The Grilling Mistakes You’re Probably Making, According to These Pros

Millions of people love grilling, and while anybody can excel at it, it’s not inherently an easy thing to do. Between prepping food properly, keeping your grill clean, cooking proteins to the correct temperature, and knowing which tools to use in any given situation, there is actually quite a lot to consider. 

We’ve probably all visited someone’s house — or a restaurant! — and watched someone do something that didn’t look quite right. But as a guest, it’s not always proper to call it out when you see it. I spoke with several chefs about grilling and gave them free rein to point out the biggest and most annoying mistakes they see people make when grilling, and the tools they’d recommend to fix them. These are the expert tips from professionals who understand grilling inside and out. 

Best Professional Grilling Tips from Chefs

• Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter, $25, originally $28
• Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper, $20, originally $30
• Le Creuset Outdoor 5-Piece Grilling Tools Set, $195
• John Boos BBQ Series Maple Cutting Board, $109
• Lavatools Javelin Digital Thermometer, $23
• Msy Bigsunny 12-Inch Precision Tweezers, $9, originally $12
• Thermapen One, $119
• Ateco Stainless Steel Cake Tester, Set of 3, $7
• Grillart Woven Wire Grill Brush and Scraper, $15, originally $17

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

I talked to Matt Abdoo, executive chef and co-founder of Pig Beach BBQ, which has locations in New York, Florida, and Boston. In his opinion, if you’re grilling with charcoal, you should skip the lighter fluid, which he says can leave a chemical taste on your food that can overtake the flavors that seasoning and live fire from good charcoal can impart. “Instead, grab a charcoal chimney and natural fire starters, like tumbleweeds,” he explained. “They’re safer, more effective, and won’t leave any unwanted flavors behind.” 

Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper

Abdoo also has feelings about grill cleanliness. “It’s never fun seeing someone fire up the grill and toss food on without cleaning the grates first. A quick brush-down before preheating makes a huge difference in flavor and food safety,” he said. He pointed out that this specific grill brush from Grillart is great because, since it’s stainless steel and not bristled, it won’t leave behind potentially harmful bristles that could wind up in your food.

Le Creuset Outdoor 5-Piece Grilling Tools Set

Chef Matthew Cutolo of Gargiulo’s Restaurant in Coney Island thinks that a high-quality set of grill tools is essential to superior cooking, and he’s not wrong. “Short tongs, cheap spatulas, and plastic handles aren’t just frustrating — they’re dangerous,” he explained. “Invest in a sturdy set of long-handled tools built for high heat and control.” Le Creuset’s beautiful stainless steel collection comes with tongs, a slotted turner, a two-pronged fork, a basting brush — a seriously underrated tool for stunning steak — and an attractive case to carry it all in.

John Boos BBQ Series Maple Cutting Board

Grilling may be done outside, but the work starts in the kitchen, and Cutolo sees a lot of people using sub-par cutting boards when prepping. “Glass ruins your knives, plastic warps, and small boards make a mess,” he said. “Use a large, sturdy wood board — it’s gentle on knives, durable, and perfect for resting and slicing meat. Boos is the gold standard of cutting boards.” 

Lavatools Javelin Digital Thermometer

Abdoo made an excellent case for using a digital meat thermometer, citing that the pitfalls of “eyeing it” go beyond just overcooking or undercooking meat — he sees a lot of people foregoing the thermometer entirely and slicing into their meat prematurely to check its doneness. “You spend all this time (and money) on a great steak or burger, and then end up draining all the juices by slicing it too early,” he said. “A digital instant-read thermometer is a game-changer. You will look like a professional, and there will never be any guessing or serving meat that was hacked up on the grill.”

Msy Bigsunny 12-Inch Precision Tweezers

Jon Urbana, founder of KOW Steaks, recommends ditching your tongs and grabbing some grill tweezers, which he says give you much more command over the food you’re handling. “I recommend extra-large grill tweezers instead of traditional tongs. They give you more precision and control, especially when handling smaller cuts of meat or making more delicate adjustments on the grill,” he said.

Thermapen One

Urbana is also a big fan of the thermometer, but prefers the Thermapen. “A digital meat thermometer is a must,” Urbana said, pointing out that people should cook food according to temperature rather than time. It’s the advice he’s always giving. “Thermapens by ThermoWorks are a great option. They take the guesswork out of grilling and help you cook your meat to the right level—whether you like it rare, medium, or well-done.”

Ateco Stainless Steel Cake Tester, Set of 3

Chef Kylian Goussot, executive chef of Lafayette Steakhouse in Miami, Florida, agrees that cooking steak to the proper temperature is of paramount importance, but he takes a more scaled-back approach to getting there. For him, the cake tester is a “game-changer in the kitchen” — he says it’s simple, but incredibly effective. “I use this probe every day at Lafayette on every single piece of steak to guarantee perfect cooking,” he explained, adding that he’s used this kitchen tool in multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. “For me, it is simply the best tool, and has made my life in the kitchen much easier.” Basically, you insert it into the protein as you would a baked good, and then pull it out and feel how hot your food is in the center. It can take a minute to master this technique and internalize the temperature ranges, but chefs really swear by it. 

Grillart Woven Wire Grill Brush and Scraper

Cutolo makes a pretty compelling argument for keeping your grill clean. “If you wouldn’t cook dinner in a dirty pan, why do it on your grill?” he asks. “Clean your grates like you clean your pots and pans. A bristle-free brush or grill stone gets the job done safely.” This one from Grillart uses woven, tightly twisted wire that’s much harder to break off, making it a very safe option.