Grilling out is a great way to make the most of summer meals while keeping the oven off inside. The trend in grilling goes beyond the typical burgers and brats, and includes fish, veggies, fruits, marinades and even stir-fry.
Try grilled Mahi-Mahi with a Mango-Avocado Salsa, Portobello mushrooms in place of ground beef, or veggie kabobs with a large variety of summer squash, peppers, mushrooms and onions. How about grilled peaches or slices of pineapple to add to meals. The caramelizing on grilled veggies and fruits brings out wonderful flavor and a big variety to summer meals.
There are many recipes online that show the huge variety of things that can be cooked on a grill. While there are special food baskets and pans for the grill, using heavy duty aluminum foil can work equally well for many things. Salmon fi llets in a foil pouch with garlic, salt, pepper and fresh dill is delicious, as are cut up potatoes with onion, fresh rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. (Keep the foil pouch above the direct flame on a top rack or off to the side.)
Food safety is very important to prevent food poisoning when grilling and eating outside. The Home Food Safety website also has the following tips to keep us all healthy while enjoying outdoor meals and foods from the grill:
- Wash hands thoroughly before, during and after food preparation.
- Start with a clean grill grate.
- Keep raw meats, poultry, seafood and eggs separate from ready-to-eat foods, and use separate utensils and plates for raw and cooked foods.
- Discard marinades after removing the raw meats.
- Perishable foods should sit out no longer than one hour.
With proper prep and planning, grilling out can be flavorful and safe all summer long. Visit www.homefoodsafety.org for more tips on safe grilling.
