You don’t need to wait for barbecue season to officially arrive before you startgrilling. Foods like meats, poultry, fish, and even veggies can all be grilled inside without having to use the outside barbecue. And you know what, they taste just as good when you do. You just need to know where to start, and what gear to use.

How about a benchtop grill?

Getting a benchtop grill is a great idea, regardless as to whether you’ve got one in your oven or not. These grills can be placed at convenient cooking heights, making them easier to use and more versatile. You’ve got two options:

1. Contact grills cook from the top and bottom, meaning quicker cooking. You don’t wantacontact grill that’s going to squeeze the meat too snuglyon the cooking surfaces, however, so bear this in mind when shopping. In addition, all surfaces should be non-stick.

2. Open grills will generally be bigger than contact grills, so you’ll be able to cook up bigger feasts at once, rather than single pieces of food. You’ll also be able to check on the food whilst it’s cooking, so you can make sure you don’t overcook it.

Or maybe a cooktop grill?

Cooktop grills allow you to cook at your preferred height, with the cooktop providing the heat while the grill plate creates a grilling effect. Otherwise known as grill pans, the best cooktop grills will include direct heat through indentations at the bottom of the grill, leading to faster heating. You’ll have the choice between aluminium and cast iron for quicker grilling, go with the former, while for a more effective spreading of heat around the grill, go with the latter.

How about accessories?

Three types of accessories generally exist for grills: those for better cooking, those for protection of the surface of the grill, and those for cleaning.

1. Indoor grills lack that special smoked flavour you get from outdoor barbecues, so using flavourings and spices is a good idea. For this, get yourself a whisk and pan for mixing, as well as a basting brush. You may even consider an injector to deliver flavour right into the heart of the food.

2. To protect non-stick surfaces, get special non-stick tongs and spatulas. In addition, wooden skewers are often preferable to metal ones.

3. Make sure grill plates are removable for easy cleaning, and get yourself some grill brushes and scrapers as well. If you use your oven grill often, get disposable drip trays to gather the fat that accumulates.

Finally, consider additional accessories such as waffle iron plates, a cast iron press for squeezing fat from meats, and lava or granite plates for keeping your foods hot once they’re off the grill.

Once you’ve got all your gear, you’ll be able to experience that delicious grilling taste whenever you want. In fact, many of your old meals will probably be left out in the cold as you experiment with some new and exciting tastes.