Grilling Season
Grilling season will vary for many of us depending on our climate. However we live in a very cold winter climate and we still grill out all year long. You just need to pick a less windy and not below zero day and shovel a path through the snow, LOL. However summer time is definitely grilling season for everyone.
When grilling we want to reduce toxins as well and make it as safe as possible. Let me share a few tips on how to make your grilled food safer to eat for you, your family and your guests.
- Choose natural charcoal or hardwood instead of briquettes that contain added chemicals.
- Use a lower grill temperature and avoid charring or burning the food.
- Clean the grill grates thoroughly after each use to prevent the buildup of harmful chemicals.
My Favorite Grill
The Big Green Egg is my favorite grill. It is ready much quicker than a standard charcoal grill. It is an investment but it is also made to last. Ours is 6 years old and still going strong. Most grills would’ve rusted out in this amount of time. Now you do not have to buy a new grill, you can use your Weber or whatever brand you have just switch out the type of charcoal you use and what you use to get it starter. That is where the main source of chemicals are. And they can transfer to your food. If you ever were impatient and didn’t let the lighter fluid burn off long enough you know that your burger tasted slightly of lighter fluid. I can’t be the only one that had that happen.
Natural Charcoal & Igniters - Grilling Season
As far as natural charcoal goes I prefer a hardwood charcoal for faster starting in grilling season. And you get more of that campfire taste, without the campfire and with more control. We did experiment with many types and we prefer the taste of the Big Green Egg Brand natural charcoal. Now mind you before the Big Green Egg we had a gas grill. Yes it takes a bit longer than that to heat up, but it is fast and the taste out ways a few more minute of wait time. And if you want a different flavor, say cherry, you can get Cherry Smoking Chips. And Hickory Chips are also available. Yes you can smoke meats with the Big Green Egg too.
As far as igniters go there are a couple of options. For speed starting I highly recommend the EGGniter it starts your natural charcoal in 2 minutes! And you can be cooking in approximately 7-10 minutes. In winter it is more like 15-30 minutes depending on how cold it is out. There are a few cheaper knock-offs out there but they are not as good in my opinion. Now if you are not in a rush I love these Natural Starters they work great but it will add about 10 more minutes from start to cooking time. With either option I like to start the charcoal in 3-4 spots spaced about around the grill.
Other Options for Grilling Season
Often times we need some indirect heat when smoking or cooking certain foods. That is when the ConvEGGtor comes in handy. We also love to make pizzas on the grill so you will want that piece plus the Pizza Stone. We did buy both in the Big Green Egg Brand and they too have held up for 6 years now and a ton of food and pizza’s cooked on them during grilling season.
Grilling tools would be your final step to get prepped for grilling season. There are many great options out there just make sure they have long handle so that your hands are not over the heat. Another suggestion is to get some heat resistant or heat proof gloves to have on hand as well.
If you are interested in what to grill check out the Recipes Tab Under Categories at the top of Home page. Another resource is Raising, Growing and Preserving and Pantry Items. Happy Grilling!
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