June 19, 2008

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Next time you fire up the grill, make sure you take steps to grill safely:

Shopping

• Purchase ground meat or poultry no more than a day or two before you plan to grill it; otherwise, freeze it.
• Refrigerate meat immediately when you get home from the store.
• Always store raw meat and poultry below other foods to prevent cross-contamination from the drippings.
• Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees or cooler.

Preparing your food

• Completely thaw meat in the refrigerator, or just before cooking thaw it in a microwave; frozen foods do not grill evenly and may not be safe. It’ll take about 24 hours to thaw five pounds of meat.
• Never defrost meat on the counter – bacteria will begin to grow.
• Marinate meat in the refrigerator.
• For best results, make ground beef patties about ½-inch thick by four inches in diameter, using four ounces of meat; this helps ensure the patties cook thoroughly and evenly.

Grilling

• Use a thermometer to tell if your food is cooked: cook ground beef to 155 degrees and chicken to 170 degrees.
• When grilling with a sauce, you can brush it on the food while it’s cooking, but don’t use the same sauce after cooking if it has touched the raw meat.
• Color isn’t a good indicator of doneness – sauces or spices may make the food look brown before it’s cooked through.
• Use clean utensils and a clean plate for food after it is cooked.

Charcoal grilling: A cancer risk?

According to the American Cancer Society, you may increase your cancer risk by eating too much grilled red meat or chicken cooked on a charcoal grill. Because it appears that well-done or charred meats may pose the greatest risk, the ACS suggests that you:
• Use the grill in moderation.
• Don’t eat blackened or burnt meat.
• Precook meats in the oven or microwave, then finish on the grill for just a few minutes.
• Substitute grilled vegetables or fruits for part of your meal.
• Eat smaller portions of grilled meats.