Getting a Taste Thrill from the Foods You Grill

We're often advised to cut down on red meat and cut down on grilling if we want to lower our cancer risk.  Do we listen? Not very carefully. Why not? Let's face it, grilled food is so good! Therefore, it's nice to know that there are good scientific arguments that defend the consumption of grilled red meat.  For example, Virginia State scientists say there's no good evidence that MODERATE amounts of meat that's been grilled but not charred is a health hazard.  Moreover, grilling thin slices of meat let the fat to drip off, making the food healthier than if it had been cooked some other way.  There are many tips on safe grilling in the Shelf Life Advice article "How to Grill Safely." In addition, during the grilling season, the news media tell consumers quite a bit about how to improve the taste of grilled foods by proper handling before and during the grilling process.  What follows are some tips from recent newspaper articles and the experts they quote.

Grilling Like a Pro

Meats:

My community's suburban newspaper, the Lincolnwood Review, recently ran a nice piece based on interviews with chefs from some of the Chicago area's north suburban restaurants.  Here's what they said:

• ŸThese days, more and more consumers are choosing rib eye and t-bone steaks.  Why?  According to Brian Gray, the executive chef at Sullivan's in Lincolnshire, tenderizes, "You get that extra flavor from the bone." Gray also notes a trend toward the use of Kansas City strip steaks, which are tender and flavorful without the excess fat that makes other steaks less healthful. 
• Fond of skirt steak?  (I am.  I love the taste, but skirt steak can be tough.)  Craig Timmeney, chef/owner of The Grill in Highland Park, Illinois tenderizes these cuts with a Jaccard meat tenderizer, a grilling tool with needles.
• Evidently, when it comes to preparing steak for the grill, haste does not make good taste.  Timmeney has created a steak marinade that includes this long list of ingredients: red wine vinegar, soy sauce, chopped herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, and oregano) cumin, paprika, black pepper, olive oil, and canola oil. He marinates steaks in this mixture for a minimum of 1 hour, a maximum of 6-7 hours.  No wonder his steaks taste better than mine.
• If you don't marinate your meat, then, of course, you have to season it. Jason Yuhasz, Sullivan's general manager (who is also a trained chef) mentions that flavored sea salts have become popular seasoning lately.  He's particularly fond of smoked sea salts, which give the meat a nice smoky flavor.
• After marinating or seasoning, it's time to throw the meat on the grill.  How long should it stay there?  Gray suggests 4-5 minutes per side.  Although the general recommendation is to check meat with a food thermometer to be sure it's reached a safe temperature (at least 145°F for medium-rare), Gray does not use thermometers because, he says, "The hole they create can cause meat to be dry." Maybe so, but, nevertheless, our Advisory Board scientists and the FDA remain loyal to the thermometer.

Chicken:

In a Chicago Tribune "Good Eating" article " Don't Get Burned--Heed these 11 grilling tips," we found warnings from Bill and Cheryl Jamison , co-authors of "100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without."  They point out that it's easy to ruin chicken on the grill, and people tend to do so often. Why?  One reason is that they're terrified of serving under-cooked chicken.  As a result, in a desire to kill all pathogens, they also kill the taste.  Grillers tend to leave chicken on too long and cook it with too high a flame.  The other reason is that often the person supposedly watching the food isn't. He or she has wandered into the kitchen to get a cold drink or a better utensil. The results of these two misbehaviors: dried out, burnt food.  Chicken should be cooked to 165°F to be sure it's safe to eat.  Don't overdo it.

Burgers:

Another tip from the Jamisons: Don't press down on your hamburgers on the grill.  If you do, "all the juice will run out," says Cheryl Jamison.  Then what have you got?  Again, dry, tasteless food.

Sauces:

The Chicago Tribune article mentioned above quotes two pieces of advice regarding sauces.  Myron Mixon, author of Everyday Barbecue, explains that most commercial barbecue sauces contain sugar.  If the sauce is put on at the beginning of the grilling process, "the sugars caramelize and start burning."  He suggests either applying the sauce at the end of the grilling time or serving it in a bowl at the table.  If you want to put something on the food while it's cooking, Mixon recommends a mixture of vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes.  Basting with this mixture is good for the flavor and also keeps the food from burning.

Grilling Safety

We can't resist concluding with some safety tips gleaned from the Chicago Tribune.

• ŸRead the manual that came with your grill before you risk setting the world afire.
• Check the equipment before using it.  Be sure that the legs of your grill are sturdy, the vents are working right, and the burners are clean. 
• For those using a gas grill: Lift the hood before igniting it.  That will vent any fumes inside.
• For those using coal: Don't pour more lighter fluid on coals after they're already lit.  That may lead to a big flare-up.

Don't forget, you can also grill fish and veggies. Whatever you grill, cut off the blackened parts before serving.  Enjoy your grilled meal and your cool kitchen. 

Source(s):

Lincolnwood Review "Bones of contention as grilling season heats up" by Veronica Hinke, May 23, 2013.

Chicago Tribune "Grilling Season: Don't get burned--Heed these 11 grilling tips" by Bill Daley, May 22, 2013.

http://m.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130619/FEATURES90/306190303/-1/WAP&template=wapart