With the right tools, you can transform your grill into a limitless outdoor cooking appliance, eliminate the need of having to prepare some items on a stovetop and others on the grill. Make the grill the sole cooking appliance needed to prepare a delicious buffet at your next backyard gathering with these seven grilling ‘surfaces’. Now, go forth and relish being a bonafide grill master!

Himalayan Salt Plate

Also known as a salt block and salt slab, this grilling surface made of compacted Himalayan salt has been around for millennia, and has enjoyed a rise in popularity in North America over the last decade due to its versatility as a cooking surface. It, too, imparts whatever it is that you’re cooking with a subtle hint of saltiness. Don’t limit yourself; you can cook anything from eggs to steaks on a salt block. A Himalayan salt plate is ideal for searing and cooking thinly sliced beef or veal, chicken, duck and other poultry, scallops, shrimp, prawns and other shellfish, fish filets, and vegetables.

Griddle

This accessory opens up the possibility of what you can cook on a grill. In essence, anything that can be done in a frying pan can be done on a griddle. This handy tool, whether made of stainless steel, cast iron, or enamelled metal, gives your grill unlimited versatility.

Pizza Stone

Make home-made pizza even better by using a pizza stone on your grill. Pizza stones help to create a spectacularly crispy crust compared to metal pizza pans. Pizza stones, which are made from ceramic or stone or cordierite, shield the pizza from the intense heat of the grill, and because their material is porous, excess moisture will be absorbed during the cooking process. Thus, you’ll have a nice crispy crust, perfectly melted cheese and a taste that’s similar to a wood-oven pizza. Yum!

Cedar Plank

How many times have you grilled fish just to have it stick to the grilling rack and tear into unservable shreds? Cedar grilling planks provide a stable surface that allows you to cook delicate proteins like salmon without worrying about it breaking apart and falling through the grill grate. A cedar plank also imparts a subtle smoky flavour to your seafood and keeps it moist.

Grill Mat

As the name suggests, this nifty item is a reusable thin mat made from heavy-duty, non-stick, flame-resistant fabric that can withstand high temperatures. Not only does it make clean-up a cinch, but it is also a versatile cooking surface that will allow you to cook numerous items, including scrambled eggs, pancakes and stir-fries, right on your grill.

Granite Cooking Stone

Similar to a pizza stone, a granite cooking stone is a rectangular slab that can easily withstand temperatures upwards of 400°F and can perfectly sear and cook steak, chicken, pork, seafood and veggies.

Cast-Iron Pan

Cast-iron pans are made for cooking on an open flame; however, you’re not a cowboy on the range. Ha! A cast-iron pan on a grill allows you to cook saucy items like baked beans on the grill, but more importantly, it will enable you to bake. Yes, bake! From quick breads, biscuits, cobblers, cornbread and simple cakes, the cast-iron skillet’s ability to evenly retain heat makes it ideal for baking on an open flame.