Tips for having a safe Fourth of July cookout

Show Caption

• Cook food thoroughly to a safe internal temperature using a food thermometer.
• Thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave and cook immediately after thawing in cold water or the microwave.
• Marinate food in the refrigerator and never reuse marinade that has touched raw meat unless boiled first.
• Keep hot foods above 140°F and cold foods below 40°F, limiting time at room temperature to 2 hours or 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F.

Grilling safety is on the minds of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) as Americans plan for Fourth of July barbecues and events.

The agency has released several grilling tips on how to cook for summer barbecues and “declare independence from foodborne illness this holiday season.”

Here’s what we know:

Summer BBQ food safety tips

The USDA offers a couple of tips when grilling meat for a summer barbecue over the July 4th holiday:

• Cook food thoroughly the first time. Do not partially cook food ahead of time and finish cooking later.
• Use food thermometers to ensure foods reach a safe minimum internal temperature. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.

How to cook grilled chicken

The USDA recommends cooking chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit on the grill. This includes turkey and all other poultry.

How to cook steak

The USDA recommends cooking beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit on the grill.

How to cook salmon

The USDA recommends cooking salmon and other fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit on the grill.

How to cook shrimp, shellfish

The USDA recommends cooking shrimp and other shellfish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit on the grill.

How to cook hamburgers

The USDA recommends cooking all ground beef, pork, lamb and veal to an internal temperature of 160 degrees on the grill. Ground chicken, turkey and other poultry should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees on the grill.

How to cook chops, roast

The USDA recommends cooking all beef, pork, lamb and veal chops or roasts to an internal temperature of 145 degrees on the grill.

How to cook corn ribs on the grill

How to make corn ribs on the grill

Southern Kitchen’s Mackensy Lunsford shows you how to make Corn Ribs, the hottest grilling trend of the summer. Crispy, smoky and delicious.

USA TODAY

How to handle frozen food properly

• Thaw frozen beef, poultry or fish safely in the refrigerator, cold water or a microwave oven before the barbecue. When thawing with cold water and a microwave, cook immediately afterward.
• Treat them as raw food and cook thoroughly, even though frozen products may appear to be pre-cooked or browned.
• All products labeled as “Cook and Serve,” “Ready-to-Cook” and “Oven Ready” must be cooked to the appropriate internal temperature.

How to marinate safely

• Never marinate food at room temperature. Marinated food should always be in the refrigerator, as bacteria multiply rapidly in warm environments.
• Use food-safe containers or resealable plastic bags for marinating.
• Never reuse a marinade that has been in contact with raw meat or poultry − unless the marinade is boiled to destroy harmful bacteria first.

‘Danger Zone’ for how long cold, hot food should be on picnic table

• The Danger Zone is known as the temperature at which bacteria can cause foodborne illness − which is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold to avoid the Danger Zone.
• Perishable foods should be kept on the table for no longer than 2 hours, and should be limited to 1 hour in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Hot foods should be kept heated at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit using chafing dishes, slow cookers or a preheated grill.
  • Cold foods should be kept chilled at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit using bowls of ice or a cooler near the picnic table.

For more food safety information, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (888) 674-6854 or email [email protected].

Chris Sims is a digital producer at IndyStar. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.