How to keep your summer barbecue from turning toxic
Lots of us are prone to hastily grabbing a pack of sausages and cooking them over a spitting, leaping fire that looks impressive, but is more likely to create cinders and soot than great taste. Each summer get-together brings the fear of biting into barbecue chicken that's worryingly pink inside, worried glances at raw and cooked food squeezed onto a too-small barbecue, or vegetarian panic as the meat-eaters hoover up the choices. If you're anything but a cavalier king of the grill, here are a few simple tips to easy barbecue food you can be confident leaves everyone feeling good. Avoiding food poisoning Cases of food poisoning increase significantly in the summer, according to the Food Standards Agency. Here is their advice for keeping your barbecue safer. Clean the grill The heat of the coals is not suitable for killing all germs. Cleaning the grill is easiest after a quick pre-heat, before your cooking starts. The heat will loosen charred-on grease. A clean grill will also leave beautiful char-marks on your food. A dirty grill will leave bits of last week’s dinner! However do make sure no wire bristles are stuck on the grill, as they can become accidentally ingested. Ouch! Chill (but not too much) Defrost food thoroughly before cooking on the barbecue, ideally in the fridge to ensure it stays cold. Bringing meat up to room temperature for 20 minutes before barbecuing can help it to cook more evenly, but don't let food stand out all day uncooked. In the summer, marinate meat in the fridge. It takes less than an hour for bacteria to multiply enough to cause food poisoning. The raw and the cooked Raw and cooked foods should never touch each other or share the same plate. Once you’ve transferred any raw meat to the barbecue, wash the plate and tongs with hot, soapy water. Always wash your hands if you're unwrapping meat from its packaging as it is very easy to transfer bacteria on your fingers into the bowl of crisps! Give raw food enough space. Consider having separate raw and cooked sides of the barbecue so that cooked foods can be held at a medium-hot temperature until ready to serve. Don’t use the marinade from the raw meat as a sauce for basting meat while it’s cooking. If you want to baste your meat on the grill, consider setting aside a few tablespoons of marinade before the meat goes into it. Or make a fresh barbecue sauce. While steaks can be served rare, burgers, poultry, pork and sausages should always be completely cooked through. For real peace of mind, invest in a temperature probe. Serve smaller side dishes and top up Big bowls of mayo-based salads such as coleslaw and potato salad, creamy desserts and side dishes containing meat, fish or dairy shouldn't sit out in the hot sun for long periods of time. Try setting out smaller bowls and topping up from the fridge, if needed, or keep salads in a cold box with ice packs while you're outside. You'll be less likely to waste food, too. Related stories How to barbecue betterHow to avoid food poisoningHow much of a cancer risk is processed meat? How to barbecue better How to avoid food poisoning How much of a cancer risk is processed meat? Pre-cook it If you take one tip away from this guide, it’s this: pre-cook sausages and chicken on the bone before barbecuing. You will greatly reduce the risk of meat being both burned and undercooked, you’ll save time slaving over the coals and it eliminates the risk of cross-contamination on the grill. Bake chicken legs and thighs on the bone at 180C/160C Fan for 25–30 minutes before barbecuing. They don’t need to brown, as that will happen over the direct heat of the barbecue. Gently pre-poach sausages in simmering water for eight minutes, or seven minutes for chipolatas. This will also remove some of the fat that can drip onto the barbecue and cause bad-tasting flame flare-ups, and the sausages taste a lot juicier and are ready for a crowd in a fraction of the time. Use a cooking thermometer to check meat is cooked through, never baste food with a marinade that's had raw meat in it, keep raw and cooked foods apart and ensure your grill and brush are clean. Is there a cancer risk from barbecued meats? Carcinogenic chemicals called Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are generated when organic substances are burned. On a barbecue this includes the fats dripping down onto the wood or charcoal, as well as flames reaching the surface of the meat. The smoke from the burning heat source also covers the surface with PAHs, and build-up can occur in smoked foods at any temperature. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are chemicals created when any meat — or poultry or fish — is cooked at a high temperature. Cooking food close to the coals, in a smoky environment or for prolonged periods, can create high levels of HCAs and PAHs in your food. In lab experiments, these chemicals have been found to be mutagenic — that is, they cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer. This being said, measuring the actual level of risk is very difficult. Research is centred on animals, not humans, with exposure to levels of HCAs/PAHs thousands of times higher than humans would experience. There are ways to minimise your exposure to these chemicals from the barbecue. Part-cooking food indoors will limit the amount of time it is exposed to the smoke. Gas barbecues create fewer PAHs than charcoal or wood chips. Marinating meat also cools its surface to stop PAHs forming. Good grilling, cooking over hot coals rather than an open flame, or barbecuing using indirect heat, will help. Burgers have the highest levels of carcinogenic 'PAHs', as the fat drips down onto the coals and coats the craggy surface area of the meat. Healthy barbecue food While sausages and burgers are common options, but can be high in salt and saturated fat. Leaner cuts of meat, vegetables and fish can be cooked just as quickly and easily. Lean cuts of pork, chicken pieces and tofu get a flavour boost from a quick marinade. Making your own means you know exactly what's in there, and can adjust to your taste. Or just finish with a dipping sauce like zingy chimichurri. The NHS suggests we should be eating oily fish such as mackerel or salmon every week. Fortunately, oily fish tastes incredible on the barbecue. Try the Hairy Bikers' easy mackerel skewers or Rick Stein's spicy mackerel recheado. Vegetarian and vegan barbecue ideas According to a 2021 Mintel survey, just under half (49%) of Brits are now limiting their meat intake or not eating it at all. There are plenty of plant-based foods to choose from in the supermarket, but you can also barbecue vegetables to perfection without relying on meat-substitutes. A plate full of different sides, dips and salads is better than a lonely veggie sausage. When your barbecue is fired up and really hot, throw on some whole aubergines and peppers to make baba ganoush or roasted pepper dip. Pile slices of grilled vegetables into a toasted roll with plenty of hummus, sauces and salad, or whip up Gaz Oakley's spicy, easy tofu burgers in minutes. Vegan salads are great to fill out a barbecue and tend to be healthier. An easy carrot and beetroot slaw or fresh Indian kachumber salad goes with anything. Originally published July 2019, updated May 2022