Grill safely this summer

The smoky flavor of grilled foods is hard to resist, especially on summer nights that seem tailor-made for cooking and dining outside.

The relaxed atmosphere of summer can make it easy to overlook safety, particularly when grilling. However, the right safety measures when cooking over an open flame can prevent home fires, accidents and food poisoning. Here are some simple safety measures that every grillmaster can keep in mind to ensure summer grilling season goes off without a hitch.

· Only use a grill outside. Grills should never be used indoors, and that includes in garages with the doors open. Before lighting a flame, make sure the grill is at least three feet from siding, deck rails and eaves.

· Establish a safe zone around the grill. A three-foot safe zone around the grill can decrease the likelihood that pets will run into and potentially tip over the grill. Kids can be taught to respect this zone as well so they avoid being burned.

· Open a gas grill before lighting it. Charcoal grills, hybrid grills and smokers cannot be lit unless the lid is lifted. That isn’t the case with gas grills, but gas grills should never be lit with the lid closed. If a gas grill is lit with its lid closed, gas can build up inside and that could cause an explosion. Even if there’s some summer rain falling, open the lid on a gas grill before turning the ignition switch.

· Keep an eye on the grill at all times. It’s tempting to walk away from a grill while food is cooking, but someone should always be tasked with staying close to the grill. If cooks must walk away, ask another adult to stay close to the grill until you return. All it takes is a few seconds for a fire to start.

· Let coals cool before discarding them. Coals from the grill should be given ample time to cool before they’re removed from the grill and discarded.

· Remember to turn the gas valve to the off position after cooking. When cooking with gas grills, cooks must remember to turn the valve to the off position once all the food has been cooked.

· Clean the grill regularly. Regular cleaning of the grill is both healthy and safe. A grease-free grill also poses less of a fire hazard than one that hasn’t been cleaned. Cleaning helps to ensure the cooking surface is clean and unlikely to cause food poisoning. Dishes used to cook indoors are routinely scrubbed clean after a good meal, but grills rarely garner the same level of post-meal attention, which can increase the risk for food poisoning.

And a less-than-spotless grill grate isn’t the only food poisoning risk linked with grilling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer these tips to avoid food poisoning when grilling in the months ahead.

· Separate raw foods before grilling. Cross-contamination can contribute to food poisoning. The CDC suggests efforts to prevent cross-contamination should begin at the grocery store. Foods should be kept separate in grocery carts and bags, and packages of raw meat and poultry should be kept in their own individual bags.

· Keep foods cool at all times. The CDC recommends picking up meat, poultry and seafood right before checking out so the food remains as cool as possible at all times. If it’s a long drive from the store to home, which can be the case when grilling foods that must be purchased at specialty markets or fisheries instead of traditional neighborhood grocery stores, shoppers can place items in insulated coolers and keep them at 40 F or below. All raw meat, poultry or seafood should be refrigerated until cooks are ready to place it on a grill.

· Thaw foods safely. The CDC notes that foods should never be thawed on a counter, even if they’re in a pot or bowl of lukewarm water. Foods should be thawed in a refrigerator or by utilizing the defrost function on a microwave.

· Marinate safely. Like thawing, marinating should always be done in a refrigerator, regardless of which type of marinade is being used. When marinating foods are ready for cooking, discard the marinade and clean the dish immediately to avoid contamination.

· Routinely clean hands when handling raw meat, poultry and seafood. Cooks should wash their hands thoroughly after handling raw meat, poultry or seafood. Wet hands, lather them with soap and then scrub for at least 20 seconds. Make sure hands are dried on a clean towel, and repeat this process any time raw meat is touched.

· Clean the grill thoroughly. A grill should be given a thorough cleaning before each use. The CDC urges individuals using a wire bristle brush to thoroughly inspect the grilling surface before lighting a flame and cooking. Wire bristles can be dislodged during cleaning, and then end up on food, where they can pose a significant health hazard once foods are eaten.

· Always place cooked foods on clean dishes. Cooked foods should never be placed back on the dishes or in the containers where they were stored prior to being cooked. Doing so can lead to food poisoning and illness.

· Cook foods to the appropriate temperature. Foods require different cooking temperatures, and cooks are encouraged to determine those temperatures for each food they grill. Utilize a meat thermometer to ensure foods are cooked hot enough to kill germs.

Questions about this or other dining features? Contact Karen Rice at 479-571-6474 or krice@NWADG.com