Grilling Season Tips & Secrets!

Finally, grilling season is here! Start off the season right with these simple grilling tips that will have you headed in the right direction to a mess-free and tasty get-together!

Let’s get warmed up…

  1. Use a glass dish or plastic bag to marinate meats, fish, poultry or veggies.
  2. Beef and pork can be marinated overnight, chicken for several hours. Fish only requires 20 to 30 minutes.
  3. Grill it all…meats, fish, vegetables and fruit like pineapple, peaches and figs!
  4. Meat should be fresh or completely thawed before cooking for proper flavor and even cooking.
  5. Cover your entire grill area with aluminum foil for easier clean up and to protect your grill.
  6. Marinate: Grilling meats creates carcinogens known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Marinating meats prior to grilling may reduce their formation. For the same reason, avoid charring or burning meats, which contributes to the formation of carcinogens.
  7. Food Safety:
    • Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.
    • Wipe down surfaces with a disinfectant and wash hand with soap and water often.
    • Using a meat thermometer, make sure ground meats reach at least 160°F and poultry reaches 165°F.
    • Do not leave food outside in hot weather for more than one to two hours for the best food safety.

Easy to Eat Well Tip:
About 36 percent of foodborne illness in the home results from “cross-contamination”. That means contaminated cutting boards, counters or utensils are not properly disinfected or sanitized before preparing foods eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables.


Grilled Skirt Steak with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Marinade time: 6 hours or overnight

Total Recipe time: 35 to 40 minutes

Makes: 6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds Skirt Steak
  • Kosher Salt

Marinade

  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

Dressing*

  • 1 medium ripe avocado, coarsely chopped
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 peeled clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

  1. Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place beef and marinade in a food-safe plastic bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
  2. Remove steak from marinate; discard marinade. Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill, covered, 8 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145˚ F) to medium (160˚F) doneness, turn half way through cooking time.
  3. Meanwhile place dressing ingredients in blender container. Cover; process until smooth. Cover and set aside.
  4. Carve steaks diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Season with salt, if desired.
  5. Arrange on platter and drizzle with avocado dressing. Serve immediately.

*Dressing may be prepared up to one day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.

Recipe and photo courtesy of The Beef Checkoff:
www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com