Introduction: On weekends, families or friends can pack up a grill, charcoal, solid alcohol, and fresh fish, raw lamb, cucumbers, tomatoes, milk, bread, and more, to frolic in nature. Then, set up the grill, build a fire, and cook a meal, making for a joyful and harmonious gathering.
However, barbecues have long been condemned in various reports. Because people are terrified of cancer and indiscriminately believe that all barbecues are carcinogenic, they further believe that barbecues are entirely harmful to human health with no benefits at all. In fact, barbecuing is one of the oldest methods of cooking and eating in human history; the dawn of human civilization began with the roasting of food. Dr. Xie Yanli, Director of the Food Quality and Safety Department at Henan University of Technology, believes that as long as the ingredients are of good quality, not too much seasoning is used, and the barbecue method is proper, the harm to human health from a DIY barbecue is not as terrifying as legend has it.
Two "More"s and Two "Less"es: More vegetables, more fish; less frozen food, less seafood
When choosing food ingredients, "freshness" should be the highest principle for barbecuing, and from there, the "Two More, Two Less" principle can be considered. First, choose as many vegetables and fruits as possible, such as potatoes, bananas, and lotus root, which have a unique flavor when grilled. Second, choose fresh, low-fat ingredients, such as fresh raw lamb and live fish. Live fish and lamb generally have a lower fat content than chicken drumsticks. For instance, a single chicken wing has about 200 calories, and eating three after grilling would intake 600 calories, equivalent to two large bowls of rice. Therefore, if you want to enjoy the aroma of grilled chicken, you might consider choosing chicken cutlets or chicken strips instead of wings or drumsticks. Chicken strips are smaller in size, so they naturally have fewer calories, without losing the fun of barbecuing. The "Two Less" principle is, first, to choose less aged or frozen ingredients, and second, to choose less seafood and processed meat products. Bacon stored at home should never be used for barbecuing, as it contains little moisture and is easy to burn. Moreover, the nitrites in bacon become more harmful to the human body after being dry-roasted. Frozen sausages, fish balls, etc., contain pigments, food additives, and various seasonings, making them unsuitable for barbecuing. All seasonings for barbecue should ideally be added right after grilling. In addition, many people enjoy grilling squid, scallops, etc., but in fact, seafood barbecue should not be eaten in large quantities. This is not only because seafood products have been frozen, and some have even been preserved, so they are not fresh ingredients, but also because seafood is a high-purine food, and eating too much of it can easily lead to gout.
Marinate ingredients with sauce in advance
Industry insiders point out that before barbecuing, marinating meat and fish with a special barbecue sauce is a good way to enhance health protection. Ready-made barbecue sauces on the market are brightly colored and contain ingredients like lemon juice, ketchup, and garlic juice. These acidic and reducing substances themselves have certain anti-cancer properties. They also form a protective layer on the surface of the raw meat, hindering the formation of carcinogens. Secondly, barbecue sauces contain starch, sugar, and other components that adhere to the surface of the raw meat. During grilling, they absorb the heat from the charcoal first, protecting the inner meat from suddenly being subjected to high temperatures and getting burnt. At the same time, to maintain the bright color of the barbecue sauce, people consciously keep the fire from being too large and constantly turn the food, avoiding local overheating and thus reducing the chance of carcinogen production. Barbecue sauce can also be prepared at home: mash garlic, add ginger powder, lemon juice, ketchup, starch, cooking wine, and a small amount of salt and sugar, and mix well. It's simple and natural.
Grill slowly over low heat and wrap in aluminum foil
When barbecuing, the fire should not be too fierce. Grill slowly over low heat, or wrap the food in aluminum foil. When meat is burned directly at high temperatures, it is inevitable that fat dripping onto the charcoal will produce smoke. When fat and protein burn directly, they can produce carcinogens like benzopyrene, which adhere to the food and are harmful to the human body after consumption. Therefore, grilling slowly over a small fire allows the fat to decompose slowly, so it doesn't drip onto the fire excessively to produce a lot of smoke. You can also try wrapping the food in aluminum foil before grilling, which prevents the fat from dripping out and greatly reduces the chance of carcinogen production.
Salt evenly and let it cool before eating
Oil and salt are easy to overuse when barbecuing. Some people keep brushing oil on the food for fear of it drying out. Salt should be sprinkled evenly, but it's also easy to overdo it. In fact, no matter what you are grilling, brushing with oil once or twice at most is enough. Use a small brush and dip it in a small amount of oil each time to ensure an even coating. Mix salt, pepper, sesame seeds, chicken essence, etc., and increase the proportion of sesame seeds appropriately. Sprinkle them on the surface before the food is fully cooked, which naturally reduces the amount of salt and chicken essence used. Another method is to marinate fish and meat with salt, cooking wine, soy sauce, chopped green onions, and ginger powder half an hour in advance, so no salt needs to be added during grilling.
After the barbecue is cooked, let it sit for a while before eating. When friends get together, after a batch of food is grilled, everyone often rushes to eat it, especially when there are more children. But remember that eating food that is too hot can not only damage the mucous membranes in the esophagus, causing mouth burns, but also stimulate mucosal proliferation, leaving scars and inflammation. Over time, this may even lead to malignant lesions. Some experts believe that the occurrence of some esophageal cancers may be directly related to the habit of eating very hot food. This habit can also damage the taste buds on the tongue, affecting a person's gustatory nerves.