Barbeque, tasty but safety is important

Its BBQ season and this tuna made a great meal with fresh corn on the cob but safety is important.


Barbeque

BBQ nice, but BE SAFE!!


A hot sunny day, a few cold beers and some great company, yes its BBQ season. There really is something special about cooking up a really great barbeque, but before getting down to the business of cooking up a storm there are a few safety considerations which we all really have to take into account.

First make sure you work clean.

• Make sure all work surfaces are sanitised when preparing your food.
• Wash your hands., often with anti bacterial soup
• Only healthy individuals should prepare and serve food
• Make sure your grill is well cleaned with no rust.
• Avoid cross contamination of raw foods with cooked.
• Make sure that raw food is stored cold, below 4°C and around 1°C for fish
• Use disposable dishes; it saves on the washing up as well.
• Don’t handle money and then food.
• Don’t use the same ice to cool beverages as you use to serve drinks.
• Change service clothes every 30 minutes, they can become the most dangerous thing of all.
• Keep food covered and be aware of insects.


For the Grilling

• Be safe a BBQ is an open fire BE AWARE OF KIDS RUNNING AROUND and even make an exclusion zone around the grill.
• Make sure the coals are hot and ready for cooking.
• Use separate utensils for raw and cooked foods and keep raw and cooked away from each other on the grill.
• Don’t go mad with lighter fluid.
• Don’t sample the food when partially cooked, wait till its cooked properly
• A meat thermometer is a great tool for checking the internal temperature of foods; cook all foods till they get to 75°C at their thickest point. Rare steaks should be handled with caution ensure the outer meat is completely seared. Wipe the thermometer with an alcohol wipe in between each use.
• Only baste sauces onto cooked meat, as not to contaminate the sauces.
• Serve all cooked foods within 20 minutes
• Make sure plates used to serve food are clean and sanitised

Watch the salads
• Salads in particular when made with mayonnaise can become very dangerous very quickly. Make sure they’re stored cold 4°C.
• Make sure any frozen food being used has been completely defrosted in the refrigerator over night, not quickly under cold running water.
• Keep it simple, enjoy your BBQ


To cook tuna steak on the grill simply season with salt and black pepper, then rub liberally with olive oil. Place onto the hot grill for 4 minutes then turn and cook the opposite side. If using a basting sauce ensure the sauce caramelises but don’t let it burn. Fish such as tuna is great served pink.