Kayleigh
here. Every summer, we all look forward to that unique flavor in foods
that can only come from dragging out and firing up the old outdoor
grill. For many, it is the chance to perfect that burger recipe, or to
figure out how to sear that salmon
steak to lock in all the juices. For most, it's a great excuse to have a
few parties and enjoy some outdoor time with good friends and
neighbors. For gluten intolerant folks...those hotdogs look tasty, but
when was the last time that grill was even scraped
down, much less cleaned?
An interesting fact to note- gluten can actually be removed from a surface if it is thoroughly heated for a good length of time, like the cleaning cycle on your oven. Short of requesting that the cook heats the grill up to 500 degrees for a half hour in between their food and yours, the best thing you can do is sacrifice getting pretty grill marks on your food and ask that they cover a small section in aluminum foil to keep your stuff separate from the rest. Bring your own utensils for them to use, to avoid stray crumbs, and make sure the cooked food goes straight onto your plate and skips the serving tray. It may sound a little pushy, but it is a lot better to be safe than to get glutened and have your buddy feel bad about it.
We do have some good news out of this- there are loads of good gluten free cookout foods available pretty much everywhere. Most sausages are completely gluten free, and will often say so pretty predominantly on the front of the label. Gluten free preformed hamburgers can be a little trickier to find, but looking for ones that are labeled as 100% beef can quickly narrow down the playing field, so you just need to check the back to make sure their facility did not contain wheat products. As for veggie burgers, most of the main brands are unfortunately out, but a trip down the organic/natural foods aisle should grant you at least one safe variety. Finally, fresh produce should be entirely safe, and most common condiments are as well (just double check the label). Do stay away from the teriyaki burgers (unless they were made specifically with gluten free sauce), and opt out any spice mixes that you do not get to okay in advanced- stick with the one ingredient spices.
Finally, as with making all gatherings safely gluten free, try to get anything you want from buffet-style tables first, before they can get cross contaminated through people double dipping or spilling a few crumbs here and there. If you brought a dish to share, save out a little portion for yourself in another container just in case. And offer to bring your own buns or bread, so the host does not need to get anything special for you- you probably already have some on hand anyways. Worst comes to worst, you can always use a bed of lettuce or tortilla chips on the plate and take a fork to it.
An interesting fact to note- gluten can actually be removed from a surface if it is thoroughly heated for a good length of time, like the cleaning cycle on your oven. Short of requesting that the cook heats the grill up to 500 degrees for a half hour in between their food and yours, the best thing you can do is sacrifice getting pretty grill marks on your food and ask that they cover a small section in aluminum foil to keep your stuff separate from the rest. Bring your own utensils for them to use, to avoid stray crumbs, and make sure the cooked food goes straight onto your plate and skips the serving tray. It may sound a little pushy, but it is a lot better to be safe than to get glutened and have your buddy feel bad about it.
We do have some good news out of this- there are loads of good gluten free cookout foods available pretty much everywhere. Most sausages are completely gluten free, and will often say so pretty predominantly on the front of the label. Gluten free preformed hamburgers can be a little trickier to find, but looking for ones that are labeled as 100% beef can quickly narrow down the playing field, so you just need to check the back to make sure their facility did not contain wheat products. As for veggie burgers, most of the main brands are unfortunately out, but a trip down the organic/natural foods aisle should grant you at least one safe variety. Finally, fresh produce should be entirely safe, and most common condiments are as well (just double check the label). Do stay away from the teriyaki burgers (unless they were made specifically with gluten free sauce), and opt out any spice mixes that you do not get to okay in advanced- stick with the one ingredient spices.
Finally, as with making all gatherings safely gluten free, try to get anything you want from buffet-style tables first, before they can get cross contaminated through people double dipping or spilling a few crumbs here and there. If you brought a dish to share, save out a little portion for yourself in another container just in case. And offer to bring your own buns or bread, so the host does not need to get anything special for you- you probably already have some on hand anyways. Worst comes to worst, you can always use a bed of lettuce or tortilla chips on the plate and take a fork to it.
Jason here. I’m pretty lucky in that sausage hot dogs are my
favorite cookout food. They are easy to find in a variety of different
flavors, so getting two or three means pretty much everyone will find
something they enjoy. I love getting together with
some friends, so bringing a sheet of tinfoil and some gluten free buns
is never an issue.
On the days where the cookout gets rained out, be sure to have a
backup plan. Sometimes it’s as easy as throwing the sausages in the oven
or stovetop, but other times it takes a bit more creativity. I’ve found
that brining some nacho’s with salsa or cheese
dip to be a great back up plan. They can be picked up last minute from a
grocery or convenience store, and require zero prep. If you have a
little extra time, you can always throw to together some homemade dip.
Our friends always seem to enjoy it when we bring
over our spinach queso dip.
No matter what your style, don’t let gluten scare you away from spending some times with your friends and enjoying a cookout.
No comments:
Post a Comment