Safety Reminders

BBQ maintenance and safety.

Holding a barbecue should be a safe and fun experience for everyone. It is very important to

keep children away from any area near hot charcoals or open flames. To prevent injuries or

damage to property, please take the following precautions:

Maintenance and Safety First

• Ensure that your barbecue is sound and in good working order.

• Make sure the cooking site for the barbecue is flat and is away from sheds, fences, and overhanging

branches.

• Position the grill well away from siding, deck railings and out from under eaves.

• Never use a barbecue indoors or in tents. This is a dangerous fire hazard and can cause high levels of

carbon monoxide.

• Keep children and outdoor games away from the cooking area. Never leave a barbecue unattended.

• Light barbecues with a long match or mechanical lighter designed for lighting barbecues. Keep all

matches, lighters and barbeque lighters out of the reach of children.

• Use long-handled grilling tools to give the chef plenty of clearance from heat and flames

• Allow the barbecue to cool before attempting to move it.

Charcoal Briquette Barbecues

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Use only sufficient charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue

to a depth of about 2 inches. Store extra charcoal in a metal container with a tight– fitting lid to keep it

dry. Wet charcoal can spontaneously combust and start a fire.

• Use only recognized charcoal starter fluid. Use lighter fluid on cold briquettes only and use the minimum

quantity necessary to start the charcoal. Adding fluid to burning or hot coals can cause a flash

fire and result in serious burn injuries.

• When removing the ashes from the barbecue, make sure they are cool or put them into a non-flammable

container such as a metal bucket. Water may be added to the cool ashes, remembering to stay back,

away from potential hot steam. Empty spent ashes onto bare garden soil—do not put ashes into a garbage

can or paper bag. House fires have been caused by hot ashes which later ignited when left on a

deck or porch.

Gas Barbecues

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. To check the gas cylinder or pipe for leaks, brush soapy water

around all joints and watch for bubbles. If you find a leaky joint, try to tighten,

but do not over tighten. If ever in doubt about the integrity of your gas cylinder,

have it tested. Never use gas cylinders that are past their legal use date.

• Open the barbecue lid before turning on the gas or lighting.

• When you have finished cooking with a gas barbecue, turn off the gas cylinder.

• Change gas cylinders in the open air, not in a confined space. Avoid storing gas

cylinders indoors and never in basements.

Food Safety:

Your burger's done at 71°C. According to Health Canada, research has shown that the colour on the inside of a burger is not always a reliable indicator of how well it is cooked. For example, sometimes previously frozen ground beef burgers turn brown in the middle before they reach a temperature high enough to kill harmful E. coli bacteria. Sometimes burgers may still have a pink tinge even if they have reached the safe temperature of 71°C (160°F). Health Canada recommends using a digital food thermometer to know when your ground beef is safe to eat.

POULTRY SAFETY
	Buy from trusted sources.
	Choose fresh or frozen chicken and turkey products that are clean, cold, well wrapped, sealed tight without rips or leaks, and sold from a refrigerated or freezerpoultry case.
	Refrigerate or freeze poultry quickly after purchase, if possible within half an hour.
	Defrost chicken or turkey in the refrigerator, not on the counter, allowing a few hours to a full day depending on size.
	Do not allow raw poultry or its juices to touch other foods.
	Cook chicken and turkey thoroughly, using a meat thermometer to gauge doneness: To cook poultry to its optimum quality and safe temperature, we recommend using a thermometer to ensure doneness. This should be placed in the thickest part of the cut without touching bone. Refer to the below chart for appropriate endpoint temperatures by poultry cut. 180° F Whole Chicken, Turkey, Cornish 180° F Drums, Legs, Thighs, Boneless Thighs, Wings 170° F Breasts, Boneless Breasts 165° F Ground Chicken, Ground Turkey 140-165° F Foods held warm to serve
	Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Keep hot foods at 140° F. or hotter; keep cold foods at 40° F. or colder.
	Wash cutting boards, tools, the sink, all work surfaces and hands in hot soapy water before and after handling raw poultry.