5 Summer Grilling Tips and Recipes

We are in the heat of summer here in the Pacific Northwest. This is the perfect time of year to take cooking outside to the grill for social gatherings and delicious food. Here are five tips to keep in mind for healthy, safe, and tasty grilled food.

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1: Keep raw away from cooked food and utensils.
o   Cross-contamination is a major concern during food preparation. Always reserve some marinade for cooked foods at the end if desired and never reuse marinades raw foods have touched. Reusing marinades introduces possible foodborne illness-causing microorganisms to cooked foods.
o   Have plenty of plates and utensils ready and do not reuse plates or utensils that touched raw food. A helpful idea is to have a certain color dish for raw food and another color for cooked foods. It is easy to forget what foods each utensil and dish has touched with the conversations and fun going on around us while grilling. When in doubt, swap it out for a clean version. 

2: Keep it cold and watch the time.
o    Keeping cold foods below 40°F prevents the growth of foodborne illness causing bacteria that grow rapidly between 40°F and 140°F. If food is above 40°F for more than 2 hours or 1 hour when outside temperatures are above 90°F, it is a high risk for causing foodborne illness.
o    The same guidelines as above apply for hot foods: keep them at or above 140°F. Also, be aware of time in the "danger zone" (40°F to 140°F) to keep yourself and guests safe at outdoor eating events.
o   Use coolers, ice, and ice packs to keep cold foods below 40°F. Use insulated containers and wrap food well to keep it above 140°F until serving.

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3. Use these tricks to reduce carcinogens when grilling.
o   Grilling meat low and slow, flipping meat frequently, cutting the fat, and marinating meat are ways to reduce carcinogen formation.
o   Carcinogens are more likely to form on your food when flare-ups occur from fat dripping on the flame.  Choose lean cuts and keep meats on the side of the grill to prevent flares.
o   When charring or overheating occurs on meat, cancer-causing compounds form, which is why grilling low and slow and flipping frequently are great tips.
o   Marinating meat in acidic liquids like vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, beer, wine, and green tea for 30 minutes or longer before grilling can reduce carcinogen formation (1,2). Also try using herb combinations with rosemary, thyme, sage, savory, oregano, basil, garlic, and mint that are high in antioxidants and may reduce carcinogen formation in meats (3).

 
​4. Make your grill and plate colorful. 
o   Grilling fruits and vegetables and adding them to your plate is an important way to provide vitamins and antioxidants, while reducing carcinogen intake. Carcinogen formation is minimal when grilling fruits and vegetables in comparison to meats. They will add visual appeal to your plate and benefit your health! Certainly a win-win worth celebrating!   

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​5. Be careful with grill cleaning tools.
o   Metal bristles on grill brushes can break off and stick to your grill grates and attach to your next batch of grilled food. This is a major hazard that can harm you and your guests. There are wooden tools available that allow you to scrape down your grill, while the wood falls on the heat source. Another option is to use a scouring pad type utensil. If you use bristle brushes, make sure to inspect your grill closely for any broken pieces that you or your guests might end up accidentally consuming.

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These are a few tips we covered in our Summer Grilling cooking class at Verdant for a healthy and safe grilling experience!

Ready for recipes that are full of flavor and nutritious?  See below for a few we tried.
  
Happy summer grilling!
-Emilyann Kinlaw, RDN
 
References
1Gibis, M. Effect of oil marinades with garlic, onion, and lemon juice on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in fried beef patties. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2007 55(25):10240-10247.
 
2Melo, A.; Viegas, O.; Petisca, C, Pinho, O, Ferreira, I. Effect of beer/red wine marinades on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in pan-fried beef. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2008 56(22):10625-10632.
 
3University of Arkansas, Food Safety Consortium. Brush on the marinade, hold off the cancerous compounds. ScienceDaily. 28 June 2007. Accessed 21 July 2017.

Grilled Fruit Platter with Herbs
 
Serves 6
 
6 slices watermelon, about 1 in. thick
3 peaches or nectarines halved, pitted
2 Tablespoon natural maples syrup
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped mint leaves
1 lemon to squeeze (~1/4 cup juice)
 
Turn grill to high heat. Brush peach halves with maple syrup all over. Place fruits on grill flesh side down. Cook 5-10min each side until soft and colored. Remove from heat. Squeeze lemon all over. Scatter thyme on peaches, mint on watermelon.
 
Adapted from http://www.pforpeckish.com/barbecue-fruit-platter/ 

​Grilled Spicy Bok Choy (and other veggies) 
 
Serves 4-6
 
 
2 bunches of baby bok choy
For the Marinade:
1 T sesame oil
1 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp sriracha or gochujang pepper paste (or to taste)
 
Wash bok choy and separate into individual leaves (the middle tiny leaves can be kept together). Spin or pat dry. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and add bok choy. Toss to coat. Grill over medium-high heat for a couple minutes each side or until desired doneness. Brush or drizzle remaining marinade on bok choy during grilling.  You can use an aluminum foil sheet for a grilling base if you prefer and then set the bok choy directly on the grate just at the end for some grill marks.  

​Lemon-Sesame Marinade:
Yield: ~1/2 cup
 
¼ cup lemon juice (1 large lemon)
3 T chopped green onions or chives
1.5 T reduced-sodium soy sauce
1.5 T sesame oil
1 t grated fresh ginger
 
Combine all ingredients, stirring until well-blended.
 
 
Southwest Marinade:
Yield: ~1/2 cup
 
¼ cup prepared salsa
2 T chopped cilantro
2 T fresh lime juice (1 small lime)
1 T canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t ground cumin
 
Combine all ingredients, stirring until well-blended.
 
Allow ~1/4cup per lb of product (meat, fish, poultry, vegetable). Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
 

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​Homemade Rub:
 
3 cups brown sugar
¼ cup Espresso coffee grounds
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
 
Mix ingredients together and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Rub a light coating onto meats, poultry or fish with a drizzle of oil prior to cooking. This pairs especially well with salmon.
 
Blacken Seasoning:
 
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T sugar
2 T kosher salt
2 T black pepper
2 T paprika
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp dry oregano
 
Mix ingredients together and store in a glass jar in the pantry. Rub a light coating onto meats, poultry or fish with a drizzle of oil prior to cooking.