For all the fanfare we tend to give meat, cooking it need not be a hefty production. The quality of your meal is more often than not a product of your own skills and the quality of your beef, rather than the size of the arsenal of tools at your disposal. That said, quality tools always make life easier. And since you only need a few tools to cook meat, your money is best spent on quality (like a top-of-the-line $139 thermometer) rather than frivolities (like a steak weight, a set of meat claws or a Ham Dogger). These eight tools are pricey, sure, but they’re the best of their kind and the only ones you’ll need to cook a delicious meal.
The heavy, sturdy blades of German-style chef’s knives from brands like Wusthof are ideal for slicing through thick cuts of raw meat.
Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Cook’s Knife $110
Made from solid (and dishwasher-safe) stainless steel, this tenderizer has a flat surface for poultry and fish and a spiked surface for beef and pork.
Leifheit Pro Line Stainless Steel Meat Tenderizer $30
Everything you need and nothing you don’t; perfect for a cast iron or grill setup.
Williams-Sonoma BBQ Tool Set $100
