Who doesn’t love a cookout? Summer is prime time for grilling and outdoor gatherings around our favorite summer foods.
Not to rain on your grillin’ parade, but cookouts also can present food-safety issues. Test your knowledge by choosing whether the following statements are true or false:
True or False: “Flames and heat from a gas or charcoal grill burn off germs and bacteria”
False
When it comes to cookouts, keep it clean. The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises scrubbing the grill before use. Follow your usual clean-cooking routines even outdoors while camping or at a picnic. No access to a faucet? Carry bottled water, soap and paper towels. Wash your hands before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Make sure to wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 20 seconds, rinse and dry.
True or False: “Cross contamination at a cookout can make you sick”
True
Harmful bacteria on raw meat can make its way into your meal if you aren’t careful. Avoid cross contamination by separating raw meat from all other foods on cutting boards and plates. Don’t use the same utensils to place raw meat and poultry on the grill and take cooked food off.
True or False: “When grilled properly, burgers, sausages or steaks should be served rare or medium. It’s easy to tell—just look for a juicy, healthy pink”
False
Color is never a reliable indicator of doneness, according to the USDA. Instead, use food thermometers to ensure your grilled food is ready. The USDA recommends cooking meats to the following temperatures for food safety:
Cook whole cuts of meat to 145 F with a three-minute rest time
Cook fish to 145 F
Cook ground meats to 160 F
Cook poultry (ground or whole) to 165 F
True or False: “On a summer day, always follow the ‘two-hour rule’ for serving food”
True and False
This is a bit of a tricky question. The USDA recommends that perishable food (including meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and all cooked leftovers) should be consumed or refrigerated within two hours. But, if the outside temperature is over the 90-degree mark on a hot summer day, the rule changes: Any perishable food should be consumed or refrigerated in just one hour.
Leaving food out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, often called the “Danger Zone.”
Remember: Keep cold food cold and hot food hot. If there’s no refrigeration available, use ice, coolers, or insulated bags that can be kept cold. And if you aren’t sure how long a dish has been sitting, stick to the motto “when in doubt, throw it out.”
True or False: “Grilling is the healthiest way to cook”
True and False
Another tricky one. Grilling can be healthier than breading your food and frying it in hot oil, or adding lots of butter or cream sauces. But it’s also important to note that studies show that it is best to limit our consumption of grilled red and processed meats. They aren’t very good for us in general, but heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals that may pose an additional danger. Grilling muscle meat, including beef, pork, fish or poultry, directly over an open flame and high temperature cause these chemicals to form and have been associated with higher levels of cancer risk.
More tips
For safer and healthier grilling, consider these tips from the Center for Science in the Public Interest:
Start with lean meat and cut off skin and visible fat before you grill.
Microwave meat for 2 minutes before grilling to reduce HCAs by 90%. Pat the meat dry after microwaving so there’s less juice to drip into the grill.
Cook meat longer at a lower temperature by turning the gas down or letting charcoal burn down to the embers.
Put tin foil under the meat and poke a few holes in it to reduce juice dripping into the grill to reduce flame and smoke.
Flip the meat more often. Rapid turning will help prevent HCAs from forming.
Before you eat grilled meat, cut off any charred parts.
4 large bone-in chicken thighs (1 ¾ – 2 pounds), trimmed of visible fat
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 ½ cups corn kernels (from 3 ears corn)
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
3 scallions, sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Directions
Preheat grill to medium
Brush chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle all over with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Place the chicken on the grill, skin-side down, and cook, turning at least once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees F — roughly 23 to 28 minutes
Meanwhile, whisk vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl
Add corn, tomatoes, scallions and basil; toss to coat
Trim the fat off meat before you grill?! Really?? You just cut pff the flavor. If you don’t wantvthe fat, cut it off later. Fry your food in beef tallow instead of vegetable oil, it’s better for you.
Woah
Interesting information
Good info
Great!
thank you
Food safety is important. Food poisoning is rough to have. If unsure. Throw it out!
Trim the fat off meat before you grill?! Really?? You just cut pff the flavor. If you don’t wantvthe fat, cut it off later. Fry your food in beef tallow instead of vegetable oil, it’s better for you.
Thanks
Thank you!!!
Good Info