Adventures in Grilling or Why Mommy is Wearing a Bandage Around Her Hand

By Whitney

by Whitney

Summer reached our neighborhood this weekend, although it is only April. My husband and I found ourselves at a Sunday afternoon barbecue, drinking frosty beverages and watching our kids drop their clothes during the course of the party – a strategy that proved wise as the grand finale for the children was a round of berry-flavored popsicles, best enjoyed as they dripped onto their bare chests.

popsicle

The host manned his large stainless steel gas grill, and provided us with perfectly-cooked cheeseburgers ( called “Recession Burgers” due to their inclusion of a white bread and egg mixture). It wasn’t until most of us had finished eating that I remembered my contribution — the foil-wrapped corn cobs that I’d left in a bag in the kitchen. So I went by myself to add them to the grill, hoping that corn lovers wouldn’t mind eating their cobs as dessert. I grabbed hold of one of the BBQ utensils and … Holy @%$#%@! It had been heated, branding iron-style, by sitting next to the intensely hot grill.

I spent the rest of the evening clutching ice packs and feeling like a foolish toddler. Did I not know better than to give a little finger tip tap to a potentially hot piece of metal before grasping it? Apparently not. And this morning, I can see a lovely 3-inch long blister that I unintentionally applied to the palm of my hand.

The bright side is that a burn that will be healed in a few days is a minor faux pas in comparison to some of the real dangers that grills bring to our backyards. Outdoor fires, or worse, house fires associated with grilling number in the thousands each year. I know that my 89-year-old grandfather grills for himself occasionally (yes, he is a character) and this makes me crazy.

A few safety tips:

Regardless of the type of grill you use, keep your distance. Set up and use the grill at least 10 feet away from your house or other buildings, deck railings and from under eaves and overhanging branches.
Never leave the grill unattended, especially when young children or pets are nearby. Turn off a gas grill when the cooking’s done and take turns being on grill duty so that no one burns out (pun intended) and loses their focus.
Never attempt to restart a charcoal grill by adding additional lighter fluid to an already-lit grill, as this can cause a flare-up.
Have a spray bottle handy to control flare-ups and have a fire extinguisher close by just in case things get out of hand. Remember to use the extinguisher based on the PASS method: Pull pin; Aim at base of fire; Squeeze handle; and Sweep from side to side.
Dispose of charcoal away from kids and pets, and cool it down with a hose. Coals get HOT – up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit!

And my new favorite house rule for BBQs: When grilling use insulated, flame-retardant mitts!

Photo by Birdieann. Some rights reserved. Usage does not constitute photographer’s endorsement.