Barbecue and Food Safety

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.

Plan to drive directly home from the grocery store.

You may want to take a cooler with ice for

perishables. Always refrigerate perishable food

within 2 hours. Refrigerate within 1 hour when the

temperature is above 90 °F.

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.

Thaw Safely

Completely thaw 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

A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce in which a food is

soaked to enrich its flavor or to tenderize it.

Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

Poultry and cubed meat or stew meat can be

marinated up to 2 days. Beef, veal, pork, and lamb

roasts, chops, and steaks may be marinated up to 5

days. 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 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.

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health

agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring

that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products

is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

PhotoDisc
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 minimum 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 minimum internal temperature. Beef, veal, and

lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to 145

°F. Hamburgers made of ground beef should reach

160 °F. All cuts of pork should reach 160 °F. All

poultry should reach a minimum of 165 °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 an oven set at approximately 200 °F,

in a chafing dish or slow cooker, or on a warming tray.

SAFE MINIMUM INTERNAL

TEMPERATURES

Whole poultry 165 °F

Poultry breasts 165 °F

Ground poultry 165 °F

Hamburgers, beef 160 °F

Beef, veal, and lamb

(steaks, roasts and chops)

Medium rare 145 °F

Medium 160 °F

All cuts of pork 160 °F

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 (above 90 °F), food should

never sit out for more than 1 hour.

Food Safety Information 2

Barbecue and Food Safety

Food Safety Information 2
Food Safety Questions?

Leftovers

Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow

containers. Discard any food left out 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 food 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.

REMEMBER!

Always refrigerate perishable food within 2

hours. Refrigerate within 1 hour when the

temperature is above 90 °F.

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.

Barbecue and Food Safety

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised April 2007

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety

purposes. However, the included image from PhotoDisc, used under license, is

protected by the copyright laws of the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere, and may

not be saved or downloaded except for printing of this publication.

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response

system can provide food safety

information 24/7.

www.fsis.usda.gov

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

If you have a question

about meat, poultry, or

egg products, call the

USDA Meat and

Poultry Hotline

toll free at

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854);

TTY: 1-800-256-7072.

 The Hotline is open year-round

Monday through Friday

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ET (English or

Spanish). Recorded

food safety messages

are available 24 hours

a day. Check out the

FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov.

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.