Hearty taste without the meat

With Memorial Day coming up, some folks will undoubtedly fire up the grill for what may be the first of many summertime barbecues with friends and family.

But research suggests that eating grilled meats can increase a person's risk of cancer. Carcinogenic chemicals called heterocyclic amines can form when meat is grilled, and higher quantities are found in well-done or burnt meat, according to the National Cancer Institute Web site.

And it doesn't matter what kind of meat is grilled. “Carcinogens from grilling and charring are formed in all animal muscle, including fish and poultry,” according to the American Institute for Cancer Research Web site.

So does that mean people should not grill meat, fish and poultry? Not necessarily. They can have their meat and eat it, too.

Many grilled foods are safe to eat, including grilled vegetables and fruits, the NCI Web site states. But “experts recommend limiting the amount of grilled meat in your diet, and avoiding the burnt parts altogether.”

Likewise, the USDA Web site states that although some studies suggest a link between cancer and food cooked by “high heat cooking techniques as grilling ... moderate amounts of grilled meats like fish, meat and poultry cooked - without charring - to a safe temperature does not pose a problem.”

The USDA also recommends more tips for reducing the risk of cancer when grilling.

To lower the cooking temperature when grilling, people can let charcoal burn down to embers, raise the grill level, and cook indirectly by placing coals in back and meat in front. Lower cooking temperatures can also be achieved by turning down the flame on gas grills.

But people must be careful that the meat is cooked at proper temperatures to prevent food-borne illness. The USDA recommends using a food thermometer to ensure the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.

“Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.” Ground beef hamburgers should reach 160 degrees, all cuts of pork should reach 160 degrees, and all poultry should reach a minimum of 165 degrees, the Web site states.

But to minimize the amount of grilled meats consumed, folks can try the following recipe for grilled portabella mushrooms, which are sometimes called “vegetarian steaks.” They taste so good that even my 7-year-old son likes to eat them - and he's a picky eater!

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Nancy Gilkey can be reached at 261-9144 or nancygilkey@q.com.

GRILLED PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS

4 portabella mushroom caps
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup each of light olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped onion and chopped red bell pepper.
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

  Rinse mushrooms, cut off stems, and set mushroom caps on paper towels to dry. Meanwhile, mix all other ingredients together in small bowl. With gills facing up, place mushroom caps on a platter. Pour mixture over tops of mushrooms and let them marinate for about 30 minutes (save the marinade for basting while grilling).  Preheat grill for medium heat, coat grill with oil, and cook mushrooms for about six minutes on each side. Serve like steak, with baked potatoes or rice and vegetables. Or serve like hamburgers on toasted buns with lettuce, tomatoes, pickle and onion.

USDA GRILLING TIPS FOR REDUCING CANCER RISKS

• Thaw safely: Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly.
• Precooking: Precook food partially in the microwave, oven, or stove to reduce grilling time. Just be sure that the food goes immediately on the preheated grill to complete cooking.
• Prevent charring: To prevent charring, remove visible fat that can cause a flare-up. Precook meat in the microwave immediately before placing it on the grill to release some of the juices that can drop on coals. Cook food in the center of the grill and move coals to the side to prevent fat and juices from dripping on them. Cut charred portions off the meat.
Source: www.usda.gov