The Key to a Safe Gluten-Free Memorial Day BBQ
By Bridget
With Memorial Day weekend upon us, everyone across the country is dusting off their white shoes and barbecues. The smell of a fired up grill always brings me right into summer mode. Between the grilled chicken, burgers, and veggies, outdoor cooking is synonymous with warm weather vacation. Unfortunately for gluten-free eaters, there is gluten lurking in many of these summertime favorites. So how do we still enjoy the weekend without fearing the hidden sources of gluten? Here are some simple ways to keep your eyes open to what does (and doesn’t!) have gluten!
- Beware of marinated chicken. Sadly, barbecue sauce has caramel food coloring in it, one of the trigger phrases for potential gluten threat. Instead of marinating your chicken in BBQ sauce, try making your own dressing and marinate the chicken overnight. My favorite recipe, (called “Newport Chicken,” which probably screams beach to people from New England to Southern California!) consists of 2 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, basil, garlic, and pepper to taste. Just be sure that your balsamic vinegar is just that, and doesn’t contain any other fillers or isn’t confused with “malt vinegar.” This recipe is one of the easiest to mix up, and gives chicken a great and light “summery” taste!
- Double-check those burgers! Unless you’re buying freshly ground beef, a lot of companies include breadcrumbs in their patties to help fill them out and keep the flavor palatable. Veggie burgers often do this too, containing hidden trace amounts of gluten that can certainly ruin your summer feast. If you’re not looking to buy fresh beef and form your own burgers (or just want to try the veggie version), check out Dr. Praeger’s line of frozen foods. They have a huge line of dedicated gluten-free products, and don’t use any “fake foods,” so you’re sure what’s in your burger!
- Watch out for dogs! Sadly, hot dogs are pretty much stuffed with anything and everything. From caramel food coloring to filler grains, most of these are definitely NOT gluten-free. My advice would be to reach for the chicken or gluten-free burger, just to be sure that you wont start feeling that dog before the end of the party.
- If you need to, be cautious of cross contamination. Although gluten-free eaters suffering from an intolerance can be a little more flexible on this front, the Celiac’s out there have to be very careful about their food being cooked alongside the gluten-filled versions. The easiest way to cut down on any potential hazards is to use aluminum foil. While you may not get those beautiful grill marks across your veggies and chicken (they’re carcinogenic anyway!), you can rest assured that your food is being cooked with no risk of illness!
As you head out to a BBQ party this weekend, have these tips in mind for keeping your grilling safe and your stomach happy.
What other things have you discovered over your years of being gluten-free? Any other good chicken recipes or ways of getting your whole party eating gluten-free without even knowing it?
Is their a GF Restaurant Guide for those traveling in Europe?
Caramel food coloring is practically always made from corn in the US. I’ve never in my 11 years of being gluten free I’ve never heard of it being made from barley/malt without it being stated in the ingredients. If those fillers in hot dogs are made from wheat they MUST state it. Again they usually state in the ingredients list if barley, malt or rye are used.
At barbeques I’m more concerned about cross contamination. Foil keeps your food safe on the grill, but watch out for all those potluck dishes that might be ok until someone mixes up the servig utensils.
Boy, did I learn about hot dogs the hard way! I used to just look for things like soy sauce, and the more obvious! I don’t know what was in the all beef dog I ate a couple of months ago, but I paid for it! Fortunately, we have a natural meat market whose dogs are okay.
You can always be the host or hostess of a BBQ and therefore have the control over the menu. Or you can communicate with the cook that invites you to their BBQ. There are so many products available. You can chose from Applegate Farms, Aidell’s sausages (some, not all), Coleman Naturals and Jennie-O Turkey franks to name a few for gluten free hot dogs. The same goes for BBQ sauces. Bullseye Original BBQ sauce, Kraft Original sause, Stubb’s BBQ sauce and Bone Sucking’ Sauce are just examples of gluten-free sauces. Do your research and you will have an authentic American BBQ! And don’t forget Udi’s or Canyon Bakehouse buns.