With some fine weather here at last (and the World Cup on TV), a barbeque is a great way to spend time with family, friends and neighbours. But just because you are cooking outdoors, don’t let your good cooking habits go up in smoke when you light the barbecue – you want them to go home with memories of a good time, not a tummy bug to remember you by! To make the most of your barbeque, here are some top tips from safefood for how to get it right every time. Before you get grilling Before you begin to set up your barbeque this year and think of your menu, give your barbeque grill a thorough clean by scrubbing the metal rack with a suitable oven cleaner or a damp brush dipped in bicarbonate of soda. And remember to rinse it thoroughly with warm, soapy water afterwards. Keep your cool When cooking and eating outdoors, food is away from your fridge for a longer period of time which can lead to germs multiplying quickly. With this in mind, keep perishable foods like salads coleslaw and quiche in your fridge until you need them. Before you start Before you try your best imitation of a TV chef, make sure frozen foods are fully thawed (preferably in the fridge on the bottom shelf; which may take overnight) before you start cooking them. Keep foods you plan to cook properly chilled in the fridge or a cool box until needed and light your barbecue well in advance. For Charcoal barbeques, the flames should have died down before you start cooking. It’s in your hands As with preparing any food, make sure to wash your hands before and after handling food. Remember to keep raw meat separate from cooked meat and ready-to-eat foods like salads. Always use separate utensils for handling raw and cooked meat when cooking. Never put cooked food on a dish that has been used for raw meat or poultry (unless it’s been thoroughly washed in between) and keep food covered whenever possible. Cook with confidence! The big issue when barbequing is making sure your food has been cooked thoroughly, all the way through. This is particularly important when cooking poultry, pork, minced and skewered meats, such as burgers, sausages and kebabs on the barbecue - while the outside may look cooked (and in some cases burnt), the inside can still be raw. safefood recommends these meats should be cooked until they are piping hot all the way through, with no pink meat remaining and the juices run clear. If you’ve got lots of people visiting your barbeque and want to ensure that meat is thoroughly cooked, why not pre-cook the meat in your kitchen just before you put it on the barbecue for that great flavour. When cooking foods on the barbeque make sure to turn them regularly and move them around the grill to ensure they are cooked evenly on all sides – then remove them from the heat and place them on a clean plate. For meats that need to be cooked all the way through be sure to cut into the centre of them to check that: • They are piping hot all the way through • There is no pink meat left and • The juices run clear Remember - Steaks or whole meat joints of beef or lamb can be served rare as long as they are cooked on the outside as any harmful bacteria will be on the outside only, and not in the centre. Mind that marinade! If you like to marinate your meat, make sure any marinade used on raw meat is not then used as a sauce to coat vegetables or cooked meat as it will contain raw meat bacteria! If you want to use marinade as a sauce, be sure to cook it in a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil before serving it. Love those leftovers If there are any leftovers from your barbeque, these should not be left outside where they may be in the sun and where insects and animals might be able to access them. As with all leftovers, cover these foods and allow them to cool in a cool place (the kitchen) before refrigerating within 2 hours of cooking. The rule to remember for leftovers is - if in doubt, throw them out. 7 golden rules for a safe barbeque Keep perishable foods like salads, coleslaw and quiche in your fridge until you are about to serve them. Burgers, sausages and kebabs, pork and poultry must be cooked all the way through - but steaks or whole meat joints of beef or lamb can be served rare as harmful bacteria are on the outside only (and not in the centre). If you like to marinate your meat, make sure any marinade used on raw meat is not then used as a sauce to coat vegetables or cooked meat as it will contain raw meat bacteria. If you choose to barbecue any frozen food, it must be completely thawed on the bottom shelf of your fridge before you cook it. When handling raw meat and poultry, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, most importantly before going on to prepare salads and other ready to eat foods. Once your meat is cooked thoroughly, make sure to keep cooked meat separate from raw meat and to use separate chopping boards, cooking utensils and plates. Harmful bacteria in raw meat, poultry and their juices can cross contaminate cooked food and lead to food poisoning, something your guests won’t thank you for. If there are leftovers from your barbeque, allow the food to cool before refrigerating, however make sure to refrigerate food within two hours of cooking. Always remember that with leftovers - if in doubt, throw it out. For more information on food safety and healthy eating including recipes, visit safefood.eu or find us on Facebook and enjoy your barbeque, whatever the weather!
Posted on: Wed, 18 Jun 2014 13:22:45 +0000
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