State of Origin BBQ Branding Irons

There's nothing like a BBQ to celebrate the NRL's annual clash of Canetoads v Cockroaches that is Rugby League's State of Origin series.

Having friends around for a BBQ to watch the games can be almost as good as being there live!

Check out the advantages: first, you can get the full strength beer of your choice; second, you can get a great feed from a "backyard maestro" for less than the cost of a new car and now, with Charcool's special State Series BBQ branding Irons, you can imprint your state's initials onto everything from steak to humble pie!

Charcool has been importing BBQ Branding Irons from Texas for over 3 years and while they sell primarily as birthday or Fathers Day gifts, State of Origin is a great opportunity to get creative.

If your interstate mates think their team can win, now you can make them eat your words!

For the special State of Origin price of just $34.95 plus post and handling you get a 38cm stainless steel branding iron with lacquered handle and your choice of NSW or QLD letters to really show your support.

Made from high quality, food grade stainless steel and featuring large, sand-cast letters, these branding irons leave the dodgy, aluminium ones in their wake.

Fast heating, simple to use and easy to clean! That's a Texas Irons BBQ branding iron.

Size Makes a Difference:

Texas Irons letters are more than twice the size of other branding irons so the imprint really shows up on finished foods. As an result, unlike other retailers we could mention, we don't photoshop our images to enhance the result.

We cooked, branded, photographed and then ate (yum) all these steaks and you can too!

Perfect for branding steak; chicken breasts; rissoles; bread rolls...everything straight from the grill.

Hurry Buy NOW. Origin Game 1 kicks off in Melbourne on June 3

Light Up Your BBQ!

How's this for a handy BBQ/camping accessory? Combination Salt and Pepper shakers with LED lights that double as lanterns.

What a formidable combination! Space saving, useful and sensible.

In our convergent times, many dual purpose items just don't pass the logic test. They remind me of the old joke about what you get if you cross a kangaroo with a sheep: a woolly jumper!

But these S&P shakers make a lot of sense. You are going to take both items camping or use them when you BBQ and eat outdoors at home so why not combine the two and save some space and money?

The lanterns are battery powered and have a handy hook for hanging. The spice shaker bottoms are refillable. They come in a set of 2 (one for salt, one for pepper) for $24.99.

via: Craziest Gadgets

How to excel at BBQ!

Forget painting by numbers, why not BBQ by cell address with this nifty piece of modernist industrial design from Art Lebedev Studios?

The Gridus grill has the capacity to take portion control to a whole new dimension.

The BBQ grill top has numbered rows and lettered columns neatly arranged in a tribute to the world's most popular spread sheeting software - Microsoft Excel.

Great for accurately calculating the largest piece of meat on the grill, the Gridus is sure to be a big week-end hit for Business Analysts and Investment Wankers.

Biji BBQ - Rough enough for the Bush!

I love Aussie ingenuity and when I saw this great Biji-Barbi, portable BBQ at the recent Brisbane 4WD show, I just had to have it for BBQ Bling!

The Biji is a dished BBQ plate, modelled on the Australian plough disc/shear, with three fold up legs and a practical, long, fold-up handle.

It's small, foldable and ideal for use with a single gas burner or for open fire cooking.

It is easily cleaned and stored and features a neat range of accessories including (possibly the only affectation about this no-nonsense portable barbeque) a canvas carry bag.

According to its designer and manufacturer, Tony Upton, who came up with the idea for the Biji (from "Murrumbidgee") to take on a fishing trip, up to 8000 units have been produced (in Australia) and sold to date.

The Biji comes in Large (430mm/17" diameter) and Medium (350mm/14" diameter); with or without a centre hole to drain the fat and with a range of optional flippers, bags and tools.

Prices are reasonable at $79 for the Large and $67.50 for Medium with a $10 post and packaging fee anywhere in Australia.

While it wont feed the multitudes, it's a great gift for the fisherman or week-end camper and will easily knock up a feed for a small group. Get one here!

Little Wombat Portable BBQ and Fireplace

One of life's most enjoyable pleasures is relaxing around a campfire.

But having a campfire these days is increasingly regulated so Gold Coast inventor, Grant Sampson, turned his talents to the Little Wombat - a compact bbq grill with rotisserie that doubles as a fireplace.

Whether you’re in the backyard, on a beach, or caravanning, the Little Wombat is definitely a nifty gadget. The non vented fire box and double skinned insulation delivers all the pleasure of a traditional open fire with a real safety focus.

The non vented construction means the fire can't drop ash on the ground and the wool keeps the box cool and kid-friendly.

The Little Wombat has been brilliantly designed with specially made cast iron cooking plates, a D cell battery operated rotisserie for cooking roasts and the stainless steel lids double as serving trays.

Dimensions
500mm x 360mm x 235mm High
Total height off the ground with legs extended is 430mm.

Weight is 15kg.

Each Little Wombat comes complete with;

	Fire box
	2 lids/serving trays
	2 cast iron cooking plates plus
	Hotplate Magic for treating plates
	Complete rotisserie
	Canvas carry bag
	Full instructions

The Little Wombat is currently available for $299 + $30 postage incl GST. Order here.

Be sure to tell Grant you heard about his wonderful Australian invention at Charcool.

Sausage Blokes Are Popping Up Everywhere this Christmas

Good news BBQ lovers!

Charcool's popular "Sausage Bloke" gadgets are popping up all over Australia this Christmas.

We've been having quite a run on these insanely popular BBQ novelties and have just received our Christmas stock.

Sometimes it gets a bit lonely when you shoulder the responsibility of catering for your mates while they're having a beer and singing Christmas carols.

But, nothing draws a crowd faster than a Charcool Sausage Bloke when you're cooking snags!

Selling for less than $20 and made from food grade stainless steel, your Sausage Bloke is a great Christmas gift, or is at least better company than most of the yobs you invited!

So, invite a Charcool Sausage Bloke to your next BBQ while you still can!

BBQ Boys Toy Well Done!

The clever people at Gazillion know it's never too early to get the kids involved in your passion for BBQ gadgets.

This niffty Bubble BBQ toy, available from KB Toys, looks like heaps of fun for the little tackers.

As well as 6 bubble molds in the shape of steaks and sausages, the kit comes with 2 tongs, a basting brush and a spatula (all bubble wands) so they can cook up their bubble trouble right alongside Dad.

The Gazillion Bubble BBQ is a bargain at $12.99 and won iParenting's Media Award for Best Product in 2008.

But watch out: 8 x AA batteries not included!!!

Nudist Sausage Sizzle Flops

With just 4 days to go to the US presidential election and midway through the worst financial crisis since the 1930's, spare a thought for the struggling Taranaki Naturalist's Club, south of Auckland, New Zealand.

Stuff.co.nz reports that the club's annual sausage sizzle and Membership drive BBQ was about as popular as a Lehman Brother's CDO.

Club president Arthur Eagle blamed the zero turnout on the rush of modern living and revealed that memberships at New Zealand's 21 Naturalist clubs were falling faster than the Kiwi dollar.

Taranaki's membership has dropped to just 60 hardy souls and the sausage "fizzle" was part of a nationwide drive for new members, specifically young families, that could allow the movement to survive.

The photo of Arthur and his "snags" made us think that perhaps the club should considering including a Charcool sausage bloke as part of it's new member welcome kit.

What do you think?

Sauce Pistols

Get not one but 2 great American icons: the pistol and ketchup!

From Inventor Spot comes a BBQ accessory to make your day.

"Aye, my fellow barbecue comrades, for therein lies the rub (barbecue and otherwise.) The Condiment Gun from Firebox is all three!

It’s cost at 15 £ (30 US bucks) is less than most guns, about the same as most toys and probably a bit more expensive than most sauce dispensers. This is easily dealt with. Simply decide which function the Condiment Gun from Firebox will serve for you and your family and then judge accordingly whether or not it falls within your particular budget."

Bam, Bam on the Tam Tam

Shakespeare once said, "If music be the food of love; play on..." and you can with this niffty MP3 ready portable BBQ from Belgian BBQ manuafcturer, Barbecook.

The Tam Tam portable gas barbecue comes with integrated speakers and MP3 connection in the unit’s base and boasts stereo-quality sound. The music centre and can be powered by AC connection or batteries.

The Tam Tam features a temperature dial and retro-style dome cover and will be available in red and black. When it hits the market next year it is expected to have a recommended retail price of around $AUD150.

The Tam Tam is aimed at the youth market and is "something a lot of people can use when they go to the beach or have a barbecue at home,” according to Babecook.

Now if there was just someway to get it on Google Streetview!

Ariete SteakHouse Grill

At BBQ Bling we think this vertical steak grill looks more like a toaster than a griller.

According to the Ariete product page this new electric grill takes true grilling to the table: "With SteakHouse Grill, food products cook without coming into contact with their fats as is true with traditional grilling".

Hogwash! From my recollection, the fats and juices are where "the flavour lives" so something that avoids contact with them is not likely to result in a edible meal.

If you like your steak tough and dry, save the $220 and eat at my mother-in-law's house!!

Mentioned on Gizmodo .

Thermapen. Not Just for Red Meat.

Thermapen are acknowledged leaders in hot food probes thanks to their fast and accurate readings but at BBQ Bling we just love all the colours!

While very compact, the fold-able Super-Fast Thermapen can measure internal food or liquid temperatures in only 3 or 4 seconds which is quite an improvement on other thermometers that may take up to 20 seconds or more.

The ultra thin needle tip on the Super-Fast model only requires about a 2 mm immersion so you can take the temperature of the thinnest meats and vegies and only leave a tiny, self-closing hole instead of a gaping “juice-drain” left by digital BBQ forks.

The Thermapen even has an auto-off feature to save your battery if you leave the probe open over 6 minutes.

But best of all the Thermapen is available in 9 great colours so you can choose your favourite (mine's orange) or if you are more sensible, use a different colour for different foods to avoid cross contamination as the maker intended.

Thermapen have a great current special of 6 pens for the price of 5 plus a free wallet for $445. Thats $75 each!

Thermapen is avilable in centigrade or fahrenheit models but they aren't switchable.

Too Much Gaming is Bad for You!

Chill Factor 4/5

BBQ Grill "case-mod" proves link with stupidity!

From Technabob comes irrefutable proof that too much gaming is bad for you.

BBQ Bling's ongoing search for "the good, the bad and the utterly useless", hit pay-dirt in the useless category this week with the sorry tale of one poor Gamer who decided using an old BBQ as a computer case was a cool idea.

"The grill conceals a complete gaming rig, capable of pushing plenty of pixels for playing the latest and greatest computer games. Just pop open the lid, and hidden beneath the lid is a nice big widescreen LCD monitor and a powerful PC. Those glowing orange fans really make it look like the coals are nice and hot."

For some reason this story has been the toast of Blogland which confirms what BBQ Bling has noticed, there's just not much happening in the world of BBQ Gadgets at the moment.

Anyway thanks to Technabob and QuakeCon for adding a new word "case-mod" to our vocab.

If you want to see other examples of what all that hammering in the kid's room is about, follow the QuakeCon link. Or not!

This BBQ Marinator Doesn't Suck. It Vacuums

Vacu Vin Instant BBQ Marinator

Thill Factor 3/5

The efficient VacVin wine storage method has been transformed into this Instant Marinator for meat and vegies.

The Instant Marinater features a specially-designed dish and vacuum pump that allows you to marinate and tenderize all types of meat and vegetables in only 5 minutes.

Simply add your marinade to the food and then pump the air out.

I've used the wine version for years and this is a great product extension.

Wish I'd thought of it!

And it's available in Australia for $49.95 with a free recipe book.

Available from Everten Online .

Helios Solar Grill. Let There Be Light

Helios Solar Grill

Chill factor: 3/5

Or else use the retractable power-grid plug in the base!

The Helios, featured on Tuvie, is a solar power grill even if it looks like a public phone for ET.

It stores upright to keep a small footprint and easily cantilevers open and locks in place, when you are ready to cook.

In order to maximize safety, Helios designed it so that the reflective solar dish is pointed away from you while cooking.

Helios utilizes a reflective parabolic dish to focus sunlight onto a solar receptor, transforming it into usable energy.

While only a concept at this stage, the Helios (in Greek mythology: the sun) may turn out to be the future of BBQ if you can overcome the ugliness, diminutive size of the cooking surface and the time it will take to cook a meal!

Gold BBQ Seeks Sartorial Rat

Well, here at bbq bling we wish we had the budget to commission a gold BBQ so everyone would know how classy we are. You can't just leave it to them to figure it out on their own!

One of Australia's best known BBQ manufacturers Beefeater has done just that.

According to the company: "BeefEater commissioned the glittering grill (valued at over $50,000) in time for the Sydney Home Show as a wacky and fun way to celebrate recently being named the World’s Finest Barbecue."

The web site gushes on: "The unique barbecue featured a six-burner barbecue and wok burner, roasting hood and warming rack, high output burners, quartz start ignition, vaporizer grid and reflector system, all individually plated in 24-carat gold."

Since making its debut in Sydney, the golden grill has fired up barbecue fanatics across the globe, from Germany, the UK, Dubai and most recently at the HPBA Assoc trade show in Atlanta, US.

Regrettably gold is not a great material for BBQ construction and the company advises not to turn it on as it would simply turn black and give off toxic fumes.

So if you happen across a "rat with a gold tooth" let him know Gizmag found just the BBQ he was looking for!

Quick! Duck outside for a quick smoke pellet!

SmokePistol Pellet Smoker

Thrill Factor: 1/5

Smoking always seems such a daunting task but we have entered the era of "instant smoke " thanks to the clever people at SmokePistol .

The SmokePistol is a small electric appliance that you attach to your smoker or grill by drilling a 1/2 inch hole.

You then insert a little cartridge (aka "bullet") which will give you between 3 to 4 hours of continuous smoke. The bullets are available in 9 wood types - Hickory, Mesquite, Apple, Alder, Pecan, Cherry, Sugar Maple, Oak and Black Walnut.

Good consistent smoke for up to 4 hours with no wood chips, no ash, no mess!

Just light, load and leave.

George Foreman MP3 Grill

Chill Factor 4/5

As if the LCD-TV fridge wasn’t freaky enough, now you can listen to "Bonanza" or "Rawhide" while cooking the snags on this truly amazing George Foreman "MP3-Ready-Grill"!

Thanks to mp3monster.com and those crazy innovators at George Foreman for a real BBQ Chill:

"Squint hard!—this grill really has a teeny weeny iPod dock at its base. And a 10-watt speaker!

"MP3 Player Not Included," it says, but if the people on Foreman's product-development team were smart, they'd bundle in a tiny digital-music player that has the sounds of sizzling meat and/or George's motivational speeches preloaded. Just to keep the branding going, you know?”

At Charcool we thought it was just ringing in George’s ears!!

Post and tell us your favourite BBQ song! We're listening to Johnny Waklin's Black Superman on ours!!!

Brando USB Food

Thrill Factor 4/5

It's pretty obvious that the guys from Ubergizmo spend too much time in front of the computer to have picked up these great memory devices from Hong Kong company Brando.

These 4Gb thumb drives come in Chicken Wing; Drumstick, Pork Rib (pictured), Pizza Slice; Hamburger and 2 types of biscuits.

At US$28 for a novel 4Gb drive they actually don't look like too bad value but don't put them in the Weber!!!

I think I might buy some for my next Charcool competition. Tell me what you think.