5 Tips to Keep Your Fourth Safe and Delicious
The Fourth of July! It’s time for barbecues, get-togethers and big meals. And if you just happen to be the chef-in-charge, the last thing you want to do is spoil the party by making everyone sick.
So you need to cook safely to make sure you don’t accidentally invite unwanted guests — bacteria like salmonella, listeria, E. coli or others that can cause food-borne illness.
Here are five helpful tips from the County Department of Environmental Health: Plan Ahead, Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.
PLAN AHEAD:
- Before you start cooking, decide how much food you can safely serve. For example, figure out how much cooking and refrigerated space you have to work with. You don’t want meats and perishables (like Aunt Elaine’s potato salad) sitting out — on the counter at room temperature or outside in the heat — where bacteria can grow quickly. You do want to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
- If you have to defrost meats, fish or poultry, give yourself enough time to safely defrost them slowly in your refrigerator. (Defrosting in the open air or in still water spurs bacterial growth.)
- Have your meat thermometer ready.
- Always buy food from a safe source, such as a market or restaurant.
CLEAN
- Don’t let bacteria into your meal. Wash your hands before and after handling food, or when switching tasks or food types.
- Thoroughly rinse raw fruits and vegetables.
- Wash and sanitize counters, food prep areas, cutting boards and the equipment you’re using before and after preparing your meal.
SEPARATE
- Keep fruits and vegetables separated from raw meat products.
- When defrosting meats and poultry, put them on a plate or pan at the bottom of your refrigerator to safely thaw so that they don’t drip on other food.
- Try to use separate cutting boards for meat and produce — fruits and vegetables. If you can’t, make sure you thoroughly wash your cutting board between uses with hot, soapy water.
COOK
- When you’re cooking meat, use your meat thermometer to make sure the meat is being thoroughly cooked, inside and out. This can be especially important if you’re barbecuing because meat and poultry can brown fast on a grill and look like it’s thoroughly cooked before it’s ready. Ground meat and sausages should register 155 degrees internally; beef, pork and ham roasts should register 130 degrees internally for 112 minutes; and poultry should register 165 degrees.
CHILL
- Keep cold foods cold — keep meat and poultry refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. If you’re barbecuing, keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to put it on the grill. When you’re using a cooler, don’t place it in direct sunlight; keep it in the shade. Only open the cooler when you have to because it lets the cold air out and warm air in. Put beverages in one cooler and meats, poultry and other perishables in another.
For more information and food safety tips, go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service’s Food Safety Education Web page or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.