Weber's On The Grill

Developer: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
Category: Lifestyle
Version: 1.0
Release Date: July 2, 2009
Size: 6.1 MB
Price: $4.99
Rating 9/10

Branded cooking apps are a dime-a-dozen, or more accurately, free. Trillions of recipes, online access, shake-and-discover new recipes, wine pairings -- if you're interested in cooking, it's relatively simple to fill up entire screens with free, useful cooking apps. So it's an audacious move for Weber to release an app for (gasp) five dollars. What's even more audacious is that it's *actually worth the money.*

I grill. A lot. So I may be the target for this sort of app. But hear me out. Whereas other recipe programs link to online databases that fill your iPhone with directions that may or may not be edible, On The Grill is a carefully selected, vetted group of recipes from Weber's own cookbooks. So you're essentially getting a professional cookbook for five bucks. But the recipes are actually FANTASTIC. I've only been able to try a few, but the grilling directions are incredibly useful, and help you negotiate the rough-and-tumble world of charcoal and gas grilling.

In addition, the app has grill tips for food prep, safety, maintenance, and in-app videos to help demonstrate how to do it. There's a guide to grill times, so if you forget how long to leave the pork on, it will tell you. There's a grill timer, so you can set your phone to remind you that said pork is on fire. And as you browse the recipes, you can create a virtual shopping list to take to the store with you.

Five dollars is a lot of money for one of these applications, no question. And if you're a vegan or don't have access to a grill, move along. But if you grill at all, take a long hard look at this app. It's not for everyone, but it sure is for people like me. Just don't leave the phone too close to the grill. I say this from personal experience.