Cooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends. Now more 

than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year round. So whether the snow is 

blowing or the sun is shining brightly, it’s important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent 

harmful bacteria from multiplying and causing foodborne illness. Use these simple guidelines 

for grilling food safely.

From the Store: Home First 

When shopping, buy cold food like meat 

and poultry last, right before checkout. 

Separate raw meat and poultry from other 

food in your shopping cart. To guard against

cross-contamination -- which can happen 

when raw meat or poultry juices drip on 

other food -- put packages of raw meat and 

poultry into plastic bags. 

Load meat and poultry into the coolest part 

of the car and take the groceries straight 

home. In the summer, if home is more than 

a 30-minute drive away, bring a cooler with 

ice and place perishable food in it for the 

trip. 

 

At home, place meat and poultry in the 

refrigerator immediately. Freeze poultry and 

ground meat that won't be used in 1 or 2 

days; freeze other meat within 4 to 5 days. 

Defrost Safely 

Completely defrost meat and poultry before 

grilling so it cooks more evenly. Use the 

refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw 

sealed packages in cold water. You can 

microwave defrost if the food will be placed 

immediately on the grill. 

Marinating

Meat and poultry can be marinated for 

several hours or days to tenderize or add 

flavor. Marinate food in the refrigerator, not 

on the counter. If some of the marinade is to 

be used as a sauce on the cooked food, 

reserve a portion of the marinade before 

putting raw meat and poultry in it. However, 

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.

Transporting

When carrying food to another location, 

keep it cold to minimize bacterial growth. 

Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or 

ice packs to keep the food at 40 °F or 

below. Pack food right from the refrigerator 

into the cooler immediately before leaving 

home. Keep the cooler in the coolest part of 

the car. 

Information for Consumers April 2003

Food Safety

and Inspection 

Service 

Barbecue Food Safety
Keep Cold Food Cold 

Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until 

ready to use. Only take out the meat and 

poultry that will immediately be placed on 

the grill. 

 

When using a cooler, keep it out of the 

direct sun by placing it in the shade or 

shelter. Avoid opening the lid too often, 

which lets cold air out and warm air in. Pack 

beverages in one cooler and perishables in 

a separate cooler. 

Keep Everything Clean 

Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils 

and platters. To prevent foodborne illness, 

don't use the same platter and utensils for 

raw and cooked meat and poultry. Harmful 

bacteria present in raw meat and poultry 

and their juices can contaminate safely 

cooked food. 

If you're eating away from home, find out if 

there’s a source of clean water. If not, bring 

water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack 

clean cloths, and wet towelettes for cleaning 

surfaces and hands. 

Precooking 

Precooking food partially in the microwave, 

oven, or stove is a good way of reducing 

grilling time. Just make sure that the food 

goes immediately on the preheated grill to 

complete cooking. 

Cook Thoroughly 

Cook food to a safe internal temperature to 

destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry 

cooked on a grill often browns very fast on 

the outside. Use a food thermometer to be 

sure the food has reached a safe internal 

temperature. Whole poultry should reach 

180 °F; breasts, 170 °F. Hamburgers made 

of ground beef should reach 160 °F; ground 

poultry, 165 °F. Beef, veal, and 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. 

Reheating 

When reheating fully cooked meats like hot 

dogs, grill to 165 °F or until steaming hot. 

Keep Hot Food Hot 

After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, 

keep it hot until served – at 140 °F or 

warmer. 

Keep cooked meats hot by setting them to 

the side of the grill rack, not directly over the 

coals where they could overcook. At home, 

the cooked meat can be kept hot in a warm 

oven (approximately 200 °F), in a chafing 

dish or slow cooker, or on a warming tray. 

Serving the Food 

When taking food off the grill, use a clean 

platter. Don't put cooked food on the same 

platter that held raw meat or poultry. Any 

harmful bacteria present in the raw meat 

juices could contaminate safely cooked 

food. 

In hot weather (90 °F and above), food 

should never sit out for more than 1 hour. 

Leftovers 

Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in 

shallow containers. Discard any food left out 

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more than 2 hours (1 hour if temperatures 

are above 90 °F). 

Safe Smoking 

Smoking is cooking food indirectly in the 

presence of a fire. It can be done in a 

covered grill if a pan of water is placed 

beneath the meat on the grill; and meats 

can be smoked in a "smoker," which is an 

outdoor cooker especially designed for 

smoking foods. Smoking is done much 

more slowly than grilling, so less tender 

meats benefit from this method, and a 

natural smoke flavoring permeates the 

meat. The temperature in the smoker 

should be maintained at 250 to 300 °F for 

safety. 

Use a food thermometer to be sure the food 

has reached a safe internal temperature. 

Pit Roasting 

Pit roasting is cooking meat in a large, level 

hole dug in the earth. A hardwood fire is 

built in the pit, requiring wood equal to 

about 2 1/2 times the volume of the pit. The 

hardwood is allowed to burn until the wood 

reduces and the pit is half filled with burning 

coals. This can require 4 to 6 hours burning 

time. 

Cooking may require 10 to 12 hours or 

more and is difficult to estimate. A meat 

thermometer must be used to determine 

the meat's safety and doneness. There 

are many variables such as outdoor 

temperature, the size and thickness of the 

meat, and how fast the coals are cooking. 

Does Grilling Pose a Cancer 

Risk? 

Some studies suggest there may be a 

cancer risk related to eating food cooked by 

high-heat cooking techniques as grilling, 

frying, and broiling. Based on present 

research findings, eating moderate amounts 

of grilled meats like fish, meat, and poultry 

cooked -- without charring -- to a safe 

temperature does not pose a problem. 

To prevent charring, remove visible fat that 

can cause a flare-up. Precook meat in the 

microwave immediately before placing it on 

the grill to release some of the juices that 

can drop on coals. Cook food in the center 

of the grill and move coals to the side to 

prevent fat and juices from dripping on 

them. Cut charred portions off the meat. 

 

For further information, contact: 

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 

(toll-free nationwide) 

1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) 

 

1-800-256-7072 (TTY) 

E-mail: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov

FSIS Web site: www.fsis.usda.gov 

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