Barbecues are one of the best parts of summer. If you haven’t yet uncovered your grill for the season, here’s the prefect reason to: A barbecued chicken sandwich to suit all tastes.
Living in a part of the world where we can enjoy the coming and going of all four seasons, presents us with the opportunity to also enjoy the culinary expectations of each of the seasons.
Spring and summer in Atlantic Canada bring the much-anticipated first tastes of the season-fresh maple syrup, rhubarb sauce made with the first tender tart stocks, juicy red strawberries ready to be eaten by the handful-and the ritual of the first time that the barbecue is fired up in anticipation of months of outside cooking. There is something particularly appealing about the taste of food cooked on the barbecue.
So many meals can be prepared in part or in whole on the barbecue that choosing is often the biggest challenge. Do you want the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs, steak, chicken, seafood or grilled vegetables? (Not to mention the added bonus that barbecuing helps keep the house cool and the cook gets to enjoy being outdoors with everyone, as opposed to alone inside in the kitchen.)
Chicken and barbecuing just seem to go together. Perhaps it’s the huge variety of sauces and marinades that can be used on chicken legs, wings, boneless skinless chicken breasts and burgers. Or it could it be the wide range of spices and herbs that can be drawn on to reflect a variety of cultural influences to suit everyone’s taste from mild and sweet to hot and spicy.
Take a barbecued chicken breast. It can be tucked into a bun and dressed to suit kids of all ages when served with a salad or simply served sliced with grilled fresh seasonal vegetables for entertaining. If there happens to be leftover chicken, cut it into strips or chunks that can be added to a salad, sandwich or wrap for lunch the next day.
Barbecuing tips
- To prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill, either rub cooking oil on the grill or use a commercial spray.
- Keep the meat moist by using tongs, rather than a fork, to turn the chicken, keeping the natural juices inside.
- Baste with sauce or marinate only during the last portion of cooking to prevent the chicken from browning too quickly on the outside before cooking through on the inside.
- Have you noticed that barbecuing during damp, windy or cool weather may add to the normal cooking time
A little care (to prevent big problems)
With warmer temperatures and outside cooking, extra care must be taken to ensure that the food we eat is safe. Here are a few tips for safe food handling.
Keep it clean. Thoroughly wash hands and surfaces with hot soapy water, before, during and after handling raw poultry, meats or seafood. Sanitize countertops, cutting boards and utensils with a mild bleach solution (1 teaspoon [5 mL] bleach to 3 cups [750 mL] hot water).
Keep it separate. To prevent cross contamination, keep raw poultry, meat and seafood away from other food (cooked or raw) during storage and preparation. Use separate cutting boards for poultry, meat and seafood and for fruits, vegetables and breads. Before marinating, reserve ½ cup (125 mL) of marinade for basting purposes and discard the rest after marinating is complete.
Temperature control. Keep cold food cold and hot food hot. Keep poultry, meat and seafood in the refrigerator while gathering and preparing (dicing, cutting, chopping) other recipe ingredients, thus allowing food to be prepared quickly. Serve hot food hot and cold food cold. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.
Time it right. When grocery shopping, pick up poultry, meat, seafood, dairy and frozen foods last before heading to the checkout. Refrigerate or freeze meat immediately when you get home.
Chicken know-how
- Fresh chicken should be refrigerated and used within one to two days.
- Freeze fresh chicken in portions to suit your needs for up to six months.
- For single serving, wrap chicken breasts individually in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer bag. This makes removing the required number of breasts a snap. Fresh chicken breasts can also be cut into strips that can be frozen in family size portions and quickly thawed and sautéed for use in pasta, stir-fry or casserole. These quick and easy tricks are a great way to take advantage of sale-priced fresh chicken.