August 2017 

There’s nothing better than a big, juicy steak in the summer. Grilling meals is also a great way to help keep your house cool on hot days. Most of us cook on a barbeque without a second thought to safety- but you should! Here are some tips to ensure you have fun in the sun all summer long instead of spending your time in a hospital.

Most of you have probably heard about the dangers of using a wire brush to clean your BBQ. If you haven’t heard and you have a wire brush Canadian surgeons are encouraging people to throw them out. The wire bristles can loosen from the brush and become lodged in your mouth, throat, and even your stomach and intestines. Before using a wire brush inspect it thoroughly and if it is old and worn, or lodged with grease, throw it out. Check your owner’s manual for cleaning recommendations. Some other cleaning alternatives are rubbing the grill with a halved onion or a rolled up ball of aluminum foil.

 Keep your BBQ at least 10 ft from your house. Clean your grill regularly to prevent flare ups due to a build up of fat and grease. Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand. Never use a grill indoors. NEVER turn on the gas while your grill lid is closed. 

Speaking of aluminum foil - there was a study done in 2012 that found aluminum can leach from the foil into your food. We still wrap potatoes to bake them, line baking pans and grill our fish in foil. That’s really not a good idea. Vinegary marinades, acidic foods, and anything spicy are especially known to leach out aluminum, and can even alter the taste of your food. Excess aluminum has been known to reduce the growth rate of human brain cells, and high concentrations of aluminum have been detected in brain tissues of Alzheimer’s patients. But there is an easy fix! Before wrapping food in aluminum foil simply line the foil with parchment paper first.  This way your food never comes in contact directly with the foil itself, and no aluminum can leach into it.

Some people would say drinking and BBQ-ing go hand in hand. Beer can definitely make a chicken taste better. 

However drunk people and open flames don’t mix. The overwhelming number of BBQ-related incidents happen because of people under the influence.
DON’T DRINK AND GRILL. Have a designated griller. Happy grilling!