Grilling 101

 

Yum! The smell of food cooking on the grill is a sure sign of summer. And with July 4th right around the corner, you’re probably planning your barbecue right now!  Did you know that cooking meats and fish at high temperatures can cause the formation of chemicals that are may increase your risk of cancer?  But don’t despair!  I’ll give you lots of ideas for making grilling safer and healthier, too.

 

So What’s All The Fuss About?

 

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) form from the cooking of muscle meats such as beef, pork, fowl, and fish when amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and creatine (a chemical found in muscles) react at high cooking temperatures. Researchers have identified 17 different HCAs resulting from the cooking of muscle meats that may pose human cancer risk.

Three Factors Influence HCA Formation:

 

• Type of food--HCAs are found in cooked muscle meats; other sources of protein like milk, eggs, and tofu as well as fruits and vegetables produce very little or no HCA content when cooked.
• Cooking method and temperature-- Frying, broiling, and barbecuing produce the largest amounts of HCAs because the meats are cooked at very high temperatures. Stewing, boiling, or poaching are done at low temperatures which create negligible amounts of HCAs.
• Time-- Foods cooked a long time (“well-done” instead of “medium”) form more of the chemicals.

 

A Double Whammy

Besides HCAs in grilled foods, you also get the formation of some other potentially cancer-causing compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These form when fat from meat drips onto the hot coals or grill element and are deposited on the food courtesy of flare-ups and rising smoke.

Now for the Good News!

Here are seven grilling tips for a healthier summer:

 

• Marinate your Meat: Research has shown that marinating meat for 1-2 hours before grilling can dramatically reduce the formation of HCAs. Buy prepared marinades or make your own using antioxidant herbs such as mint, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, allspice, paprika, cinnamon, and pepper; an acid like vinegar or lemon juice, and a very small amount of olive or canola oil (too much oil causes flare-ups). Keep some marinade separate for brushing on the meat during cooking (don’t use the marinade the meat was in).

• Cut Down on Grilling Time: Microwaving your meat for 2 minutes before grilling can cut down HCAs by up to 90%. Be sure to drain off the juice that forms from the microwaving process. Using smaller pieces of meats also reduces the cooking time, making it less likely to form HCAs and PAHs.

 

• Grill Fruits and Vegetables: Not only are these delicious, but they don’t form cancer-causing compounds when you cook them! Even if you’re cooking meat, add antioxidant rich grilled fruits and vegetables to your meal. Some great ones to grill include corn, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, peaches, pineapple, plums, and mangoes.

• Turn Frequently: Flipping frequently helps the food to cook more quickly and allows less time for charring. But be sure to use tongs or a spatula to turn foods instead of a fork. Piercing meat with a fork allows fats and juices to drip down onto the hot coals causing flare-ups.

 

• Grill Lower Fat Meats: Choose lean cuts of meat to grill, instead of high-fat varieties such as ribs or sausages, trim fats from meats when possible, and remove skin from poultry.  This makes for less flare-ups and smoke production.

• Use a Drip Pan: If grilling with charcoal, cook with indirect heat by moving the charcoal to either side. Add a drip pan to catch the drippings and discard.

 

• Remove the Char: Cut away the charred parts of the meat before eating; this will help remove some of the PAHs.

 

Grilling Recipes

Try these delicious recipes for your July 4 barbecue, adapted from WebMD.

Teriyaki Portabella Mushroom Burger with Garlic Mayonnaise

Burgers:
2 portabella mushrooms (about 3 1/2 inches wide), cleaned and stems removed
2 tablespoons bottled teriyaki sauce
2 large, thin slices reduced-fat Jack cheese (1-2 ounces)
2 multigrain or whole-wheat hamburger buns
2 leaves lettuce
4 tomato slices

Garlic Mayonnaise:
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4-1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
A few drops Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Ground pepper and seasoning salt to taste

• Fire up the coals or grill. Spread teriyaki sauce over the mushrooms and let marinate while the coals heat.
• Grill the mushrooms about 6 inches from the heat until tender (about 4-5 minutes a side).
• Put cheese on top and grill briefly to melt.
• Assemble burgers by placing lettuce and tomato on each bottom bun. Top with the cheese-topped mushroom. Spread each top bun lightly with half the garlic mayonnaise and place on top of the mushroom (the lettuce keeps the bottom bun from getting soggy).

 

Makes 2 burgers.

Per burger: 270 calories, 14 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 9.5 g fat

Cajun Sirloin Burgers

Serve these spicy ground sirloin burgers on a whole-grain bun dressed with lettuce, tomato, and red onion and the barbecue sauce of your choice.
1 pound grass fed ground sirloin (extra-lean ground beef3 tablespoons dry Italian breadcrumbs
1 organic egg
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
4 slices (4 ounces) reduced-fat Jack or mozzarella cheese
4 whole-grain buns
1/4 cup barbecue sauce of your choice
4 lettuce leaves
4 large tomato slices
About 12 rings of red onion

 

• Preheat grill to high.
• In an 8-cup measure, blend the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, green onions, Cajun seasoning, and mustard by mixing with your hands. Form into 4 patties, by hand or with a patty press.
• Lightly coat the grill grate with canola cooking spray. Cook the patties 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Place a slice of the cheese on each burger, and allow to melt.
• Serve the burgers on whole-grain buns dressed with barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomato, and onion.

 

Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 420 calories, 35 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat

Grilled Eggplant and Pepper Goat Cheese Sandwiches

1 red bell pepper
1 eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
3 tablespoons Italian or balsamic vinaigrette
8 slices of whole grain bread (or use a French baguette sliced lengthwise)
2 ounces soft goat cheese
1/4 cup tapenade (bottled olive spread available in grocery specialty sections)

 

• Preheat the grill.
• Cut the top off the bell pepper; discard the rind and seeds. Cut pepper into quarters. Brush low-fat bottled Italian or balsamic vinaigrette on eggplant slices and bell pepper pieces.
• Place the eggplant slices and bell pepper pieces on a grill coated with canola cooking spray. Grill about 6 inches from heat until tender and slightly browned (8-10 minutes), turning after 4-5 minutes.
• Spread 4 bottom slices of bread with goat cheese, then tapenade. Top the tapenade with slices of eggplant and a piece of red pepper, then top with remaining slices of bread.
• Cut each sandwich into 2 or 4 triangles (if using whole-grain bread) and serve.

 

Makes 4 sandwiches.
Per serving: 320 calories, 12 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat