27
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.
For more information call: USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at
1-800-535-4555 In Washington, DC (202) 720-3333, 10:00 am-4:00 pm EST
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.
Cooking Time
55-60 min
45 min
30-40 min
35-45 min
15-20 min
Food
Vegetables
Wrap vegetables in foil
Baking potato, whole
Onions, whole
Tomatoes, half
Corn, whole
Mushrooms
Setting
Low
Low
Medium
Low
Medium
