Mike's NBC-TV stories

BBQ Apps

When it comes to summer fun, nothing beats a perfect meal from the grill – just as a cookout failure can be disastrous.

These three apps can improve your chances of a successful barbecue.

The Pit Pal BBQ App adds a bit of science to the barbecue process. Grillers log details about each cook like, temperature, wood type, charcoal, gas and weather. There are more variables from food type and weight sauce, rub and more. The benefit of having all this info is to allow for instant access to what works and what doesn’t. The app is free for iOS and Android with in-app purchases available to add more functions.

The Grill It app offers dozens of great recipes for barbecue fans. Grill It also offers tips on how to marinate and grill certain kinds and cuts of food. The easy-to-navigate app includes information on seven categories, from beef and lamb to poultry, pork, and burgers. The app is 99 cents for iOS and Android.

Omaha Steaks Steak Time is limited to – you guessed it – steaks. The app features recipes for nearly every cut of steak and even has a so-called “steak 101” section to help users understand everything they ever wanted to know about grilling steak. Perhaps the coolest part of this app is the steak timer that includes times multiple steaks on the grill independently so everyone is happy. The app is free for iOS.

Mike is a veteran journalist whose video "PC Mike" reports have been distributed weekly to all 215 NBC-TV stations since 1994, making him one of the most experienced tech reporters in the country. His tech stories and videos have appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, the Today Show, The New York Times, USA Today and in numerous national newspapers and magazines. In addition to the PC Mike tech blog, he also publishes the Roadtreking.com RV Travel Blog in which he travels North America in an RV reporting about interesting people and places.