Summer grilling provides the perfect excuse to eat delicious food, spend some time outdoors, and catch up with friends and family. Best of all? Anyone can learn how to master the grill.

With just a bit of time and practice, you’ll be hosting many eager guests around your grill. From all of your grilling essentials to all of the top grilling tips, here is your guide to mastering the grill this summer.

Grilling Tools and Accessories

The right grilling tools are key to getting everything cooked perfectly. Before you fire up the grill, make sure you’ve got the following items on-hand.

Metal Tongs
A set of tongs is necessary for handling and flipping meat. The tongs need to be heat-resistant and long enough (at least 16 inches) to keep your hands at a safe distance.

Spatulas
Like tongs, a good set of long, heat-resistant spatulas is also a grilling must-have for moving meat and other foods around on the grill.

Thermometer
A digital thermometer will take all of the guesswork out of whether the food on your grill is safe to eat. Instant-read thermometers are great for fast-grilling meats, while remote thermometers will let you keep an eye on slow-cooking meats without opening the lid.

Grill Basket
A metal grill basket is a fantastic accessory for grilling vegetables and other smaller items that may fall through the grill if placed directly on top. It also allows you to cook your sides right alongside your meat.

Grill Brush
A buildup of gunk will cause fish and chicken to stick to the grill and add a sooty flavour to everything you cook. Cleaning your grill with a sturdy brush after each use will keep it cooking as it should.

Grilling Tips and Techniques

Now, let’s get down to the actual grilling. The following five tips will help you make sure that all of your food turns out perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned.

1. Dry rubs are best used on meats that are cooked quickly on higher temperatures. They create a crust of flavour around the outside of the meat.

2. Wet rubs are best used on meats that are cooked more slowly over lower temperatures. They are applied in advance so as to infuse the meat with the flavour of the rub.

3. Ribs are best pre-cooked either in the oven or on the grill using indirect heat for about one to two hours and then grilled on medium-high heat for the final 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Try to handle burger patties gently and as little as possible. Once they are on the grill, you should also keep from flattening them with the spatula so as to help keep all of the valuable juices in.

5. Allow the grill to preheat for about 20 minutes before you begin cooking. You’ll know you’ve reached the right heat once it sears food on contact.

Pro Tip: How to Make Your Own BBQ Sauce from Scratch

What’s a summer barbeque without barbeque sauce? While you can always pick some up from the store, barbeque sauce is also easy to make at home. All you have to do is combine a few simple ingredients into a bowl and whisk them together. Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons honey mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons paprika

With your homemade BBQ sauce and all of your grilling tools and accessories in hand, you’ll be ready to start cooking up a storm at your next summer get-together. Just keep the tips above in mind, and you’ll soon be grilling like a pro.