Easy Tips for Food Safety on Your Grill

We all love our grills! Whether you grill all year long in the rain, snow, and wind or you only get your grill out in the beautiful warm weather, there are a few things you need to pay attention to so your food and families stay safe. Get our easy tips for grilling food safety here!

Easy Tips for Food Safety on Your Grill

{This post is sponsored by Glass Barn. Referral links are used in this post.}

When I’m thinking about grilling, I’m usually thinking about meat. Sure, I’ll throw some veggies on the grill sometimes, but the big deal is always the meat! Whether it’s pork chops, steaks, chicken, or burgers, the meat is always the star on my grill! But that means there are a few things I need to keep in mind when I’m getting ready to cook.

Thaw Food Safely

We have a big stash of meats in our freezer, so defrosting is always the first step in my meal prep. Most things you’ll be grilling will thaw out overnight in the refrigerator – but the key is in the refrigerator! Never thaw meat on the counter! You can use the microwave or a cool water bath, but those should be your last resorts. Keep the meat in a shallow dish or on a plate to contain any possible drips.

Safe Meat Marinating

Marinades are delicious! It’s important to use them the right way. Anytime you’re marinating meat or vegetables, the food should always be stored in the refrigerator. I like to use Ziploc bags when I marinade meats, and I put the bag in a bowl – just in case there are any leaks.

Safe Food Storage

Before you head out to the grill, be sure that your food is stored safely. Raw meats should (of course) be kept in the refrigerator. You can take meat out of the refrigerator up to 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook it – this will take some of the chill off the meat before cooking. But be sure to keep the raw meat on a plate and out of reach of curious children and pets.

Keep Things Clean

If you’re grilling at home, you can probably get to your kitchen sink easily. If you’ll be grilling out at a picnic site, check to see if you’ll have access to running water. If not, bring a bottle of water and some soap for washing hands and utensils.

Once you’ve put the meat on the grill, the utensils and plates you used for the raw meat should be washed. Use clean utensils to handle the meat on the grill, and use clean plates when you take the cooked meat off the grill.

Safe Cooking Temperatures

How can you tell when meats are fully cooked? The best way is by using a meat thermometer. Probe-style instant-read thermometers like this one are perfect for grilling. (Just don’t leave the thermometer in while the meat is cooking!) Here are some cooking temperature guidelines:

Ground beef or pork should be cooked to 160 degrees F
Ground chicken or turkey should be cooked to 165 degrees F
Beef and pork are cooked to “medium” at 145 degrees F
Chicken is fully cooked at 165 degrees F

Visit this article to get more details and download a free printable cheat sheet to keep handy by your grill.

Here are some tips to cook the perfect steak (no matter how you like your steak cooked), how to know when chicken is done, and how to know when pork is done.

Keep Your Hot Foods Hot

Once the food comes off the grill, you’ll want to keep it hot so your friends can enjoy it! Most of your meats will need to rest for a few minutes before serving, but what happens next? How can you keep your perfectly grilled food hot without over-cooking it?

Move cooked meats to indirect heat on the grill – over a burner that has been turned off or on a higher shelf on the grill. If you are done cooking on the grill, turn the grill off and close the lid to keep food warm. Line a cooler with paper towels and stash some cooked food inside. Just close the lid to keep the heat inside! Check out this post for a few more ideas on keeping your hot foods hot while everyone is eating.

Pack Up Leftovers

Food should never be left out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature outside is above 90 degrees F). Wrap up leftovers and store them on ice or in your refrigerator when everyone is done eating. You can always heat up leftovers later when someone gets hungry again! Then be sure to use or freeze your leftovers within 3 days.

Enjoy!

Easy Tips for Food Safety on Your Grill