Top Health & Safety Tips for a Better Barbi!
BBQ’s are great fun and relaxing, but they can be dangerous if proper care isn’t taken, so we’ve put together some simple health & safety tips to ensure that there are no mishaps!
Tip 1 - Health
Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food, after touching raw meat and before serving and eating.
Tip 2 – Health
Unless the cooking instructions say otherwise, always ensure that frozen food is defrosted before BBQ’ing so that it cooks evenly.
Tip 3 - Health
Always keep raw and cooked meats separate and keep uncooked meat, fish and vegetables separate from each other when preparing.
Tip 4 - Health
Ensure that you have sufficient preparation and serving areas and keep these two apart. If using separate tables, ensure that these are kept well away from the grill.
Tip 5 - Health
In hot weather, throw away BBQ’ed food left out for more than an hour.
Tip 6 - Health
BBQ’ed food may look well-cooked when it’s not. Burgers, sausages and chicken should ideally be checked with a meat thermometer or cut open and visually checked. If necessary, continue grilling until cooked through.
Tip 7 - Health
Never part cook on a BBQ and finish off later. However, you can par-boil poultry in the oven and then immediately finish off on the Barbi for added flavour.
Tip 8 - Safety
Keep children, animals and the elderly well away from the BBQ.
Tip 9 - Safety
Tip To light charcoal, always use proper BBQ lighter cube or fuel, ideally odourless, alternatively newspaper knots. Never, ever use petrol or other highly inflammable liquids.
Tip 10 - Safety
If using gas, ensure that the grill lights immediately. If it fails to light at second attempt, turn off gas immediately leave for a few minutes then turn on and retry.
Tip 11 - Safety
Position BBQ’s on level ground, well away from fences, hedges, trees, any over-hanging foliage or indeed anything that could catch fire!
Tip 12 - Safety
Make sure that all knives and grill utensils are securely stored when not in use and regularly wipe down all utensils and prep areas with a disinfected disposable cloth.
Tip 13 - Safety
It may be obvious, but remember that BBQ’s can be dangerous, the grill is very hot and can cause nasty burns, or even serious fires if knocked over.
Tip 14 - Safety
If using charcoal have a fire-blanket or water spray handy, if using gas turn-off and rely on the fire-blanket.
Tip 15 - Safety
Ensure charcoal is cold and/or gas securely turned off or disconnected before retiring for the night.
Tip 16 - Safety
Finally, however tempting it may be please don’t drink alcohol whilst lighting or grilling food on the Barbi!