The Big Safety Precaution To Remember When Grilling Fruit

When it comes to grilling, there are many options beyond meat. Along with burgers, hot dogs, and chicken, you're also free to toss some fruit on your grill to give it a sweet, caramelized flavor and perfectly seared texture. Like all other grilling endeavors, safety is of the utmost importance when grilling pineapples, melons, peaches, and other tasty fruit. To this end, there's one crucial safety factor to remember.

The high concentration of water within fruit can pose a major hazard if you don't give it time to cool down after grilling. This water can become a bubbling cauldron inside the fruit, and biting into it immediately may result in serious burns. Accordingly, you must practice some patience and allow your grilled fruit skewers to cool on a plate before sampling them. There's no hard and fast rule on how long to wait, but about two minutes should be sufficient. You can also cut into the fruit to determine its temperature before popping the tasty morsel into your mouth.

Grilling fruit may also burn your fingers and hands if you don't have one essential grilling tool at your disposal. Tongs are key for safely grabbing fruit from a hot grill, but they also allow you to flip items for even doneness. When shopping for grilling tongs, choose a pair with long handles to keep your hands safeguarded against the heat. Never attempt to grab fruit or other foods from the grill with your bare hands, as you're likely to experience a painful injury.

In addition to potential burns, grilling fruit and vegetables comes with the risk of foodborne illness due to bacteria and other germs. That's why it's recommended to wash all produce before placing it on the grill. After washing, fruits and veggies must be thoroughly dried prior to grilling, to remove excess water and to ensure that any lingering germs have been eliminated. You should also avoid common mistakes when washing fruits and vegetables – like not washing your hands first — to ensure grilled produce is sanitary.

While safety is crucial when grilling fruit, finding the perfect pairings is another important consideration. If you're grilling stone fruit, such as apricots or peaches, cheese is an excellent pairing selection. The mild, sweet flavor of stone fruit melds beautifully with punchy blue cheese, and the combo can be seasoned with basil and served atop crusty bread. If you'd like a less bold flavor, consider pairing the fruit with camembert. This cheese possesses an earthy, fruity flavor that is an excellent match for a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of rosemary.

When it comes to grilled watermelon, this versatile fruit is perfect for both sweet and savory preparations. For example, grilled watermelon steaks can feature additions like feta cheese, sea salt, and balsamic reduction, which serve as a nice complement to the tempered sweetness of the melon. As for grilled pineapple, the smoky flavor of the fruit can be amplified with just a touch of hot sauce. If you prefer a sweet preparation, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter create a gorgeous glaze for the fruit. Here's to a summer filled with tasty grilled fruit, made with safety in mind.