BBQ Food Safety

Keep these tips in mind to prevent a case of foodborne illness:

From the Store:

• When you’re food shopping for your BBQ, make sure to buy cold foods right before checking out.
• When placing meats in your cart, separate raw meat and poultry from other foods.
• Place every package of raw meat into plastic bags to prevent the juices from contaminating other foods.
• Drive directly home from the store, to ensure that the foods aren’t kept from refrigeration for too long. If the trip will involve pit stops, it might help to bring a cooler with ice to help keep the meats cold.

At Home:

• Place all meats in the refrigerator immediately.
• Freeze meat and poultry that won’t be used within 1 or 2 days.
• Freeze other meat within 4 to 5 days.
• Completely thaw all meats before they go on the grill, to ensure thorough even cooking.
• Practice safe thawing methods in the refrigerator or in cold running water.
• Microwave foods only if they will be immediately placed on the grill.
• When marinating:
  • Make sure you marinate meats in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
  • Poultry and cubed or stewed meat can be marinated for up to 2 days.
  • Beef, veal, pork, and lamb cuts may be marinated for up to 5 days.
  • If saving marinade for later use, reserve a portion of the marinade before placing raw meat in it to prevent cross contamination from raw to cooked foods.
  • If the marinade comes in contact with raw meat with intentions of being used on cooked foods as a sauce, bring the marinade to a boil first to destroy any harmful bacteria.

Transporting the Food:

• When carrying food to another location, make sure to keep it cold to minimize any bacterial growth.
• Use an insulated cooler with ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 degrees or lower.
• Pack food straight from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home.
• Pack perishables and non-perishables in separate coolers.
• Avoid opening the lid of the cooler too often, and keep it out of direct sunlight to keep the temperature constant.

Cleanliness:

• Be sure to have plenty of clean platters and utensils.
• Use separate platters and utensils for raw and cooked meats and poultry.
• If away from home, pack wet towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands.

Cooking:

• NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later.
• Meat and poultry often browns very fast on the outside, and can be an inaccurate indicator of whether it is safe to eat. Use a food thermometer to be absolutely sure.
• Safe minimum temperatures:
  ~ Beef, veal, lamb cuts: 145 degrees F (medium rare); 160 degrees F (medium)
  ~ Hamburgers made from ground beef: 160 degrees F
  ~ Pork: 160 degrees F
  ~ Poultry: 165 degrees F

Reheating:

• When reheating fully cooked meats, grill to 165 degrees F or until steaming hot.

Keeping Hot Food Hot:

• After foods are completely cooked, keep them hot until served, at 140 degrees F or warmer.
  You can do this by keeping already grilled foods on the side of the grill to prevent them from overcooking. In the home, they can be kept in a 200 degree F oven, in a chafing dish, slow cooker, or warming tray.

Leftovers:

• Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers to evenly cool the food.
• Discard all food left out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if in hot weather)

Reference: USDA

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