10 BBQ Safety Tips

While enjoying a great barbeque it is important to make sure you know how you handle the food. We have put together our top 10 safety tips for barbeques right here: 

1. Always wash your hands after handling raw meat before touching other foods.
2. Make sure meats such as burgers, sausages and chicken are cooked throughout with no trace of pink in the juices before serving. You can be less concerned about steaks or lamb chops.
3. Frozen meat, chicken and seafood such as prawns must be thawed out thoroughly before cooking.
4. Be careful when it comes to poultry – ideally pre-cook legs, thighs or wings in the oven first before placing on the barbeque (chicken breasts, once sliced thinly and marinating can be placed directly onto the barbeque).
5. Trim off all fat from meat to avoid dangerous flare-ups
6. Always use long handled barbeque tools including forks, tongs and brushes for turning and basting food and separate them – for use with raw food and for cooked foods. Never use the same utensils for handling both.
7. Place your barbeque in a sheltered space away from the wind but not too close to trees or shrubs and ever leave food out in direct sunlight. Keep covered in the shade until ready to cook.
8. Raw foods must never be cooked close to meat or fish that has already been partially or fully cooked to avoid cross contamination.
9. If using coal barbeques make sure that it is hot enough before you begin to cook – with gas types you can begin cooking almost immediately.
10. Keep all perishable goods in the fridge until ready to serve.

Happy barbequing folks! To get you started check out our top 7 marinading tips here & also our Fool Proof BBQ Menu here