CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Every year, many people across the U.S. fire up the grill or smoker to celebrate Independence Day, but before you start barbecuing, 12 News spoke with officials from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to get tips on how to protect yourself from foodborne illnesses.
According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, there are four food safety steps everyone should follow when cooking outdoors or away from the safety of a clean kitchen: USDA Public Affairs Specialist Jesus Garcia told 12 News the first step is cleanliness.
“Always wash your hands before and after touching raw meat or poultry. You’re going to be handling a lot of meat when you’re near the grill, and raw meat and poultry have a lot of juices that can cause bacteria, so you should always wash your hands before and after handling them,” Garcia said.
Garcia also said people should have a source of water and some sort of cleaning product, such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes or alcohol, nearby so they can wipe down their hands or any utensils or dishes that have come into contact with raw meat or poultry.
Fourth of July fireworks in north-central West Virginia
“The next step is to use two cutting boards, one for prepared foods like salads, cheeses and breads, and one for cutting raw meats and poultry. You want to avoid raw meat juices getting into your salad,” Garcia says.
The third step is cooking. Garcia said to make sure the internal temperature of everything you grill or smoke reaches a safe temperature. According to the USDA, whole meats like steaks and pork chops need to reach 145°F. Ground meats like hot dogs, burgers and sausages need to reach 160°F, and ground or whole chicken needs to reach 165°F.
“The final step is to cool it. Don’t leave food outside for more than two hours if the temperature is over 90 degrees. If the weather is hot that day, try to only leave it outside for an hour. Always have a cooler nearby and place any leftover food in that cooler for safe keeping,” Garcia said.
The USDA also wants to remind people that because smokers cook at a lower temperature than grills, if you plan on smoking meat or poultry, it’s important to thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking. Garcia says it takes 24 hours to safely thaw 5 pounds of meat in the refrigerator.
If you have any questions about food safety, please call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 anytime, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
