Outdoor grilling is a popular cooking method, primarily because of the wonderful taste it imparts on meats. It can also be a healthy alternative to other cooking methods, because some of the meat's saturated fat content is reduced by the grilling process. However, grilling also presents a health risk. Two separate types of carcinogenic compounds are produced by high-temperature grilling:

* heterocyclic amines (HCAs)
HCAs form when a meat is directly exposed to a flame or very high-temperature surface. The creatine-rich meat juices react with the heat to form various HCAs, including amino-imidazo-quinolines, amino-imidazo-quinoxalines, amino-imidazo-pyridines, and aminocarbolines. HCAs have been shown to cause DNA mutation, and may be a factor in the development of certain cancers.

* polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
PAHs form in smoke that's produced when fat from the meat ignites or drips on the hot coals of the grill. Various PAHs present in the resulting smoke, including benzo[a]pyrene and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, adhere to the outside surface of the grilled meat. PAH exposure is also believed to be linked to certain cancers.

HCA and PAH content in meats can be dramatically reduced by slight alterations in your grilling method. In particular, the following practices will reduce the amount of HCAs and PAHs formed:

1. Select leaner meats.
Leaner cuts of meat are less likely to drip fat on the grill and produce PAH-laden smoke.

2. Marinate meats before grilling.
Researchers have determined that marinating meat prior to grilling, even for just a few minutes, can reduce HCA formation by 90% or more. It's believed that the marinade forms a protective barrier for the meat juices that prevents the HCA reaction from occurring.

3. Grill at lower temperatures.
Lower temperature "roasting" also greatly reduces HCA formation.

4. Prevent flare-ups.
Flames from grill flare-ups cause the formation of both HCAs and PAHs. Keep an eye on your grill and turn meats frequently to minimize the chance of flare-ups.

5. Don't overcook meats.

While it's important to cook poultry and ground meats thoroughly, be careful not to overcook any meat. Well-done or burnt meats contain higher levels of HCAs than less cooked meats. For thicker cuts of meat, use a meat thermometer to measure doneness rather than just guessing.

Use thinner cuts of meat as this reduces cooking time and thus it's less likely for the surface to over cook and become charred.

Warm up on full heat but then turn down to a medium heat and turn meat once half way through. This will ensure that the meat gets cooked through as the enclosure it warm from high heat but turning to a medium heat means surface charring is like likely.

Keep lid closed due to above point.

For cooking times chicken takes around 3 1/2 mins per side while red meat around 4 mins per side. These times ensure that the meat is still moist and not dry and over cooked. A good trick for chicken is to wait until the exposed side has just lost it's raw meat pinkness and is starting to whiten and then turn over and cook for the same amount of time. This visual technique is harder for red meat but you can press red meat to check it's progress - medium rare roughly feels the same as if you press the thumb part of the palm of your hand.

simon m wrote:Yiou try and BBQ my meat mate, and you'll wish you had cancer