Grill with skill: Reduce your cancer risk

Use these handy barbeque tips to cook smart and live healthy! Expert advice from the clinical nutrition team of our Odette Cancer Centre's patient and family support program.

Reduce your intake of cancer-causing compounds formed when meat is grilled:

• HCAs or heterocyclic amines within seared muscle of red meat, poultry, game and fish
• PAHs or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from smoke/flare-ups when fat drips on coals.

Tips to enjoy the flavour and reduce the chemicals:

Marinate your meat

Studies show that marinating meat even for 10 minutes before grilling can greatly reduce the formation of HCAs.

Marinades are easy to make. You just need the following ingredients:

• acidic element: try lemon juice, wine, orange juice or a vinegar of your choice
• herbs: try basil, tarragon, rosemary, dill, thyme, chives, cilantro, oregano
• seasonings: try soya sauce, garlic, ginger, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, honey, cayenne pepper

Note: To further reduce PAHs, try leaving out oil or using less in your marinade.

Reduce grilling time (... while reducing your standing time!)

Larger cuts of red meat (beef, pork, lamb) or bone-in chicken parts take longer to cook. Pre-cook these in the microwave, drain all juices then place on the barbeque. A two-minute pre-cook of meat substantially reduces HCA content.

If you're grilling burgers, the secret is in the flipping — flip earlier and flip often! Beef needs to be about 71 degrees celsius (160 degrees farenheit) inside. Chicken burgers need to be about 80 degrees celsius or 176 degrees farenheit inside. Keep a meat thermometer handy.

Shish kebobs rule!

Keep meat pieces small, to reduce grilling time and reduce the formation of HCAs and PAHs.

New heights

Adjust the height of your grill if you can. Distance the grill from the flames to reduce PAHs or smoke absorption in your meat when fat drips on the coals, or when meat gets too charred or burned.

• Got a charcoal grill? Wait until the coals glow and the flame is down, before grilling.
• Got a gas grill? Turn the gas down to lower the temperature.

Download our grilling tip sheet (PDF, 0.2MB)

Watch our grilling tips video: