| Picnics and get-together is fun. But how can one serve | | | | degrees Fahrenheit for fish. |
| the best-grilled and barbecued items if barbecuing is | | | | · Nothing beats a clean grill. It is advisable to clean |
| the order of the day ? Here are some tips to make | | | | your grate with a wire grill brush, loosening particles of |
| the most of your grilling and barbecuing experience : | | | | food from past use. |
| · Don't allow anyone to conduct any activities near | | | | · Using a bristle brush, apply vegetable oil to the |
| the grill during or immediately after use, as grills tend to | | | | grate and open any vents on the bottom of your grill. |
| stay hot for a while. | | | | · Trim excess fat from your meats to prevent |
| · Make sure you are not wearing any clothing that | | | | sudden flare-ups. To ensure more even cooking, bring |
| has hanging shirt tails or sleeves, apron frills or strings | | | | foods to room temperature before placing them on |
| when you barbecue. | | | | the grill. |
| · Once you're ready to start your grill, form a | | | | · If you use a charcoal grill, allow at least 30 |
| pyramid with charcoal or wood and apply lighter fluid. | | | | minutes for the coals to heat; they should be covered |
| (Cap the fluid immediately and place it a safe distance | | | | with a glowing gray ash before food is placed on the |
| away from the grill. Never add fluid to existing hot or | | | | grill. If you use gas grill, allow about 15 minutes for the |
| warm coals) | | | | grill rack to preheat properly. |
| · Never leave a grill unattended once it is lit. A fire | | | | · To test the temperature of the grill, carefully |
| extinguisher should always be kept handy. Consider | | | | place the palm of your hand above the coals at about |
| buying one fire extinguisher if you don't have and in the | | | | cooking height, and then count the number of seconds |
| meantime, keep a bucket of sand or a garden hose | | | | you can hold it there before the heat becomes too |
| handy. | | | | hot. Most people can hold their hand over a red-hot fire |
| · Make sure you thaw and marinate all foods in | | | | for only about two seconds. Steaks, chops, burgers, |
| the refrigerator, not on the countertop or out near the | | | | and boneless chicken are best cooked over such high |
| barbecue, to protect yourself and your family from | | | | heat. |
| salmonella or other potentially harmful bacteria. | | | | · After placing food on the grill, take care not to |
| · Do not reuse the marinade. Instead, make a | | | | turn it during the first few minutes of cooking time, |
| double batch, using half to marinate your foods and the | | | | when juices are sealed in and telltale grill marks form. |
| other half as a sauce at serving time. This way there | | | | Because raw meats and poultry may contain |
| is little chance for contamination from bacteria, which | | | | potentially harmful bacteria, divide any grilling sauces |
| may be in the marinade from the raw meats. | | | | you might use into two portions - one to be brushed |
| · After handling the raw meat, wash your hands | | | | on, the other to pass at the table in order to avoid |
| before handling cooked meat or other foods. | | | | cross-contamination. |
| · Grill food immediately after pre-cooking or | | | | · For low-fat grilling, use herbs and salt instead of |
| defrosting. Foods that are only partially cooked do not | | | | oil. |
| get hot enough inside to destroy the bacteria, which | | | | · For low-salt grilling, try a combination of lime juice |
| can lead to additional bacterial growth. | | | | and chili as a salt substitute. |
| · Don't leave cooked food unrefrigerated for more | | | | · To avoid burning vegetables before they're |
| than two hours ; if the air temperature is 90 degrees | | | | done, push them to the side of grill where heat is |
| or more, don't leave food out for more than one hour. | | | | moderate. |
| · Don't store raw ground meat in the refrigerator | | | | · After you've taken the last thing off your gas |
| for more than two days. | | | | grill, place aluminum foil over the grate and turn the gas |
| · Don't put cooked food on the same platter, | | | | up to high for one minute. Then turn it off. The oil |
| which held raw food. If you must use the same plate, | | | | focuses the heat on the grate, burning everything to a |
| make sure you wash it thoroughly before reusing. | | | | fine ash. After it's cooled down, crumple up the foil and |
| · Even though meat, poultry and seafood may | | | | use it to brush the ash off the grate. |
| look done on the outside, it does not necessarily mean | | | | · When applying a rub to whole chicken make |
| that it is thoroughly cooked on the inside. Use a meat | | | | sure to rub the entire surface inside and out. |
| thermometer and grill until internal temperatures reach | | | | · Wrap the ends of bone in ribs with aluminum foil |
| 160 degrees Fahrenheit for meat and poultry, and 145 | | | | to prevent drying and burning. |