Grilling, Picnicking, Beach Parties, Luaus and Backyard Summertime Fun!
Here in the good ole' USA, July IS the Fourth of July. Independence Day takes center stage when planning parties and celebrations this month. The collective ooh's and ah's from the large crowds of Fourth of July revelers watching fireworks is both funny and poignant as we celebrate the founding of our country. The theme, colors and even traditional foods and recipes are built right in. Red, white and blue is everywhere!
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Featured Flavor: Chicken Apple
Sweet surprises fill this chicken sausage to the brim with flavor. Made with real golden delicious apples and four different fruit juices this sausage is the "Big Kahuna" of the grill. Chicken apple sausage complements egg breakfasts, summer salads and grill pizza, Smoked Chicken & Apple Pizza with Caramelized Onions, serve it up your favorite way. Need a little adventure? Try them skewered and grilled with jumbo shrimp. Here's the recipe - Grilled Sausage and Prawn Brochettes. Order some now!

More Grilling Tips from Aidells
The best method to test for chicken and meat doneness is the Hand Touch Method. Shake one hand loose so that it is completely relaxed. With your other hand, touch the soft fleshy part of your relaxed hand at the base of your thumb. This soft texture is similar to the texture of a blue rare to rare steak. Now touch your thumb and forefinger together and again touch the base of your thumb. This texture is similar to a medium-rare steak. Next, touch your thumb to your middle finger. This firmer texture is similar to the texture of a medium steak. Next, touch your thumb to your fourth finger. The semi-firm texture at the base of your thumb is similar to a medium-well steak. Lastly, touch your thumb to your pinky finger. The very firm texture at the base of your thumb is similar to a well-done steak. This method of testing for a steak is relatively easy and you will never find yourself looking for a thermometer while grilling. (If you are slow cooking large pieces of meat on the grill, you will need an instant read thermometer to accurately test the internal temperature of the meat!) Here’s a recipe for the instant read thermometer BBQ Stuffed Pork Tenderloin.

Here is a link to San Francisco’s famous Exploratorium, where the professional cook’s hand touch method technique is explored in depth.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of The Link. Kerry L. Heffernan, Executive Chef kheffernan@aidells.com Aidells Sausage Company does not share its consumers’ information with outside parties.