A virtual wellness program offered by the National Institute for Fitness and Sport and provided to you through your employer.

It's Grilling Season

Get out the charcoal, the long tongs and spatula, and defrost the meat!  It's that time of year when the outside air smells like barbeque!  It's GRILLING SEASON!  Read below to learn how to grill safely, and, of course, prepare delicious meals!

Barbeque Basics for Beginners

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Tools: Make sure you're equipped with these master grillers' tools of the trade:

• Tongs or spatula - for turning grilled foods

• Grilling grid - for smaller food like chopped vegetables

• Disposable aluminum tray - for heating side foods like baked beans

• Wire grill brush - for cleaning grill

• Meat thermometer to ensure food safety

• Insulated, flame-retardant mitts - for handling hot coals and grill

• Long-handled tongs - for handling briquets

How to Grill

• Keep food from sticking by rubbing grill with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray.

• Leaving space around each food item on the grill allows for even cooking and smoke penetration.

• Turn meat just once on the grill - for steaks, turn them when the juices start to bubble on the uncooked side (the clearer the juice, the more well done the meat).

• Use tongs or a spatula to turn food.  Poultry and meat can lose moisture and flavorful juices when pierced by a fork.

• Apply sauces containing honey, brown sugar, or molasses during the last 10 minutes to prevent the sauce from burning.

• Keep a spray bottle filled with water handy so you can spritz flare-ups, which can blacken your food.

• Place cooked foods on a clean plate, not one that has previously held raw meats, fish, or poultry.  Bacteria from raw food can contaminate the cooked food and cause food poisoning.

• Brush the grilling surface (once it's cooled) with a wired brush to remove any stuck on food.

Choose the Best Ways to Grill Based on What's Cooking

Direct Grilling

Cook foods that take less than 30 minutes directly over the coals. 

Examples: boneless chicken, steaks, fish fillets, hamburgers, and hot dogs.

Indirect Grilling

Foods that take longer than 30 minutes and are higher in fat are best cooked over indirect heat, in a way similar to oven roasting. 

Examples: whole turkeys, bone-in chicken, ribs and briskets.

Here's how:

• Bank charcoal briquets on one or both sides of a drip pan on the lower grid.

• Place food on the grill, centered over a drip pan.

• Close the grill lid to contain heat and seal in smoky flavor.

• Add water, apple juice or other flavored liquids to the drip pan to provide extra moistness and flavor to food, if desired.

Everything You Need to Know About Charcoal

Grill Prep:

• Arrange briquets in a pyramid at the bottom of the grill.

• Pour approximately 2 oz. or lighter fluid over the top of the stack of briquets and carefully light with a match.  You've added enough lighter fluid when briquets appear glossy.

• When coals are ready for cooking, spread them in a single layer or bank them, set the grilling grid in place and put on the food.

• To cook food evenly, charcoal should extend about one inch beyond the area covered by food.

Ready to Go

Briquets are ready for grilling when they are at least 70% covered with ash and have a slight red glow.  This takes about 20 minutes.

How Much Charcoal?

Direct grilling - Generally, use 30 briquets (just over 1 1/2 pounds) to grill 1 pound of meat or poultry.  The size and type of your grill, type of food and the weather all affect the amount of charcoal you need.

Indirect grilling - Use approximately 25 briquets on each side of the drip pan for the first hour of cooking time.  After each additional hour, add 8 new briquets to the outside edges on either side.  Move them to the center when they're ashed over.

Bad weather - Use a few more briquets than normal to make sure the fire stays hot.

Tips for Safe Grilling

Pick a Safe Grilling Area

• Place your grill on a flat, level surface so it won't tip over.  Keep it away from overhangs, fences, deck railings and shrubbery that could be ignited by a sudden flare-up or flying spark.

• Position the grill in a well-ventilated location.  Never barbecue indoors as toxic, odorless fumes (carbon monoxide) can build up.

• Keep children and pets away from the grill when it's in use.

Food Safety

Use the chart below to determine what the internal temperature should be before you consume your meal.

 

Food Item	Internal Temperature (°F)
Ground products      Hamburger      Beef, veal, lamb, pork	160 160
Beef, Lamb, Veal, Roasts      Medium-rare      Medium      Well-done	160   145 160 170
Poultry      Whole chicken, turkey      Boneless turkey roasts      Poultry breasts and roasts      Poultry thighs, wings, drumsticks      Duck, goose	180 170 170 180 180
Pork All Cuts      Medium      Well-done Fresh, raw ham Fully cooked ham, to reheat	160 170 160 140
Seafood      Fin fish - flesh opaque, flakes easily with fork      Shrimp, lobster & crabs - Shells red & fleshy pearly & opaque      Clams, oysters & mussels - Shells are open

For delicious grilling recipes, go to www.grilling-recipes.com/.

Source: From Kingsford at www.grilling.com