Flavor and technique matter, but food safety is nonnegotiable. A few simple habits can prevent the kind of cookout that guests remember for the wrong reasons. Donald W. Schaffner, PhD, a distinguished professor of food science at Rutgers University, recommends these essential practices for safe outdoor cooking.
DO:
- Use a clean plate for cooked meat.
- Keep two sets of tongs, one for raw and one for cooked food.
- Invest in a tip-sensitive digital thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the meat to test for doneness.
- Cook ground meats to at least 160 degrees F. Poultry and processed meats should be cooked to 165 degrees F; red meat and fish should reach 145 degrees F. For a complete temperature chart, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
- Cool leftovers uncovered in the refrigerator in shallow containers no deeper than 2 inches until chilled. Then cover.
DON’T:
- Place cooked meat back on a plate or platter that held raw meat.
- Use the same tongs for handling raw and cooked food.
- Assume a burger is done by color alone — always check with a thermometer.
- Let food sit in the danger zone (40 to 140 degrees F) for more than two hours total.
Comments (0)