Published: May 24, 2009 06:47 pm      

BUTLER: Savvy Grilling for Grilling Girls

Fire up your grill and enjoy a great beef meal this summer — It’s as simple as FFAST — Fire, Flavor, Accessories, Safety, and Time/Temperature. This was the message brought by The Texas Beef Council to participants at the Navarro Regional Hospital Healthy Women program this past week. Russell Woodward and Stacy Bates, R.D., with the Beef Council outlined a few simple steps for inspiration and assurance that beef is still “what’s for dinner.”

“The first F in FFAST,” said Bates, “is to remember proper preparation of the fire.” If using charcoal, begin by spreading the charcoal in a single layer on your grill, soak with lighter fluid, and ignite. When coals are medium, ash-covered (about 30 minutes), position your cooking grid over coals. To check temperature, use a grill thermometer, or cautiously hold the palm of your hand above the coals at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away; four seconds for medium heat.

For Flavor, season beef straight from the refrigerator, with herbs or spices as desired. Place on cooking grid directly over the coals and trim excess fat from meats to avoid flare-ups while grilling.

“Using the right accessories is an important part of grilling as well,” aid Woodward. A spatula is great for burgers, but use it to flip the meat rather than smashing the patties. Smashing the patties allows juice to drip out which leads to dryness and flare-ups. Tongs are great for steaks but remember to save the meat fork for carving. According to Woodward, “poking holes in the meat with the fork while cooking will allow the juices to escape.”

Time and Temperature will be the strategy to ensure desired doneness. Use a thermometer to and visit www.txbeef.org/grilling for approximate grilling times and further information on thermometers. As a general rule, cook burgers to at least 160 degrees F (medium doneness), and steaks to at least 145 degrees F (medium rare doneness). Allow steaks to rest a few minutes before slicing or serving to reduce the loss of flavorful juices.

It’s important to also remember to select the right cuts. The more tender cuts include Porterhouse/T-bone, top loin, tenderloin, ribeye, rib, top sirloin, chuck eye and chuck top blade which are perfect for the grill and require only your favorite seasonings, or rubs, to add flavor. Less tender cuts such as flank, skirt, top round and chuck shoulder steaks should be marinated for at least 6 hours or overnight in a mixture containing a food acid or tenderizing enzyme.

To keep meat Safe, always keep it refrigerated or on ice until ready to cook. Keep work surfaces and utensils clean, and don’t cross contaminate from one food to another.

Bates, a Registered Dietitian with the Beef Council, reminded the audience that protein is an important part of a nutritious meal plan. MyPyramid recommends go lean with beef and according to Bates, “nearly 66 percent of fresh beef in the meat case as the supermarket is ‘lean,’” with 14 of the top 20 most popular retail whole muscle cuts being “lean.” There are also 29 beef cuts that meet the government guidelines for “lean,” having less than 10 grams of total fat and 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat. In addition, more than half of beef’s fatty acids are monounsaturated which is the same good fat found in salmon and olive oil. Beef is also a nutrient rich food supplying many essential nutrients like zinc, iron, and vitamin B-12. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef contributes about 179 calories and 10 essential nutrients.

For more information on grilling and recipe ideas, visit the Texas Beef Council Web site at txbeef.org, or contact the Texas AgriLife Extension Service at (903) 654-3075, or online at www.texasextension.tamu.edu.