9
Food Safety
• Food safety is a very important part of enjoying the outdoor
cooking experience. To keep food safe from harmful
bacteria, follow these four basic steps:
Clean: Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot soapy
water before and after handling raw meat and poultry.
Separate: Separate raw meats and poultry from ready-to-eat
foods to avoid cross contamination. Use a clean platter and
utensils when removing cooked foods.
Cook: Cook meat and poultry thoroughly to kill bacteria. Use a
thermometer to ensure proper internal food temperatures.
Chill: Refrigerate prepared foods and leftovers promptly.
How To Tell If Meat Is Grilled Thoroughly
• Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on
the outside. Use a meat thermometer to be sure food has
reached a safe internal temperature, and cut into food to
check for visual signs of doneness.
• Whole poultry should reach 180
0
F; breasts, 170
0
F. Juices
should run clear and flesh should not be pink.
• Hamburgers made of any ground meat or poultry should
reach 160
0
F, and be brown in the middle with no pink juices.
Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked
to 145
0
F. All cuts of pork should reach 160
0
F.
• NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later.
Cook food completely to destroy harmful bacteria.
• When reheating takeout foods or fully cooked meats like hot
dogs, grill to 165
0
F, or until steaming hot.
