Food Safety Tips for Outdoor Cooking

Nobody wants a friend, neighbor or loved one to get sick from eating their barbeque  delights.  To prevent this we must fight the invisible enemy -- bacteria. The following tips have been gleaned from the USDA’s booklet on safe food handling.

 Cooking for Groups:

      1.  Cleaning – Wash hands and surfaces often.

a.     Wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food.

b.    Use paper towels or clean cloths to wipe up spills.

c.     Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go to the next item.

2.     Thawing – Never defrost food at room temperature. Thaw food:

a.     In the refrigerator.

b.    In the microwave, but cook immediately.

c.     In water, completely submerged. Change H2O every 30 min.

3.     Marinating – To tenderize or add flavor.

a.     Always in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

b.    Use food grade plastic, stainless steel or glass containers.

c.     Don’t reuse marinade on cooked meat unless boiled first.

d.    Never reuse marinade for other foods.

4.     Separating – Don’t cross contaminate.

a.     Always use a clean cutting board.

b.    If possible use one cutting board for produce and a different one for meat.

c.     Replace worn or excessively grooved cutting boards.

5.     Cooking – Cook to minimum temp and holding time below.  Food should not be tasted until it reaches a safe internal temperature.

a.     165 F (hold 15 min.)

                           i.      Poultry

                           ii.      Soups, stews

                            iii.      Stuffed meat, poultry, fish.

                           iv.      Leftovers.

b.    155 F 

         i.      Hamburger, other ground meats.

c.     145 F (hold 15 min.)

                           i.      Beef, Pork.

                           ii.      Ham Roasts (hold 4 minutes)

                           iii.      Fish, shellfish.

d.    140 F (hold 15 min)

                            i.      Ham, other roasts – processed, fully cooked (to reheat).

                            ii.      Fruits and vegetables that are cooked.

6.     Chilling – Use the refrigerator.

a.     Don’t overfill the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate.

b.    Divide food and place in shallow containers.

c.     Remove any stuffing before chilling.

d.    Cover and label. Include preparation date on the label.

7.     Re-heating 

a.     Heat commercially vacuum sealed, ready-to-eat food to 140F.

b.    Reheat foods that have been cooked and cooled to 165 F.

c.     Reheat sauces, soups and gravies to a boil.

8.     Transporting 

a.     Hold all hot food at 140 F or above.

b.    Hold all cold food at 40 F or below.

9.     Finishing up 

a.     Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

b.    Immediately refrigerate or freeze remaining leftovers in shallow containers.

For more information visit:

Food Safety and Inspection Service at: www.fsis.usda.gov

Partnership for Food Safety Education at: www.fightbac.org

Some of our other Special Friends :   

                     National BBq News                

Stay tuned for the latest escapades of the Sorry Boys! There's no telling what we'll try next!  Stop back often for more  tips, tricks, and secrets.  Order more sauces and seasonings.  We will be  adding new information and more recipes on a regular basis, or when we  remember. 

 Our special thanks to Brenda Lee for the Sorry Boys theme song.  We're Sorry Brenda!  You could only be apologetic.  That sure would change things! 

Yeah,  I know   .....   They don't call us the Sorry Boys for nothing! 

Remember ......      It is what it is!    Sometimes things are exactly as they appear.

Of all the things in this life that I've lost.  It's my mind that I miss the most.......... 

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Last modified: February 14, 2010