Chillin' and Grillin' Perfect Mix for Holiday

By 250 News

With a day off,  and if the weather holds out, this could be a perfect recipe for a backyard bar-b-que.  That's why the Northeern Health Unit is passing along some tips on grilling to make sure its a happy and healthy activity.  No one wants to ruin their long weekend wrap up with a case of food poisoning.

Common bacteria in meat can turn your grilled meal into a painful one with symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting from E. coli (hamburger disease) and salmonella poisoning. Hamburger disease can even lead to kidney failure.

Some simple ground rules will  help you to avoid illness.
Before grilling:

• When shopping, buy meat and poultry last, right before checkout. Refrigerate or freeze the meat as soon as possible after buying.
• Thaw and marinate meat in the fridge, not on the counter.
• Completely defrost your meat before grilling so it cooks evenly.
• Thoroughly wash hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap before preparing any food, after handling raw meat, and after using the toilet.
• Don't use the same utensils and platters for both raw and cooked meat. Disinfect all utensils, cutting boards and counters (use a solution of 5 ml of bleach to one litre of water) to prevent bacteria from raw meats contaminating other foods.

During grilling:

•  Thoroughly cook the outside of all solid cuts of meats (steaks, roasts, chops, etc.)
•  Cook ground beef (hamburger patties, meat loaf, etc.) until the center is brown, not pink, and juices run clear. The middle of the patty must reach at least 68º C (155º F) for a minimum of 15 seconds.
• Thoroughly cook poultry so that the middle of the thickest piece of meat reaches at least 74º C (165º F) for 15 seconds or longer. Juices should run clear with meat pulling easily from the bone. The meat should not be rubbery.
• Serve cooked meat right away, or keep it hot (above 140º F or 60º C) until ready to serve.
• Refrigerate leftovers right away. Throw out any food left out for more than two hours.
  
  

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