Chef Tom Colicchio's Grilling And Essentials Slideshow

Essential tools for basic grilling include: a limitless supply of charcoal, a good set of tongs, and a big pile of wood chunks. Since the quality of the wood you grill with really does affect the flavor of your food, I am particular about what I use. Baxter's Original Premium Smoker Wood sources all their wood in Georgia, where they're based, and they're careful to make sure that it's free of bark and debris.

Note: If you've never used smoker wood on your grill, it's easy. Soak the chunks in water and then add them to smoldering briquettes in a charcoal grill, or into the smoke tray of a gas grill, and they'll flavor whatever you're cooking with a nice, wood-fired taste. A couple of chunks on a hot grill will mean a steak with just a hint of smoke, whereas a few cups of the stuff over low heat allows you to transform your grill into a smoker, capable even of turning out amazing, authentic barbecue ribs. Cook strip loin, with superb fat marble for the richest flavor, over moderate heat to medium-rare and you'll wind up with some of the richest, most flavorful steaks of your life.

Cutting boards matter. A bad board — one that's too small, flimsy, slippery, or uneven — will make chopping and slicing jobs a pain in the neck. Give yourself a good work surface and it changes everything — especially for preparing meats and vegetables for grilling and being efficient in doing so.

If you don't have enough space to fit a big outdoor grill, use the Fuego Portable Gas Grill. It's a high-quality tool and only 15 pounds — very portable. It's equipped with a stainless steel burner that heats up to 650 degrees and it offers 159 square inches of grill space — enough to fit four burgers and as many hot dogs on the grill all at once. The steel frame construction means super durability, and an enameled cast-iron grill grate allows your cooking surface to get and stay hot enough to guarantee a good sear.

For rich, spot-on flavors that complement meat rather than trying to outshine it, use Rufus Teague BBQ Sauce & Rub Bundle. These sauces and rubs are the real-deal and will get your summer grilling off on the right foot.

If you are looking for a condiment to serve alongside a rich meat like lamb, try Kelly's Spicy Green Tomato Chutney and Raisin Haters Apple Chili Chutney. They also transform a hunk of Cheddar, a slice of pate, or a simple ham sandwich.

Wagyu, boneless rib-eyes and pork chops from DeBragga are supplied in my restaurants Colicchio & Sons, Craft, Craft Bar, and Craft Steak Foxwoods and work perfectly on the grill:

American Wagyu (aka "Kobe beef") strip steaks, the richest and most decadent steak on the market, sourced from Imperial Wagyu cattle raised in Nebraska. A little of this stuff goes a long way.

Boneless rib-eye steaks are sourced from naturally raised Angus cattle. These cattle are never fed any antibiotics, hormones, or animal-based protein supplements, and the meat is amazingly well marbled and tender.

Pork chops, from naturally raised Duroc and Berkshires hogs, free-ranging in Iowa, are nothing like the pork chops you're used to from your local supermarket. It's beautifully marbled, succulent, and sweet.