Grilling

Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly and meat that has already been cut into slices (or other pieces). Food to be grilled is cooked on a grill (an open wire grid with a heat source above or below), a grill pan (similar to a frying pan, but with raised ridges to mimic the wires of an open grill), or griddle (a flat plate heated from below). Heat transfer to the food when using a grill is primarily via thermal radiation. Heat transfer when using a grill pan or griddle is by direct conduction. In the United States and Canada, when the heat source for grilling comes from above, grilling is termed broiling. In this case, the pan that holds the food is called a broiler pan, and heat transfer is by thermal convection.

Direct heat grilling can expose food to temperatures often in excess of 260 °C (500 °F). Grilled meat acquires a distinctive roast aroma from a chemical process called the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction only occurs when foods reach temperatures in excess of 155 °C (310 °F).

Studies have shown that cooking beef, pork, poultry, and fish at high temperatures can lead to the formation of heterocyclic amines, benzopyrenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are carcinogens. However, proper marination may reduce the formation of these compounds. Grilling is often presented as a healthy alternative to cooking with oil, although the fat and juices lost by grilling can contribute to drier food.

In the United States, use of the word grill refers to cooking food directly over a source of dry heat, typically with the food sitting on a metal grate that leaves “grill marks.” Grilling is usually done outdoors on charcoal grills or gas grills, a recent trend is the concept of infrared grilling. Grilling may also be performed using stove-top “grill pans” which have raised metal ridges for the food to sit on, or using an indoor electric grill.

A skewer or brochette, or a rotisserie may be used to cook small pieces of food. The resulting food product is often called a “kabob” or “kebab” which means “to grill” in Persian, which is short for “shish kebab” (shish = skewer)(similar to a “satay” in Asian cuisine, or “alambre” in Mexican-Yucatan cuisine). Shish kebabs have a Persian origin, but are now commonplace in American cuisine.

Mesquite or hickory wood chips (damp) may be added on top of the coals to allow a smoldering effect that provides additional flavor to the food. Other hardwoods such as pecan, apple, maple and oak may also be used.

In the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries (except Canada), and Ireland, grilling generally refers to cooking food directly under a source of direct, dry heat. The “grill” is usually a separate part of an oven where the food is inserted just under the element. This practice is referred to as "broiling" in North America. In electric ovens, grilling may be accomplished by placing the food near the upper heating element, with the lower heating element off and the oven door partially open. Grilling in an electric oven may create much smoke and cause splattering in the oven. Gas ovens often have a separate compartment for grilling, as a drawer below the flame.

In Japanese cities, a yakitori cart, restaurant, or shop with charcoal-fired grills and marinated grilled meat on a stick can often be found. Yakiniku, is a type of food where meat and/or vegetables are grilled directly over small charcoal or gas grills at high temperatures (this style of cooking has become widely popular throughout Asia). In Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, a popular food item from food vendors is satay, marinated meat on a bamboo skewer grilled over a charcoal fire and served with peanut (sate) sauce.

In Germany, the most prominent outdoor form of grilling is by using charcoal in a kettle. Besides charcoal, sometimes gas and electric heat sources are used, too. Other methods are used less frequently.

When meat is grilled at high temperatures, it becomes contaminated with carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals. (This is not specific to grilling, but also true of high-temperature frying and very high-temperature baking.) The mechanism is two-fold:

1) heterocyclic amines – “HCAs are formed when amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), sugars, and creatine (a substance found in muscle) react at high temperatures.”

2) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – “PAHs are formed when fat and juices from meat grilled directly over an open fire drip onto the fire, causing flames. These flames contain PAHs that then adhere to the surface of the meat. PAHs can also be formed during other food preparation processes, such as smoking of meats.”

However it is possible to significantly reduce carcinogens when grilling meat, or mitigate their effect. For example:

1) garlic, rosemary, basil, mint, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, olive oil, cherries, and vitamin E have been shown to reduce formation of both HCAs and PCAs;

2) pre-cooking in the microwave, then draining meat juices so they do not fall onto flames, preventing release of PCAs;

3) side dishes and drinks rich in antioxidants, such as tea, can neutralize the toxins by mixing in one's stomach.

Grilled foods can be lower in saturated fat, if fat is allowed to drip out after it liquifies.

<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
Steaming	\|	Boiling

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