It is estimated that half of all Americans BBQ year round. Whether it’s in the middle of the summer, or the dead of winter it’s important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent foodborne illness. Here are some helpful tips to avoid a potential disaster at your next outdoor festivity:
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1) Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food you cook. Don’t just guess. (Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures: Poultry-165F for 15 seconds, Fish & Pork-145F for 15 seconds, Ground Beef-155F for 15 seconds and Stuffed Proteins-165F for 15 seconds)
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2) Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling.
3) Do not re-use marinades. (You are rolling the dice if you think about reducing the marinade you used for raw proteins to make a sauce for the cooked finished product)
4) Reheat all food to an internal temperature of 165F. (Yes, even the hot dogs)
5) When shopping, buy all cold items like meat and poultry last, right before check out. Plan to drive directly home or to the event from the grocery store.
6) When transporting food, use a cooler packed with ice, keep it out of direct sunlight and be careful of cross contamination from raw animal proteins to ready-to-eat foods. (If raw chicken juice gets on the top of a can of brew it’s a problem)
7) Spray bug repellent downwind away from food.
8) Keep everything clean; do not use the same utensils, platters or containers for handling raw and cooked meats and poultry.
9) Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Discard any food left out for more than 2 hours, 1 hour if the weather is very hot above 90F.
10) When smoking meats or fish, the temperature maintained in the unit should be 250F-300F for safety.
11) Wash hands when necessary, if you’re in an outdoor setting with no bathroom, use bottled water, soap and paper towels. Hand sanitizer is also helpful, but is never a replacement for proper hand washing.
12) If you are intoxicated and starven like Marvin, you may undercook something, give up the tongs home-juice!
Have fun at your next BBQ, stay safe and remember not to invite any pathogenic bacteria. Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella and Shinga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are not the most pleasant guests.
