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.
Your Healthy Grilling Guide
Grilling can produce harmful compounds. Find tips for reducing carcinogens, improving flavor, and adding nutrients to your next cookout at “Your Healthy Grilling Guide,” from which this article was excerpted.
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