on Fri, Aug 03, 2007, 4:44 pm PDT
One of the first signs of summer is the smell of foods grilling on the barbeque. But with all the food-safety issues going around nowadays, make sure you are practicing food safety at home.
You can avoid foodborne illnesses with these tips from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
- Use raw ground meat and poultry within one to two days, or else freeze them. Other raw meats should be used or frozen within four to five days.
- Before cooking frozen meats, thaw them completely in the refrigerator or in sealed packages set in cold water. If you choose to defrost meats in the microwave, the food must be grilled immediately upon thawing.
- Always marinate meats in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. And if you want to use the marinade as a sauce for other cooked foods, set aside a portion of it before it comes in contact with any uncooked meat.
- When grilling, always use a food thermometer so you can be sure that meat is fully cooked. Beef, veal, lamb, and seafood need to reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit to be completely safe. Ground beef hamburgers and all cuts of pork should be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. All types of poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the meat is cooked, it shouldn't be left out for more than one hour in warm weather (90 degrees Fahrenheit or more). Throw out food that has sat out for more than two hours.
- When warming up leftovers, heat them to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grilling is a tasty cooking method, so enjoy grilled foods this summer by keeping them safe!
Good post.
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