Salmonsmoker
06-15-2001, 07:04 AM
With all of the grilling that is going on now, I felt it important to pass along the latest findings from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minn.
According to Jennifer K. Nelson, Director of Clinical Dietetics at Mayo, "Charring meat at very high temperatures -- whether by grilling, frying, or broiling, as opposed to baking or roasting -- produces chemical substances that have been shown to cause cancer in some animal studies. And when meat is browned with intense heat over a direct flame, and fat drips on the fire and coals, it creates smoke containing carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons."
The study goes on to make the following recommendations:
1. Trim excess fat from meat before cooking to minimize flare-ups (not a problem with wild game.)
2. If meat does char or burn, cut away blackened portion.
3. Raise adjustable cooking racks to their highest position above the heat.
4. Brush barbecue sauces and glazes on only during last several minutes of grilling: if they splatter and drip down on flames, the sugar in them can cause flare-ups and smoke.
5. Precook ribs, thick cuts of meat, and whole turkeys indoors before grilling, then sear briefly over high heat outside.
OK! This is an early study. The Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are what gives grilled (and smoked foods) their wonderful flavor. I will send some questions to Jennifer Nelson at the Mayo Clinic about smoked foods and keep you updated. In the mean time, I'm going to fire up the smoker and cook some meat.
Salmonsmoker
According to Jennifer K. Nelson, Director of Clinical Dietetics at Mayo, "Charring meat at very high temperatures -- whether by grilling, frying, or broiling, as opposed to baking or roasting -- produces chemical substances that have been shown to cause cancer in some animal studies. And when meat is browned with intense heat over a direct flame, and fat drips on the fire and coals, it creates smoke containing carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons."
The study goes on to make the following recommendations:
1. Trim excess fat from meat before cooking to minimize flare-ups (not a problem with wild game.)
2. If meat does char or burn, cut away blackened portion.
3. Raise adjustable cooking racks to their highest position above the heat.
4. Brush barbecue sauces and glazes on only during last several minutes of grilling: if they splatter and drip down on flames, the sugar in them can cause flare-ups and smoke.
5. Precook ribs, thick cuts of meat, and whole turkeys indoors before grilling, then sear briefly over high heat outside.
OK! This is an early study. The Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are what gives grilled (and smoked foods) their wonderful flavor. I will send some questions to Jennifer Nelson at the Mayo Clinic about smoked foods and keep you updated. In the mean time, I'm going to fire up the smoker and cook some meat.
Salmonsmoker