As temperatures soar across Northern Ireland over the bank holiday, Safefood reminds people to use a meat thermometer to make sure barbeque meats are fully cooked and safe to eat. This comes as a new survey shows that only 16% of respondents use a meat thermometer when cooking burgers, 10% for sausages and 26% for chicken breasts.
Whole chicken or turkey (55%) was the most common meat that people used a thermometer for followed by whole cuts of beef or lamb (31%)
The survey also found that almost nine out of 10 people (87%) admit to cooking meat or poultry for longer than they believed necessary to be sure it’s fully cooked.
Safefood encourages people to use a meat thermometer and cook to at least 75°C to ensure that their barbeque food is safe and tasty. Cooking meat properly kills the bacteria that cause food poisoning.
Joanne Uí Chrualaoich, CEO of Safefood said: “We know that preparing chicken is the top concern for people and this survey confirms that there’s a real desire among people to cook safely, but maybe a lack of confidence especially when using a barbeque. This summer, we want to help everyone to cook confidently, and a meat thermometer is your best friend for this. By ensuring you reach that crucial 75°C, when cooking barbeque favourites like chicken, burgers, sausages and kebabs, these foods will be both safe and tasty. If you don’t own a meat thermometer, take the meat off the heat, cut into it and follow the 3 checks – it should be piping hot, with no pink meat and the juices run clear.”
As part of Safefood’s Summer BBQ campaign, local lover and writer of all things food Marty O’Neill reveals the simple secret to deliciously safe BBQ meats – using a meat thermometer to ensure burgers, sausages, chicken, and kebabs reach a safe 75 degrees Celsius.
“There’s nothing better than the smell of a barbeque when the sun finally comes out,” says Marty O’Neill. “But nobody wants to serve up overdone, dry meat or, worse, give their guests food poisoning. People barbequing often intentionally overcook high-risk meat ‘just to be safe’ out of fear. A meat thermometer is your best friend to getting perfectly succulent, juicy barbeque meat every single time, you’ll never look back. It takes two seconds, takes away all the stress, and guarantees a perfect grill.”
To ensure your summer gatherings are remembered for all the right reasons, Safefood recommends following these steps for a safe barbeque this summer.
- Clean the barbeque grill thoroughly before the first use of the season, then rinse with hot, soapy water after each use.
- Never cook meat or poultry straight from the freezer. Always thaw it fully in the fridge, covered and on a plate, placed on the bottom shelf to prevent juices dripping onto other foods.
- Light the barbeque early and wait until charcoal flames have died down before you start cooking.
- Prevent food poisoning bacteria from spreading by:
- washing hands before and after handing raw food
- keeping raw and other foods separate
- using different utensils and plates for raw and other foods.
- Cook chicken, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs all the way through – the outside can look done while the inside is still raw.
- Check meat is cooked by turning it often and using a meat thermometer to reach at least 75°C in the thickest part.
- If you don’t have a meat thermometer, take the meat off the heat and cut into it – it should be piping hot, with no pink meat and the juices running clear.
- Don’t reuse raw-meat marinades on cooked food.
- Refrigerate BBQ leftovers within 2 hours, eat within 3 days, reheat only once until piping hot – and when in doubt, throw them out.
- Keep food like salads, dips, and coleslaw in the fridge until you are about to eat it.
