Healthy grilling for 4th of July weekend

Posted by Mike Mathers on

I figured everyone could use these tips for the holiday weekend.  I put up a couple of recipes from Inside Out Cheeseburgers, to Beer Barbeque Chicken.  This link also shows you grilled salmon, grilled steak and a meat free menu for the vegetarian.   Okay im going to get some lunch because this guy is starving, hope you enjoy these recipes! http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/parties/barbecue-grilling/healthy-grilling-menus?gt1=47042

Inside- Out Cheeseburgers

Why put the cheese on top of the burger when half of it just melts off? Instead, form the burger around the cheese so you can char the meat and safeguard the more delicate flavors. Use any mixture of hard or semihard cheeses — Emmentaler and Gouda or Asiago and Parmigiano-Reggiano also pair well.

Serves: 4 Edit

Total Time: 35 min

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 15 min

 

Ingredients

U.S. Metric Conversion chart

  • 1/4 cup(s) shredded Cheddar cheese

  • 1/4 cup(s) shredded Gruyère cheese

  • 1 pound(s) 90%-lean ground beef

  • 1 tablespoon(s) Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika

  • 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler.

  2. Combine Cheddar and Gruyère in a small bowl.

  3. Gently mix beef, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.

  4. To grill: Lightly oil the grill rack. Grill the stuffed patties over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Be sure not to press the burgers as they cook or they'll split open and the cheese will ooze out.) To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. In either case, let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving

 

Beer-Barbecued Chicken

Here's our spin on the roast-a-chicken-on-top-of-a-can-of-beer technique that's popular with barbecue aficionados. To simplify things, we just pour a little beer inside the chicken as it cooks. The beer keeps the meat juicy and a smoky-flavored spice rub both under and over the skin gives it extra flavor. Barbecuing poultry with the skin on helps prevent the meat from drying out. To keep calories and fat in check, remove the skin before serving.

 

Serves: 6

Total Time: 1 hr 45 min

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon(s) smoked paprika (see Tips & Techniques)

  • 2 teaspoon(s) dried oregano

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

  • 1 teaspoon(s) packed dark brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground chipotle chile (see Tips & Techniques)

  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper

  • 1 (4-pound) chicken

  • 1 bottle(s) (12-ounce) beer, preferably pale ale or American lager, divided

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  • Preheat a gas grill (with all burners lit) to 400°F or build a fire in a charcoal grill and let it burn down to medium heat (about 400°F).

  • Combine paprika, oregano, salt, brown sugar, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle chile, and pepper in a small bowl.

  • Remove giblets from chicken (if included) and trim any excess skin. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat. Rub the spice mixture under the skin onto the breast meat and leg meat, a little on the skin and inside the cavity. Tuck wings under the body and tie the legs together with kitchen string.

  • If using a gas grill, turn off one burner (leaving 1 to 2 burners lit, depending on your grill). If using a charcoal grill, move the coals to one side. Wearing an oven mitt, carefully place a drip pan under the grill rack on the unheated side. Place the chicken breast-side down on the rack over the pan. Pour half the beer into the cavity (it's OK if some drips out into the drip pan).

  • Close the lid and roast undisturbed for 45 minutes.

  • Turn the chicken breast-side up. Pour the remaining beer into the cavity. Cover and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 30 to 45 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes before removing the string and carving.

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