There is no better way to celebrate summer than to have family and friends over for a relaxing barbecue. It is always a good idea to brush up and learn new barbecuing skills to ensure a more organized event. Best of all, grilling is a great way to load up on flavor without added fat and calories.
Much to a calorie watcher’s delight, barbecuing is the perfect light cooking technique and great grill recipes usually require only a minimal amount of prep work and ingredients. Here are some easy preparation ideas:
Start Early: Many recipes can be prepared in advance. For example, ground meat can be made into patties and frozen until they need to be used. Vegetables like celery and carrots can be cut up and stored in containers in a bit of water.
Look for Shortcuts: Instead of shredding cabbage for your coleslaw, consider buying a pre-shredded slaw mix. This can be done for a regular salad as well, and saves a lot of time.
Read Recipes for Prep Hints: Some recipes, or parts of recipes, can be made in advance and the food can be frozen of refrigerated. Read the entire instruction list for clues before making a menu.
Marinate: Make or buy a low-calorie marinade, then let your kebabs, meats or fish marinate in its flavor overnight.
Use Unique Serving Platters: Plaids, flowers and polka dots can turn an ordinary dish into something spectacular.
Garnish Away, Fat Free: Sprinkle chopped herbs around a serving platter or present meats on a bed of greens.
Before you heat the coals, make sure you have the right tools.
Grill Wok: Nonstick grill woks have small holes that allow smoke in but do not let food out. They are great for fajitas and grilled vegetables. The holes allow some of the fat to drain out, making it a great way to cook light.
Kebab Basket: Simply lay your vegetable or meat skewers in this kind of metal frame and they will cook evenly above the flame. They will not stick to the grates, and when you are ready to flip the kebabs, you can roll a gloved hand over the top of the skewer rods.
Fish Basket: Unless you use a lot of fat, delicate fish can stick to the grill. This gadget saves you from that. There is also a similar basket for vegetables.
Fire-Retardant Mitt: Regular oven mitts will not protect you when reaching over an open flame. Buy a fire-retardant one for the grill, and make sure it comes up to your elbow.
Large Spatula: Burgers will not slip through the grates if you use a long-handled, broad spatula. A pair of long tongs with a good grip will come in handy as well.
Meat Thermometer: If you love burgers medium rare, there is nothing worse than when they come out well done. Make sure food is cooked perfectly by keeping the thermometer handy.
Grilling is the most basic form of cooking. Keep your seasonings simple: salt and ground pepper, spice mix or marinade. Lemon, lime or orange juice, garlic and fresh herbs, used alone or together, will give life to grilled foods. A citrus-based marinade is especially nice for less tender cuts of meat, and low-fat salad dressings make suburb marinades. Drizzle or brush them on, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Then grill.
Grilling is not just for meat and poultry. Fruits and vegetables also taste delicious grilled. Choose foods that are tender and cook quickly, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, peppers and squash. They should be cut into ½-inch slices, seasoned and grilled. Peaches, pears and plums taste incredible with a bit of char. Halve, pit and brush them with honey or a mix of brown sugar and juice, then grill until tender. Grilling baskets can help keep smaller pieces from falling into the fire. Whatever way you look at it, grilling is a healthy way to cook since there is no need for added fat.
Here are some tips to get your grill going: Get organized before you get started. Assemble everything you will need. Most importantly, you will need a clean platter. You never want to put cooked foods on a platter that held raw meats or poultry.
Cook over coals, not flame. Before you begin, all coals should be gray. Be sure to cook on coals that have just passed their peak, rather than on coals that have not yet reached their hottest point.
Keep your grill clean. Scrape the rack thoroughly with a wire brush after cooking but before the coals cool down.
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Randi Shomer is a community member, mother of four children and a freelance writer.
