Everyone loves a good BBQ, however, you should take a few precautions to minimise the amounts of carcinogens (chemicals associated with increased cancer risk) produced when char-grilling protein-rich foods such as meats and fish:
- try pre-cooking meats so that they have less cooking time on the BBQ
- cook more vegetables and fruits as they don’t produce the same carcinogens as meat and fish
- make kebabs which require less cooking time
- pound thicker meats such as chicken breast so that they require less cooking time (see paillard of chicken recipe below)
- use marinades with a base of vinegar or lemon juice to reduce the amount of carcinogens that stick to the meat. Watch out though as sugary marinades can encourage charring!