Grilled to Protection

Memorial Day marks the beginning of grilling season! Grilled food is delicious but, whether you are grilling meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, or fruit, always practice safe food handling procedures before, during, and after grilling. Keep these tips close at hand for the season!

Prep for Success

• Keep meat, poultry, cut vegetables, and seafood in the refrigerator until you are ready to grill.
• Marinate meat and seafood in the refrigerator, never on the counter. If you plan to use the marinade as a sauce, set aside a separate portion before adding raw meat — never reuse marinade that has contacted raw protein.
• Use separate cutting boards, utensils, and platters for raw and cooked items to prevent cross-contamination.
• Keep raw meats separate from ready-to-eat foods at the grill.
• Never partially cook meat ahead of time and finish it on the grill later. Partial cooking can allow bacteria to survive and multiply before the food reaches a safe final temperature.

Turn up the Heat

• Know your safe internal temperatures.
  • Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal should reach 145°F and hold that temperature for at least 15 seconds.
  • Ground meats need to hit 160°F.
  • Poultry — whole bird or ground — must reach 165°F and hold that temperature for at least 15 seconds.
  • Fish and shellfish should reach 145°F and hold that temperature for at least 15 seconds.
  • Fruits and Vegetables — 135°F
• Always use a thermometer to check that food has reached the proper final cooking temperature.

Done with Diligence

• Cooked food should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
  • On hot days — 90°F or above — reduce the safe holding time from 2 hours down to 1 hour.
    • Bacteria multiply rapidly in the heat, and outdoor cookouts are a common setting for foodborne illness.
• Scrape the grill when you are finished, but do not use a brush with metal bristles. The bristles can dislodge from the brush, remain on the grill, and contaminate your food. There are a multitude of non-metal grill brushes on the market in various price ranges. Choose the one that best suits your needs.

With these simple practices in place, your cookouts can be both delicious and safe. Here's to a great grilling season!

Now that grilling is fired up in your mind, check out the recipe of the month! Eat safe. Eat savory. Enjoy the season!

— By Janet Buffer