A grill basket is a type of metal basket used on barbecues of all types, and is especially helpful if you’re cooking food that would easily slip through the bars of a grill. There are many variants of the grill basket, some specific to a certain type of food, and others for more general use. They range in price and size, and you may need to give some consideration to the size of your grill and the foods you want to use the grill basket for prior to purchasing one.
An open grill basket can come in numerous sizes. Some look like a flat colander with either straight or slanted sides that curve outward. The small holes in the basket allow a certain amount of juice to run off from what you’re cooking but don’t allow for most chopped foods to escape. These can be ideal if you like to grill small pieces of mixed vegetables. This type can also be a good choice if you’re grilling things like hotdogs and don’t want them to fall through the grill’s bars. Another advantage to this grill basket is that it can be easily cleaned (some are dishwasher safe) and makes a great grilling surface if you’re using an unclean public grill at a park or campground
Other types of grill baskets are baskets that enclose around the food. These usually have grill bars instead of colander like holes, and they may feature handles for easier turning. Some are specially adapted to hold foods like corn or hot dogs, which may not make them very useful for other items. They’re also not the best choice for finely chopped vegetables or meat, since the bars may still be wide enough apart for small ingredients to slip through.
Many find that the enclosed grill baskets, especially with heat safe handles are great for turning food without squeezing juices out of it. The food won’t stick to the grill, since it sits in the basket instead, and you don’t have to deal with tongs or turners that can sometimes cause food to slip. If you’re looking for a really juicy steak, and want to conserve as much of the meat juices as possible, the enclosed grill basket may just be the perfect choice for you.
Grill baskets aren’t expensive investments. Even well known brands like Weber® offer different types of them for about $20-30 US Dollars (USD). Those with handles may be a bit pricier, but they may be worth the cost since you’ll be saving yourself the agony of the occasional burned fingers.
