Everyone loves a good barbecue, especially in the hot summer months where cooking in the kitchen can be troublesome and of course, hot. Though as some of us know, there can be some major health risks involved when cooking over an open flame at high heat. There are some barbecue risks that we should keep in mind and be careful to avoid. We can reduce these risks by changing what kinds of meat we use, how we cook them and of course, generally being safe.
Pick your meats
Before I start this section, you should know that when we cook meat, particularly at high heats some dangerous things can happen. When muscle and fat break down – particularly with processed, red meats – they can produce chemicals that attack our DNA. These chemicals are linked quite close to cancer. This effect is lessened when it comes to white meats like chicken and fish, so if you’re a lover of them, you’re already halfway there. Keep in mind though that this is lessened and not a complete fix. Eating too many burgers is also linked to higher levels of prostate cancer. This is likely due to the various preservatives that are included in the meats.
How you cook
As I said before, it’s the high-heat and over the flame cooking that makes barbecue more dangerous than some other alternatives. Because of how high the temperature is when we cook our meat over the barbecue, cooking it all the way through usually ends with a charred outside. Charred meat has the highest concentration of carcinogens, making it much more dangerous. One method that’s popular to avoid this is to use you microwave. Putting bigger pieces for a couple of minutes before putting them on the barbecue. This has them cooked more on the inside as to remove the need to overcook the outside.
Bonus tip
Marinating your food beforehand. This works particularly well with alcohol can cause a barrier of sorts. Preventing your meat from producing those harmful chemicals. Even soaking your meats in beer the night before can make quite a difference so that you keep your meat healthy.
Just be safe
Always remember that the high heat of a barbecue can be very dangerous. Whether you’re using coals, wood or gas, there are dangers involved in all of them. Keep children, and those who may have had a few too many clear of the barbecue. Ball sports can also be a risk, keep a net up if you can or need to. These apply especially for non-gas burners as if they tip over, they can create a very dangerous situation. Drinking while cooking can also be a dangerous mix, causing flare-ups which may panic some people. With gas, remember to make sure everything is secured safely and that there are no leaks anywhere. If you can, try to cook on a level, hard surface so you don’t tempt fate too much.
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