Summertime and outdoor cooking are a memory making duo!

And with the Long Weekend upon us, it is likely that grilling is a part of the plan.

But eating food prepared by cooking over an open flame can expose you to carcinogens.

When you expose your meat and fish to high heat and open flames it creates heterocyclic amines (HCAs). And the smoke that results from fat that drips and burns on the grill contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Both of these chemicals have been linked to various types of cancer.

So, my intention is not to be a buzz kill here but to give you some tips to help you reduce the formation of these chemicals and keep you healthy!

10 Tips For Healthier BBQing

1. Clean any char that has built up on your grill before you start cooking
2. Lower the temperature and cook for a longer period of time
3. Choose leaner cuts of meat
4. Grill small portions. This reduces the time on the grill
5. Remove skin and fat to reduce the dripping that leads to fire flares
6. Avoid placing your food directly over the fire
7. Grill on cedar planks
8. Have a spray bottle filled with water handy to douse fire flare-ups
9. Include fruits and veggies! BBQing isn’t just for meat.  In fact some of my favourite grilled food has nothing to do with meat at all.  You can grill all kinds of veggies on the grill.  And for desert how about grilled pineapple with cinnamon (a family favourite). Or grilled peaches.  Just yummy! 

10. Marinate your food and include heaps of herbs. This ups the flavour and  limits the formation of carcinogens. Studies have found that adding herbs and spices such as rosemary, basil, mint and thyme to beef reduces the formation of HCAs

To help you along with this last point, here are some ingredients that you can mix and match to create a tasty marinade that you can use for your next shindig!

Marinade Mix and Matching Ingredients

Oils:

Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Sesame Oil

Citrus:

Lemon, Lime, Orange

Seasonings:

Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt, Black Pepper,
Cayenne Pepper, Smoked Paprika

Fresh Things:

Garlic, Ginger, Onion, Parsley, Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme
Chives, Oregano

**Mix well the ingredients of choice and marinade for at least one hour

References

Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cooked-meats-fact-sheet

Marinades Reduce Heterocyclic Amines from Primitive Food Preparation Techniques

https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2010-07/marinades-reduce-heterocyclic-amines-primitive-food-preparation-techniques

To Block The Carcinogens, Add A Touch Of Rosemary When Grilling Meats

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080521184129.htm