Regardless of where you are in Canada, on hot summer days, escape the heat of the kitchen, head outdoors and fire up the barbeque! Not only is grilling a fast and easy way to make tasty, impressive meals, it’s a low fat method of cooking. Aside from a bit of oil to prep the grill, with most foods, little or no added oil is required. And in the case of meats, excess fat drips onto the coals – part of what gives grilled food its delicious flavour.

Practically any food can be grilled. Everything from lean cuts of beef, pork, chicken, salmon, halibut and other fish to seafood kebobs, marinated tofu, corn-on-the-cob and slices of other vegetables such as bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini and more! The barbecue is also a delicious way to make healthy desserts. Try grilling skewers of strawberries, peaches and mango cubes, quarters of fresh pineapple seasoned with honey and fresh mint or the classic banana wrapped in foil with a sprinkle of mini marshmallows and grated dark chocolate.

At this time of year, I often get asked if it’s okay to barbecue every night, or almost every night. Always encouraging a balanced and varied approach to cooking and eating, we do have to be aware of a couple potential concerns with barbecuing. Health experts advise avoiding food that is heavily charred or burned. So be an attentive chef and master the art of thorough cooking without burning. A meat thermometer is a fantastic tool to help ensure meat and other foods are safely cooked without being overdone. A temperature between 74 and 82°C (165 to 180°F) is suggested for chicken, 71 to 77°C (160°F to 170°F) for ground beef, pork and lamb and 63 to 71°C (145 to 160°F) for steak.

In reference to grilling, you may have heard of HCA’s also known as heterocyclic amines. These are carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds that can accumulate in grilled food if it is charred or exposed to excess smoke during the cooking process. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to eliminate them or at least reduce potential harm:

• Before grilling, remove visible fat from meat. The excess fat can drip onto the coals and create smoke that increases the presence of HCAs. Simply raising the barbecue grill allows you to cook the meat more indirectly, by distancing the piece of meat form the flame. A great tip for ribs or sausages in particular is to boil them beforehand to help reduce the grilling time, and at the same time reduce the saturated fat content. Cooking in foil packets helps reduce exposing the food to smoke. Overall, avoid eating meat which is burnt or excessively charred.

• Marinate meat for at least 40 minutes (or overnight) before cooking. This helps put a “protective seal” on the meat and reduces the HCAs significantly.

• Turn hamburgers frequently.. Turning the patties every minute during grilling helps avoid under-cooking the inside while ensuring the outside is not excessive charred.

• A day or two before a grilled meal, eat cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts. These foods from the cabbage family offer many protective health properties.

By being aware of safe and healthy barbecuing, you can enjoy the aroma and taste of perfectly grilled foods pretty regularly without worry. As always, be sure to round out those grilled meat, poultry or fish meals with half the plate as fresh vegetables!

Patricia

PS – The meal is ready. Time to set the table with colourful placemats and dishes. I LOVE summer!