The skinny on grilling

Without counting too many grams, here's how to create healthful dishes.
By ROBIN MATHER JENKINS
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
HEN GRILLING SEASON ARRIVES, SOME PEOPLE WANT inch-thick, juicy sirloins. Others want half-pound burgers, dripping with rosy red juices.
The rest of us -- perhaps those of us with better sense? -- want the good flavors of grilled foods without the guilt of too much fat and cholesterol. We want grilled foods, yes, but we want healthful, lean grilled foods.
If, as some estimates say, nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight, then lean grilling literally can be a lifesaver. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that being overweight is a risk factor for or associated with heart disease, stroke, hypertension, some kinds of cancer, diabetes, psychological disorders, high cholesterol -- the list goes on and on. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates the direct and indirect costs of obesity at some $117 billion.
The American Medical Association's recent criticisms of salt's effects on health may also compel us to rethink what's for dinner. Altogether, lean grilling has some fresh appeal.
Getting it right
The catch is that grilling, as a high-heat cooking method, plays havoc with the lean meats we want to grill. Less fat means less room for error; an overcooked boneless, skinless chicken breast is a beastly thing, not a thing of beauty.
So we asked some pros to share their secrets:
Steven Raichlen is a barbecue genius and author of a zillion books on grilling and healthful eating; his latest book is "Raichlen on Ribs."
Cheryl and Bill Jamison are authors of another zillion books on grilling and healthful eating; their newest is "The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & amp; Entertaining."
Don Mauer is a syndicated newspaper columnist and author. His newest book is "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grilling."
They had ideas.
First, try less familiar cuts.
"Pork tenderloin!" said Cheryl Jamison, a Galesburg, Ill., native who now lives in Santa Fe, N.M. "It's very lean, and you can sauce it with any barbecue sauce. It can satisfy that very meaty desire. For us, it's one of the things that comes out best on the grill." Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the tenderloin, she said. "Roll it around over high heat, about four minutes to a side, then finish it over medium heat for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness. We like to cook it to 155 degrees, so it's a little pink still at the center."
Figure that each tenderloin will serve two to three people, she said.
"Pork loin!" concurred Raichlen, whose "Barbecue University" airs at 2 p.m. Saturdays on WTTW-Ch. 11. "Butterfly it open, spread it with a paste of salt and pepper and rosemary and oil, then fold it up, tie it and spit-roast it so it bastes in its own juices."
What works
Jamison and Raichlen both pointed out that it is easy to carve off slices of either tenderloin or loin, if you would rather cook chops than the whole piece.
"Shellfish!" said Mauer, who lives in North Carolina. "Shrimp is incredibly lean."
Mauer said he likes to "cook shrimp in the shell. Just split the shell down the back, remove that vein if you want to, and sprinkle a little seasoning in there. Close the shell back up. The shell protects the shrimp from the high heat of the grill. Over a medium-high fire, shrimp usually takes only two to three minutes per side."
Skewer the shrimp, Mauer said, because the little bit of moisture in soaked wood skewers helps keep the shrimp moist. Run the skewer through each shrimp twice, once near the head and once near the tail. Push the shrimp snugly together, again to preserve moisture. "They're done the second they turn pink -- they continue to heat up after you take them off the grill."
Mauer also likes mussels on the grill. "Farm-raised mussels are reasonably priced," he said. "The shell does exactly what it does for the shrimp: protects against the heat. They even have their own pop-up timers. When the shells open, they're done. If most are open but a few are not, throw the unopened ones away."
Keep it tender
If beef is what's for dinner, then consider something beyond sirloin.
"Flank steak is so good on the grill because it has those big broad surfaces to get crusty," Jamison said. "And you can use a lot of interesting rubs on it."
"Tenderloin is the leanest, but it's not my favorite because it doesn't have much flavor," Raichlen said. "New York strips are good, better (for you) than rib-eyes. Skirt steak is even better. Maybe people might reduce their portion size, but keep the excitement that they get from grilling, and continue the excitement by grilling their vegetables too."
All the pros also like poultry for the grill.
It is easy to find "turkey burgers, turkey cutlets and turkey tenderloins these days," Jamison said. "They grill well and have a good amount of flavor. I think they have more flavor than chicken.
"With the turkey cuts, we'd cook over medium heat, not high heat, and make sure the turkey comes off at the proper time," Jamison said. "We give turkey cutlets about six to eight minutes total; the turkey tenderloins we would give 12 to 14 minutes. They'll serve one to two people."
Or buy the whole boned turkey breast, Raichlen said. "You can use it to make steaks or shawarma (a kind of kebab)."
Mauer said he also likes boneless, skinless chicken thighs on the grill. "They're perfect, because they've got just enough fat to grill beautifully."
Taken all together, that's more than a dozen fresh ideas for easy -- and lean -- summer suppers. Build in variety by varying rubs, sauces and marinades, and you have enough options for the rest of the season.
GRILLED MUSTARD-TARRAGON SEA SCALLOPS
("Ask your fish market for 'dry' scallops, which feel a touch tacky rather than watery," write Bill and Cheryl Jamison in "The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & amp; Entertaining." "Dry scallops will look naturally creamy and the (phosphate-solution) treated ones blindingly white.")
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup each: Dijon mustard, tarragon or white wine vinegar, fresh chopped tarragon, olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 pounds medium to large sea scallops
Coarse salt
Puree the wine, mustard, vinegar, tarragon, oil and garlic in a blender or food processor. Place the scallops in a large food storage bag; pour in the marinade. Seal; turn to coat scallops evenly. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Prepare a grill for high heat. Place an oiled mesh grill rack over the cooking grate. Drain the scallops, discarding the marinade. Pat the scallops lightly with paper towels to dry. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Grill the scallops on the rack until opaque with a few browned edges, about 2-21/2 minutes per side.
Yield: 6 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 183 calories, 31 percent of calories from fat, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 370 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber.
SWEET AND GARLICKY PORK CHOPS
We substituted bone-in chops for the thick boneless chops Steven Raichlen suggests in "The Barbecue! Bible." Toasted sesame oil is found in specialty stores and the Asian aisle of most supermarkets.
1 head of garlic, broken into cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons each: honey, rice wine
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger root, peeled, grated
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 bone-in center-cut pork chops, about 11/2 pounds, trimmed of fat
Combine garlic and sugar in a mini-chopper or food processor; process to a paste. (Or pound to a paste in a mortar and pestle.) Add the soy sauce, honey, rice wine, sesame oil, ginger and pepper; pulse to mix. Spread the mixture over both sides of the chops. Cover; refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Heat the grill to high. Remove chops from marinade, discarding marinade; pat chops dry. Grill until browned on one side, 3 minutes; turn. Grill until browned on other side, about 4 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 251 calories, 31 percent of calories from fat, 9 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 69 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 385 mg sodium, 0.2 g fiber.
PAPRIKA-RUBBED FLANK STEAK
"The broad surfaces of flank steak provide ample opportunity for adding flavor, paprika in this case," write Bill and Cheryl Jamison in "The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & amp; Entertaining," from which this recipe is adapted. "Because the seasoning is so integral to the dish, make sure you're using sweet, rather than hot, smoked paprika."
1 tablespoon each: smoked sweet paprika, coarse salt
11/2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
2 flank steaks, about 11/4 pounds each
Combine paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl; rub over the steaks. Set aside 30 minutes.
Prepare a grill for a two-level fire capable of cooking first on high heat, then on medium heat. Grill the steaks until browned, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side; move the steaks to medium heat. Turn again; grill 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, turn more often if juice begins to form on the surface.
Remove from grill; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 5 minutes; carve across the grain into thin slices.
Yield: 10 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 174 calories, 43 percent of calories from fat, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 43 mg cholesterol, 0.5 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 743 mg sodium, 0.3 g fiber.
FOUR-PEPPER CHICKEN KEBABS (KAFTA)
The Chicago Tribune staff loved these kebabs of ground chicken shaped around a skewer. "This recipe was inspired by a dish I had in Detroit's Fendi restaurant, which is owned by Chaldeans, Iraqi Christians," writes Steven Raichlen in "The Barbecue Bible." "For milder kafta, use sweet paprika; for spicier, use hot."
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon each: freshly ground pepper, hot or sweet paprika, ground cumin
3 tablespoons each: finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, minced green bell pepper, minced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Prepare a grill for high heat. Combine the chicken, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and cumin in a food processor; pulse to a coarse paste. Pulse in the parsley and bell peppers. Do not puree. Place the chicken mixture in a bowl.
Divide the chicken mixture into 4 equal portions. Lightly wet your hands with cold water; mold one portion onto a metal skewer with hands, forming a flattened sausage about 12 inches long and 3/4-inch thick. (If using bamboo skewers, soak at least half an hour before using to keep them from burning on the grill.) Place each kebab on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap.
Brush the kebabs lightly with some of the oil; place skewers on grill, oiled side down. Grill until browned, about 3 minutes. Brush with the remaining oil; turn. Grill until cooked through, 2-4 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 160 calories, 36 percent of calories from fat, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 639 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.