It's Officially Summer Grilling Time

It is officially Summer time and that means bring out the Barbecue! There is nothing better than grilling outdoors.

To get serious about grilling, you will need to know that unfortunately, cooking at high temperatures can produce cancer causing chemicals.

Certain chemicals, one known as HCAs, are formed in the muscle of the meat when it is grilled at a high temperature. So, charring your meat (well done) actually gives off almost 4 times more HCA than medium-rare meat.

As simple as this may sound, washing your hands before cooking is extremely important to help eliminate bacteria. Bacteria in food multiply faster at temps between 40 and 140 degrees, so summer heat makes food safety especially important.

Never use a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood for anything else unless the plate has first been washed in hot, soapy water. If you are going to use Marinade, do so in the refrigerator and not on the counter. Put the meat or chicken in a zip seal bag, include the marinated, shake it so all portions of the food are absorbing the marinade and leave in fridge till grilling time.

It is recommended to grill over heat, not flame and to cook over low to medium heat, turning the meat more often. Cooking safely a lower heat and not under the flame helps to avoid mutagenic chemicals that can lead to various forms of cancer. 

Remember to cook thoroughly to kill any bacteria and use a thermometer to check that hamburgers are at least 160 degrees, brown all the way through, not pink. Chicken should be cooked to at least 165 degree F. Some folks will partially cook food in the microwave, oven or stove to reduce grilling time and this will work as long as you do so immediately before the food goes on the grill!

Safe Grilling!