There is nothing like cooking outside when summer temperatures make heating up the kitchen unbearable. Using your outdoor grill is a great way to spend time outside, minimize clean-up inside, and entertain your guests. However, there are two important safety issues you should keep in mind when planning your next cookout.
Fire
Any kind of cooking presents a potential fire hazard. Grilling can be dangerous: cooking outside, socializing with guests, and making sure you have everyone’s order can be distracting. Watch out for children who may get too close to the grill since the outside of the grill can get very hot. Whether using a gas, charcoal, or electric grill, be sure you have enough room around the grill so that nothing can catch fire. Watch out for overhanging branches, awnings, and pine straw, which is highly flammable. If you’re using a charcoal grill, use only starter fluid that is made especially for charcoal, never gasoline or kerosene (which will make your food taste terrible anyway). Pretreated charcoal briquettes are a good alternative to starter fluid. A dirty grill can lead to flare ups as old food catches fire, so be sure that you give the grill a good scrub before you get cooking.
Food safety
Food poisoning can be serious. In the summer, especially, bacteria can grow quickly in food that is not kept at the appropriate temperature. Of course you should be concerned that meat is cooked thoroughly, but don’t forget about condiments and side dishes, too. Keep any food that you’re preparing to cook or serve chilled and covered up while it is outside or just leave it in the refrigerator until the last minute. Make sure that you have time to thoroughly cook food without rushing the process. Don’t rely on visually checking whether meat is done: use a meat thermometer and know the correct temperature your meat should reach. Remember that cooking temperatures vary from beef to chicken to pork. If you want to use a marinade as a sauce, boil it first. Bacteria from uncooked meat can remain in the marinade, but boiling it for a few minutes will kill any lingering bacteria. Finally, keep your utensils clean and don’t use the same cutting board for meats and vegetables.