4 critical safety tips to follow for your next NFL cookout

After the first start of the NFL season, it’s time to kick off the NFL cookout season. Whether you’re cheering for the Oakland Raiders or another squad, your friends and family will savor juicy steaks, crisp corn on the cob and rich cream pies, all grilled to perfection. However, just as NFL players on the field of play must wear protective gear, it is vital that it also meets various safety standards. Here are some tips to make your NFL cookout as safe as it is fun (and tasty):

1. Handle food correctly
It is important to handle food correctly, regardless of whether you will cook it for your NFL BBQ. Be especially careful with foods that are high in moisture and protein. These types of foods are particularly vulnerable to bacteria that cause human disease, and include cheese, chicken, custard, eggs, fish, meat, potato salad, and shellfish.

In the event that you buy takeout in restaurants, you have two safe options. One is to consume the food within two hours of purchase. Another option is to chill the food to less than 41 ° F and then reheat it to 140 ° F, before serving.

2. make everything clean like a bean
Before preparing food for your NFL BBQ, follow a few basic steps. Wash your hands vigorously (for 20 seconds) with warm soapy water before preparing any food. Also, use warm soapy water to clean your cookware and cooking areas before using them.

3. Cook food to proper temperatures
It would be easy to assume that we should grill all foods at the same temperatures. However, you should cook certain types of food at certain temperatures:

o Prime Rib: 130 ° F
o Steak: 140 ° F
o Pork: 155 ° F
o Ground beef 160 ° F
o Poultry / Custard / Cream Pie: 165 ° F

You should use a meat thermometer or cooking thermometer to make sure all food reaches the proper temperature. Also, when reheating cold foods, make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 ° F.

4. Grill safely
You can take several steps to ensure that the actual grid at your NFL BBQ is as safe as possible. In 2005, gas and charcoal grills caused $ 137 million in property damage. Avoid becoming a statistic! Never use an outdoor grill indoors. Place your grill a minimum of 10 feet from any other objects (i.e. house, bushes, etc.) before grilling. When using a charcoal grill, use starting fluid exclusively to light the charcoal. If you detect a gas leak on your grill, turn it off momentarily. Avoid lighting the grill until you have repaired it. Lastly, keep all children and pets away from the grill until it has completely cooled down.

Many of us can’t resist NFL games and NFL cookouts. If you plan to host an NFL cookout at your house, make it the best cookout possible and break a leg. However, also use proper safety measures to ensure that people and property are not harmed while grilling in honor of the grill.