The CDC estimates that 48 million Americans every year get sick with a foodborne illness, with cases of foodborne illness tending to spike in the summer. While grilling outside with our family can be fun, it can also lead to food poisoning. Now is certainly no time to get sick with an illness that is avoidable! You can’t see harmful bacteria on your burgers, chicken, and steak — using a food thermometer and handling meat safely is the only way to know that your grilled food is safe to eat. The PRO method of grilling is an easy way to protect you and your family from foodborne illness.
Remember these tips so that you grill like a P–R–O:
Place the thermometer in the middle of the food that you are cooking to ensure meat reaches a safe internal temperature.
Read the temperature.
- Whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb should reach 145°F and hold this temperature for 3 minutes.
- Ground meats of all kinds should reach 160°F.
- Poultry pieces or whole should reach 165°F.
Off the grill and onto a clean plate! Once a safe internal temperature is reached, place cooked meat on a clean plate, not one that previously held raw meat, to avoid cross contamination and help keep your family food-safe (be sure to avoid cross contamination as you flip raw [and cooked] burgers with a spatula).
What about family members who opt for a non-meat burger? Keep everyone safe and healthy by cooking plant-based burgers to 165°F, and placing them on a clean plate once they are removed from the grill.
The USDA has a video message that will have you Grilling like a PRO. Stay well and food-safe.
