Monday Message - Rubs and Marinades

Grilling Season is upon us!  After being cooped up all winter our grilling techniques may have become a little rusty but by now we should be well on our way to perfecting our grilling cuisine this season. Thinking outside the box is a great way to enjoy new tastes on the grill.  Here are some foods to try on your grill:

• Pineapple or Apple - tough fruits need about three minutes per side
• Banana or Mango - soft fruits only need about 1-2 minutes per side
• Veggies - eggplant, sweet potato, beets, mushrooms, peppers or zucchini grill up great
• Kabobs - mix and match meats and veggies on metal or wooden skewers (soak wood in water first to avoid flames)
• Pizza - make up the dough and cook for ~10 min on one side then flip and add healthy toppings
• Fruit  Pizza - use goat cheese and a little Rum or Vanilla extract for a base and top with grilled fruit
• Portobello Mushrooms - make great burger substitutes
• Planks- cook up your meats on cedar, maple or apple wood planks (untreated from the hardware store)
• Shrimp and Veggies - open up a bag of both and throw them in a grill basket over the heat
• Fish - heartier fish can be cooked directly on the grill
• Corn - grilled in the husk will come out nice and steamy without needing any added fat

Portobello Mushroom Burger



How much do you know about marinating meats?

Rubs are blends of dry spices applied directly to raw meat before cooking.
Wet Rubs are a mixture of dry spices and oil applied to the meats.
Marinades are liquid sauces combining spices and water, juice, wines or oil to aid in the tenderization of the meat

Foods have different marinating times
Chicken/Turkey: 30 min to 3 hours
Beef: 12 hours
Shrimp/Fish: 15-30 minutes
Pork: 2-4 hours
Vegetables: 15-30 minutes

More tips!
Use a disposable plastic bag to marinate your meats in.
Drain "sweet' marinades to avoid extra flames on your food
Food Safety Tip: avoid foodborne illness by throwing away the extra marinade, never add the leftover marinade after the meat has been cooked
Use juices or wine instead of oil for marinating
Here are some Spicy Rub ideas from Kids Eat Right

Watch the Fat and Sodium!

Hotdogs and Brats are overflowing with fat and sodium.  Read the labels and choose brats or hotdogs that have 500 milligrams or less of sodium and less than 10 grams of fat.  This may mean choosing a turkey or chicken product.  When it comes to beef and pork, choose lean cuts such as sirloin or tenderloin and trim off all visible fat.  Taking the skin off the chicken before cooking will save you quite a few fat grams as well.

Happy Grilling!