How many of you enjoyed a cookout over the Memorial Day weekend? With summer right around the corner, grilling becomes even more popular. But, how many of you know that much of what you do to protect yourself, family, and friends from food poisoning begins and ends with what you do in your own kitchen? Food poisoning is more prevalent in the summer because bacteria multiply fast when the weather is warm and cooking outdoors means many food safety rules are view as suggestions that are easily ignored.
Food recalls seem to be everyday news, with the latest being 62,000 pounds of ground beef recalled and when you hear about these recalls it means that our food safety system is working. But, no one is going to recall Uncle Bob’s famous BBQ chicken or yummy guacamole if he makes some common mistakes in the kitchen or at the grill. Let’s see how well you spot Uncle Bob’s food safety no-nos. (Hint: there are 8 food safety rules broken and possibly 4 more!)
Uncle Bob buys cut up chicken parts at the grocery store and being an environmentally conscious consumer, brings his own reusable cloth bags. To save space when packing his groceries at checkout he packs the heavy melons on the bottom of the bag and puts the chicken on top, placing lighter items, like avocados and tomatoes in the top of the bag.
After shopping, Uncle Bob passes his golf club and decides to make a last-minute stop at the driving range to hit a few balls. An hour later, he heads home and unpacks his groceries, placing the chicken on the top shelf of the fridge.
To prepare for the BBQ, he washes the chicken in the kitchen sink and puts the washed pieces in a large bowl and pours his special BBQ sauce over chicken. As the meat marinates, he slices the melon using the same knife he used to trim the chicken. He cuts the avocados (using the same cutting board and knife) to make guacamole.
As his guests arrive, he turns on the gas to preheat the grill and slaps the chicken on the grates. While cooking, he uses some of the BBQ marinade to baste the chicken. To check for doneness, he cuts into a piece to visually judge it. Satisfied the chicken is thoroughly cooked, he puts the pieces back in the bowl with the remaining marinade and dinner is served!
Uncle Bob may have served up more than BBQ chicken; from grocery store to the dinner table, this meal was a recipe for disaster.
Mistake #1: Raw chicken should never be placed on top of other foods, especially fruits and veggies. Juices can drip down contaminating any food that it touches.
Mistake #2: It’s a big no-no to leave raw chicken in a hot car. Bacteria thrive in warm environments and a hot car is the perfect incubator for growing nasty bugs. In the summer, remember the 2-hour rule…never keep food out on a counter (or a hot car!) for more than 2 hours, and when the temps soar, the 2-hour rule becomes the 1-hour rule.
Mistake #3: Don’t store raw poultry on the top shelf of the fridge unless you put it on a plate to catch the juices (same idea as in mistake #1).
Mistake #4: Stop washing raw chicken! Washing it in the sink or rinsing in a colander can spread the raw juices around sink, counter tops, and other foods that might be near by (like the melon or avocados that Uncle Bob is prepping for dinner). Cross contamination is never good!
Mistake #5: Speaking of cross contamination, always wash the cutting board and knife in hot soapy water before using it to cut veggies or fruits. Better yet, have separate cutting boards for produce and raw meats.
Mistake #6: Reusing the marinade on the chicken could spread bacteria lingering in the sauce from the raw chicken. It is better to have some extra sauce in a separate dish that hasn’t been in contact with raw poultry.
Mistake # 7: Give Uncle Bob a food thermometer as a host gift! Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of a 165 degrees F. as measured with a thermometer, not Uncle Bob’s eyes. Need another good reason to use a thermometer? There will be no danger of overcooking! Moist and tender chicken is the goal, not an overdone, tough bird.
Mistake #8: More cross contamination going on by putting the cooked chicken in the same unwashed bowl used to marinate the raw chicken. Once the chicken goes on the grill, take the used bowl or plate back to the kitchen sink for a thorough washing before reusing.
How many mistakes did you spot? And, what about the 4 possible infractions?
#1: Using cloth reusable bags is becoming more popular as we consider the environmental impact of plastic grocery bags, but did you know they can harbor bacteria if not washed? Toss bags in the laundry to keep them clean. In other words, “keep them clean while going green.” 
#2: Did Uncle Bob wash his hands before starting the food preparation? Let’s hope so because the dirtiest piece of equipment in your kitchen is your hands.
#3: Always wash melons or avocados under running water and use a scrub brush to wash the rind or peel. Why you ask, since you only eat what is on the inside? Dirt can harbor bacteria and when you slice through the rind, bacteria can be transferred to the flesh. So, wash first, cut second, then eat and enjoy.
#4: How clean is the grill? Keeping the grill clean makes the food taste better by removing grease (which can hold on to bacteria) and carbon deposits which can cause uneven heating. For tips on how to keep your grill in top shape, click here.
So, now you are prepared for a summer time full of great cookouts with good food and no bad bugs! For more information on home food safety click here and here.
Copyright © 2019 [Christine Rosenbloom]. All Rights Reserved.
