Grilling - Safety First - And enjoy Kabobs!

Grilling brings us back to the primitive origins of cuisine and provides an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, friends, and fine food all at once. Historically, the grill or fire pit has held an important place in virtually every country and culture. In our busy, modern lives, grilling celebrates the delightful simplicity and naturally bold flavors that Harter House Supermarkets provide, and allows us to explore flavors of the world, with ethnic ingredients from Harter House World Flavors, without leaving our own backyards.

Safety First

• Thaw and marinate all foods in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
• Marinate all foods in a non-reactive container. No aluminum or plastic.
• Keep raw meat and other poultry away from other foods.
• Always use a clean plate. When taking foods off the grill, never put it on a plate that previously held raw meat.
• Do not use a marinade or juices from raw meat, poultry or seafood as a sauce unless you bring it to a boil for two full minutes first.
• Never leave grilled foods out longer than two hours; only one hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90 F.

Tips for Prepping and Heating the Grill

• Clean your grill, especially the rack, before each use.
• Oil the rack prior to heating to prevent sticking. Keep a spray bottle filled with canola oil handy in case of unexpected sticking.
• The area of the fire needs to be wider than the area of food you're grilling. If you are cooking a variety of items using charcoal, pile coals at different levels to achieve the right level of heat for each item.
• Preheat your charcoal grill and don't skimp on the charcoal. Light the coals at least 30 minutes before you plan to begin cooking. Do not put foods on the grill until the fire dies down to glowing coals. (Real hardwood charcoal will always have a flame, even when ready.)
• Even gas grills need to preheat. Turn on the flame at least 15 minutes before putting food over the fire. This will help to warm up the grate and stabilize the temperature of the grill environment.

Let's Grill Something!
Kabobs!! These are a great way to stack all of your favorite foods on one stick for grilling. Here are some ti[p to help you grill up your stack:

• Use a direct heat method for grilling Kabobs.
• Soak wooden or bamboo skewers in water for an hour prior to using them to prevent them from burning or catching fire.
• Cut foods into similar-sized oieces to ensure even cooking.
• When grilling seafood based Kabobs, consider skewering your seafood and veggies separately, so they can be added to the grill at different times. (Seafood cooks faster than most other foods.)
• Alternate different shaped foods on each skewer to help prevent Kabobs from rolling on the grill.

Let our experienced Meat Cutters at Harter House help make suggestions and answer any questions you may have!
Please share with us your favorite Kabob Recipes!