Burgers, chops, brats, steaks and chicken will all be making headline appearances at your backyard bbq festivities this weekend and throughout the summer, but don't let tag along bacteria play a supporting role and ruin your get together. Food poisoning is a traumatic thing to endure (speaking from personal experience) and there are several steps you can follow while preparing your food that will keep it safe and delicious!
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| Image courtesy Colorado State |
Here are five tips to keep your backyard bbq safe from food borne pathogens:
- Keep meat and other refrigerated products at proper temperatures when not cooking. That means keeping them OUT of the DANGER ZONE by storing cold foods below 40F.
- Cook all meats to the proper internal temperature and use a food thermometer!
- Ground meats - 160 F
- Whole muscle beef, pork, lamb cuts (steaks, chops) - 145 F
- Poultry - 165 F
- Egg dishes - 160 F
- Use separate utensils and cutting boards for cooked meat and raw meat. And don't share utensils between fresh/raw produce and raw meats without washing with hot soapy water.
- Bacteria can easily be reintroduced to food after it is cooked. To store leftovers, put them in a shallow container for quick cooling and then into a fridge at 40F or lower.
- Still hungry? Grab the leftovers but make sure you heat them to 165 F before chowing down!
You can learn more about food safety and food-borne illness prevention by visiting the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service website.
Have a safe and happy weekend,
Brandi
