The grilling season is here and everyone is excited to start cooking burgers, hot dogs, and other tasty treats on their BBQs.

But did you know that there are some common BBQ blunders that could poison you and your guests? It’s essential to understand these mistakes to prevent any food poisoning. Here’s a list of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:.

1. Not Preheating the Grill

Preheating the grill is crucial as it ensures that the food cooks evenly. When you place food on a cold grill, it will stick to the grates, and the meat will lose all the juices.

Moreover, if the grill is not hot enough, bacteria will grow on the food surface, making it potentially hazardous to eat.

To avoid this mistake, preheat your grill for at least 10-15 minutes and ensure that the temperature reaches 400-450°F. This will kill any bacteria on the grates and ensure that the food cooks evenly.

2. Washing Meat Before Grilling

Washing raw meat before grilling is never a good idea as it can spread bacteria to other surfaces. The water splashes can contaminate other foods or surfaces in your kitchen, creating a higher risk of food poisoning.

Also, washing raw meat can lead to a higher risk of cross-contamination with other surfaces or utensils.

The best way to handle meat is to let it sit at room temperature for about an hour before grilling. This will help bring down the temperature and ensure that the meat cooks evenly.

Moreover, ensure that the meat is cooked to the right temperature and always use separate utensils to avoid cross-contamination.

3. Marinating Food at Room Temperature

Marinating food is an excellent way to add flavor to your BBQ, but marinating food at room temperature can be hazardous. When you leave food at room temperature, bacteria grow at a fast rate, which can lead to food poisoning.

Marinating food at room temperature for more than two hours can lead to bacterial growth that can cause sickness.

Always marinate food in the refrigerator and avoid marinating meats that are already partially cooked as they will contaminate the marinade. Ensure that you marinate the meat for at least an hour and keep it refrigerated until ready to grill.

4. Not Checking the Meat Temperature

One of the most common mistakes when cooking meat is not checking its temperature. When you cook meat at the wrong temperature, you run the risk of undercooking and getting food poisoning.

Moreover, overcooking meat will lead to a dry and unappetizing meal.

Invest in a meat thermometer and ensure that you check the meat temperature at different points to ensure that it’s cooked thoroughly. For example, burgers should be cooked to 160°F, while chicken should be cooked to around 165°F.

5. Reusing Marinades

Reusing marinade is a big no-no as it’s a prime source of food contamination. The bacteria from the raw meat will collect in the marinade, and if you reuse it to baste the meat, you’ll be adding bacteria to the cooked meat.

This can cause severe sickness and even food poisoning.

Always discard the marinade after using it instead of reusing it to avoid contamination. If you’d like to use the marinade as a sauce, boil it for a few minutes to kill any bacteria that may be present.

6. Not Seasoning Food Properly

Seasoning your food not only adds flavor to the meat, but it also helps prevent any bacteria growth. Salt, pepper, and other spices have a natural antibacterial effect that helps kill off any bacteria present on the meat surface.

Properly seasoning your food before cooking can also help prevent undercooking. Underseasoned meat may lead to bacteria growth, so it’s essential to season the meat well and let it rest for up to two hours before grilling.

7. Charred & Burnt Meat

Burning your meat on the grill can lead to carcinogenic compounds like heterocyclic amines that can cause cancer. Moreover, charred and burnt meat can cause food poisoning as the burnt areas may contain harmful bacteria.

Always grill meat on medium heat and avoid cooking it until it’s charred or burnt. Additionally, don’t use a fork to flip the meat; instead, use tongs to avoid piercing the meat and causing the juices to leak out.

8. Not Cleaning the Grill

Grill cleaning is an essential step in ensuring that your food is safe and healthy to eat. Dirty grills breed germs and bacteria that can cause food poisoning or other illnesses.

Moreover, old food debris can stick on the grill, which can cause food to stick and potentially burn.

Clean your grill after every use, preheating it to loosen the debris that’s stuck on the grates. Use a wire brush to clean the grates and ensure that all debris is removed before cooking again.

For a more thorough cleaning, wash the grates with soap and hot water at least once a year.

9. Leaving Food Out for Too Long

Leaving food out for too long on a hot day is a recipe for disaster. Bacteria grow at a faster rate in warm temperatures, which can lead to food poisoning within a few hours.

Meat, salads, and other perishables should not stay out for more than two hours before going back into the fridge. Otherwise, it’s best to discard them to avoid any risk of contamination.

10. Not Washing Your Hands

Washing your hands frequently is one of the best ways to prevent food poisoning. Your hands are a prime carrier of germs and bacteria that can spread throughout your kitchen and contaminate food.

Always wash your hands before handling food and between different cooking stages to avoid cross-contamination. You should also avoid touching your face or phone while handling food to minimize the risk of contamination.

Conclusion

Burgers, hot dogs, and other BBQ meals can be delicious, but they can also be hazardous if not cooked correctly. With the above tips, you can avoid the most common BBQ blunders that could poison you and your guests.

Keep your grill clean, check the temperature of your food, and always wash your hands to prevent food poisoning.