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Top 5 Tips To Master The Healthy Barbeque Trend

Regardless of whether you have ever tried barbequing in your life, you can master the technique with a little bit of research and many trials. The best thing about this is you can start out right with ideas on how to make your barbequed food the healthiest. Grilling food over an open fire is possibly the most archaic cooking method, which was discovered by the early cave dwellers. However, the flavors of Barbeque are still quite popular amongst the foodies today. With the following tips, you can now adapt your new age food with this amazing cooking method. The idea is to stick to a healthy trend even when entertaining a group of friends or just rolling out the grill for your family.

Bold ingredient choices will give you a feisty flavor without adding too many calories

Most people shy away from the thought of healthy barbequing because they are not sure whether the flavors will remain true if you choose a leaner protein. However, if you pick bold ingredients for your sauces, marinades and grilling accompaniment, you can introduce a burst of bold flavors to your barbeque, without stacking up on calories.

•    Molasses are a sticky sweet ingredient, which compliment the smoky flavors of the barbeque. Adding this to your marinades will improve the coating layer on the meat, increasing the flavor post grilling. However, make sure you do not add too much or the protein will burn easily.

•    Tomato paste or sundried tomatoes – Both these ingredients work amazingly well for barbeque marinades. They contain the right amount of acidity to make the meats tenderer and still introduce incredible flavors.

•    Soy Sauce – You can use this instead of salt rub for your protein. This goes incredibly well with seafood.

•    Worcestershire sauce – You can add this to your marinades to balance the sweet and sour flavors. They also give a dark texture to the protein when you grill it.

The good fat selection

The highest percentage of calories in your barbequed food comes from the choice of the protein, and the fats associated with the cooking. If you choose a leaner cut of the protein, you are automatically cutting back your calorie intake by 50%. Make sure the visible fat and sinews on the cut is trimmed properly before you start marinating. Seafood is excellent choices for grilling because they are already quite low on fat. Using healthier selection of oils such as olive oil, rice bran, sunflower oil, or sesame oil can further help. You can use them for the barbeque as well as the salad dressing.

Seasoning correctly

Too much salt in your marinades or rubs can lead to water retention and high blood pressure. Instead, swap the salt rub for herbed seasonings. You can prepare your own herb rub by crushing a little sea salt with your choice of herbs – tarragon, basil, lime zest, cilantro, or parsley.

Complement with healthy side dishes

You can easily balance your calorie intake if you introduce healthier side dishes with your main barbeque. So ante up on various salads and even light breads. Introduce more fruits in your salad to increase flavor. You can also use the fruit juices in your salad dressings. Adding nuts and dry fruits to your salad will up the fiber quotient and the flavor.

Grill more vegetables with the protein

Grilled vegetables are extremely healthy, they will increase the nutritional content of your entire meal, and most importantly, they taste amazing. Just use a light coating of the good fats mentioned above and then sprinkle some herbed rub. You can also coat the vegetables in light sauces before placing them on the grill. This type of marinating is light on calories and gives a caramelized flavor to the vegetables that complements the grilled protein flavor.