Barbeque Seasons, Safety Tips For Foods,USDA
Barbecue and Food Safety
- Cooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends.
Now more than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year round. So
whether the snow is blowing or the sun is shining brightly, it's important to
follow food safety guidelines to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying and
causing foodborne illness. Use these simple guidelines for grilling food safely - From the Store: Home First
When shopping, buy cold food like
meat and poultry last, right before checkout. Separate raw meat and poultry from
other food in your shopping cart. To guard against cross-contamination — which
can happen when raw meat or poultry juices drip on other food — put packages of
raw meat and poultry into plastic bags.
Plan to drive directly home from
the grocery store. You may want to take a cooler with ice for perishables.
Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. Refrigerate within 1 hour
when the temperature is above 90 °F.
At home, place meat and poultry in
the refrigerator immediately. Freeze poultry and ground meat that won't be used
in 1 or 2 days; freeze other meat within 4 to 5 days. - Thaw Safely
Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling
so it cooks more evenly. Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw
sealed packages in cold water. For quicker thawing, you can microwave defrost if
the food will be placed immediately on the grill. - Marinating
A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce in which a
food is soaked to enrich its flavor or to tenderize it. Marinate food in the
refrigerator, not on the counter. Poultry and cubed meat or stew meat can be
marinated up to 2 days. Beef, veal, pork, and lamb roasts, chops, and steaks may
be marinated up to 5 days. If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on
the cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and
poultry in it. However, if the marinade used on raw meat or poultry is to be
reused, make sure to let it come to a boil first to destroy any harmful
bacteria. - Transporting
When carrying food to another location, keep it
cold to minimize bacterial growth. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice
or ice packs to keep the food at 40 °F or below. Pack food right from the
refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home. - Keep Cold Food Cold
Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until
ready to use. Only take out the meat and poultry that will immediately be placed
on the grill.
When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by
placing it in the shade or shelter. Avoid opening the lid too often, which lets
cold air out and warm air in. Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in a
separate cooler. - Keep Everything Clean
Be sure there are plenty of clean
utensils and platters. To prevent foodborne illness, don't use the same platter
and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Harmful bacteria present in
raw meat and poultry and their juices can contaminate safely cooked
food.
If you're eating away from home, find out if there's a source of
clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean
cloths, and moist towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands.
Precooking
Precooking food partially in the microwave, oven,
or stove is a good way of reducing grilling time. Just make sure that the food
goes immediately on the preheated grill to complete cooking.- Cook Thoroughly
Cook food to a safe minimum internal
temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill
often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food thermometer to be sure the
food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.
MEATS
Cook all
raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal
temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat
from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least
three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference,
consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.
GROUND MEATS
Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of
160 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
POULTRY
Cook all poultry
to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food
thermometer.
NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking
later.
Reheating
When reheating fully cooked meats like hot dogs,
grill to 165 °F or until steaming hot.
Keep Hot Food Hot
After cooking meat and poultry on the
grill, keep it hot until served — at 140 °F or warmer.
Keep cooked meats
hot by setting them to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals
where they could overcook. At home, the cooked meat can be kept hot in an oven
set at approximately 200 °F, in a chafing dish or slow cooker, or on a warming
tray
Serving the Food
When taking food off the grill, use a clean
platter. Don't put cooked food on the same platter that held raw meat or
poultry. Any harmful bacteria present in the raw meat juices could contaminate
safely cooked food.
In hot weather (above 90 °F), food should never sit
out for more than 1 hour.
Leftovers
Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow
containers. Discard any food left out more than 2 hours (1 hour if temperatures
are above 90 °F).- Safe Smoking
Smoking is cooking food indirectly in the
presence of a fire. It can be done in a covered grill if a pan of water is
placed beneath the meat or poultry on the grill; and meats can be smoked in a
"smoker," which is an outdoor cooker especially designed for smoking foods.
Smoking is done much more slowly than grilling, so less tender meats benefit
from this method, and a natural smoke flavoring permeates the meat. The
temperature in the smoker should be maintained at 250 to 300 °F for
safety.
Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe
internal temperature.
Pit Roasting
Pit roasting is cooking meat in a large, level
hole dug in the earth. A hardwood fire is built in the pit, requiring wood equal
to about 2½ times the volume of the pit. The hardwood is allowed to burn until
the wood reduces and the pit is half filled with burning coals. This can require
4 to 6 hours burning time.
Cooking may require 10 to 12 hours or more and
is difficult to estimate. A food thermometer must be used to determine the
meat's safety and doneness. There are many variables such as outdoor
temperature, the size and thickness of the meat, and how fast the coals are
cooking.
Does Grilling Pose a Cancer Risk?
Some studies suggest there
may be a cancer risk related to eating food cooked by high-heat cooking
techniques as grilling, frying, and broiling. Based on present research
findings, eating moderate amounts of grilled meats like fish, meat, and poultry
cooked — without charring — to a safe temperature does not pose a
problem.
To prevent charring, remove visible fat that can cause a
flare-up. Precook meat in the microwave immediately before placing it on the
grill to release some of the juices that can drop on coals. Cook food in the
center of the grill and move coals to the side to prevent fat and juices from
dripping on them. Cut charred portions off the meat.
steve!
