Foods

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Douglas and Sarpy Counties

Food Safety

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Food Safety During Grilling Season

To help you enjoy summer, here are a few tips for safe grilling the next time you fire up the grill.

Preparation:

	Completely thaw meat in the refrigerator prior to cooking. Frozen foods do not grill evenly and may be unsafe.
	Clean up juice spills to eliminate cross contamination. If you use a dishcloth, you will need to clean it in hot soapy water before using it again.
	Make beef patties ½ inch thick by 4 inches in diameter. The NCBA advises that it will take 11 to 13 minutes to cook to a safe temperature over ash-covered coals.
	Marinate foods in the refrigerator. Don't use sauce that was used to marinade raw meat or poultry on uncooked food, unless boiled before reapplying.

Grilling:

	Checking the temperature of your grilled food is the most accurate way to tell if it is safe to eat.
	Cooking is key to making meat and poultry safe to consume. Heat the grill to kill microorganisms before placing meat and poultry on it.
	Use of tongs or spatula to turn steaks rather than a fork that punctures the meat and introduces bacteria into the interior of the meat is recommended.
	Cook foods completely at the picnic site. Partial cooking of foods ahead of time allows bacteria to survive and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking may not destroy them.
	Place cooked meat on a clean plate to avoid cross contamination.
	Discard food left out for more than two hours or one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees F.
	Whole Poultry 180 F Breast Meat 170 F
	Ground Beef Patties 160 F
	Steaks Medium Rare 145 F Medium 160 F Well Done 170 F

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