It's summertime—grab your coals and fire up the grill! We've got some mouth-watering ideas and useful tips that will help you elevate your cookout game to new heights.
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Getting Ready to Grill?
Grilling and smoking foods will diversify family meal plans with rich flavors and delicious textures. Something about cooking something on an open flame makes it taste better. The healthfulness of these recipes is wholly dependent on the ingredients used and the chef's approach.
Clean Your Grill Before Cooking—and After!
Not only should your grate and grill be thoroughly cleaned before coming into contact with food, but once you're done cooking, be sure to perform regular maintenance including:
- Empty the drip pan on gas grills
- Heat the grill to carbonize food scraps
- Scrape off remnants
- Season the grill grates with canola oil
- Brush out ash on charcoal grills
Prep Your Meat for Perfect Results
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, using a marinate, pre-cooking food, and trimming the fat off of meat can help decrease the formation of cancer-causing substances like HCAs and PAHs.
Keep Meats Lean
Switching from a pork chop whole loin to a tenderloin can cut 12 grams of fat per portion! Select leaner meats and remove any visible fat and skin before seasoning and cooking.
Use Bold Ingredients for Flavor
You can add bold flavors to rubs, sauces, and marinades without adding too many calories or fat grams. Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, tomato paste, and herbs are just some examples!
Don't Over-Do the Sweet Stuff
Adding a small amount of a sweet ingredient (like fruit juice, honey, or molasses) to the marinade or grilling sauce can add great flavor and balance out other bold spices.
But too much can cause the food to burn over high heat and add unnecessary calories.
Throw in Some Greens
Marinating vegetables will help them caramelize better when they're grilled, and it's the caramelization that brings the best flavors. The trick to grilling vegetables is cutting them into shapes and sizes that cook well on the grill.
