When it comes to BBQ food safety, there's no gadget or tool more important that a good food thermometer. There are all sorts of styles and price ranges, but at their cheapest, a decent thermometer should run about $10. Not too bad. Especially when you consider the alternative: food poisoning. Here are the USDA Guidelines for safe cooking temperatures to keep your BBQ bacteria free.
Safe Cooking Temperatures for Your BBQ
Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.
Steaks & Chops
Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.
Why Resting Matters
The three minutes to let the meat rest might not seem important. But allowing the meat to sustain a minimum temperature for an extended period helps ensure all pathogens are killed.
Ground Meats
Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.
Poultry
Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.
NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later.
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