Handle Meat with Care

• Always thaw frozen meats in the fridge or microwave, not on the counter. Thaw meats completely so they cook evenly.
• Don’t re-freeze meats that have been thawed in the microwave (or under cold running water) because of the greater likelihood of bacterial contamination. If you don’t plan to cook microwave-defrosted foods, discard.
• Always marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the counter. After marinating raw meats, poultry or seafood, never reuse marinade as a sauce for cooked foods.
• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and juices from touching other foods, utensils, and surfaces during preparation.

• Wash hands, utensils, cutting surfaces, and counters with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Don’t put cooked foods on the same plate or board that held raw food. Use a clean plate to transport cooked food from the grill to the table.
• Don’t chop vegetables or salad ingredients on the same cutting board used to prepare raw meat or seafood unless you’ve thoroughly sanitized the board between uses.
• Cook foods to proper temperature. See our chart for help.

Don’t Get Burned

• Keep cooked meats hot by setting them on grill rack to the side of heat source, not directly over heat (to avoid overcooking).
• When reheating take-out foods or cooked meats, like franks, cook to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot.
• Never eat anything that’s been left outside on a hot day for more than an hour.

• Grills radiate a lot of heat. Be sure to keep your grill at least ten feet from any combustible materials, including the house garage, deck rails, etc. Never use grill indoors or under a covered patio.
• Be sure to practice proper fire safety techniques when grilling. After all, you are playing with fire!