As we continue our tailgating safety series, it is important for the safety article to start narrowing its focus on one of the most popular and major aspects of tailgating – grilling. Grilled food is a beloved favorite with regards to tailgating.
Some of your guests will want to eat continuously while others will eat and run. Therefore, it is great to have options for both. Different types of grilled meats, as well as vegetables on hand, support these options. So as we stated last week, pre-planning is critical. Safety awareness must be a part of this pre-planning.
Let’s review some grilling safety measures to incorporate in this process before, during and afterwards:
- Grilling accessories are a requirement such as tongs, a spatula and a meat thermometer. Always wash utensils, cutting boards, and other surfaces every time raw meat comes in contact with them.
- Wash your hands before and after touching raw meat and dry them with paper towels versus a dishtowel which will hold germs. Whether you’re the cook or a guest, make sure you wash your hands multiple times during the day. If there is a restroom on-site, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If there is not a bathroom nearby, use hand sanitizer. It helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
- Stock up on paper goods such as towels, plates, napkins, cups and utensils. You want to have lots of paper plates on hands, so you never make the mistake of placing grilled meat on a plated that once held raw meat.
- Pack your raw meat into individual containers. This avoids you accidentally mixing, for example, the beef with the chicken. Place the containers in an ice-packed cooler until you are ready to grill.
- Designate one cooler to store extra bags of ice so you will always have enough on hand to keep your raw meats cold. The desired temperature for your meat is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to be considered safe!
- Keep drinks and other snacks in a separate cooler.
- Throw away spoiled foods that have been sitting out for longer than 2 hours because food safety is key, especially when you are hosting a party (tailgating) outdoors in warm weather. Perishable foods have a short shelf life before bacteria develops that could cause food poisoning to grow.
Grilled foods are extremely delicious and a sports fan’s favorite at a tailgate but, it is vitally important you Keep an Eye on Safety throughout the entire grilling process.
