Heart & Soul
A Collection of Heart Healthy Southern Foods
Grillin'
Marinating can help tenderize less tender cuts of meat as well as add flavor. Always marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade. Don't put raw meat and poultry in it. Don't reuse the marinade used on raw meat or poultry unless it is boiled first to destroy any bacteria.
If you cook food partially in the microwave, oven, or stove to reduce grilling time be sure to do this immediately before frilling. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a meat thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal temperature, and cut into the food to check for visual signs of doneness. Whole poultry should reach 180 °F and breasts 170 °F. Juices should run clear and flesh should not be pink. Hamburgers made of any ground meat or poultry should reach 160 °F or be brown in the middle with no pink juices. Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to 145 °F. All cuts of pork should reach 160 °F. Never partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking it later. Cook food completely to destroy harmful bacteria. When reheating take-out foods or fully cooked meats like hot dogs, grill to 165 °F. Never use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meats. SAFE SMOKING TECHNIQUES Grilling slowly over indirect heat in a closed charcoal cooker is called "smoking". It is used to add flavor to large cuts of meat and keep them tender. It can require up to 8 hours, depending on the meat's size and outdoor temperature. Use high quality charcoal to build a hot fire. Pile about 50 briquettes in the center, and when they are covered with grey ash, push them into two piles. Wood chips such as mesquite are used for additional flavor. Using dry chips at the start creates a fast smoker; wet them later for sustained heat. Center the food on the grill over the water pan, close the lid and keep the grill vents open. The temperature in the smoker should be maintained at 250°-350° degrees for safety. Add about 9 coals every 1 to 2 hours. For pit roasting a whole animal, contact local or state extension offices. GRILLING AND CANCER RISK Studies suggest that there may be a cancer risk related to eating food cooked by such high heat cooking techniques as grilling, frying, and broiling. Based on present research findings, eating moderate amounts of grilled meats like fish, meat, and poultry cooked without charring to a safe, yet medium temperature does not pose a problem. To avoid charring, microwave meat partly done immediately before placing it on the grill and remove visible fat that can drip on the coals and cause a flame-up. |