A long handle fork is shaped like a rabbit’s front teeth and is one of the most common grilling tools. It has two long teeth called tines sticking out. Some grilling forks also come with three or four tines. But two tooth forks are the most popular.
While these long-handled forks are great grilling tools, are they a necessity for you? Let us dig into the uses of grilling forks and their types to unravel why you need one too!
Some Uses of a Grilling Fork
Since this type of fork has a long handle, it is used in extreme heat to flip meat and vegetable pieces. The sharp, elongated tines have a firm grip on the meat, making turning over the food on the grill easy and convenient. Take the fork and stick it in the piece, lift it, and with the help of turning the wrist, flip it over is that simple. It is not only for grilling your meats but also for shredding them. Most people who grill, love to shred their meat with this tool because it is sharp and easy to handle. To separate the meat, insert two grilling forks into the piece and begin pulling them in opposite directions. You can also pin down one side of that piece with your hand or a standard one while shredding the rest of it with the long one.
What Kind of Long Fork Should You Buy?
The best type of material to invest in while shopping for a long-handled fork will be stainless steel. Stainless steel does not trap bacteria, which is why it is the top choice for cutlery and utensils. Its most known factor is that it does not develop rustic layers on it. It is also heat-resistant, meaning it would not burn or melt, which is ideal for those who work with a lot of heat, such as grilling. Also, keep in view long forks with a wooden handle because wood does not conduct heat.
Try to stay clear of fully metal forks as they can get heated and burn your hand. Also, do not buy one with a plastic handle. However, plastic can start to melt and lose its shape due to the intense heat of the grill.
Types of Grilling Forks
There are many variations of these long forks. It is up to you what kind of forks suits you the best in your passion for grilling. By its name, we know that the long-handled grilling fork has a long handle. But some forks extend even longer. They are called telescopic grill forks. With the help of a button or by pushing it forward, you can expand the handle.
Forks with built-in thermostats are also available on the market. When you stick it in the fork, the thermometer will inform you if the meat is on the perfect heat, ready to eat, or ready to be flipped over. These forks have a reader built on them for signal.
Did you find the telescopic feature cool? Well, these forks have more tricks up their handle. Now there are grilling forks that rotate themselves. The utensil revolves and flips over your food with just a click of a button on the handle. If you are planning on a big cookout, this function will be a fantastic helper. Now you do not need to hustle your wrists out. You can easily stick in the fork, lift the meat and proceed with pushing the button.
Alternatives for a Grilling Fork
A few experts state that the grilling fork should not be essential in your grilling kit. According to them, when the two sharp tines enter the meat, it pierces through it, which results in escaping the tender juices out of the meal. There are many alternatives in the market to pick up, flip over and shred the grilled meat. Those people who do not want to risk losing delectable juices from the meat can invest in any of the products listed below.
1. Grilling Spatula:
A spatula is a flat, thin and broad utensil. Use it to lift the food up from the cooking surface. It is slim and flat, so you can easily slide it under the meat and lift it. A spatula is a standard utensil owned by many. You can use a standard spatula, but it is not the safest option because it can burn your hand due to its short handle. When working over the grill, always use long-handled utensils to keep your hands safe from the heat of the grill. If the spatula looks more suitable for you, get yourself a grille length (elongated handle) spatula. Also, look for a wide spatula which is great for picking up bulky pieces of meat.
2. Tongs:
If you love to fry, barbecue, grill, and boil, tongs will be one of your favorite utensils. We can not just pick up food from a hot pan or take out frying food from the oil just without bare hands. Tongs function as an extra pair of hands that can perform tasks that we are unable to perform. With tongs, you can quickly pick up and flip small or even heavy meats. Grab the tongs with their ends, slide them under the piece, clamp it together and flip. To pick up, merely press the ends together when the food gets between the tongs. Many materials are available. Use rubber tongs because they will be used for a long time over the heat because they do not get heated like steel tongs. A con of this tool is that it can break apart super tender food because of its stronghold.
3. Bear Claws:
Like we said above, the grill fork helps shred meat. But it only has two tines which do not make the shredding process the finest. Big chunks of the meal are left, and if you try to pick apart cleaner pieces, it is very time-consuming since you are only working with two sharp teeth. The best tool to shred your grilled meat is this product. Like a claw, it has sharp tines perfect for shredding the meat and due to the increased number of tines. This tool has four to six times, unlike the fork. There are two types of handles available for this tool. One has a standard handle that you can grab, like a fork or a spatula. And the other one has an oval-shaped handle.
4. Heat-resistant Gloves:
What is a better tool than hands? If you only want to work with your most reliable utensil, get yourself heat-resistant gloves. While wearing these gloves, you can pick up the meat and flip it with the help of your hands. You can also shred the fresh piece off of the grilled meat without burning your hands. For extra protection, you can first put on cotton gloves before your heat-resistant gloves. These gloves make your grilling experience quicker and more efficient.
The Bottomline
So, this was our guide to elongated grilling forks. Now you know more about them, and along with that, you can also choose alternatives if you need to make your grilling experience more convenient.
Check our guide on luxury grilling and meat cooking levels too. Happy grilling!