Summertime and barbeques are synonymous. All too often, however, barbeques are also synonymous with food borne illnesses due to undercooked meat and cross contamination. By following a few safety tips, however, this risky situation can be avoided.

Barbeque food safety starts at the grocery store. Pick meat and poultry as you’re ready to check out to ensure that it remains cold. Separate it from other food in your basket to prevent cross-contamination from leaking juices.

When driving home, place meat and poultry in the coolest part of your car. If you live further than 30 minutes away, bring a cooler with ice during summer months to keep meats and other perishable foods cold. When you arrive home, immediately place the meat and poultry in the refrigerator. For meat that won't be used in one or two days, freezing is best.

Before grilling, completely defrost meat and poultry. Defrosted meat will cook more evenly with less risk of developing bacteria. The refrigerator is best for slow, safe thawing. Never thaw meat on the counter at room temperature.

When preparing food, do not use the same dish, utensils or cutting board to chop meat and you do for vegetables. The same goes for raw and cooked foods. This is especially important in preventing cross-contamination from raw meat to raw vegetables for salads or kebabs.

Because bacteria grow quickly at room temperature (and even more quickly under the hot sun) meat should always be refrigerated while it marinates. Discard marinades that have been used with raw meat, chicken or fish. They should never be reused.
Cooking meat is the best way to kill bacteria. When grilling, let the coals preheat for 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are coated with ash. Do not partially grill meat for later use. Cook until completely done to assure that bacteria are destroyed
The use of a meat thermometer to check the doneness of meat and poultry is the only way to ensure the safety of barbequed meats. The following is a listing of meats and the temperature to which they should be cooked:
Ground Meat (Hamburgers) to 160°F
Ground Meat (Turkey, Chicken) to 165°F
Pork (All) to 160°F
Steaks (Beef, Veal, Lamb) to 145° to 170°F
Chicken (Breast) to 170°F
Chicken (Wings, Thighs) to 180°F
Chicken, Turkey, whole to 180°F
Fish (Steaks, Filleted or Whole) to 140°F

When properly cooked, poultry juices should run clear and fish should be opaque and flaky. Always thoroughly clean your meat thermometer between temperature checks to prevent re-contamination of the cooked meat. When taking foods off the grill, put them on a clean plate. Never place them on the same platter that held raw meat. Always keep raw meat and its juices separate from cooked food.

Barbeques are a delightful part of summertime gatherings and can produce delicious grilled meats full of flavor and succulence. They key to a successful barbeque is to always keep an eye toward safety.