Summertime and the [Safe] Grillin' is Easy

National Barbecue Month may be coming to a simmer, but Memorial Day weekend marked the unofficial start to summer - a season many Americans celebrate with barbecues, bonfires, and other activities that involve food.

While the warmer weather conditions are optimal for outdoor dining and cookouts, they also present the perfect environment for pathogens and other bacteria in food to quickly reproduce and cause foodborne illness. It is important to remember that just as with cooking indoors, there are fundamental ground rules that should be kept in mind to ensure grilled food safely reaches the plates of you and your loved ones. Here are some guidelines from a national food poisoning lawyer that will help protect you, your family and friends from foodborne illness through the end of May and the upcoming warm-weather months:

Thaw thoroughly.

Completely thaw meat and poultry prior to grilling to ensure your food cooks more evenly.

Marinate carefully.

Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on kitchen counters or outdoors. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, poultry and cubed meat or stew meat can be marinated up to two days; beef, veal, pork, and lamb roasts, chops, and steaks may be marinated up to five days. Additionally, if you plan to use the marinade as a sauce on cooked food, set a portion of it aside before putting raw meat and poultry in it.

Grill immediately following “partial cooking.”

Partially cooking food in the microwave, oven, or stove is an efficient way of minimizing grilling time. However, if you choose to do this, immediately move the food to a hot grill to continue cooking after it is heated.

Cook food completely.

In order to destroy harmful bacteria, cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature. Use a thermometer to ensure the food has cooked thoroughly.

Keep the heat.

Food deemed “ready” should be kept hot until served - at 140 °F or warmer - by moving it to the side of the grill rack and away from the coals. Doing this will keep the food hot but will prevent it from overcooking.

Serve with safety.

Do not reuse platters or utensils - have clean serveware ready grill-side to handle your food. Using the same platters or utensils that once held raw meat or poultry allows any harmful bacteria present in the raw meat juices to potentially contaminate safely cooked food. During the summer months, when temperatures exceed 90 °F, food should never sit out for more than one hour.

Clean with caution.

Use a moist cloth or paper towel to clean the surface of the grill before cooking, as wire bristles from grill cleaning brushes may dislodge and stick into food on the grill. If you use a bristle brush to clean your grill, check the grill’s surface before cooking and confirm that no detached bristles have entered into grilled food.

Following these safety tips and incorporating them into your grilling routine will greatly reduce the chances of foodborne illness ruining your next barbecue. Additional food safety tips beyond the grill can be found in this Guide to Preventing Foodborne Illness. It offers shopping suggestions, food handling help, and cooking cues that work for you all year long.