Grilling? Focus on Food Safety
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This episode of Sound Living focuses on food safety during the spring grilling season, emphasizing that visual cues like color are unreliable indicators of doneness. Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee stresses the critical importance of using a food thermometer to ensure meats reach safe internal temperatures: 145°F for steaks and chops, 160°F for ground red meats, and 165°F for poultry. The discussion covers essential practices such as hand washing, preventing cross-contamination by separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, using clean utensils and plates, and proper handling of marinades and sauces. Blakeslee also highlights the need to keep cold foods cold (below 40°F) and hot foods hot (above 140°F), especially when grilling outdoors. Additional tips include using foil packets for vegetables, managing grill hot spots, avoiding flare-ups, and planning meal timing to account for varying cook times. The episode concludes with a strong call to action: prioritize food safety through simple, consistent habits to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Use a food thermometer—color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.
Always wash hands and use separate utensils/plates to prevent cross-contamination.
Cook meats to safe internal temperatures: 145°F for steaks, 160°F for ground meats, 165°F for poultry.
Keep cold foods cold (below 40°F) and hot foods hot (above 140°F) during outdoor cooking.
Marinades used on raw meat must be boiled before reuse or discarded.
…and 2 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Myth of Color-Based Doneness
“Even though a hamburger may look brown on the inside and it may look done, the temperature has not reached that 160 degree mark yet, which means it's underdone even though it might look like it's done.”
Core Food Safety Principles
Karen Blakeslee outlines the foundational steps of food safety: hand washing, preventing cross-contamination, and using a thermometer. She explains how bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus spread through poor hygiene.
Temperature Guidelines and Thermometer Use
“The three main temperatures to keep in mind for steaks and chops, even fish, 145 is the minimum internal temperature. For any kind of red meat, ground meat type products, so that'd be beef, pork, lamb, 160 is what you're looking for. And then any kind of poultry... 165 is the temperature you're looking for.”
Grilling Best Practices and Fire Safety
Discusses grill management, including avoiding flare-ups, monitoring hot spots, using foil packets, and not walking away from the grill. Emphasizes the importance of supervision and safe placement.
Complete Meals and Leftovers
Covers grilling vegetables and fruits, using accessories like grill baskets and foil packets, and proper storage of leftovers. Reinforces the need to keep cold foods cold and clean up as you go.
“The three main temperatures to keep in mind for steaks and chops, even fish, 145 is the minimum internal temperature. For any kind of red meat, ground meat type products, so that'd be beef, pork, lamb, 160 is what you're looking for. And then any kind of poultry... 165 is the temperature you're looking for.”
“Even though a hamburger may look brown on the inside and it may look done, the temperature has not reached that 160 degree mark yet, which means it's underdone even though it might look like it's done.”
“Use a food thermometer—color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.”
Host
Guest
Karen Blakeslee
person
Kansas State University
organization
Sound Living
media
Jeff Wickman
person
Digital Thermometer
product
Dial Stem Thermometer
product
K-State Extension
organization
E. coli
other
Salmonella
other
Foil Packets
product
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