Cooking With Propane

Grilling Safety Tips

Food safety is just as important as safe care and maintenance of your grill. To prevent foodborne illnesses, the Partnership for Food Safety Education recommends following these simple steps when grilling:

• When shopping, buy cold food like meat and poultry last, right before checkout.
• Separate meat and poultry from other food in your cart to prevent cross-contamination.
• Keep meat and poultry refrigerated or frozen until ready to use. If you won't be using the meat within 1-2 days, then freeze it.
• Meat and poultry should be completely thawed before grilling so it cooks more evenly. Meats can be thawed in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave, but never on the counter. Meats thawed in the microwave should be used immediately.
• Marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If you want to use the marinade on your cooked meats, make sure it is brought to a rolling boil first.
• Before preparing any food, wash your hands and cooking surfaces with soap and water.
• Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and ready to eat foods.
• Don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry.
• Always use a meat thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal temperature -- 160°F for hamburgers, medium steaks, pork, and other meats and 180°F for poultry. Seafood should be opaque and flake easily. Remember to wash the thermometer with soap and water after each use. NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later. While 57% of consumers listed food safety as their primary concern, only 14% regularly use a meat thermometer when grilling.
• Grilling grates must be hot (at maximum temperature for at least 10 minutes) for proper grilling.
• Hot grates will sear the meat, keep the juices inside and prevent it from sticking when turning it over. If it sticks, it's not ready to be turned over.
• After cooking, it is important to clean the grill, even if it doesn't look dirty. Leave the grill on high heat for 10 minutes then scrape away the charred remains finishing with a wire brush. Allow to cool and wipe lightly with vegetable oil to help prevent sticking next time.