Whether I am grilling for family, friends, or just for Lisa, I know how easily I am distracted from personal safety while near the grill. Many of us have grown up with open air barbecues our whole lives, but we forget the real dangers that come with operating a grill ourselves. DENNIS’ TOP 5 GRILL SAFETY TIPS Fire Up the Grill — Safely!
I have been a “Taste of Home” subscriber for decades now, and their recipe for Southwest Burgers is one of our summertime favorites! Southwest Burgers LISA’S KITCHEN
INGREDIENTS
• 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles • 4 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp chili powder • 3/4 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 2 lb lean ground beef • 3/4 lb bulk pork sausage
4. Top each burger with a cheese slice. Grill 1-2 minutes longer or until cheese begins to melt. 5. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and salsa. Yield: 8 servings • 1 large tomato, sliced • 1 or 2 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced • Salsa • 8 slices Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese • 8 hamburger buns (toasted, if desired) • 8 lettuce leaves
Before firing up your favorite steak, here is how to stay safe on a grill — especially with little ones nearby.
No. 1: Position the grill a safe distance away from your home and potential hazards . Make sure the grill is several feet away from your home’s siding and deck railings as well as any overhanging branches, lawn games, play areas, or foot traffic. No. 2: Never grill indoors! Arizona is pretty hot, but taking the grill inside to enjoy the air conditioner is not a good move. Not only does grilling pose a fire hazard to your garage or enclosed spaces, but you also run the risk of exposing yourself and others to carbon monoxide poisoning. No. 3: Mind your distance and flammability. The last thing you want is to forget you have spilled an alcoholic beverage on your sleeve! To be safe, do not wear loose clothing while cooking at the grill, and always use long-handled grilling tools to give yourself plenty of clearance from heat and flames. No. 4: Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below the grill. This will prevent the fat in the hot grill from igniting and causing hazardous bursts of flames. No. 5: Never add lighter fluid to an already lit fire. When you do this, the flame can travel quickly into the lighter fluid container and cause an explosion. No. 6 (bonus): Dedicate the grill’s 3-foot radius area as a kid-free zone. Make sure there are no lighters or matches in easy reach for children, either, in case they want to invent their own grill nearby! With summer temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees F in Arizona, you avoid grilling to stay cool, which is not the case at my house; I fire up the grill 2–3 times every week! Lisa and I love BBQ chicken, filet mignon, and kabobs on the grill. One of my favorite recipes is Lisa’s Southwest Burgers — see the recipe on this page to try them for yourself!
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. 2. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture. Mix well. Shape into 8 patties. 3. Grill patties, covered, over
medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160 F.
I hope these tips help keep you, your loved ones, and your home safe this summer. Grill away, my friends. I will be doing just the same!
–Dennis Jones
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Extraordinary Realtors
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