Safe & Healthy Meat Grilling
Consumers can feel good about grilling, a naturally low fat method of dry heat cookery, for their favorite meats by monitoring heat levels and doneness, with a few simple and safe tips:
Trim, if Necessary. Prevent fire flare-ups and excess smoke formation while grilling by trimming any excess fat from meat and poultry.
Savor the Flavor. Marinades add flavor to meat and poultry and can tenderize less tender cuts of meat. In addition, marinades with little or no sugar may help protect meat from charring
and have also been shown to reduce HCA formation. Before cooking, remove meat from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel to promote even browning and prevent steaming.
Sugary sauces and glazes can burn easily and cause charring. If using these types of products, baste during the last few minutes of grilling and avoid charring.
The Heat is On… Medium!
Use medium heat while cooking to ensure delicious, flavorful meat. High heat can overcook or char the outside of meat while the interior remains underdone.
Charcoal grilling:
Medium heat is achieved when coals are no longer flaming, and are ash-covered and spread in a single layer.
– Check cooking temperature by cautiously holding the palm of your hand above the coals at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away; approximately 4 seconds for medium heat.
Determine Doneness.
Lean meat’s tender, juicy texture is optimum when cooked to medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness. Cook burgers to medium (160°F) doneness, until no longer pink in the center and juices show no pink color. Insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the side of burgers and steaks to check doneness. Place the thermometer in the thickest part or center of the burger or steak. For steaks, the thermometer should not touch bone, fat or the grill.
Don’t Play With the Meat.
Turn beef occasionally for even cooking and browning. Use a spatula to turn burgers and tongs to turn steaks and kabobs. Do not press, flatten or pierce the meat — flavorful juices will be lost.
Go Lean.
There are 29 beef cuts that meet government guidelines for “lean” with less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 1 /2-ounce serving. Choose from traditional favorites like flank steak, tenderloin, 95 percent lean ground beef and T-bone steak.
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