If you're like me you can't wait for the first warm enough weather to have a barbecue get-together.

This summer, why not enjoy all those grills without worrying about the harmful bacteria that could be present in 'summer' foods if not handled and kept at safe temperatures.

Important facts: Remember food that is being kept between the temperature range of 4 to 60°C or 40 to 140°F is in danger of harmful bacterial growth.

With other words :

keep cold food cold

below 4°C/ 40°F

keep hot food hot

over 60°C/ 140°F

The minimum temperature for meat that has been ground and reformed is

71°C/ 160°F

Insert the thermometer probe right into the middle of the hamburger patty or through to the centre of the sausage or hotdogs.

The same temperature goes for Ground Veal, Ground Beef, Ground Lamb & Ground Pork.

When checking for the safe range of internal temperature of whole chicken etc insert probe at more then one spot

82°C/180°F

Remember to check the internal temperature of both the breast and thigh meat when testing whole chicken, whole turkey, whole duck and whole goose. If stuffed it's important to check the temperature of both the meat and the stuffing. Probe near the bones too.

Poultry Pieces, Ground Chicken, Ground Turkey, Ground Duck and Ground Goose burgers need to be a minimum of

77°C/170°F

When testing the temperature make sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.

Medium Rare145°

Beef Steak and Other Cuts,

Veal, Lamb

Medium 160°

Beef Steak and Other Cuts,

Veal, Lamb

Well Done 170°

Beef Steak and Other Cuts,

Veal, Lamb

Medium 71°C/160°F

Pork Steak, Chops, and other cuts

Well Done 77°C/170°F

Pork Steak, Chops, and other cuts

When checking the temperature of pork avoid inserting probe in the fat.

BBQ pork ribs 77°C/170°F

Uncooked Ham 71°C/160°F

Precooked Ham 62°C/140°F

Preparation Tips

Fish or shrimp only need to marinate for 25 to 30 minutes; some larger thick fillets can marinate up to an hour. Over-marinating any type of seafood can make it mushy.

Grilling Tips

An internal temperature of 68°C/155° F is desired.

Rule of thumb is about 5 minutes per side/ per inch thickness. Cook fish fillets until they are opaque throughout and they flake easily with a fork. To BBQ delicate or small foods such as shrimp use a grilling basket.

Shrimp takes only about 4 minutes to cook; baste with butter or oil to keep moist.

For an almost fat free baste for shrimp and fish dilute plain 1% joghurt with a bit of skim milk and add salt-pepper garlic and thyme to taste.

Handle Food Safely

Remember to use a clean plate and utensils because harmful bacteria present in raw meat and poultry juices can contaminate safely cooked food.

Keep Hot Foods HOT, Cold Foods COLD

Always keep meat and poultry in the fridge until you're ready to grill or cook it.

After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it above 65°C/140°F until your ready to serve it. Use the side of the grill rack to keep the meats hot or use an approximately 90°C/ 200°F oven.

Refrigerate any leftovers in shallow containers to assure that they get cooled down as fast as possible.

Marinating

Marinating is a great way to tenderize and add flavor. Even the cheaper cuts of meat can be made tender and juicy. Remember always let the meat marinate in the refrigerator, never on the counter.

Do not throw the marinades away, use are them as sauce for the cooked meat, however make sure to boil it before using on cooked meat to destroy any harmful bacteria.

Precooking

To reduce BBQ/Grilling time precook food on a stove. Have your grill ready and preheated so that the food can go immediately onto it to complete cooking.

Cook Thoroughly

Fresh or thawed from frozen raw meat, poultry and fish have to be cooked hot enough to kill the bacteria & paracites. Always use a meat thermometer to check temperatures. Color can not be relied on as an indicator of doneness.

For years I always wanted one, then finally last year I bought one. I can honestly say it was the best investment I ever made when I bought my digital-probe-instant-read-thermometer.

There are quite a few styles for sale out there but it doesn't need to be the most expensive as long as it gives accurate read-outs. I bought mine for less then twenty bucks and works with a small hearing-aid battery which I just replaced. Not bad for having used it two three times /week (I use it to check all the meat I cook/roast/grill or fry.

some pictures courtesy of morgue-file