Can you serve up a safe barbecue?

April showers bring May flowers, along with barbecue season! The season's warmer weather makes it a great time to be outdoors, but it also means there are increased food safety risks with the higher temperatures. Follow these tips to prepare, cook, and serve up a healthy barbecue:

1. At the store, buy raw meat, poultry, and fish last. Refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours (within 1 hour when it is 90°F or warmer outside).
   
   
2. Follow the thaw law. Always thaw frozen foods, especially meat, in the refrigerator. 
   
   
3. Marinate foods in the refrigerator. Reserve some of the marinade before adding meat for later use. Do not taste or reuse the marinade after raw meat has been added. 
   
   
4. Don't cross-contaminate. Use specific plates and utensils for raw foods, and use separate, clean plates and utensils for cooked foods. Do not place cooked meat or vegetables on the same plate as uncooked foods. 
   
   
5. Cook foods to a safe minimum internal temperature. Check with a food thermometer to ensure foods are fully cooked to the temperatures in the table below.
   
   
6. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours. If it has been longer than 2 hours (1 hour when it is 90°F or warmer outside), throw it out!

 

	Poultry	165°F
	Ground beef	160°F
	Steak/roasts	145°F
	Fish	145°F
	Pork	145°F

 

Need a side dish to accompany your spring barbecue? Try this low-cost, healthy potato salad.

Potato Salad

Makes 6 servings
Total cost: $2.42
Cost per serving: $0.40

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound potatoes (4 medium potatoes)
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, low-fat
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
• Veggie up your potato salad with 1/2 cup crunchy bell peppers and/or 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes.

Directions:

1. Scrub the potatoes, and peel them. 
2. Cut the potatoes unto 1-inch cubes. 
3. Put the potatoes into a saucepan. Cover with water.
4. Bring the potatoes to a boil in on medium heat. 
5. Let the potatoes simmer for 15 minutes until they're soft. 
6. Drain the hot water, and let the potatoes cool.
7. While the potatoes are cooling, peel and chop some onions until you have 1 cup of chopped onions. 
8. Chop the celery until you have 1/2 cup chopped celery.
9. Put the chopped onion and celery in a medium mixing bowl. 
10. Add the mayonnaise and pickle relish. Stir together. 
11. Add the cooled potatoes. Stir again. 
12. Add you favorite veggies (optional). Stir again. 
13. Cover the bowl. Put in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. 

Sources:

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Recipe adapted from What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl