Outdoor Grilling

*Grill at lower temperatures by turning the gas down or by waiting until your charcoal is a bed of hot embers .

*Partially cook the meat on the stove or in the oven, to shorten time on the grill, which produces fewer carcinogens.

*Marinate meat before grilling, particularly with acidic marinades, such as those with lemon juice or vinegar, to decrease cooking time and reduce formation of toxic chemicals.

*Turn meat often on the grill using a tongs rather than a fork, since poking the meat may cause dripping fat and flare-ups, which can deposit carcinogens onto the meat.

*Use an elevated rack or cedar plank to move meat farther away from the fire.

*Use a meat thermometer to determine when meat is thoroughly cooked, but not overcooked, since the longer you cook the meat, the more toxins will form.

*Grill leaner cuts of meat that will drip less and cause less charring, and avoid eating the charred portions of grilled meat as they contain a known carcinogen.

*Grill more vegetables, and fruits, with your meat, since they don’t produce the same toxic chemicals that grilling meat does. As an added bonus, fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals, which help ameliorate the effects of those toxins.

*Keep your grill clean, since carcinogenic residue can build up and be deposited on the food.

*Limit grilling to special occasions such as picnics or backyard barbecue parties, rather than making it a regular cooking method.