Summer BBQ Ideas:

Make Your Next Cookout Heart Healthy

For many, summer just wouldn’t be summer without a burger hot off the grill topped with all the fixings. Add a few potato chips, a helping of baked beans, plus a glass of sweet iced tea and your taste buds may be smiling — but your heart is not. This year, make a few alterations to your barbecue menu and methods, so you can satisfy your summer craving, without sabotaging your health.

Choose Meats Wisely

If you can’t pass up the red meat, be sure you’re selecting the leanest cuts. “Lean red meat options have very little marbling (white striations throughout) and typically come from the round or the loin (top round, tenderloin, etc.),” says Teller Stalfort, Registered Dietitian for UVA’s Club Red Clinic. “Remember to trim the visible fat to further minimize the saturated fat content.” Keep in mind that less fat typically means a shorter cooking time so stay close to the grill.

Minimize Charring

Grill flare-ups can char foods and create a buildup of unhealthy compounds – heterocyclic amines, nitrosamines and hydrazines – that have been linked to an increased cancer risk, says Stalfort. To minimize flare-ups, use spatulas and tongs instead of forks as well as a grilling tray, all of which will limit the juices that reach the open flame and cause flare-ups. You can also use lower heat, indirect grilling or foil packs to further prevent charring.

Keep Sodium In Check

Marinades and sauces can contain lots of additional sodium, which is a primary cause of high blood pressure. To flavor your meats, avoid prepared and bottled varieties and try making your own. Fruit juice, herbs and spices of all kinds make great marinades. Forgo sauce for dry-rub spices or mix up some from scratch using no-salt-added tomato sauce as a base. Another sure way to tack on the extra salt: processed cheese. Avoid slices of American and stick with Swiss or cheddar.

Mix It Up

Hamburgers and hot dogs aren’t the only foods that taste better off the grill. Change up your main course from time to time and try something healthy and new like Portobello mushrooms, bison, shrimp or fish. Fruits and vegetables also taste great cooked over a fire and make healthy additions to kabobs. Or try out a grilling basket to make cooking veggies even easier. “There really is no limit to what can go on the grill,” says Stalfort. “So if it’s a healthy favorite, try it!”

Safely Prep, Cook and Store

From the kitchen to the grill, raw animal products should be kept separate from other foods. Use a clean dish for items once they’ve been cooked to avoid contamination.

Before you take meat off the flame, check the internal temperature to ensure it’s cooked thoroughly. The recommended interior temperatures are:

• Beef, veal and lamb                 145 °F
• Hamburgers                            160°F
• Pork                                        160°F
• Poultry                                    165°F
• Fish Steaks (fillet or whole)      140°F
  

Keep Hot Foods Hot and Cold Foods Cold

Items left out for more than two hours without refrigeration may cause food-borne illnesses. So avoid the guessing game: if there’s any doubt, throw it out! To keep foods safe for consumption later in the day, be sure to keep cold foods on ice or refrigerate and also refrigerate hot items after two hours and reheat them later.