original version in Si Racha back in the 1930s was looking for the perfect sauce for seafood, as Kendall tells it. After more than 85 years, it’s still made entirely in Thailand and bottled there with just the core ingredients. Even without the use of preservatives, it comes out of the bottle thick and silky. It leans garlicky and sweet, and the spur peppers keep the spice level mild. As with the texture, the flavor is smooth, with fewer of those sharp peaks Nguyen mentioned earlier, and with more complexity than any of the other brands, which worked particularly well with Thai omelets. The pleasant tang and balanced flavors come from the longer fermentation process, Kendall notes.

The Classic: Huy Fong Sriracha Chili Sauce

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The sauce that needs no introduction fared well in the tastings, but it also left our tasters wondering whether that was out of familiarity more than anything else. “The American palate is built around this,” says Kendall of the jalapeño-based sauce. Still, it stood out in two ways: as the least sweet and the smoothest option we tried. (The smoothness comes, at least in part, from its generous use of additives and preservatives.) Without the sweetness to temper the vinegar and spice notes, it comes off sharp and bold, with a heat that lingers on the tongue. Nguyen finds it most useful when she stirs it into mayonnaise to spread on banh mi.  

Best for Noodles: Shark Brand Sriracha Chili Sauce

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The runny texture of this sauce was a bit off-putting to our testers initially, at least on its own. But in dishes already prepared with a sauce—like noodle dishes—the thinness rarely mattered. Once this sriracha was incorporated into a dish, the brightness of the vinegar-forward sauce won praise, and the mild heat carried a strong pepper flavor, giving it a complexity that kept it among the favorites. Despite using both preservatives and a thickener, Shark Brand’s loose texture keeps it from being an all-purpose favorite, but for adding to anything where the runniness doesn’t matter—or can be an asset—it’s an essential.

Best for Meat: Fix Sriracha

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At first the unique flavor of this sauce out of Vietnam felt slightly off. It sticks only to the core ingredients, but while many srirachas use acetic acid (undiluted, unflavored vinegar), this one uses rice vinegar, and the sugar used is specified as cane sugar. The end result carries a slightly smoky, meaty flavor that deterred diners in most of the tasting applications but felt right at home in a marinade for grilling. Without thickeners, the texture leans runny, but it carries a hefty spice. Nguyen also recommends the company’s lemongrass-tinged, spice-forward green version.

Best Nontraditional: Bushwick Kitchen Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha

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Though it felt the least like the classic sriracha, this version brought a fun new twist to the style. Instead of using peppers, the heat comes from Korean gojuchang paste, which includes tapioca syrup, brown rice, red pepper powder, salt, alcohol, soybeans, garlic, and onion. Bushwick Kitchen then added more sugar, garlic, and vinegar to give it more of the expected sriracha flavor profile. It ends up extremely mild, with a fair amount of natural sweetness from the gojuchang. Kendall recommends it for people already knowledgeable about sriracha and in search of something different. The low tang and minimal garlic flavors are accompanied by a thick, slightly grainy texture, which Kendall suggests works well in sandwiches.

Ask the Experts

Q: Does sriracha expire?

“Condiments don’t live forever,” says Kendall. She recommends using any sauce without preservatives within a month or two of opening, and even the ones with preservatives within a few months. While some people believe that the darker color in older bottles of sriracha adds flavor, eventually the vinegar flavor takes over and the sauce loses any nuance it once had.

Q: Should you keep sriracha in the fridge?

Kendall notices that people sometimes keep their Huy Fong Sriracha in the cabinet, but she likes to keep hers refrigerated. Because this version uses preservatives, the label suggests that you simply “store in a cool dry place,” but Kendall feels it stays fresher when chilled. Preservative-free sauces should uniformly be stored in the fridge.

Our Take

“It’s a great condiment, but it should be used with moderation,” says Nguyen, summing up much of what our taste test proved. “It should complement or supplement, not overwhelm.” With more options for which sriracha best fits the meals you cook or the way you eat, this becomes easier—you can pair the exact right version with the right flavors and dishes. But in the end, if faced with limited room or budget, you can’t go wrong with keeping a bottle of Huy Fong’s version in your fridge.

The post Our Testers Agree: These Are the Best Srirachas appeared first on Saveur.

The best anchovies are pleasantly salty, umami-rich, plump, and luxuriating in good-quality olive oil or salt—ready for snacking or mixing into a bright vinaigrette or dip. They’re tinned or jarred, but they taste fresh; they’re a commodity with European panache, and tastes of the coasts from which they came, whether it’s the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Spain, or Italy’s Amalfi Coast. 

There’s also a booming anchovy scene in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the season runs roughly from April to October. There, they are the star of The Anchovy Bar, a culmination of the chef Stuart Brioza’s longstanding love affair with the oily little fish. Brioza receives anchovies at maximum freshness, less than an hour from having been in the water. “We cure our own during the season and serve them as fresh boquerones,” says Brioza. “We use lime juice, not vinegar. That’s the sort of heart and soul and inspiration of The Anchovy Bar, the Bay Area local anchovies.”

But when anchovy season is over in the Bay Area, Brioza brings in the best cured anchovies from around the world to pinch-hit, primarily sourced from Spain and Italy. “The goal was to really focus on ingredients that have strong ties to a specific place and that have either transformed or make that cuisine,” says Brioza. Based on his recommendations and our own depth of knowledge, we tested over a dozen anchovies to choose the very best, from budget grocery staples to traditional hand-processed delicacies from Europe. 

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Callol Serrats L’Escala Anchovies
• Best Splurge: Don Bocarte Cantabrian Anchovies
• Best Grocery Store Brand: Ortiz Anchovy Fillets
• Best for Cooking: Delfino Battista Anchovy Fillets

Best Overall: Callol Serrats L’Escala Anchovies

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Quantity: 8–10 fillets per tin |  Region: L’Escala, Spain | Flavor: Clean ocean, tangy salt

Why we chose it: The plump texture and mellow saltiness make these anchovies stars of the show, best eaten out of the tin or draped across pan con tomate. 

One of the oldest producers in the Spanish town of L’Escala, which is known for its anchovies, Callol Serrats are a combination of Cantabrian anchovies caught in the local Mediterranean Sea and the Costa Brava, and cured for about six to nine months. “This renders a plumper anchovy, a little more rustic of an anchovy,” says Brioza. “The longer they’re cured, the more the skin really molts off, and they are pinker/redder with less time.” During the tasting, these were consistently described as plump, pleasantly salty, and sassy, with a springy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. 

Best Splurge: Don Bocarte Cantabrian Anchovies

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Quantity: 10-12 fillets per tin | Region: Bay of Biscay, Spain, and the Mediterranean Sea | Flavor: Buttery, mellow saltiness 

Pros

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• Firm but giving texture
• Mellow saltiness
• Excellent olive oil that’s great for dipping and drizzling

Cons

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• Expensive
• Can be hard to find

Why we chose it: The absolute Cadillac of anchovies with a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a clean, not overly salty taste.

Don Bocarte is highly favored among chefs, including Brioza, who serves them at The Anchovy Bar atop a creamy white bean anchoiade that’s been slathered onto fried sourdough and topped with long-roasted broccolini and orange zest. Part of their appeal is a longer cure time. “Essentially great anchovies are just salt and anchovies, and what makes great anchovies is the selection of the fish, the fishing and handling of anchovies, and the time from the moment they’re plucked from the water to the time they’re preserved in salt.” Their size is another factor, says Brioza, and the fact that they are tinned, not canned (which means that they never go through a heating process). ”Don Bocarte is after a very specific size and obviously they shrink as they’re cured; the whole process is all by hand,” says Brioza. “Hence the price tag.”

Best Value: Ortiz Anchovy Fillets

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Quantity: 3.3 oz jar | Region: Bay of Biscay, Spain | Flavor: Highly salty, deep ocean  

Why we chose it:  While slightly more expensive than other commonly available brands, Ortiz has the quality and versatility to justify being called the best bang for your buck.

Hailing from Northern Spain, Ortiz is most often found in jars, often with a tiny anchovy fork attached for easy removal. These filets have a firm bite, and good texture, according to testers, as well as a salty, deep ocean flavor. While clearly less bespoke than other brands like Don Bocarte and Callo Serrats, they stood up in both texture and flavor, and the olive oil in the jar is high quality as well. Testers felt they’d be good for sauce, with the right amount of saltiness and umami without being overly fishy. 

Best for Cooking: Delfino Battista Anchovy Fillets

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Quantity: 14.5 oz jar | Region: Cetara, Amalfi Coast, Italy | Flavor: Salty, clean umami

Why we chose it: A high-quality, multi-purpose anchovy that’s packed in sunflower oil and ideal for inclusion in almost anything. 

“These are my workhorse anchovies,” says Brioza. “I’ll make a caesar dressing with these anchovies. I’ll make a little anchovy salsa, a puttanesca sauce, or top a deviled egg with these. They’re not center of the plate anchovies, but they’re delicious, a little saltier.” Tasters agreed that these anchovies had a “clean taste,” and smooth texture with just enough saltiness. These are great for whizzing into a spread or dip like Brioza’s anchoiade recipe. Testers described these as oily and luxurious in the mouth, and not overpoweringly salty.

Runners-Up

The anchovies that scored least favorable among testers were both the cheapest and mass-produced, as well as the most available on grocery store shelves. No surprises there: You usually get what you pay for, but anchovies might be one of the best examples of quality that increases proportionally with price. The carefully caught anchovies that are immediately hand-processed and packed with high-quality olive oil won the taste test hands down. However, that doesn’t mean that brands like Cento, Roland, or Crown Prince aren’t worth keeping on hand in the kitchen. They’re perfectly serviceable in a batch of sauce or dressings—not eating on their own— but they won’t provide ‘wow’ factor or change the mind of anyone who doesn’t already love anchovies. All three had spikey bones, extreme salt content, and very fishy-smelling oil in their tins.

How We Chose These Products

We spoke with chef Stuart Brioza, chef-owner of San Francisco’s The Anchovy Bar for his insight and recommendations; Brioza has traveled to the production facilities for many of the anchovies recommended and tasted his way through dozens to find the very best to use in his restaurant. He also has a deep knowledge of the little fish and cures his own. A group of tasters, including contributing editor Ellen Fort, blind-tasted over a dozen different anchovies to determine the very best in terms of flavor and texture.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Anchovies

Salinity Level

After anchovies are harvested, they’re cured in salt for 6-12 months, depending on the producer. When the anchovies are “ripe”, they’re rinsed and tinned or jarred in olive oil, or packed in salt once more. During this process the anchovies shrink as the salt dehydrates them, giving them a concentrated, fishy, salty taste. When cooking with anchovies, like a pasta sauce or salad dressing, it’s a good idea to taste them on their own to determine their salinity to avoid oversalting your dish.

Texture

Texture is a surprisingly important component of what makes an anchovy one of the very best. The best anchovies are free of bones with a plump, toothsome texture. Good quality anchovies should retain their shape, even when removed from the tin with a blunt instrument (one reason the aforementioned Ortiz forks are handy). Our testers identified texture as one of the main differentiators between the mass-produced brands like King Oscar and Crown Prince versus hand-processed brands like Don Bocarte and Callols Serrats. 

Freshness

Anchovies are tinned, not canned, which means that they are sterilized and sealed but are not heat treated. As a result, it’s best to keep tins and jars of anchovies in a cool or refrigerated space until they are opened; once opened, make sure that they remain covered in oil or brine and tightly sealed in the refrigerator to maintain freshness. An unopened container will continue to cure until opened, much like wine or cheese, though the texture of the anchovies may degrade over time. 

Salt-Packed or Oil

While both are excellent methods of preserving anchovies, oil-packed are Brioza’s choice. “They’re doing the least amount of work [with salt-packed],” says Brioza. “They’re kind of like a peel and eat shrimp: they do have value there’s just a lot more work on your end. [Salt-packed] are still on the spine, and need to be to soaked and peeled and tossed with olive oil. I think they have incredible value, but I haven’t found one that I’m in love with that has been a ‘center of the plate anchovy’.” Brioza’s choices for use at The Anchovy Bar—Don Bocarte, Delfina Battista, and Callol Serrats—are all packed in oil and ready for immediate use. 

Sustainably Sourced 

Anchovies are sustainable by nature: They are small schooling fish that are often caught as bycatch while fishing for the larger fish that like to feed upon them. The producers based in Cantabria and the Mediterranean Sea are forced to keep their fishing local because of the importance of processing the fish while fresh during the season.

Ask the Experts

Q: Why are anchovies so salty?

Anchovies are cured in salt after they’ve been harvested and had their heads and innards removed. They’re laid flat in large drums, layered in sea salt, and allowed to cure for anywhere from 4-12 months, depending on the size of the anchovy. The salt removes water from the fish during this time, deeply concentrating the flavor. They’re washed and dried before they’re then submerged in olive oil and tinned or jarred, but the salt-cure remains a very prevalent component.  

Q: How do you eat anchovies?

Anchovies can be consumed a variety of ways. The highest quality anchovies are a treat—albeit salty—straight from the tin, or simply on a piece of good bread spread with great butter.

Q: How long do anchovies last in the fridge?

As with most cured and preserved items, anchovies can improve over time in the fridge. However, it’s best not to let them linger too long after opening. Make sure to keep any leftover anchovies covered in oil or brine to prevent spoilage. Ortiz recommends eating opened anchovies within five days of opening, while others recommend several weeks. Just make sure there’s no mold or rancid fishy smells (you’ll know the difference between regular fishiness, we promise) before consuming.

Q: Do I have to cook anchovies?

No. Anchovies are already cured and preserved, whether in salt or olive oil. However, cooking with anchovies is a great way to add a punch of umami to a dish, that nutty, salty, earthy component that makes things like pasta with garlic, anchovies, and chili flakes, really pop. Besides pasta sauces, preparations like caesar dressing, dips, or spreads are also great uses. Brioza uses them in all those ways and more, including an anchovy salsa that’s an adapted version of a bagna cauda from chef Renee Erickson that incorporates currants, hazelnuts, chopped anchovies, garlic, and parsley served on raw slivers of fennel or apples. 

Q: What country has the best anchovies?

While the Northern Anchovy can be found in various parts of the world, Brioza ascertains that the best anchovies come from Spain, specifically Cantabria, the Northern coast. “Cantabrian anchovies are gorgeous, these are from Northern Spain and they are a type of anchovy that is sort of superior to all anchovies in the world, mainly because of their size. The size of them can be six or seven inches long which is big compared to the anchovies we see here in the Bay Area that are four to five inches long, and that makes all the difference.” 

Our Take

While the best anchovies are harder to get and cost a little more, the payoff is worth it for fans of tinned fish, and are easily the star of a dish where they’re draped across a toast, salad, or deviled egg. If you plan to use your anchovies in applications where they might take second fiddle to other ingredients, like a cooked tomato sauce, then standbys like Cento or Ortiz will certainly do it justice. Regardless of which you choose, this list has many fine fish.

The post The Best Anchovies Are Perfect on Their Own appeared first on Saveur.

Outdoor cooking season is in full swing, but not everyone feels confident firing up the grill to sear steaks and char vegetables. In fact, using a grill can be downright intimidating, despite how easy your favorite grill master may make it seem. Luckily, there are plenty of  cookbooks that are chock-full of approachable tips, tricks, and recipes to empower grilling novices. 

“A good grilling cookbook is one that helps you reimagine possibilities,” says Carsten Johannsen, executive chef of Lindens at Arlo SoHo and managing partner at Renwick Hospitality Group. “Grilling is one of the oldest forms of cooking and is seemingly very straightforward. However, if you really explore the intricacies of heat sources, temperature, and technique, you can be opened to a new level of cooking.”

Below, you’ll find the best cookbooks to help you grill like a pro, from basic barbecue to innovative showstoppers.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Playing with Fire by Michael Symon
• Best for Beginners: Smokin’ Hot in the South by Melissa Cookston
• Best for Advanced Grillers: How to Grill Everything by Mark Bittman
• Best Celebrity Chef Cookbook: Grill It!: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay
• Best Educational: Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling by Meathead Goldwyn
• Best Multicultural: Born to Grill by Rob Rainford

Best Overall: Playing with Fire by Michael Symon

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Print Length: 240 pages | Publisher: Clarkson Potter | Publication Date: April 2018

Why we chose it: Michael Symon’s unparalleled passion for American barbecue shines in this stunning hardcover that can easily double as a coffee table centerpiece. 

Cleveland-based Symon may be best known for his television appearances on Food Network’s Iron Chef, but the grill is where his heart is, a sentiment captured in this page-turner that is equal parts celebratory and educational. Not only does he walk us through different regions and their unique cuisine (brisket in Texas, burnt ends from Kansas City), but he also supplies photos and headnotes with detailed graphics that illustrate grilling techniques, as well as how to choose the right models, wood, rubs, and sauces.

Best for Beginners: Smokin’ Hot in the South by Melissa Cookston

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Print Length: 322 pages | Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC | Publication Date: May 2016

Why we chose it: Some like it hot, but we like it Smokin’ Hot with Cookston’s simple and fun approach to grilling. 

Cookston sets the foundation for successful grilling with a cookbook that brings readers back to basics. Including nine chapters of recipes with digestible bits of advice along the way, the book does a fabulous job of including  all the grilling essentials (like rubs, sauces, marinades, and fresh herbs) without cutting corners by using pre-made products.

Best for Advanced Grillers: How to Grill Everything by Mark Bittman

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Print Length: 576 pages | Publisher: Harvest | Publication Date: May 2018 

Why we chose it: Bittman takes grilling to the next level with an in-depth book that ranges from beginner basics to advanced recipes. 

When it comes to the art of grilling, this text is the holy grail. However, it can be quite intimidating for an amateur cook with more than 1,000 recipes, some of which call for specialty ingredients like quail, tongue, sweetbreads, and octopus. But, within the wide range) you’ll find a well-organized, comprehensive, and inventive cookbook that covers practically anything you can make on a grill. It’s a kitchen essential—and one that will keep you motivated for years to come.

Best Celebrity Chef Cookbook: Grill It!: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay

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Print Length: 288 pages | Publisher: Clarkson Potter | Publication Date: April 2008 

Why we chose it: A beginner-friendly cookbook that transforms basic ingredients into crowd-pleasing meals. 

Flay does an amazing job of taking staple ingredients and transforming them into complex and delicious meals. In this cookbook, he elevates everything from burgers to grilled fruit with excellent sauces, marinades, vinaigrettes, and grilling techniques. In addition, Flay supplies helpful buying guides for different types of grills, indispensable tools, pantry must-haves, and high-quality products. 

Best Educational: Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling by Meathead Goldwyn

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Print Length: 400 pages | Publisher: Harvest | Publication Date: May 2016

Why we chose it: Meathead will educate even the most experienced of grillmasters with tips, tricks, and techniques that are researched and backed by scientists. 

This cookbook proves that grilling is so much more than just a cooking method—it’s an education in science, explaining  how and why chefs fire up proteins and vegetables to achieve charred, smoky perfection. The college textbook of grilling, Meathead includes expert opinions from  a physicist and food scientist to help answer common questions, like whether or not you should bring meat to room temperature or soak wood chips before using. We also appreciate the book’s  humorous tone, which helps to lessen the feeling of information overload.

Best Multicultural: Born to Grill by Rob Rainford

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Print Length: 288 pages | Publisher: Random House | Publication Date: May 2012 

Why we chose it: This menu-driven cookbook provides full meals for the indecisive chef. 

There’s a whole world of grilling beyond the southern United States, as Rob Rainford reminds us with his multicultural cookbook that features ingredients and recipes from across the globe. Featuring 20 full menus and highlighting regional flavors, this book is great for the passionate chef who likes to entertain.

How We Chose These Products

We asked Johanssen and other grillmasters to share their all-time favorite grilling cookbooks. We purchased a variety of their selections, read them, cooked with them, and narrowed down our list to the best six on the market, ensuring there was an option for every skill level.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Grilling Cookbooks

Experience Level

Some grilling cookbooks are beginner-friendly while others are geared towards a more experienced cook.. Read the sleeves for a general description of the book and the type of reader for which it’s recommended—you don’t want to end up with an overly technical cookbook that just collects dust on your bookshelf. 

Recipes

Not all grilling cookbooks boast hundreds of recipes, though the majority will advertise their recipe count on the front cover. Grilling cookbooks often focus heavily on techniques like building the fire, heat zones, meat prep, and more. Many recipes may include things like sauces, rubs, and beverages, so your best bet is to take a look at the table of contents to determine if it will meet your culinary needs. 

Number of Pages

The page count doesn’t always dictate the amount of recipes or information you may find in a cookbook. Keep in mind that many texts are chock-full of photos or graphics, which can occupy page space. Be sure to flip through any cookbook prior to buying to get a better sense of its general style and format. And never judge a book by its cover.

Ask the Experts

To help you master the flame, we asked Chef Johannsen of Lindens at Arlo SoHo to share his expertise and answer your most burning questions. 

Q: How do I grill better?

Johannsen recommends using a natural fuel source, if possible. He says, “store-bought briquettes and coals are often saturated with a lot of synthetic add-ons, which will ultimately affect the flavor of your food. Natural fire sources can add clean, earthy flavors without chemicals. Also, there are a lot of nuances in flavor that can be achieved by using different kinds of wood.” Oak will add a lighter flavor than hickory, for example.

Q: Can I cook everything on a grill?

“Absolutely,” Johannsen says “The way that an ingredient can be transformed on the grill is really its own kind of magic. Lately, I’ve been grilling pineapples and melons at the restaurant. There is a great complexity that comes through when the sugars in the fruit caramelize under fire.”      

Q: What are the best meat alternatives to grill?

Johannsen says, “I am a big fan of grilling mushrooms as a meat alternative. Mushrooms have a natural hearty and earthiness that works incredibly well on the grill. Marinated portobello steaks or oyster mushrooms are a few of my favorites to fire up— they maintain their texture and flavor really well throughout the cooking process and make for a very satisfying main.”

Q: What’s the difference between smoking and grilling?

“Smoking involves cooking at a low temperature for longer amounts of time,” says Johannsen. “It’s a way to infuse your ingredients with that signature smoke flavor that many love. Grilling, on the other hand, is a faster technique that involves cooking quickly at high heat. You will still achieve a smoke or char flavor, but it won’t be saturated as deeply.. 

Our Take

Whether you’re a grilling greenhorn or a propane pro, a good grilling cookbook is beneficial for any cook. These chefs are experts at their craft and will undoubtedly share knowledge that even the most seasoned grill masters can find useful.

The post The Best Grilling Cookbooks Are the Perfect Gift for Summer appeared first on Saveur.

Flat top grills, once reserved for professional kitchens, are increasingly finding their way into the backyards of homeowners joining or in some cases replacing the classic barbecue grill. With their versatility and low maintenance design, there’s good reason to sacrifice those sought-after grill marks you can only get with a traditional grill. 

Unlike the slatted grates of a charcoal or gas barbecue, a flat top grill has a smooth solid cooking surface that allows you to grill foods you’d never dream of throwing on the barbecue, including pancakes, eggs, stir fry, and chopped veggies. Of course, you can also grill steaks, burgers, chicken and other standard Fourth of July fare on a flat top. 

A flat top grill is also easier to clean. Since the surface is smooth, drippings drain conveniently into a tray that you can remove and dump after cooking, keeping the grill’s underbelly free of the grease and charred food bits that collect in the cook box of charcoal and gas barbecues. If you’re looking to add a flat top grill to your outdoor cooking arsenal, here are some of the best options.

The Best Flat Top Grills: Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Blackstone Adventure Ready 2-Burner Outdoor Griddle
• Best Value: Country Smokers The Highland 4-Burner Portable Griddle
• Best Combo: Royal Gourmet 4-Burner Portable Propane Flat Top Gas Grill and Griddle Combo
• Best Professional: Blackstone 4-Burner Restaurant Grade Flat Top Griddle
• Best Portable: Cuisinart Flat Top Gas Griddle
• Best Indoor: Yescom 14” Electric Countertop Flat Top Griddle

Best Overall: Blackstone Adventure Ready 2-Burner Outdoor Griddle

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Burners: Two | Cooking Surface: 470 square inches | Dimensions: 32 inches by 21 inches by 13 inches

Why we chose it: The broad cooking surface and well established brand name make this one of the best all around flat top grills we could find. 

Most flat top griddles are space hogs, which won’t do if you have a small deck or patio or you’re pairing a flat top grill with an existing gas or charcoal barbecue. This 2-burner model gives you enough grilling surface for cooking multiple foods—hamburgers, veggies, hotdogs—simultaneously while still maintaining a compact profile. It measures just 21 inches by 13 inches, and it comes equipped with wheels, so you can maneuver it into a corner when not in use. 

With its two burners, it’s also possible to create the two heat zones you’ll need for simultaneously cooking different types of foods. There are other features to like about this grill too, including a side table for prepping food and a shelf where you can keep your spatulas and tongs.

Best Value: Country Smokers The Highland 4-Burner Portable Griddle

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Burners: Four | Cooking Surface: 600 square inches | Dimensions: 42 inches by 21 inches by 31 inches

Why we chose it: The Country Smoker flat top griddle is a great option if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on another outdoor cooking appliance.

Its nearly 600 square inches of cooking surface gives you ample space for grilling hamburgers, veggies, or assorted breakfast items all at one time, which you’ll be able to do thanks to the four burners that let you create multiple heat zones. 

The legs are a bit spindly, making it less stable than other grills. However, they do fold into the base, making it easier to store if you have limited space on your deck or patio. At just under 50 pounds, it’s just lightweight enough to take on the road for the next tailgating event or family reunion picnic at the park.

Best Combo: Royal Gourmet 4-Burner Portable Propane Flat Top Gas Grill and Griddle Combo

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Burners: Four | Cooking Surface: 584 square inches | Dimensions: 66.1 inches by 21.7 inches by 36.6 inches

Why we chose it: If you can’t decide between a standard grill or griddle, you can get both with this combo option. 

If you want a griddle and a grill but don’t love the idea of crowding your deck or patio space with multiple outdoor cooking appliances, then this combo unit from Royal Gourmet is the way to go. It comes equipped with both a griddle side and grill side that offer a total of 584 square inches of cooking surface. 

With two burners on each side, you create multiple cooking zones on both grill and griddle. We also love the two large side tables, which provide plenty of space for food going on or coming off the grill. Though this grill griddle combo gives you the best of both worlds, at 66 inches wide it does demand a good chunk of patio or deck real estate.

Best Professional: Blackstone 4-Burner Restaurant Grade Flat Top Griddle

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Burners: Four | Cooking Surface: 720 square inches | Dimensions: 62.5 inches by 22 inches by 36 inches 

Why we chose it: its large cooking surface and four burners makes it capable of cooking a lot of food at once. 

A professional flat top grill gives the chef ample cooking space and multiple heat zones for cooking a lot of food at once. You can do just that with Blackstone’s largest flat top, which comes equipped with a vast cooking surface that covers more than 700 square inches and comes equipped with four burners. 

We also like the thick cold rolled steel cooktop, which distributes heat evenly while being easy to clean. The griddle is large at more than 5-feet long, and the side tables do not fold down. However, there are casters on all four legs that allow you to roll into an out of the way place when not in use.

Best Portable: Cuisinart Flat Top Gas Griddle

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Burners: Two | Cooking Surface: 644 square inches | Dimensions: 40 inches by 28 inches by 32 inches

Why we chose it: This portable griddle offers as much cooking surface as a standard flat top grill

A portable flat top grill generally has limited cooking surface, which isn’t ideal if you need it to feed a large gathering of tailgaters or the extended family at a campground. Cuisinart manages to make this gas griddle portable while still offering substantial cooking space and two burners. 

That’s all thanks to its collapsible design—the Cuisinart’s legs and side table fold underneath it for transport, giving it a relatively compact size of 28 inches wide and 17.5 inches high. While you’ll still need two people to lift it—it weighs 50 pounds—it’s certainly small enough to fit into a car trunk. In addition to being a great portable flat top, the Cuisinart is also a great option for those who want to store their flat top grill when it’s not in use.

Best Indoor: Yescom 14” Electric Countertop Flat Top Griddle

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Burners: One | Cooking Surface: 644 square inches | Dimensions: 40 inches by 28 inches by 32 inches

Why we chose it: A cast iron cooking surface and the ability to reach high heat makes this one of the highest-performing indoor griddles we could find. 

While there are many indoor griddles to choose from, if you’re looking for something that’s going to give you similar grilling power to the griddles you’d find in a professional kitchen, this is it. It can heat its modest 200 square inches of cooking surfaces to temperatures exceeding 570 degrees Fahrenheit, plenty of heat for searing a dark crust on your smashburgers. 

We also love the cast iron cooking plate, which holds up much better than the nonstick cooking surfaces found on many indoor cooking griddles. The Yescom does cost twice as much as other indoor models, but if you want a serious indoor griddle, it’s worth the additional cost.

How We Chose These Flat Top Grills

Having used a variety of flat top grills of various sizes, I was able to use my experience to make my selections for our list of the top models. Since heat output is key with any type of grill, I limited my selections to those that could evenly cook food by producing at least 75 BTUs per square inch of cooking surface. I also chose grills with multiple burners that allow the chef to create different heat zones for cooking different types of food at one time. My list includes both large flat top grills capable of cooking for up to 10 people as well as smaller models for portable or indoor use.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Flat Top Grills

Heat Distribution

The heat output of a flat-top grill’s burners, measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs), determines its ability to heat the cooking surface evenly. A good flat-top grill will produce between 75 and 100 BTUs per square inch of cooking surface. That means a grill with 600 square inches of cooking surface should have burners that put out a total of 45,000 to 60,000 BTUs. 

In addition to heat output, pay attention to the number of burners, which determines how many individual heat zones you can create on the cooking surface. The ability to vary the temperature of different parts of the grill allows you to cook different types of food (which require different surface temperatures) simultaneously. High and low heat zones are also necessary for certain styles of cooking, such as hibachi, which typically requires the chef to maintain two different surface temperatures on the grill. 

Temperature Range and Cooking Area

Heat distribution and BTU output is also key because it determines how hot you can get the surface of the grill. A high grill surface temperature is required for searing a crust on steaks or hamburgers. 

Cooking area is also crucial as it determines how much food you can fit on the grill’s cooking surface at once. Most full size outdoor flat top grills have between 400 and 700 square inches of cooking surface while smaller indoor models have around 200 square inches of cooking surface. 

Material & Finish

By far the best surface for a flat top grill is cold rolled steel, which won’t warp under intense heat and does an excellent job of transferring heat. It can also hold up to the constant scraping of a metal spatula. 

That said, cold-rolled steel is susceptible to rust, which makes it higher maintenance. You’ll need to make sure the grill is covered when not in use and treat it periodically with oil to prevent rust from forming. A flat top grill’s exterior typically comes in either a heat-resistant black paint or stainless steel.

Durable and Stable

With a grill top made from heavy cold rolled steel, it’s imperative that the grill legs are sturdy enough to hold it steady while you’re cooking on its surface. No one wants a wobbly grill while they’re pressing down on a hamburger patty. With that in mind, look for grills with sturdy legs and lockable casters. The body of the grill should also be made from heavy gauge sheet metal, which will stabilize the grill while preventing it from warping over time. 

Brand

As with standard grills, it’s always best to go with a well-established brand that has a reputation for producing durable products that perform well. Blackstone and Royal Gourmet are two of the most well-regarded brands in the flat top griddle market. Both have an established reputation for producing quality flat top grills for home use. Other quality flat top grill brands include Cuisinart and Camp Chef.

Ask the Experts

Q: What is the difference between a flat top grill and a griddle?

Most people and manufacturers use the terms flat top grill and griddle interchangeably to refer to the same thing. That said, there is technically a difference between the two. A flat top grill is the same as a standard outdoor grill, only it has a smooth metal surface as opposed to grates. The surface can be heated by either round gas-powered burners or another heat source, such as charcoal. A griddle, in comparison, has an electric heating element that runs the length of its cooking surface.

Q: How thick should a flat top grill be?

Flat top grill thicknesses vary depending on how heavy duty the grill is. A standard flat top grill for home use is typically about 1/2-inch thick. A medium duty grill jumps up to 3/4 inch thick while a professional flat top grill typically has a 1-inch thick cooking plate. A thicker grill plate takes longer to heat up, but better maintains a constant temperature once it reaches the desired heat level, key for a professional griddle that might run for hours. The thicker surface can also handle higher heat and extended use without warping. 

Q: How do I make my griddle nonstick?

The key to keeping your food from sticking to the cold rolled steel cooking surface is by cleaning it thoroughly after each use and seasoning it periodically. To clean the grill, use mild dish soap. Once clean, pour cooking oil over the surface of the grill then turn the heat to medium high to bake the oil into the surface. This seasoning process creates a protective coating that not only keeps food from sticking to the surface but also prevents scratches and rust.

Final Take

Flat top grills offer greater versatility than a standard grill with their ability to grill everything from burgers and steaks to pancakes and scrambled eggs. A good flat top grill should have a durable cooking surface with a sturdy base. With its durable frame and rolled steel cooking surface, the Blackstone Adventure Ready 2-Burner Outdoor Griddle is one of the best all-around flat top grills on the market. Those who want a griddle but don’t want to give up traditional grilling should consider the Royal Gourmet 4-Burner Portable Propane Flat Top Gas Grill and Griddle Combo, with its traditional grill and flat top grill cooking surfaces. 

The post The Best Flat Top Grills for Your Backyard Barbecue appeared first on Saveur.

Is there anything better on a balmy summer evening than savoring steaks and veggie skewers still sizzling from the grill? We don’t think so either. However, stepping up as grill master can be daunting for even the most seasoned home cook. That’s why we recommend curating a workhorse group of grill tools. From tongs long enough to avoid burnt fingertips to spatulas that will keep delicate proteins like fish intact, these accessories are specifically designed to make this intense job more manageable and efficient—so you can spend more time mingling with your guests and less time sweating over the flame.

In an effort to find the best grill tools, we carefully vetted a variety of sets and individual accessories to assemble a list of durable yet easy-to-maneuver products so home cooks can feel more confident in front of the barbecue. We also spoke with the chef and host of Yahoo!’s “Grill Next Door” Megan Mitchell to get her expert intel on what to look for when shopping for the best grilling tools. Read on for the best grill tools that are professional-approved favorites. 

The Best Grill Tools: Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Everdure Premium Tool Kit
• Best Value: Cuisinart Deluxe Grill Set
• Best Grill Spatula: OXO Good Grips Grilling Turner
• Best Grill Tongs: Weber Precision Grill Tongs
• Best Grill Brush: GrillHogs Silicone Sauce Basting Brush
• Best Grill Basket: Cuisinart Simply Grilling Nonstick Grill Basket

Best Overall: Everdure Premium BBQ Tools

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Material: Brushed stainless steel | Dishwasher-safe: No | Handle Material: Rubber

Why we chose it: This streamlined set comes with three of the most essential grill tools, all of which boast unique design features like serrated edges, stay-cool grips, and looped handles for maximum efficiency and functionality at the grill. 

Every grillmaster needs a reliable set of tools that are convenient, durable, and easy to use. Featuring a set of tongs, a slotted spatula, and a meat fork, each piece in this set is made from brushed stainless steel, which is meant to resist corrosion and retain shine after repeated use in high heat. The stay-cool handles have a non-slip grip, so home cooks can feel comfortable when flipping greasy burgers or juicy chicken dripping with marinade. The tongs and spatula feature serrated edges, which is helpful when scraping off charred bits of food and offer more precision and control when grabbing slippery pieces of shrimp or vegetables. We love that this set features a sturdy meat fork that makes picking up large cuts like brisket, pork butt, or whole chickens easier and safer. The slotted spatula is designed to flip burgers easily while allowing juices to run through, so nothing slips or slides around on the surface. 

Unlike some extra-large grill tools, this set sits at just the right size. The handles are long enough to keep your hands safe from the heat, but not so long as to make them difficult to control. The non-slip handles feature a textured grip which makes them feel comfortable and secure. The looped handles mean you can hang them when not in use, and the locking tongs make for easier, more compact storage.

Best Value: Cuisinart Deluxe Grill Set

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Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher-safe: No | Handle Material: Stainless steel

Why we chose it: This all-inclusive set from a reliable cookware brand comes with all the essentials at an incredibly affordable price. 

If you’re looking to replace all your grilling tools with one comprehensive set, this kit from Cuisinart is our top choice. The 20-piece set of durable stainless steel tools comes with a spatula, digital temperature fork, basting brush, tongs, five skewers, eight corn holders, and a cleaning brush with a replaceable head, plus a convenient carrying case. That means you’re equipped to flip burgers, skewer shrimp, baste chicken, and easily scrub your grill afterward all at an easy-to-afford price. We particularly love that the convenient carrying case makes storage easy and streamlined. Looped handles mean you can hang the spatula, tongs, and brush from the side of the grill, so they’re easy to grab when needed and easy to put down when you need a break (or a sip of cold beer).

In addition to a standard spatula and tongs, this set also comes with a digital meat fork that displays actual and desired temperatures, along with an alarm that signals when food is done to prevent overcooking. Better yet, the digital meat fork features a built-in LED light for easy nighttime cooking. Overall, this 20-piece set is an easy way to stock your barbecue with every essential item for a reasonable price. Keep in mind that these tools should be hand-washed for best results.

Best Grill Spatula: OXO Good Grips Grilling Turner

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Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Handle Material: Silicone

Why we chose it: This heavy-duty spatula features a non-slip grip and a thoughtfully-designed bend for added comfort, leverage, and control.

This ergonomic spatula is specifically designed to make flipping burgers safe and effective. Unlike regular spatulas meant for stovetop cooking, the more dramatically bent head of this grill turner sits at the optimal angle to flip heavy foods without putting any extra strain on your wrist. Made from durable stainless steel, it can easily handle high heat, and the extra-long handle keeps fingers and wrists away from the flame for a more comfortable grilling experience. The non-slip grip stays secure in your hand, even when greasy or wet. We love that it’s dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, and the looped handle makes for a convenient storage option. The slotted surface lets grease and moisture drip through the cracks so you can easily pick up a burger without it sliding around.  Most of all, we love the width of this spatula—it’s narrow enough to maneuver around a crowded grill and wide enough to flip juicy burgers or thick portobello caps.

Best Grill Tongs: Weber Precision Grill Tongs

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Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Handle Material: Silicone

Why we chose it: A flat front edge makes it easy to grab even the most caked-on foods, and the long handle with a non-slip grip adds comfort and safety.

The best grill accessories should be heavy-duty, durable, sturdy, and comfortable to use. These Weber tongs are strong and powerful, so you can easily pick up a rack of ribs, a shoulder of pork, or a whole chicken with one hand. They’re not just for large cuts—the flat tip makes grasping delicate foods like sliced zucchini or sliced onions easy too.

These stainless steel tongs feature a non-slip grip, which means they’re easy to hold even when greasy or wet. The looped handle means you can hang them from the side of the grill when not in use, which is particularly useful if you’re working with a portable grill and don’t have a side table to rest your tools on. At 18 inches long, they’re considerably longer than normal tongs, so you don’t have to worry about burning your hands. However, keep in mind that they can be on the heavy side. They’re also not as flexible as normal kitchen tongs, so extended use can be fatiguing for small hands. These durable tongs are dishwasher-safe, and their hands-free lock allows them to stay compact and for easier storage.

Best Grill Brush: GrillHogs Silicone Sauce Basting Brush

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Material: Silicone head, stainless steel body | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Handle Material: Stainless steel

Why we chose it: This set comes with one small and one large grill brush, both of which feature stainless steel bodies and silicone tips, making them completely heat-safe.

If you’re looking for an easy way to keep meat moist on the grill, a grill brush is an easy way to do it. Unlike a traditional baster, grill brushes offer more precision—the bristles collect sauce and make sure it gets in every crevice—so they’re perfect for expertly basting racks of ribs or stacks of skewers. Like any grilling tool, grill brushes should withstand high heat, so we love that this set is made from durable stainless steel and BPA-free silicone. The 2-piece set features one 12-inch brush and one 7.5-inch brush. That way, you can use the longer brush to keep your fingers safe when flames are extra hot and use the shorter brush for more precise tasks over lower temperatures. 

The durable handles are heavy-duty yet lightweight, making them easy to maneuver around a hot grill. Both brushes are dishwasher-safe and rust-resistant. Be mindful that the handles don’t have a non-slip grip, so they could get slick when wet or greasy.

Best Grill Basket: Cuisinart Simply Grilling Nonstick Grill Basket

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Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher-safe: No | Handle Material: Heat-resistant rubber

Why we chose it: This nonstick grill basket features different lock settings, which means it can safely house different-sized foods that would otherwise be tricky to grill—use it for fish, shrimp, vegetables, and more.

If you’re a fan of grilled seafood, a grill basket is a must-have. Simply fill the basket with delicate items like shrimp or salmon and lock the mechanism at the appropriate height. The different locking options mean you can accommodate foods of different sizes, so each piece is held together and doesn’t move around. The nonstick wires will keep the food safely in place so nothing falls through the cracks and into the flame. This basket is perfect for kebabs because you can turn the entire thing at once, eliminating the need to rotate each piece individually. The large cooking surface can accommodate ample portions of food in a single layer, so items grill evenly and uniformly.

Though the nonstick surface means foods easily slide off, it also means that this basket is not dishwasher-safe. Before purchasing, keep in mind that it should be washed by hand, which can be tricky due to the size of the cooking surface and the length of the handle. It’s also important to keep in mind that food will not sit directly on the grill grates, which means it will be difficult to achieve uniform grill marks. The handle is made of heat-resistant rubber, so be mindful that only the basket itself should sit directly over an open flame.

How We Chose These Products

In order to find the best grilling tools, we combined our professional culinary knowledge with competitive research and industry insights to find products that are functional, durable, and reliable. We assessed each product’s ability to withstand high heat, and took note of how easy each item is to clean and care for. We relied on our extensive knowledge of cookware brands to determine the quality of each product, and assessed price and any special features to determine overall value. Lastly, we spoke with Megan Mitchell, an L.A.-based chef and host of Grilling for Beginners, a workshop series with Magnolia Network that focuses on the fundamentals of grilling. She has also been featured on Yahoo!’s Grill Next Door, as well as various cooking shows with Tastemade, Thrive Market, ABC, and Food Network Kitchen. Megan gave us her advice on how to shop for grill tools and what factors to look for in a set of tools.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Grill Tools

Material

When grilling, selecting tools made from materials that can handle high temperatures is important. “With high heat, you can’t use the same tools on a grill as you do in the kitchen,” said Mitchell. “Wood and plastic can burn and melt and there’s definitely more wear and tear that happens to your grilling tools since you’re using them over an open flame,” she added. Therefore, it’s best to opt for tools made of metal. Stainless steel can withstand heat of up to a whopping 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it a great option for grill tools like spatulas and tongs. When it comes to a basting brush, opt for silicone. Silicone can withstand temperatures of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s a great option for basting whole barbecued chickens or racks of ribs.

Durability

Mitchell says quality and durability are the most important factors to consider when shopping for grill tools. “Working with high heat, cheap tools, unfortunately, don’t cut it, which means you’ll have to replace them sooner than you’d hope,” she said. Before selecting a set of tools, make sure to assess the material the tools are made from, what temperature they can withstand, and how you plan to clean and care for them. Grill tools are subjected to all sorts of wear and tear, so selecting heavy-duty tools that are easy to clean is key. Keep in mind that some sets are dishwasher-safe while others must be washed by hand, so be sure to use the proper care in order to maintain their effectiveness. Mitchell says that understanding how to care for your tools is the best way to ensure their durability. “Just like you clean your grill before and after every use, I do the same with grill tools, especially since most tools are stored outside by the grill. A quick wash before using and then washing, drying, and putting them away after each use will extend their life and keep them working properly,” she said.

What’s Included

If you’re looking to replace all of your grill tools in one purchase, a comprehensive set is the best way to go. At the minimum, every set of grill tools should include long tongs for grilling chicken and vegetables, as well as a long, wide spatula for flipping burgers. A meat fork is ideal for flipping large cuts of meat like brisket, and a basting brush is helpful when keeping marinated meats moist throughout the cooking process. Before making a selection, assess what foods you intend on cooking most often, and select the best barbecue accessories based on your specific needs. 

Length of Tools

The length of grill tools is a key factor that sets them apart from other types of kitchen tools. Whether you use a charcoal grill, gas grill, electric grill, or otherwise, grills get very hot, making it easy to burn your fingers, wrists, and forearms. That’s why most grill tools are longer than standard kitchen tools. Long tools help keep your hands safe and away from the flames, but they can also be difficult to control. Before selecting a set of tools, consider how hot your grill gets, and how much control you like to have over your tools. If heat is a major concern, extra-long tools will provide safety and comfort. If you can manage the heat but need more dexterity, opt for a set of medium-length tools instead.

Ask the Experts

Q: What are the essential BBQ tools?

Mitchell says that tongs, a grill brush, and a long spatula are an essential combination of grill tools. These tools can tackle a variety of tasks, and they’re versatile enough to handle grilled pizzas, chicken, vegetables, and everything in between. For added comfort and control, Mitchell recommends stocking up on a few pairs of tongs in varying sizes. That way, you can use an extra-long pair for large flames, and a shorter pair for more delicate tasks over lower temperatures. 

Q: How do I store BBQ tools?

Although grill tools are often left outdoors or in a shed, it’s important to keep them safe from the elements in order to preserve their functionality. Mitchell says “I like to store my tools in airtight containers to protect from dust and water rather than leave them hanging on or near my grill.” If you prefer to keep your grills outside for easy access, look for a designated bin that you can place them in once they’re clean and cooled off. That way, they’ll stay separate from your more delicate kitchen utensils, but will retain their capability for years to come. 

Q: How do I clean rust off BBQ tools?

The best way to clean rust is to prevent it from building up in the first place. Before putting away your grills, always make sure they are completely clean and dry. Avoiding moisture is the best way to avoid rust, so storing them properly is essential to preserving their shelf life.

If you do find rust on your tools, Mitchell recommends making a paste of vinegar and baking soda to scrub off stubborn stains. Use a thick sponge or brush with tough bristles to scrub vigorously. Then wash thoroughly with soap and water and be sure to dry completely.

Our Take

Grilling may seem like a pursuit that’s tough to master, but the right tools make it so much more approachable. The best grill tools are easy to hold, maneuver, and clean, and they make backyard barbecues easy and efficient. For best results, look for a durable set of heavy-duty tools that can handle high heat with ease and comfort, like the Everdure Premium BBQ tools or the Cuisinart’s Deluxe Grill Set.

The post The Best Grill Tools for Better Backyard Barbecues appeared first on Saveur.

Ask a cookbook author or a chef for their opinion on the best Italian cookbooks and the result is likely a love letter to food in general. Italian cuisine has captured hearts (and stomachs) the world over because it is comforting, satisfying, economical, and easy to prepare, making it as loved by those who are cooking it as those to whom it is served. 

When it comes to compiling a list of the best Italian cookbooks, certain books come up again and again. What seems to be a common thread among these classics is straightforward instructions that work, explanations that place recipes in a cultural and historical context, and descriptions that help to understand ingredients and how to use them. These things make us good cooks and, combined with the personality of the authors who manage to convey the very essence of Italian food—the smells of the kitchen; the flavors and freshness of seasonal ingredients; the unfussy preparations—make the following Italian cookbooks universally timeless.

• Best Overall: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
• Best Vintage Cookbook: The Talisman Cookbook by Ada Boni
• Best Regional Cooking: Italian Food by Elizabeth David
• Best for Bakers: The Italian Baker, Revised: The Classic Tastes of the Italian Countryside by Carol Field
• Best Timeless Recipes: The Classic Food of Northern Italy by Anna Del Conte
• Best Food History: The Classic Cuisine of the Italian Jews by Edda Servi Machlin

Our Top Picks 

Best Overall: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

Region: Northern Italy | Number of pages: 704 | Date published: 1992

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Why we chose it: It’s like three cookbooks in one, a “culinary bible” that combines Hazan’s two previous cookbooks plus 50 new recipes.

No one tops a Best Italian Cookbooks list like Marcella Hazan. Chef Fergus Henderson, of famed London restaurant St John, has said that Hazan single-handedly changed food at home as he knew it, and I’m quite sure he is not the only one. 

“I have quite a lot of Italian books, but Marcella Hazan is peerless,” cookbook author Diana Henry wrote to me. “Her recipes simply work. And her voice is quite direct, not like that of a schoolteacher, but quite no-nonsense. I have never cooked a dish of hers that didn’t work and many have become part of my core repertoire.” 

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, which was published in 1992, is a combination of Marcella’s previous books, The Classic Italian Cookbook (her first, from 1973) and More Classic Italian Cooking (1978), and the idea was that it be a manual for cooks of any skill level, a bible of the most beloved Italian recipes for beginners and professionals alike—and it certainly does not disappoint. 

“Every so often, I pull her books off the shelf and flick through them, seeing whether I notice a recipe that’s new, or a combination of flavors that I like,” Henry continues. “There’s a pot roasted leg of lamb that is slow-cooked with juniper berries until the meat is soft. It’s one of my very favourite dishes. I have often cooked it on New Year’s Eve. It’s amazing to think that there aren’t even any photos in these books. You don’t need them. You just need to follow her voice.”

Best Vintage Cookbook: The Talisman Italian Cookbook by Ada Boni

Region: Lazio/Central Italy | Number of pages: 320 | Date published: 1950 (original Italian version 1929)

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Why we chose it: The original is Italy’s best known cookbook and was written for Italians.

Roman magazine editor Ada Boni’s Il Talismano della Felicità (literally meaning ‘the talisman of happiness’), was first published in Italy in 1929. An enormous collection of well over a thousand classic recipes, it quickly became the Joy of Cooking for many Italian households. In the 1950s, an abridged English version for the U.S. and UK markets came out, simply called the Talisman Italian Cookbook, which was meant to introduce Americans and British home cooks to Italian flavors. It was also lovingly taken up by many Italian immigrants wanting to recreate the taste of home for their families.

While almost a century old, the Talisman continues to be an important reference book, covering every aspect of Italian gastronomy, including an introduction on the Italian way of eating and cooking and still-relevant homestyle recipes. From braised endives to stuffed peaches and ricotta ravioli or a thrifty chocolate cake made with only pantry items and milk, Boni’s no-nonsense recipes are still among my favorites when I want to produce something that channels my inner nonna. It is the only one in this list that was originally written in Italian and then translated later into English.

Best Regional Cooking: Italian Food by Elizabeth David

Region: All of Italy | Number of pages: 368 | Date published: 1954

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Why we chose it: Elizabeth David was one of the first to document Italy’s complex regional cuisine, and her writing makes the best kind of armchair travel.

Elizabeth David’s Italian Food, which was originally published in 1954, has a permanent spot near my bed. It is just one of those books that I can flip through at any time and read like a novel. Her recipes can be short and sweet, with a few sentences to describe how to make pasta with ricotta sauce, for example, or they can come with a beautiful description that will immediately send you armchair traveling—the market stories in particular, or the one where a glass of dry, sharp white wine is poured over risotto before serving in a Venetian cantina, where each forkful takes a bit of rice and a bit of wine. 

David was well ahead of her time, describing regional recipes that are still unknown today and urging her readers to use only good quality olive oil; differentiating between coppa or rigatino; and advising when and when not to use parmesan cheese—and always with her quick wit. For this reason, you can still enjoy reading and cooking from Italian Food nearly 70 years after it was written. Seattle chef Renee Erickson echoes my love for this book, writing of it, “I love the regional recipes. I also love the style of recipe, much less information than a cookbook of today. It forces us all to pay attention to the ingredients rather than the recipe. I think that makes us better cooks.”

Best for Bakers: The Italian Baker, Revised: The Classic Tastes of the Italian Countryside by Carol Field

Region: All of Italy | Number of pages: 417 | Date published: 1985

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Why we chose it: It is the ultimate collection of Italian baked goods, from bread to cookies to celebratory cakes.

When asked about her favorite Italian cookbook, Rome-based Kristina Gill, author of Tasting Rome, wrote, “I think the one who holds the biggest spot in my heart is Carol Field’s The Italian Baker. It was a gift to me 25 years ago, and I used it so much learning to bake Italian bread.” I was thrilled to hear this as The Italian Baker has been my baking bible for the past 15 years, too. Originally published in 1985, Carol Field took an incredibly heroic approach with this book. She spent two years searching all of Italy from Como to Palermo for artisan bakers, learning from them, studying with them, and documenting the recipes from all over the peninsula at a time when more and more baked goods were becoming industrially produced and artisans were a dying breed.

Regional specialties, celebration breads, sweets, and recipes involving leftover bread all feature in this book with simple line drawings of step-by-step processes to help understand how to shape particular breads. She ‘translated’ the recipes to suit American kitchens and measurements, and, very practically, includes instructions for hand-mixing or machine-mixing, making this a suitable book for whatever tools or experience you have in baking. If you love Italian breads and baked goods, from panettone to focaccia to maritozzi, as well as many breads lost and unheard of, you need to seek this one out. It is a must-have for any baker.

Best Timeless Recipes: The Classic Food of Northern Italy by Anna Del Conte

Region: Northern Italy | Number of pages: 240 | Date published: 1995

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Why we chose it: A timeless collection of the most classic northern Italian recipes.

Currently in her nineties, Milanese writer Anna Del Conte is considered the doyenne of Italian food writing in Britain, where she has called home since 1949. Nigella Lawson makes it no secret that she is a devoted fan and wrote in 2009: “There are really only two important influences in my cooking life: my mother and Anna Del Conte… Anyone who loves food – reading about it, cooking it, eating it – should have her books.”

Originally published in 1996, Anna Del Conte’s Classic Food of Northern Italy, including 150 regional recipes, was updated and reissued in 2017. Covering the 10 northernmost of Italy’s 20 regions, Anna del Conte delivers the context behind these regional dishes in straightforward recipes that stay true to each region’s traditions. “I get very annoyed when I read recipes for ossobuco alla milanese containing tomatoes,” begins her recipe for Milanese ossobuco with “magical gremolata,” as she goes on to explain that tomatoes don’t come from Lombardy and therefore aren’t usually part of the region’s repertoire.

Angela Frenda, the food editor of Italy’s leading newspaper Corriere della Sera, wrote to me that her favorite Italian cookbooks are those of the Simili Sisters, Margherita and Valeria (who were teachers at Marcella and Victor Hazan’s cooking school in Bologna in 1976). These sadly aren’t available in English, but Frenda’s favorite Italian cookbooks in English are also Anna Del Conte’s. “The woman who is credited with bringing true Italian home cooking to the Anglo-Saxons,” as she says. “Her recipes are an example of classic modern. Timeless,” Frenda added. This is one for those who want to dive deeper into the classic dishes of the northern regions. 

Best Food History: The Classic Cuisine of the Italian Jews by Edda Servi Machlin

Region: Tuscany, Lazio | Number of pages: 254 | Date published: 1981

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Why we chose it: It is a food time capsule of a lost Tuscan community.

One of the most precious Italian cookbooks that I own is The Classic Cuisine of the Italian Jews. Published in 1981, the recipes and the stories recounted by Edda Servi Machlin are of her childhood in Tuscany’s deep south, in the flourishing Jewish village of Pitigliano. It’s like time traveling directly to this fascinating town in the Maremma of the 1930s, into a community that today no longer exists. Machlin was born in Pitigliano in 1926. After narrowly escaping extermination camps during the Second World War, her family settled in the U.S. in 1958.

Her first cookbook is full of unfussy, simple family recipes, a wonderful mix of Tuscan, Roman and Jewish specialties. In it you’ll find ricotta-filled pizza, deep fried artichokes (her ‘hymn to an artichoke’ essay is one of my favorite pieces of food writing) and fried mozzarella sandwiches, pappa al pomodoro, polenta pasticciata (a hearty peasant dish of baked polenta with porcini mushroom and cheese sauce), beet risotto (“add rice and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until rice begins to make a sharp, dry noise”) and gems like olio di arrosto (oil from a roast). It also includes lost specialties of this part of Tuscany, like borricche (cinnamon pastries) and sfratti (honey and walnut logs). But what really makes this such a special book is Machlin’s moving memoir that recounts a “vanished way of life” with old black and white photographs and menus of Jewish celebrations. This is a book for anyone interested in food or war history, disappearing traditions, and this largely unknown part of Tuscany’s Maremma, on the border of Lazio. It is also, of course, a book of excellent, incredibly simple, and kosher Italian recipes.

How We Chose These Products

We chose these books by asking Italophile food editors and writers for their favorite Italian cookbooks. The results were very much “classics”. In other words, older cookbooks that were perhaps groundbreaking at their time, which generations of Italians and non-Italians cooked out of and are still considered the most essential, best Italian cookbooks to turn to—timeless. They were also selected for their availability in general (one is now out of print, but you can still find good second-hand copies of it) and that they are in English.

Features to Keep in Mind

Diversity of Cuisine

These beloved Italian cookbooks are not all the same because Italy is not one cuisine—it is 20 cuisines from 20 regions. While many of these cookbooks are focused on Northern Italy, some such as Italian Food and the Italian Baker tend to cover the whole peninsula. The most specific book may be The Cuisine of the Italian Jews, and what that title doesn’t convey is that many of its recipes happen to be typically Tuscan (panzanella, for example) or typically Roman. This is because the author, Edda Servi Machlin, came from a tiny inland town in Maremma, Pitigliano, on the border of the regions of Tuscany and Lazio, which was once an important Jewish center.

Beginner-Friendly Recipes

As cookbooks go, many of these books were designed as manuals for home cooks—Ada Boni’s Talisman, for example, and Marcella Hazan’s Essentials. However, the style of older cookbooks, such as the Talisman, means that some knowledge and skillset on the part of the cook is assumed. Elizabeth David’s Italian Food, published in the 1950s, is of a more conversational style, too; it isn’t written in the traditional format with ingredients listed. If anything, the more complicated cookbook is Anna Del Conte’s Classic Food of Northern Italy, perhaps in part for some of the ingredients she requests (capon, sweetbreads, venison, or cuttlefish, for example). But then many of the desserts are typically simple—strawberries or cantaloupe splashed with balsamic vinegar or a simple meringue turned into semifreddo with three ingredients.

Authors

The authors included here are a mixture of Italians and British or American writers. Anna Del Conte was born in Milan in 1925 and moved to England in her mid-twenties as an au pair and has lived there ever since. Both Marcella Hazan and Edda Servi were Italian born and later in life found themselves living in America, where they were both encouraged by friends and family to share their recipes in the form of a book. These three transplanted Italians wrote about their food memories for the public in their adopted homes. British-born Elizabeth David and American Carol Field both traveled extensively in Italy, studying and talking to Italians to produce recipes that brought to light the incredible depth of Italy’s regional food for their fellow English speakers. Only the Roman writer Ada Boni wrote for an Italian public, and her cookbook was then translated into English. 

Ask the Experts

Q: What Italian cookbook is best for an amateur cook or someone who doesn’t have a lot of kitchen equipment?

Carol Field’s The Italian Baker is written wonderfully for a beginner or those unfamiliar with the recipes, so it is a great place to start learning about the incredible baking repertoire that she learned from Italy’s artisan bakers. There are many kinds of bread, but also cookies, cakes, pizza, and other dishes that involve bread like soups and dumplings. Every recipe includes a different set of instructions for using just your hands or if you have a mixer or some other processor, so you can also make all these recipes with simply your hands and a bowl. 

Q: I would like to learn some really authentic Italian recipes. Which book should I choose?

If you want to go really old school, Ada Boni has the most traditional recipes. Her book was the sort of cookbook given to couples as a wedding present, and most Italian households still have a copy on their shelves. Her recipes are simple and the instructions might assume you already know quite a bit about the dish, but what you have are the recipes written to help Italian housewives a century ago—you couldn’t get closer to nonna’s cooking. 

Q: I am looking for the kind of recipes that my Italian mom used to make. Can you suggest a book from this list?

It would all depend on the vast regional aspect of Italian cooking, so you might want to look at cookbooks that focus on the region of your Italian heritage. But in general, Marcella Hazan’s Essentials is an interesting book for Italian Americans, because it was written for Americans by an Italian living in America.

Our Take

Whether you are loyal to Marcella’s tomato sauce recipe or to the comforting voice of Anna Del Conte, each of these classic tomes that have taught generations of households within and outside of Italy to cook good Italian food has something to give—helping us to look carefully at a regional ingredient, to listen to the sound of the rice cooking, or to shape a forgotten bread or pastry with our own hands—and perhaps, as Erickson says, they can even make us better cooks.

The post The Best Italian Cookbooks Are the Classics appeared first on Saveur.

When it comes to pans for eggs, chefs know best. They’ve often been through many to find the one that stands above the rest. But each chef’s egg pan of choice is different. Some love classic All-Clad, others prefer Made In’s nonstick pans, while a few prefer a vintage cast-iron skillet or a thrifted egg hopper pan. Ultimately, whichever you choose should be the pan that will work best in your kitchen.

So which pans are truly the best? Is All-Clad worth the investment? And which nonstick pans actually hold up? As Charles Gardiner, executive chef of The Ballantyne Hotel says, “with practice, a cook can use any pan with the right amount of heat and oil.” But, of course, having a quality pan to start with can only help. We spoke to chefs from across the country to get their insights and recommendations on the best pans for eggs.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Made In Nonstick Frying Pan
• Best Value: Misen Nonstick Pan 
• Best Restaurant-Quality Pan: All-Clad Nonstick Fry Pan
• Best Cast Iron: Calphalon Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet
• Best Nonstick: Tramontina Professional Fry Pan
• Best Underrated: Futura Nonstick Appachatty Breakfast Pan

Best Overall: Made In Nonstick Frying Pan

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Material: stainless clad | Size: available in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch options | Nonstick: yes | Induction Compatible: yes

Why we chose it: A tried-and-true nonstick pan that holds up well over time.

In our research, we found that many chefs prefer nonstick pans over stainless steel and cast-iron pans for egg cookery. Made In’s version was the top pick amongst the chefs we spoke with because of its seriously high-quality and long-lasting nonstick surface. Because Made In has incorporated multiple layers of nonstick into the pan, it is built to be extremely durable—something Rece Hogerheide, executive chef of the Daxton Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan, says makes this pan stand apart. “The nonstick pans that [Made In has] created are absolute workhorses in the kitchen,” Hogerheide says. “These pans stand up to commercial everyday use in a busy hotel restaurant, where, even after a year, the nonstick coating stays true to actually being nonstick.” 

In addition to having a great nonstick surface, this pan is also versatile in the kitchen because of how lightweight it is and how evenly it distributes heat. This allows the pan to not only make perfect eggs, Hogerheide says, but it also can give a great sear on meat.

The biggest issues we found are that it is a bit pricey and that it should be washed by hand to protect its nonstick surface.

Best Value: Misen Nonstick Pan 

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Material: aluminum core with a ceramic exterior | Size: available in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch options | Nonstick: yes | Induction Compatible: yes

Why we chose it: A nonstick pan that can help you make perfect eggs without breaking the bank.

When it comes to pans chefs overwhelmingly seem to prefer, Made In and All-Clad top that list. And while Misen doesn’t seem to have the clout that those brands do, Misen produces pans that achieve that same level of quality without costing customers a pretty penny. “I stopped using All-Clad and discovered Misen,” said Ed Cotton, executive chef and partner at Jack & Charlie’s No.118 in New York City. “I’ve had mine for a year and it’s not showing any signs of sticking at all.” The pan has four layers of nonstick coating and a ceramic exterior, which makes it pretty easy to clean, even if it is recommended to do so by hand only. As well, Misen advises to not heat this pan up beyond the medium setting on your stovetop, which seems slightly peculiar, though not altogether a bad thing for egg cookery, as the general recommendation is to not cook eggs over high heat.

Best Restaurant-Quality Pan: All-Clad Nonstick Fry Pan

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Material: stainless steel with aluminum core | Size: available in 8-, 10-, 12-, and 14-inch options | Nonstick: yes | Induction Compatible: yes

Why we chose it: A staple pan beloved by chefs.  

All-Clad is a classic option for both chefs and home cooks. Mark Strausman, chef and owner of New York City’s Mark’s Off Madison, uses All-Clad nonstick pans for cooking eggs both in his restaurant and at home. With a flat base and curved edges, this pan allows for even heat distribution and ease for flipping eggs and transferring them from the pan to the plate. This pan is also safe for induction stovetops and oven usage, making it suitable for all types of egg cookery. However, the downsides with this pan are that it is quite costly for an egg pan and both home cooks and chefs have noted that the company’s warranty doesn’t seem to hold up. This could become an issue because, as Cotton noted, the nonstick coating on the pan has a tendency to deteriorate quicker than preferred.

Best Cast Iron: Calphalon Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet

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Material: cast iron | Size: 12 inches | Nonstick: yes | Induction Compatible: yes

Why we chose it: A trusty cast-iron skillet with sloped edges that makes for easy egg cookery.

Chefs are divided on whether cast iron skillets really make for the best egg pans. Some empathetically say yes, while others say it’s too much of a hassle. This particular pan helps bridge that gap by coming pre-seasoned, thus reducing some of the hassle that can come with using a cast-iron skillet. As well, it has sloped sides, which makes it a great pan for frying eggs, since you don’t have to worry about a harsh edge messing up your flip. But beyond just frying eggs, this skillet is great for all sorts of egg preparations, including making omelettes, frittatas and shakshuka. The only real downside to this pan is that it is heavy, clocking in at 6.8 pounds.

Best Nonstick: Tramontina Professional Fry Pan

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Material: aluminum | Size: available in 8-, 10-, 12-, and 14-inch options | Nonstick: yes | Induction Compatible: no

Why we chose it: A professional-grade nonstick frying pan that makes cleanup a breeze.

“It’s one of the best pans I’ve ever purchased,” says Danny Chavez, executive chef of Art and Soul at YOTEL Washington, D.C. What makes this pan the best, according to Chavez? Cleaning it. Made with commercial-grade aluminum and an Eclipse nonstick surface, foods are not liable to stick to it, making for exceptional egg cookery and ultra-easy cleanup. Plus, unlike many nonstick pans, this one is dishwasher-safe. That being said, this pan isn’t compatible with induction stovetops (though allegedly it can be used with an induction interface disk), and it is recommended that you don’t use nonstick cooking spray on this pan.

Best Underrated: Futura Nonstick Appachatty Breakfast Pan

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Material: stainless steel | Size: 8.66 inches | Nonstick: yes | Induction Compatible: no

Why we chose it: A stainless steel pan with a rounded bottom perfect for fried eggs, hoppers and appam.

With its rounded bottom and two wooden handles, this pan might not resemble your typical frying pan. But because it has curved edges and a durable nonstick surface, it makes for one of the best pans for eggs, even if it is a pretty underrated one. Part of why this pan has a more domed shape is because it can be used to make appam, a lacy, South Indian pancake, and hoppers, thin Sri Lankan crepes that can come with or without an egg in the center. But Lena Kwak, chef and cofounder of Starday Foods, says she loves cooking her eggs in this type of pan, which she recently picked up at a garage sale. “The pan is like a mini wok,” she says. “Since it is concave in the center, I love how eggs that I cook in the pan hold a nice rounded shape. Plus, less oil splattering all over your stove.” The cool thing about this particular pan is that it comes with a lid, which can help you produce amazing fried eggs. It’s also pretty affordable, though it should be noted that this pan doesn’t work well on induction stovetops.

How We Chose These Products

When considering what pans to include on this list, we used a pre-determined set of criteria, which included material, price point, heat distribution and how well the nonstick surface performs, to determine the best pans for each category. We also received recommendations (along with some tips and tricks listed below) from chefs about the pans they prefer for making eggs, and their recommendations and insights influenced our final product list.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Pans For Eggs

Material

Consider what will work best in your kitchen and in your mornings. Chefs largely prefer nonstick pans for their ease and their ability to turn out flawless fried eggs and omelettes, but some will choose to utilize stainless steel or cast iron. Nonstick tends to be the easiest to clean, of course, and can heat up pretty quickly, while cast iron and stainless steel might take more work to wash and can take longer to come to the temperature you want. Kwak’s advice here is to “ask yourself if you have the patience to heat up a cast iron or stainless steel pan properly. If not, grab a nonstick pan.” 

Sturdiness

When deciding on an egg pan, you’ll want to pay attention to how sturdy the handle is. “The handle needs to feel right,” says Monty Koludrovic, chef and culinary director of L.A.-based Botanical Hospitality Group, “It doesn’t need to feel heavy, but you want it to feel sturdy and you want to be able to give it a good grip. You don’t want flimsy, hollow ones that are going to end up pulling away from their screws and water getting in the handle, and then it’s just a whole catastrophe.” Keep an eye out for how well the handle is attached to the pan, and if you’re shopping in-person, be sure to pick up the pan by the handle and make sure it feels firmly attached and comfortable in your hand.  

Construction

Egg pans should have rounded sides. This is important for maneuvering your eggs around the pan, whether you’re making fried eggs, omelettes, scrambled eggs, or sunny-side-up eggs. The pan should also have a good scratch-resistant surface, a handle that fits well in your hand, and it should distribute heat evenly across the surface.

Easy to Clean

Perhaps one of the most major points of concern, an egg pan should be relatively effortless to clean. You’ll want to look for pans that have multiple layers of nonstick coating, as those tend to be the easiest to wash by hand. Some are so durable, they can even be cleaned in a dishwasher, though to get the most of your pan, it’s usually advised to stick with handwashing exclusively. You’ll also want to use plastic or rubber utensils on nonstick pans, as metal utensils can damage the coating, which ultimately will make it harder to clean.

Ask the Experts 

Q: What size pan is best for eggs?

There isn’t a definitive best size, but the chefs we interviewed said they prefer 8-, 10-, or 12-inch pans. Koludrovic particularly prefers a larger egg pan so he can get a better texture on his fried eggs. “I like having space because I like those crispy edges,” he says. “I like having every egg have its own coastline. I don’t want continents.” 

Q: How do you fry eggs in a stainless steel pan without sticking?

Make sure you’re using plenty of oil and preheating the pan properly. “[The] right timing before adding oil makes a world of difference,” says Kwak. “Drop a few drops of water into a heated pan. If the water droplets pool together then you’re ready to add oil and fry the egg.” 

That being said, stainless steel doesn’t necessarily make for the best pans for eggs. Many chefs prefer nonstick pans over stainless steel. Stathis Antonakopoulos, executive chef and owner of Carnegie Diner & Cafe, is one of those chefs, as he doesn’t use stainless steel for cooking eggs at his restaurant. He advises that if you do, “use a half cup of Greek extra virgin olive oil in medium heat with a small pan cover, shake the pan constantly and use a rubber spatula.”

Q: Are cast iron pans good for eggs?

While some chefs love a cast-iron pan, the chefs we spoke to largely recommend using nonstick pans, since those tend to be better for eggs on the stovetop. That being said, they are particularly good for oven usage and delicate preparations. Koludrovic uses a cast-iron pan at home to make pan-fried quail eggs for Nicoise salad so that he can cook the quail eggs quickly yet gently. “It’s a pan that takes more maintenance than a stainless steel or a Teflon-coated [pan],” he says. “[But] they hold their heat really well, which is good. They’re nonstick, which is good. You get a nice crisp on them. And you don’t have to season a cast-iron pan every time you use it. But depending on how often you use it, it’s probably a process that you’re gonna do three or four times a year on a good pan.”  

Q: Why do my eggs always stick?

A few reasons, according to Kwak: 1) Your eggs might not be fresh; 2) the pan might not be hot enough; 3) the pan might be scratched; and 4) you might not have used enough oil.

Our Take

Nonstick reigns supreme. While cast iron and stainless steel can be great for frying eggs, when it comes to making your usual breakfast, the hassle just doesn’t seem worth it, especially when there are great, durable nonstick pans on the market, like Made-In’s.  

The post The Best Pans for Eggs Keep Breakfast Mess-Free appeared first on Saveur.

Steamed food can get a bad rap for blandness when in reality it’s one of the easiest cooking methods that seals in flavor. Without any splattery oil or oven-fussing, it delivers just-tender veggies, fish, and other staples (not to mention dumplings with delectably chewy crimped edges). There are so many steamer models out there, but there’s just something elegant (and practical) about a steamer woven from bamboo. We love their stackable construction that allows cooks to steam multiple types of food at once—even accommodating different cook times, with the longer one on the bottom. And nothing beats the “voila” moment when you lift the woven lid to unveil your dinner. While most bamboo steamers are constructed similarly, we spoke with chef Joanne Chang—of Boston’s Meyers & Chang restaurant and dumpling fame—to decipher what sets one steamer apart from the rest. “Using a steamer is a fun way to steam up a lot of bao buns or pastries or even vegetables,” Chang says. “It makes for a very pretty presentation which is when I like to use a bamboo steamer.” Read on for chef Chang’s intel and our complete guide to the best bamboo steamers.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Joyce Chen Bamboo Steamer
• Best Value: Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo Food Steamer
• Best Mini: Sur La Table 6” Bamboo Steamer
• Best for a Crowd: Hcooker 3-tier Bamboo Steamer
• Best Sustainable: Mister Kitchenware 10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer

Best Overall: Joyce Chen Bamboo Steamer

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Diameter: 10” | Number of Tiers: 2 | Included Accessories: None

Why we chose it: You can’t beat classic and this steamer features simple, quality construction made entirely of bamboo.

With Joyce Chen’s name attached to this bamboo steamer, we expected nothing but the best—and it truly delivered. It stood apart from the other steamers we tested even straight from the box. While many had sharp edges poking out in various spots, with the worst of the bunch riddled with splinters, the Joyce Chen was quite smooth, especially in the interior portion that comes in contact with your food (aka where it matters most). We also love how the body is constructed entirely of wood, with no sneaky pieces of metal or plastic, so you can also use it in the microwave if that’s your cooking method of choice. 

When taken into the kitchen, this steamer performed well—it kept the dumplings perfectly al dente during their allotted cooking time (see our full testing breakdown in the methodology section below) and the veggies were tender without getting mushy, which is the danger of over-steaming. I started the dumplings on the bottom tier and then added the top tier with the veggies a few minutes in so they could conveniently steam together. Easy dinner perfection.

Best Value: Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo Food Steamer

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Diameter: 12” | Number of Tiers: 2 | Included Accessories: None

Why we chose it: Top-notch, all-bamboo construction for an affordable price? Sounds like more dumplings for dinner.

Bamboo steamers aren’t made to last a lifetime, so it’s a wise choice not to overspend. But even though this steamer clocks in at a lower price point, it doesn’t skimp on quality construction. It’s all bamboo (just like our overall best pick) and feels pretty sturdy, so it’s set up to last you a few months or so of frequent use. One feature I especially enjoyed about this steamer is the length of the top loop, compared to the stubby inflexible handles I found on other brands of steamers. It seems like a small thing, but it made the user experience of this tool so much better.

The 12-inch performed quite well, and the steamer is available in several sizes. Though, some feature a different style of steamer “grate” made from thinner bamboo strips vs. the carved wood slats. I prefer the wood option for its durability and more measured cooking, so keep this in mind if you’re interested in exploring other size options.

Best Mini: Sur La Table 6” Bamboo Steamer

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Diameter: 6” | Number of Tiers: 2 | Included Accessories: None

Why we chose it: This petite steamer is ideal for preparing a small side of veggies or a duo of pre-dinner dumplings.

Apartment dwellers are sure to get on board with this pint-sized version of a traditional bamboo steamer (myself included). While even the standard 10-inch versions of bamboo steamers can feel bulky and overwhelming, this little tool closely approximates the same cooking experience within a smaller footprint. Plus, it’s nice not to have to break out a massive saucepan or wok (or purchase one for that matter) to use this steamer—a typical 10-inch pan will work just fine. 

This all-wood steamer is sturdy despite its small stature and features two tiers, which offers you extra vertical cooking space, ideal for whipping up a simple meal for one or a little appetizer for two. Our one qualm is that the price is high compared to the size, but that shouldn’t matter much if this is simply the size of steamer you can fit in your kitchen.

Best for a Crowd: Hcooker 3-tier Bamboo Steamer

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Diameter: 10.6” (among others) | Number of Tiers: 3 | Included Accessories: None

Why we chose it: With three tiers, sizes up to 12.2 inches, and deeper steamer basket options to accommodate larger foods, this steamer might be the only tool you need to execute a family feast.

Feeding a crowd? That’s no problem for this mammoth-sized steamer. It features three tiers, which offer ample space for big batches of gyoza or a complete meal of fish veggies. Even a bread or dessert bun if you’re feeling ambitious. It’s also available in diameters up to around 12 inches and in versions with extra depth, so it can fit things like bunches of bok choy. The top layer is great for things on which you’d prefer a light cook, since it’s so far from the heat source. 

We found this steamer to be exceptionally durable (made by hand, too!) thanks to the steel banding around each tier. While typically we prefer steamers made entirely from wood because they’re easier to clean and you also have the option to pop one in the microwave, the metal works in this case to add extra stability since the steamer is so large (I’d be surprised if you managed to squeeze this one into a small appliance). Though, do be mindful that sneaky bits of food can get caught in the steel banding. All materials used are high quality and contributed to an exceptional performance for high-volume cooking.

Best Sustainable: Mister Kitchenware 10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer

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Diameter: 10” | Number of Tiers: 2 | Included Accessories: Yes

Why we chose it: Natural materials + included reusable liners and chopsticks = a less wasteful cooking experience.

Bamboo is a sustainable material already, but the addition of a whopping 10 reusable cotton liners in this fully-equipped steamer puts it a step above. Food will stick to the bottom of your steamer (not to mention the occasional possibility of splinters) so using a liner is incredibly important. Though we are quite partial to these parchment paper versions otherwise, we found the smaller mesh of the cotton liners helped regulate the amount of steam allowed to touch the food, given that the bottom slats of this product are set wider and made from thinner material than the normal closer-together strips of wood. 

We also noticed how smooth the wood is on this steamer, which is a huge plus in terms of user experience and quality, as well as the slightly taller height of each tier, which helps to accommodate a wider size range of foods (since nobody likes squished steamed buns). One thing to note: there are a few small areas bound with metal wire, so although the steamer appears to be all wood, it’s not microwave-friendly.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Bamboo Steamer

Size

You’ll want to consider the size of your steamer, not only in terms of how many tiers it has, but also in terms of the diameter. Larger steamers are great for those cooking for a crowd or using the steamer to cook multiple types of food at once (dumplings on one layer, veggies on the other), but also are bulkier to store. But before you choose a steamer size, you should make sure the pan you intend to use can accommodate it well. A rule of thumb to follow is that the base edge of your pan should be about two inches or so away from the edge of your steamer. 

Details

Unlike other kinds of steamers, which can vastly differ from one another, bamboo steamers typically all have a similar standard aesthetic and construction, but there are a few little differences that could make or break your experience. For example, some steamers are treated with chemical coatings to prevent mold. Some cooks prefer to go chemical free, while others might prefer the extra protection against moisture. Certain steamers also use metal pieces like exterior rings to increase durability and ensure that the steamer will hold its shape, which are fine if you’re limiting your steamer use to the pan-based method, but pose a hazard if you’re planning on popping it in the microwave. 

Quality vs. Price

Of course you want a quality steamer, since lower-quality options can be poorly constructed and prone to splintering. But don’t feel like you need to overspend on a bamboo steamer, since these kitchen tools aren’t meant to last a lifetime, but rather replaced periodically as they deteriorate based on how frequently you use them and how well you care for them.

FAQs

How do I use a bamboo steamer?

A bamboo steamer consists of two or so steamer baskets that stack together, each with a bamboo slat bottom that allows the steam to penetrate, with a lid. You can use just one basket or add others if you have foods with different cooking times (keeping the longer-cooking one in the bottom steamer.) The baskets are traditionally placed inside a large wok pan (but you can get away with a larger saucepan if you are wok-less) filled with enough water so that it boils, but not enough that it touches the basket bottom of the steamer. Chef Joanne Chang also says: “Make sure to line the steamer with parchment or cheesecloth so food doesn’t stick. If you are steaming something juicy you want to put a plate in the steamer to keep the juice from dripping onto the bamboo.”

How to maintain and clean my bamboo steamer?

“Scrub by hand (don’t put in the dishwasher) and let it air dry,” says Chang. “Sprinkle with baking soda and rinse off periodically to help sanitize.”

How long do I soak bamboo steamers before using them?

Hot take: Chef Chang doesn’t soak her bamboo steamers before using them. But if you do choose to go the soaking route, aim to soak around 30 minutes before the first use.

How long do bamboo steamers last?

“Hand-washed and air-dried, and kept clean and free of mold and mildew, it should last six months or so depending on how often you use it,” says Chang. “If it starts to mildew or smell off you should immediately discard it.”

Final Thoughts

From dumplings, to dim sum, to a weeknight veggie side or fish filet, the best bamboo steamers provide an easy and aesthetically pleasing cooking vessel to prepare your next meal. We found that the 10-inch size strikes a sweet spot between large enough to fit a good portion of food and small enough that it’s not a struggle to store, with the Joyce Chen bamboo steamer taking top honors on our list for its sturdy, splinter-free construction and impeccable cooking performance.

Methodology 

To find out what makes a bamboo steamer a winner, we mostly considered two factors: quality relative to price and overall performance. We gathered a number of steamers to try out based on research and got to work steaming up a few batches of veggies and dumplings to see how they fared—using 13 minutes as a cooking mark for the dumplings and seven for the veggies (note: none were root vegetables, which take a little longer). Although these steamers are typically used with woks, we decided to go with a wide nonstick to better reflect what the most home cooks might carry in their kitchens. We also kept the “two inches rule” in mind here explained in the “things to consider” section, testing the steamers that fit into this size range and then later seeing if the ones we liked came in other sizes. For the sake of testing, we decided against pre-soaking, since our expert explained she doesn’t typically take this step. After taking detailed notes of our out-of-the-box impressions (shape, material, etc.), we took down our cook test findings and combined both to determine what steamers made it onto our vetted list of winners.

Every product is independently selected and vetted by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The post The Best Bamboo Steamers Make Tender Dumplings, Veggies, and More appeared first on Saveur.

By and large, the most convenient way to barbecue outdoors is with a gas grill. They light at the push of a button and are easier to clean than charcoal, making them ideal for backyard decks and patios. However, full-sized gas grills can stretch over five feet long, taking up valuable real estate on small decks and patios. Luckily, those with limited outdoor living space do not have to forego outdoor cooking. There’s a wide selection of small gas grills with foldable side tables that measure less than 3 feet wide and even come equipped with wheels that make them easy to maneuver into a corner or even an adjacent storage room when not in use.

Some small gas grills are compact and lightweight enough to take on the road for tailgating events and camping trips, too. If you’re looking to add a gas grill that fits a smaller deck or patio to your repertoire, here are some of the best small gas grills for your summer of outdoor cooking endeavors. 

The Best Gas Grills: Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Weber Spirit II E-210 Gas Grill
• Best Value: Char-Broil Performance Series 2-Burner Propane Gas Grill
• Best Portable: Weber Q1200 Gas Grill
• Best Infrared: Char-Broil Performance TRU-Infrared 2-Burner Gas Grill
• Best for Camping: Coleman Roadtrip 285
• Best Natural Gas: Rogue SE 425 Natural Gas Grill

Best Overall: Weber Spirit II E-210 Gas Grill

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Primary Cooking Area: 360 square inches | BTUs: 26,500 | Material: cast iron | Item Dimensions: 48 inches wide by 57 inches high by 26 inches deep | Item Weight: 103 pounds  

Why we chose it: Weber’s gas grills are highly regarded for their heat output and durability. 

Weber’s grills are known for their excellent build quality, and the Spirit II is no exception. It’s constructed of much heavier gauge steel and a tighter build than you’ll find on lower-priced gas grills. Its burners easily get hot enough to achieve the sought-after Maillard reaction, so you’ll have no trouble achieving that brown crust that makes steaks and burgers so when cooked on the grill. 

While Weber offers many gas grills, the Spirit II is the most compact at just four feet wide with the side tables fully extended. And though It may be small, it still has more than 350 inches of cooking surface, plenty of room for a dozen good-sized burger patties or six New York strip steaks. The Spirit II also comes with additional features that make it cooking on it a breeze, including an infinity ignition and a smart thermometer system that allows you to monitor meat temperatures with your smartphone (if you purchase a compatible meat thermometer).

Best Value: Char-Broil Performance Series 2-Burner Propane Gas Grill

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Main Cooking Area: 288 square inches | BTU Output: 24,000 BTUs | Material: Stainless steel | Item Dimensions: 43 inches wide, 24.5 inches deep, and 44 inches high | Item Weight: 83 pounds

Why we chose it: With this stainless steel construction and high heat output, the Performance is the best of the budget-priced gas grills we reviewed. 

Most of the time you get what you pay for when it comes to grills, but that’s not the case with the Char-Broil, which has made a name for itself by manufacturing quality gas grills at a budget price through its Performance line. This 2-burner model is the line’s most compact model, measuring under 32 inches wide with the side tables folded down. That narrow profile coupled with casters that allow you to roll it into a corner when not in use makes it a great option for those with limited space on their patio or deck. And, with its stainless steel construction and a cabinet-style base that conceals the propane tank, it won’t detract from the aesthetics of your outdoor living space. Of course, looks and size would mean little if the grill didn’t perform. The Performance lives up to its name with two burners that pump out 24,000 BTUs, more than enough to heat up its 288 square inches of cooking surface.

Best Portable: Weber Q1200 Gas Grill

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Cooking Area: 189 square inches | Total BTUs: 8,500 | Material: Cast iron and aluminum | Item Dimensions: 41 inches wide by 16.5 inches deep by 15.5 inches high | Item Weight: 31 pounds 

Why we chose it: The Q1200’s compact size and smart design make it the best all-around portable gas grill. 

Weber’s Q1200 is easy to use, compact, and solidly built, making it the perfect companion for a trip to the beach, campground, or stadium parking lot. It’s easy to start with an electric ignition and heats up in about 10 to 15 minutes using a one-pound propane fuel canister. Dual porcelain-coated cast iron plates that are easy to clean post barbecuing. At 31 pounds and measuring just a few feet wide, you won’t struggle to get the Q1200 into the trunk of your car. And, even though it’s small, it still boasts 189 square inches of cooking surface, enough for half a dozen burgers or a few steaks. We also love the fold-out side tables that create valuable prep space you don’t usually get with a portable grill and the cast iron clamshell lid with an integrated thermometer.

Best Infrared: Char-Broil Performance TRU-Infrared 2-Burner Gas Grill

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Primary Cooking Area: 310 square inches | Total BTUs 18,000 BTUs | Material: Aluminum and stainless steel | Item Dimensions: 41 inches wide, 16.5 inches deep and 15.5 inches high | Item Weight: 96 pounds

Why we chose it: This grill can easily reach seer temperatures and features all stainless steel construction. 

The main criticism of many small gas grills is that they lack the ability to achieve that 550 degrees-plus temperature that really ensures a good sear on steaks and crispy edges on burgers. This model from Char-Broil uses infrared heat, allowing it to reach surface temperatures that exceed 600 degrees, plenty of heat for searing. 

We also like the compact size of this two-burner grill. With the side tables folded down, it measures just a hair over 27 inches wide, so it won’t crowd small patios and decks, but still has more than 310 square inches of primary cooking surface. And if aesthetics are important to you, you’ll like its stainless steel lid, control panel, and side tables.

Best for Camping: Coleman Roadtrip 285

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Cooking Area: 285 square inches | Total BTUs: 20,000 | Material: Aluminum and cast iron | Item Dimensions: 32 inches long, 18.5 inches deep and 15.5 inches high | Item Weight: 47 pounds

Why we chose it: We couldn’t find a portable grill with more cooking space and as many cooking zones as the Roadtrip 285. 

Coleman is one of the best-known names in RVing and camping products, so it should come as little surprise that its aptly named Road Trip is an ideal grill for cooking in the great outdoors. The main appeal is in its portability and well-designed cooking surface. And while at 50 pounds this grill isn’t light, it folds flat and has two large wheels that allow you to roll it behind you like a piece of luggage. 

The cooking surface features three gas burners, which is almost unheard of on a portable grill. With those three cooking zones, you can sear a steak, roast kabobs, and grill vegetables all at the same time with ample space for all, since it has 285 square inches of cooking surface. We also love the cast iron non-stick grill plates, which make post barbecue clean-up easy.

Best Natural Gas: Rogue SE 425 Natural Gas Grill

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Cooking Area: 425 square inches | Total BTUs: 70,500 BTUs | Material: Stainless Steel | Item Dimensions: 48.5 inches wide by 25 inches deep by 55 inches high| Item Weight: 146 pounds

Why we chose it: The Rogue manages to remain compact while still boasting three cooking zones, separate sear burners, and 425 square inches of cooking surface. 

What sets the Napoleon apart from other grills is its use of two types of burners. In addition to its four standard propane burners, the rogue features two infrared burners at the rear, allowing you to achieve a sear on steaks or even use the grill as a rotisserie. Couple that with its four front standard burners and you’ve got a grill that can create a lot of different cooking zones. There’s also an infrared side burner to boot, useful for heating sides or warming sauces. Even with its 425 square inches of cooking space, the Rogue manages to remain at a fairly narrow width of 48 inches, though the side tables do not fold down. We also like its all stainless steel construction, which includes the cooking grates, giving it a richer look for your outdoor living area.

How We Chose The Best Small Gas Grills

I used my experience testing dozens of grills to make our selection of the best small gas grills. We limited our selections to more compact grills that measure four feet or less long with preference given to those with folding side tables that offered even more space savings. I selected established brands that are known for their performance and durability. Additionally, BTUs are crucial for properly searing with a grill, so I chose those with ample BTU output for the size of their grilling surfaces. When possible, I selected grills that offer ample cooking space and multiple cooking zones for their size.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Small Gas Grills

Cooking/Working Space

Small gas grills that max out at around four feet wide with their side tables up aren’t going to offer the same broad swath of cooking space as full-sized models. Expect to get between 350 and 450 square inches of cooking surface for a small gas grill compared to the 600 plus inches of cooking surface you’d get with a full-size model. Portable gas grills typically have around 200 square inches of cooking surface. About 400 to 500 square inches of cooking surface is suitable for a family of four; if you’re entertaining with a small gas grill, you’ll likely have to cook in waves to grill enough food to feed everyone. 

Fuel Type

There are two types of gas grills: natural gas and propane gas. The latter requires a 20-pound propane tank, which connects to the grill via a regulator.  You’ll find 20-pound propane tanks at most grocery stores, home improvement stores, and gas stations. Since it’s notoriously difficult to gauge how much gas is left in a propane tank, it’s a good idea to have spare to avoid running out mid backyard barbecue. A natural gas grill ties directly to your home’s gas line, ensuring you have a constant supply of fuel and eliminating the need to lug a 50-pound tank around. But, unless you already have one, you’ll have to pay to run a gas line to your patio or deck, which can be expensive. Keep in mind that gas grills are made to operate with either propane or natural gas, not both. You cannot hook a propane gas grill to a natural gas line or vice versa without using a conversion kit.

Portability

Tailgating, camping, and beach trips are all fun opportunities to grill away from home. And for that, you’ll need a good portable gas grill. Portable grills are of course much lighter than their full-sized cousins, with most weighing around 20 to 30 pounds with a compact shape that makes them easy to fit into the trunk of a car. Some larger portable models may even come equipped with wheels, allowing you to roll them from car to campsite or wherever your remote cooking location may be.  

Gas Grill Cooking Power and BTUs 

A grill’s ability to heat the cooking surface to hot enough temperatures that make it possible to sear or provide even heat is directly related to the BTUs of its burners. For the uninitiated, BTUs stands for British Thermal Units, which is a measure of heat output. A quality gas grill’s burners will produce between 70 and 90 BTUs per square inch. So, a grill with 400 square inches of cooking surface should put out between 28,000 and 36,000 BTUs to evenly heat the cooking surface. Searing involves creating intense focused heat over a targeted area on the grill surface of at least 500 degrees (the higher the better). Some gas grills have a separate sear station, which consists of a single burner or cluster of burners that produce a higher BTU output and hence higher surface temperature than the other burners on the grill. 

Number Of Burners In Your Grill 

The number of burners on a gas grill determines the number of cooking zones you can create. A cooking zone is the number of different heat levels you can create on your grill’s cooking surface simultaneously.  Most small gas grills come equipped with two burners, which means you’ll be able to create two cooking zones that allow you to cook at two different temperatures simultaneously, which is ideal if you’re grilling different types of food.

Ask the Experts

Q: How do I set up a small gas grill?

Most small gas grills require some assembly after they arrive. Once it’s been assembled, find a flat, level location on your deck or patio away from flammable items like mulch or nearby hedges, out of the path of foot traffic. A gas grill has a threaded regulator that screws onto the grill’s gas valve. Make sure the regulator is securely attached before opening the tank’s valve. Gas grills light via a push-button piezo ignition or an electric ignition that requires a AAA battery. Always light the grill with the hood open to prevent a build up of gas that can cause an explosion. 

Q: What type of gas should I use with a gas grill?

If you’re using a propane gas grill, you’ll need to use a 20-gallon propane natural gas tank. Most portable gas grills use a one-pound gas canister. A natural gas grill will attach directly to your home’s gas line. Remember, you can only use a natural gas grill with natural gas and a propane gas grill with propane gas. 

Q: Are gas grills better than charcoal grills?

Whether a gas grill is better than a charcoal grill or vice versa is a matter of personal preference. Many people like the ease of use that a gas grill offers. Others are willing to deal with a labor-intensive lighting process and messier clean-up in order to get the smokey flavor and extreme temperatures you can only achieve with a charcoal grill. 

Q: Can I hook up natural gas to my propane grill?

You can hook up a natural gas grill to a propane grill, but you’ll need to purchase a conversion kit to do so. Since natural gas burns cooler than propane, natural gas grill burners have larger holes to allow the grill to reach high enough temperatures for grilling. This design difference means that it’s dangerous to hook up a propane tank to a natural gas grill. 

Q: How do I avoid flare-ups on a gas grill?

There are a few strategies you can employ to prevent flare-ups that can burn food and singe the hair off your forearms. Flare-ups are usually the result of meat juices dripping onto the burners, so trim excess fat off meat before placing it on the grill. Clean your grill regularly as built-up grease and char are the main causes of flare-ups. You can also leave one burner off while grilling, creating a safe zone for your food when flare-ups occur—no one likes a sad, smoke-blackened hot dog.

Q: Why won’t my gas grill get hot enough?

The most common reason why your grill is no longer getting hot is the regulator, which has a built-in safety that reduces the flow of gas if it senses a gas leak. These safety devices often trigger even when there is no leak in the line, preventing your grill from reaching temperatures over 300 degrees. Reset the regulator by disconnecting it, opening all the valves on the grill, closing them, then reconnecting the line. 

Q: How do I replace a gas grill igniter?

To replace the gas grill igniter, begin by unscrewing the ignition button of the starter. Replace the battery and see if that fixes the problem. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to replace the entire igniter. Begin by unscrewing the ignition button and pulling the starter out of the control panel. Snap a photo of the wiring with your smartphone to record its placement, then disconnect them from the old igniter. Insert the new igniter, which you ordered from the manufacturer, and install the wires into the same holes. Reattach the igniter to the control panel and insert a fresh battery.

Final Take

It’s hard to underestimate the importance of brand and BTU output when choosing a small gas grill. While the Weber Spirit II E-210 Gas Grill may be one of the pricier options on the market, it boasts a 26,500 BTU output and comes from a brand known for the durability of its products. In short, the Spirit II will sear food more easily and last longer than grills than more cheaply priced grills. Those on a budget should consider the Char-Broil Performance Series 2-Burner Propane Gas Grill, which comes from a manufacturer that also has a reputation for building quality grills at an affordable price. 

The post The Best Small Gas Grills for Decks, Patios, and Beyond appeared first on Saveur.

The first taste of caviar for Bonnie Morales, chef and owner of Portland’s renowned Kachka and its sibling restaurants, was not from a mother-of-pearl spoon or presented tableside. It was served to her at home as a child, spread on buttered white toast by her Belarusian immigrant parents. “It’s so nutrient dense, much like chicken eggs, but even more so, and full of really healthy fats,” she explains. “So as a result, it’s often considered to be a food for children.” And, before you ask, she’s not trying to convince anyone to go broke feeding tins of fish eggs to toddlers. It’s instead about showing how normalized the salty snack is among Russians. “Anytime you want to show hospitality, there is caviar on the table,” she says.

Americans tend to put caviar on a pedestal because of its cost, and Morales notes that when she started serving it at Kachka, people weren’t enjoying the wonderful texture and intense flavors as intended due to that reverence. And that’s a shame, laments Morales. “You’re kind of cheating yourself when you’re worried about every little bead.”

Writer Seung Hee Lee, like Morales, prefers a casual approach to caviar. Lee trained in royal Korean court cuisine before moving to the United States, where she translated her traditional cooking with local ingredients and tools in her book Everyday Korean. While she calls herself a caviar purist in some sense—she likes to drink champagne with hers and first tasted it in fine-dining settings—she fell in love with it when she realized, “if we just eat it at home, it’s cheaper.”

Restaurant servings don’t add much more than presentation, and it costs significantly more in that context. Instead, have one tin (or a few) in your price range delivered at home, and give yourself the space to really enjoy it. Lee rejects the idea that caviar should be eaten in certain ways or with specific foods, and encourages anyone to just dig in and experiment. “Whatever needs crushed sea salt,” she says, “you can put caviar on it.” But if you’re looking to figure out exactly which kind you should put where, we’ve put together a list of our six favorites. 

• Best Overall: Regalis Two-Tone Osetra
• Best Value: Browne Trading Company Osietra Supreme
• Best for First Timers: Pearl Street Caviar Osetra Keluga Duo
• Best Classic: Browne Trading Company Beluga Hybrid
• Best American: Island Creek Oysters Osetra
• Best White Sturgeon: Tsar Nicoulai Select

Features to Keep in Mind

Types of Caviar

There’s a reason caviar tends to be pricey: Sturgeon are huge animals with long lifespans, and it can take years or even decades for them to mature to the point that they lay eggs. The processing phase is similarly drawn out; the roe must be harvested and washed, sieved, and then salted and packaged. And while caviar is traditionally made from the roe of Caspian sturgeon, certain types of that fish—particularly the massive Beluga—are critically endangered. Overfishing has threatened the continued health of the species, and so the term “caviar” is now more broadly applied to salted and preserved eggs from related fish farmed elsewhere around the world. 

The finest-quality caviar is said to come from fish caught or raised in the coldest of waters, from late fall to early spring, but purveyor Alexandre Petrossian—who sources the roe for his family’s eponymous shop from China, Bulgaria, Israel, Uruguay, Madagascar, and the United States—believes that there’s much to be gained from a global approach. “Every territory has brought something new to our understanding of caviar,” he explains. “One day we might return to farming in the Caspian Sea, but the circumstances would have to be much different than they are today.”

The “big three” sturgeon varieties are the traditional Caspian types—Sevruga, Osetra, and Beluga—which sustainable caviar producers strive to replicate.

Sevruga, the smallest and most plentiful of the species, weigh between 50 and 75 pounds, are about three feet long, and mature in seven years, producing small, gray, subtly flavored, creamy eggs.

Osetra, the second largest sturgeon, weigh 150 to 300 pounds, grow four to six feet long, mature in 12 to 15 years, and produce medium-size, gray-brown to nearly golden, peppery eggs. One fish in 100 will deliver large, dark gold eggs—the pricey imperial osetra.

Beluga, the largest and rarest of the species, can weigh up to 3,000 pounds, grow to 12 feet in length, and live for up to 50 years. Beluga eggs are unavailable in the U.S., though some farms have created hybrid Beluga breeds in order to approximate the breed’s coveted large, gray eggs, which have a very delicate skin and clear flavor. Since Beluga imports are banned, and Sevruga are pretty hard to come by, Osetra is the most commonly seen of these. 

But there are many more types of caviar you’re likely to see—and eat—more of in the U.S. these days.

Siberian, these smallish, approximately 150-pound sturgeon tend to mature early, meaning they produce a lot of eggs and fish, making them ideal for aquaculture. The small, dark, glossy eggs are among the most affordable types of caviar, and the smaller, softer beads carry strong flavors of the sea.

Kaluga, the giant freshwater sturgeon, is nearly extinct in the wild, but the farmed version produces caviar with excellent texture. The firm, mid-sized bead ranges in color, but nearly always has the coveted “pop,” along with complex briny and buttery flavors. 

White, California’s native species, is now farmed around the U.S. and represents much of the domestic caviar scene. The creamy eggs are small, delicate, and on the dark side, and have a bold flavor that stays consistent throughout the bite.

Farmed vs. Wild Caviar

The reality is that you are unlikely to find wild caviar. Though there are people who still covet the traditional version, the long lifespan of sturgeon and declining populations makes it an unsustainable or unaffordable option for anyone involved, diner or producer. An interesting thing about this, notes Morales, is that it has led sturgeon farmers to breed for what they think customers want to see—features like bigger eggs, lighter colors, and taut beads—but that doesn’t necessarily result in the best taste.

Pressed and Pasteurized Caviar

While the caviars here are all cured fresh, other styles are available. Pressed caviar takes the broken and burst eggs and (naturally) presses it into a kind of jammy spread. Pasteurized caviar treats the eggs with a bit of heat, making them shelf stable, but they lose a little of the vaunted “pop” texture and fresh flavor. 

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Regalis Caviar Two-Tone Osetra

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Eye-catching, complex, and buttery, this sustainably-farmed caviar from the Netherlands delivers on all the best parts of eating caviar. The strikingly large, green-gold and light black beads pop satisfyingly in the mouth, giving way to a silky, well-structured texture that unleashes a rich brininess on the tongue. Packaged without preservatives or additives, it maintains the desired complexity and evolution of flavors without hitting the upper echelon of caviar prices. 

Best Value: Browne Trading Company Osietra Supreme

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Paying more for caviar won’t always deliver a better product, and paying less doesn’t automatically mean you’ll like it less, which means that you can find great caviar for under $100 per ounce. While there are caviar options for the strict budget, like hackleback, and cheaper Siberian sturgeon options, this Osietra Supreme walks the line between high-end taste and reasonable price. Farmed in Poland, the firm, medium-sized beads carry a pleasant minerality and muted saltiness. 

Best for First Timers: Pearl Street Caviar Ossetra Keluga Duo

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Aside from producing these two excellent, reasonably-priced caviars, Pearl Street deserves special mention for taking sustainability seriously, even through shipping. Tins arrive in soft packaging, insulated with wool as a compostable alternative to styrofoam, and chilled by biodegradable ice packs.

On top of that, their prices are reasonable by the ounce—$77 for the Ossetra and $100 for the Keluga, both of which held their own in tastings against similar styles. Pearl Street offers both in 12-gram serving sizes ($31 and $44, respectively), giving newbies a chance to try it before shelling out the big bucks. Even better, their Pearl Duo buys both of those for just $72, plus fancy accessories: a tin opener, mother-of-pearl spoon in a little pouch, and a snack pack, which includes their surprisingly good crème fraîche, potato chips, and chives. It has basically everything you need for a little private caviar tasting. 

Best Classic: Browne Trading Company Beluga Hybrid

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With Beluga imports banned, many sturgeon farmers and caviar producers aim to get as close as they can to the coveted wild flavor of its eggs. This Beluga-Siberian hybrid farmed in Italy shows off the big pearls for which Beluga is known, but with the dark inkiness of Siberian. Its beads taste of deep umami flavor that evolves into a caramel finish, complemented by that signature texture and complexity. 

Best American: Island Creek Oysters Osetra

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Island Creek, famous for its oysters, also puts the same rigorous seafood sourcing standards into its caviar, and particularly its North Carolina osetra. While imported caviars can use sodium tetraborate to help with preservation, it’s not permitted in U.S. food production. Morales sees this as a plus, as it tends to round out the edges and sweeten caviar, leading to blandness. “If it tastes like nothing and it smells like nothing,”  she says, “It’s probably because it’s hiding something.”

Island Creek’s osetra stands out for its small, firm texture, big brininess, and roller coaster of flavors in every bite—just the thing that sodium tetraborate can hinder. It’s a rollicking caviar with good pop that shows off sea saltiness without overwhelming its subtler, almost fruity notes.

Best White Sturgeon: Tsar Nicoulai Select

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Another standout American caviar from one of Morales’ favorite producers, Tsar Nicoulai has been sustainably farming white sturgeon not far from its natural habitat in California for almost four decades. The Select shows off medium beads with a gentle pop and miso-like complexity, which comes through prominently thanks to low saltiness or “malossol,” meaning little salt. This light hand preserves the eggs themselves and their natural flavor.

Ask the Experts

How should I store caviar?

As cold as possible in the refrigerator, says Morales. She recommends avoiding the door, which can be warmer. Lee suggests putting an ice pack in a Pyrex or similar container, then putting the caviar on top to keep it very cold. Before you break into them, most jars or tins will last a few months. But once they’re opened, quality will start to decline, so have plans to eat it pretty quickly.

What’s the best way to serve caviar?

Morales often sees people in scarcity mode, eating just a few beads at a time, but she recommends making sure to have enough for a full mouthful, and to try eating it straight off the back of your hand. This helps warm the caviar to just the right temperature and allows you to really taste it on its own. At Kachka’s happy hour, she serves it spread on challah with butter, which she prefers to the traditional crème fraîche topping, since the acid of the latter cuts, rather than enhances, the richness.

Lee likes a traditional approach, with blini and crème fraîche or on oysters, but also puts it in chawanmushi, on scallion pancakes, or even in a tortilla smeared with cream cheese. “The highbrow-lowbrow combo is where my heart is at,” she says. 

Morales also adds that it’s less about what you serve it with and more about how. People focus on crushed ice, she says, and it’s one of her pet peeves. The cold dulls the taste, so she recommends pulling it out a few minutes before eating and letting it come to room temperature. Check out SAVEUR’s full guide to serving caviar here.

Which drinks should I serve with caviar?

As noted above, Lee always drinks champagne with hers, particularly leaning toward blends or an option with high acid, which she likes to balance the saltiness. Her suggestions include the Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill, Krug, and bottles from Frederic Savart. She also recommends super-cold, premium Korean soju, which is similar to one of Morales’ choice drinks for caviar, sake. But Morales’s favorite is vodka. “It’s super neutral and cleansing, so it helps you really taste the caviar.”

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