How to Grill Safely

The summer season is still upon us and if you are anything like our staff, we’re certain that you love to grill outdoors.  Hot dogs, burgers, corn, leeks, you name it…we love it grilled.

With all these crazy recalls going on, how do you make sure you are lowering the risk of food borne illness?

Here are some quick and easy tips to keep you happy and healthy.

Keep it Clean: Clean and disinfect all cooking and cleaning surfaces and make sure to wash  your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water (at least 20 seconds before and after touching food).  Anything that comes into contact with raw meat materials should be washed repeatedly.

Use Ingredients Promptly: Use your meats within two days of purchase, if you are not going to use them within that time, freeze them for later use.

Use your Fridge: Marinate all your foods in the fridge, leaving foods to marinate outside your refrigerator is a surefire way to invite food borne illness to your party.

Keep things separate: Keep meats away from each other and other non-meat ingredients. Buy cutting boards for each type of ingredient (one for fish, chicken, pork , beef and non-meat products). This will lower the chances of spreading germs and bacteria between ingredients. Stay away from wood cutting boards, these can harbor bacteria.

Check Your Temperature: The best way to make sure any bacteria in your meat is kaput is by checking temperature. Get yourself a reliable kitchen thermometer.  Steaks, roasts, chops and fish should read 145°F for internal temperature. Ground beef should be at 160°F, be extra careful with frozen hamburgers patties, these will take longer to reach the ideal temperature. Make sure to check various spots on your burger, it may not cook evenly.  For chicken (other birds) and hot dogs make sure to check for a temperature of  165°F.

Refrigerate: In the summer it is really important to put perishables away, if these items sit outside for more than 2 hours, you are putting yourself and your guests at danger. If it is more than 90°F don’t let anything sit out more than one hour. Bring a cooler, refrigerate or freeze leftovers asap and throw out anything that has sat out too long.

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