Food Safety
Food safety is an important part of enjoying the outdoor cooking experience. To keep food safe
from harmful bacteria, follow these four basic steps:
Clean:
Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot soapy water before and after handling raw
meat and poultry.
Separate:
Separate raw meats from ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross contamination. Use a
clean platter and utensils when removing cooked foods.
Cook:
Cook meat and poultry thoroughly to kill bacteria. Use a thermometer to ensure proper
internal food temperatures.
Chill:
Refrigerate prepared foods and leftovers promptly.
How to Tell if Meat is Grilled Thoroughly
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Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a meat
thermometer to be sure food has reached a safe internal temperature and cut into food to
check for visual signs of doneness. NOTE: Do not cut into food while it is on the grill's
cooking surface. This may damage the cooking surface. Move food to a plate to check,
then return it to the cooking surface if necessary.
•
Poultry should reach 180° F; breasts, 170° F. Juices should run clear and flesh should not
be pink.
•
Hamburgers made of any ground meat or poultry should reach 160° F, and be brown in the
middle with no pink juices. Beef, veal, lamb, steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to
145° F. All cuts of pork should reach 160° F.
•
NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later. Cook food completely to
destroy harmful bacteria.
•
When reheating takeout foods or fully cooked meats like hot dogs, grill to 165° F, or until
steaming hot.
Grill2Go Express • 27