Barbeque Tips
By Tanya Kaplow
Summer is finally here and it is great weather to have a barbeque!
The best way to impress some friends or family is to cook some tasty
meat, whether they are charbroiled steaks, or juicy chicken. Hamburgers
and hot dogs are still every kid’s favorite; just don’t
forget to toast the buns while you’re at it! And if you are
vegetarian it is always nice to roast some veggies on the grill.
For some people, the way that they prepare, cook and store food
can be a tradition passed down from their family. For others they
just read the back of a box to figure it out, or they experiment
until they get it right. There is no wrong way to flip a burger,
but it is important to remember that there are certain methods and
precautions to follow when cooking and storing meat.
You always want to make sure that you cook the meat thoroughly.
There are guidelines for what temperature you should cook meat at,
and it differs depending on what kind of meat it is. One good tip
to follow is to make sure that no pink is in the center of meats.
Chicken for example should be cooked at a temperature of 165 degrees
Fahrenheit. Ground meats like sausage and game animals should be
cooked at 155 degrees Fahrenheit and Beef roasts, pork, lamb, mutton,
and veal should be cooked at 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Other meats
like fish, seafood and eggs should be cooked at 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Using a Meat thermometer is the safest way to be sure that the meat
you make is fully cooked. Meat thermometers can usually be bought
for less than $10 at supermarkets or convenience stores.
Once you have enjoyed the scrumptious meats, you always want to
store the leftovers in the refrigerator or freeze them for later.
Don’t forget that meat should not be left out in the “Danger
Zone” which is between 41 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Once
cooked, food should not be left out for more than 2 hours at room
temperature. Room temperature is the danger zone. If food is left
out for more than 2 hours, it should be thrown out! It is also important
to remember to store the food in the fridge for no longer than 3
days. So enjoy your summer, kick back and relax, but don’t
forget to be safe when you are barbequing!
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