Barbecuing is the ideal solution for relaxed Summer entertaining but unfortunately, the extreme temperatures involved with this form of cooking often produce harmful compounds in the food. This occurs when meat is over-cooked or when fat drips onto the hot charcoals creating smoke. Studies suggest that a high intake of meat and fish cooked in this way may increase the risk of a number of cancers including prostate and breast cancer. However, the good news is that there are ways to minimise the health risks so you can still enjoy one of the UK's favourite Summer past-times. Follow our tips to make your BBQ a healthier one:
1) Light the barbeque in plenty of time and make sure the charcoals are glowing red, with a powdery grey surface before you start to cook.
2) Vary your ingredients to include lean meats such as poultry, fish or prawns as well as vegetarian options such as tofu. Choose the leaner and thinner cuts of meat and remove any excess fat before cooking.
3) Marinate your meat before barbequing, this is a tasty way of protecting the food from extreme temperatures.
4) Cut meat into smaller pieces and cook on skewers with vegetables or fruit. This helps shorten cooking times and minimises exposure to the flames whilst the fruits or vegetables keep the meat moist. Try cherry tomatoes, onions, peppers, courgettes as well as pineapple chunks or apple slices.
5) Minimise cooking time by precooking the food in the oven or microwave first; alternatively keep the heat down on the grill and turn the food more frequently.
6) Avoid the flames touching the food and cook at lower temperatures for a longer period of time. Turn the food gently to prevent fat dripping onto the hot charcoal.
7) Accompany your barbequed meat with foods which supply protective nutrients. These include broccoli and cauliflower, include as a side dish or salad alongside onions, garlic, spring onions and chives. Another useful tip is to include foods rich in vitamin C such as lemon juice, peppers and tomatoes.
8) Although overcooking meat may be dangerous it's just as important to make sure you don't undercook the meat. Be particularly careful to ensure that chicken and minced-meat products such as burgers and sausages are piping hot all the way through and that any juices run clear.
9) And finally don't forget to clean the grill thoroughly after use to remove all traces of oil and grease. An ideal way to do this is to turn the heat on the barbeque up and close the lid for about 10 minutes.
These recipes are a great way to add flavour to your BBQ whilst protecting the meat from extreme temperatures. Prepare in advance and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Yogurt Tikka Marinade - excellent with chicken or fish. Combine 200ml plain natural yogurt with 1 tbsp of Real Organics Tikka Balti Sauce, 2 tsp grated root ginger and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
Sticky Fingers Marinade - a great option for chicken drumsticks or ribs. Combine 2 tbsp of Agave Nectar, 2 tbsp grainy mustard and 2 tbsp of olive oil together and brush on the chicken.
Sweet and Savoury Marinade - a tasty option for pork, chicken or fish. Blitz 2 garlic cloves, 1 red chilli (de-seeded), 1 knob of root ginger with 2 tbsp of Real Organics Chutney and enough olive oil to achieve the required consistency.
While you're waiting for the food to cook don't forget the nibbles:
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