Ten Tips for Safe Barbecue Grilling

I love to cook on a charcoal grill, using hardwood briquettes. Usually it is the man of the house that takes charge of the outdoor grilling for parties, but that is not the case in my household. My late husband had absolutely no interest in cooking on the grill. Since I enjoyed the food on the grill, it was necessary to become somewhat of an expert on charcoal grilling.

Grills across the country are firing up for holiday and summertime picnics. Unfortunately, the fiery charcoal that makes food so tasty, can also cause cancer causing agents, known as carcinogens, to form in the food. In addition, many traditional picnics serving during summertime parties, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, are notoriously high in fat.

Grilling food at high temperatures or for too long, causes compounds called heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) to form. HAAs are linked to alll sorts of cancers, including breast, colon, stomach, prostate and pancreatic cancer.

Barbecue and picnic dining does not have to be unhealthy. In fact, simple fresh picnic fare featuring fruits and vegetbles can be very healthy. There are steps that can make that tasty barbeque safer to eat.

1. Marinate the meat. Marinating the meat for at least ten minutes before cooking reduces the formation of HAA's. Use a homemade marinade or a bottled product. Great tasting marinades include teriyaki, citrus, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Citrus juices loaded with garlic, onions herbs and spices are excellent marinades. According to Real Age, rosemary is a particularly helpful herb that reduces formation of HAAs. Cilantro is another helpful herb, that has antibacterial properties that may prevent food poisoning.

Cinnamon and oil of oregano fight microbes. A simple home made marinade can consist of olive oil and red wine vinegar, combined with garlic and whatever herbs and spices you prefer. Meat can be marinated for several hours, even overnight. The longer the meat marinates, the more flavoring it will pick up from the marinade. However long you decide to marinate, keep the meat with marinade in the refrigerator until it's time to grill.