Be Food Safe While Barbecuing

Barbecue season is upon us as the weather warms up. The warm weather not only offers us an enjoyable environment to cook and eat with family and friends, but also presents opportunities for bacteria that can cause foodborne illness to thrive. Following some simple guidelines will protect yourself, family and friends during the warm-weather months from foodborne illness while barbecuing.

• Thaw Safely

  • Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly.  Use the refrigerator or thaw sealed packages in cold water.  For quicker thawing, microwave on defrost if the food will be placed immediately on the grill. 

• Marinating

  • Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. 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. If the marinade used on raw meat or poultry is to be reused, make sure to let it come to a boil first to destroy any harmful bacteria.

• Leftovers

  • Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Discard any food left out more than two hours (one hour if temperatures are above 90°F).

• Cook Thoroughly

  • Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria.  Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature. 

    • Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F.

    • Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb and veal to an internal temperature of 160°F.

    • Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F.

• Keep Everything Clean

  • Do not use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. If you are eating away from home, find out if there is a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning or use moist towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands.

Visit www.foodsafety.gov/keep/events/summervacations for more information on how to  keep food safe this summer. For more information or to report a possible foodborne illness, call the North Dakota Department of Health at 701.328.2378 or 800.472.2180, or visit www.ndhealth.gov/disease/GI.

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Copyright © 2010 North Dakota Department of Health

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