Preparing perfect barbecued chicken or beef requires the right combination of seasoning and skill. But it also takes practice.
By Ezra Wolfe
Kansan staff writer
It's time to clean the grill and stock up on charcoal briquettes. Barbecue weather is coming
But barbecuing is a little more complicated than it might seem.
Getting the charcoal lit is a problem for Ron Buhr,
Lawrence freshman
lawshereresponsible.
"I don't like the scent of lighter fluid, so I have to rely on other methods of starting the charcoal," he said.
Part of having a successful barbecue is choosing the right cut of meat.
Chris Lemmon, owner of Bum Steer Bar-B-Q. 2554 Iowa St., said leaner cuts were better for cooking on a grill.
According to the National Live Stock and Meat Board, any cut is suitable, but rib and loin cuts are more tender. Tougher cuts such as flank or top round steak should be marinated.
"Spare ribs should have less than one-quarter inch of fat on them," Lemmon said. "If there is more, trim it off, or your ribs will be greasy."
When grilling, there are a few easy ways to improve the quality and taste of the meat.
"Grill lids are better for the flavor of the meat, because they hold in the smoke." Lemmon said.
One way to increase the amount of smoke is to soak hickory chips in water overnight, then place them on top of the hot coals. The water creates more smoke and the chips release steam, which helps keep the meat moist. Lemmon said,
Grace Harris, chief cook at the Grand Emporium in Kansas City, Mo., uses a steamer in her grill pit.
Harris, who has been cooking barbecue meats for 24 years, said there were other ways to keep the meat moist. "All you gotta do is have a water bottle and spray the meat as you turn it," she said.
Harris recommended turning the meat constantly because it keeps the meat tender and prevents drying.
"When I cater," Harris said, "once the food is cooked and eaten. I write down everything that is said about it."
That way, Harris knows what people liked. And because she also has written down exactly what she did when cooking the meat, she can produce the same results over and over again.
But do not expect to get perfect results the first time. Harris and Cookin chapter on grilled meatis not easy.
Lennon said that preparing a simple barbecued dish right could take several tries.
"Experimenting is a large part of it," he said.
One way to get better results when grilling meats is to make sure your grill is the right temperature.
"Wait until the coals are red hot," he said. "Then add the chips. Let the coals cool down and put on the meat. It's tricky, because if you let the coals cool down too much, the meat won't cook through. It takes a bit of practice."
Harris suggested cooking at 200 degrees, but it is unlikely that a home charcoal grill will be able to sustain the temperature for low enough to cook the meat.
Janet Stern, a public relations representative in Chicago for the Beef Council, said it usually took 30 to 45 minutes for coals to reach the right temperature.
If grillers desire a lower temperature for cooking, an indirect method can be used, she said. Place the coals on the sides of the grills, and place a drip pan in the center of the grill. The meat is placed above the drip pan. Not having the coals directly under the meat allows the meat to cool at a lower temperature, she said. The grill cover holds in the heat.
To barbecue, dip the meats in sauce before cooking. Lemmon said.
"A lot of people use a dry rub of spices and knead it into the meat before they cook it." he said.
How can going meats is a nice way to relax, said Lemmon. "It's self-satisfying when you come up with something good," he said.
Some spices to try are salt, ground mustard, chopped onion, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Lermann said.
Bahr, Lawrence freshman, also said he loved grilling food.
"There's something like the smell of a good smoked meal and the fellowship of being with," he said.
Tips for better barbecue
Q. How can I tell that the coals are ready?
A. For charcoal grilling, prepare coals well in advance. One of the most common pittails for backyard chefs is not getting the coals to the correct temperature for grilling. For most beef cuts, coals should be medium to low to ensure that the meat is cooked properly. If the coals are too hot, the beef can be overcooked outside before the inside is done.
Q. How can the coals' temperature be regulated?
A. To lower the temperature, spread the coals farther apart or raise the grid; to make the fire hotter, move the coals closer together and tap off the ash.
Q. How do you add flavor to grilled foods?
A. Add different flavors to food by using mesquite charcoal briquettes or adding hardwood chips (soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and drained) directly to the charcoal fire. Fresh herbs soaked and added to the coals just before cooking are other flavor enhancers.
Q. How should I handle the food while it's cooking?
A. Always turn beef with a spatula or tongs. Don't pierce beef with a fork - flavorful juices can escape from the meat.
Grilling techniques may lessen cancer risks
Kansan staff writer
By Ezra Wolfe
Grilling food outside is generally a pleasant experience. It's a time to enjoy the company of friends and family and maybe throw around a baseball.
Maybe they should. Grilling meat, fish or chicken can produce one of the most carcinogenic substances known to man. That substance, and others like it, are produced in minute quantities when meat is cooked at high temperatures.
James Fellon, head of the molecular toxicology department at Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, said there was another problem with grilling meats.
Usually no one mentions cancer.
the meat with the same carcinogen that is found in cigarette smoke.
When fat from meat drips onto hot coals, it usually creates smoke. That smoke coats
Felton discovered PHIP, the most dangerous and active carcinogen in cooked meats. PHIP is one of a class of HAAs, heterocyclic aromatic amines, many of which are produced when grilling meat.
A different family of carcinogens is formed when muscle tissue is heated to high temperatures.
HAAs are not produced by all cooking methods. The high temperatures required for grilling meat produces HAAs.
"We recommend pre-microcavaving the meats for about one to two minutes," Fenton said. "The fat comes out and so do a lot of liquids that produce carcinogens."
Fenton estimated that about 90 percent of the substances that could become carcinogenic are removed during the
Daniel Nelson, vice president for cancer detection and treatment at the American Cancer Society, said the temperature needed to be between 300 degrees and 400 degrees for HAAs to form.
microwaving process. Those substances do not form HAAs until they are cooked at high temperatures.
"You have to sear the outside of the meat, and that's what hamburgers do when they cook," he said.
Another way to avoid searing the meat was to cook at low temperatures, Nelson said. But cooking at low temperatures could cause another problem.
"You have to walk a fine line between undercooking, which can cause bacteria problems that are potentially deadly, and searing the meat," he said.
Nelson said that the link between cancer
and overcooked meat, fish and chicken was not proven in humans, but that it was prudent to avoid overcooking because of the suspicion of cancer.
Harold Seifried, program director of the National Cancer Institute, said the real question was what the effects of a hamburger might be on humans.
"It's like a lot of things that cause cancer," he said. "You have to look at the level you are exposed to. This risk is probably lower than driving at night through Kansas or through the Washington beltway."
Seifried said the amounts of HAAs given to laboratory animals was certainly cancerous, but it was unknown how the amounts consumed by the average human would effect the body. Humans may absorb the materials in a different way.
"Everybody isn't a big rat," he said.
Issues and trends at the University of Kansas.
Lead Storv
In Naples, Italy, in November, masked men attacked four members of the Napoli soccer team with iron bars, sending one of them to the hospital. A group of fans later claimed responsibility, declaring that the attacks were to punish the players for a 5-1 loss to the AC Milan team. The Napoli players "earn billions of lire and do not play hard," the group declared. "We will attack them again if they do not improve."
The Continuing Crisis
- In September, a high school senior in Waianae, Hawaii, who was allowed to run for homecoming queen after she became a female in a sex change operation, finished last in a field of seven.
In June, FBI and Florida authorities finally arrested Paul Flasher, 45, who had been sentenced to five years in prison in 1980 for grand theft, but who never served a day of the sentence. Flasher said, truthfully, that he had gone home from the sentencing hearing in Tampa in 1980 and "sat tight," just as his lawyer had instructed, waiting for notification to report to prison. The authorities then forgot about him for 12 years.
In November, a chest pain apparently caused Anne Shapiro, 79, to snap out of a coma like that traced had prevented her from caring for herself and speaking for 30 years. The pain struck while she was visiting her son in Dundas, Ontario. Among her first requests was to see "I Love Lucy," but she became frightened by the TV because the programs were in color.
Powell, Ala., police chief James Bryan finally quit his job in August when his friend, the mayor, lost his bid for re-election. Over the years, Bryan had been fired 12 times by the city council for various indiscretions but had been rehired by the mayor each time. The city council had fired Bryan's predecessor 14 times, but he, too, had been rehired by the mayor each time.
■ When George Bojarski's son failed to come
Continued on Page 8.