Fire up the Grill With These Barbecuing Tips

Grilled food is delicious, and a great way to follow your healthy habits. Try to avoid all processed meat if you can (a Prostate 8 goal); otherwise look for products with no added nitrates/nitrites such as those offered by Applegate or Aidells. Using a barbecue can be tricky if you’re a beginner, so here are some tips to guide you along the way.

Before you start:
Remember to preheat and clean your grill before cooking! Otherwise, food could stick to the grill and become very difficult to remove.

Make sure the grill is hot enough. You can check this by holding your hand three to five inches above the grate. If you need to move your hand after two seconds, the grill is at high heat – perfect for lamb and pork chops. If you move your hand after three to five seconds, the grill is at medium-high heat, which is best for turkey burgers, un-cured sausage or meatballs, fish, and vegetables.

When you’re done:

To check if meat is fully cooked, check its temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer. Lamb is medium rare at 145˚F, a medium steak at 155˚F, and chicken at 160˚F.

Before cutting and serving, let grilled meat rest for a few minutes. This allows the meat to finish cooking and the juices to settle, making it even more flavorful.

How to get perfect grill marks:

Though they don’t affect the taste, perfectly crisp grill marks are aesthetically pleasing. Here’s how to make your food look just like it would in a magazine. First, make sure that the grill is hot enough – otherwise, the food will not get seared correctly. You also should make sure that your food will not stick to the grate. Do this by cleaning and oiling your grill before you start. Then, try not to poke or prod your meat until it’s done!

Try something new:

Go beyond hamburgers and steaks! You can grill just about anything. Vegetables taste great when grilled – try zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes. Slice them thinly and put tomatoes on a wooden skewer. Brush the vegetables with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill until tender and slightly charred.

Grilled peaches make a super-sweet dessert. Cut peaches in half, brush the cut sides with olive oil and grill cut-side down until they are soft and have grill marks. They’re great by themselves or over ice cream!