Top five tips to having a safe barbecue

Summer barbecues are a UK tradition. As soon as the first glimmer of sun shines down on us, we are out in the garden barbecuing our favourite meats, enjoying the company of friends and family and soaking up the rays. There is no doubt that barbecues are lots of fun, but safety is always of paramount importance. With that in mind, here are five tips to making sure your barbecue is remembered for the right reasons:

1. Don’t give fire a chance

It is advisable to have a fire extinguisher, or at the very least a bucket of water, next to your barbecue. You should also read your barbecue manual so that you know how to cut the fuel supply to your barbecue, in order to control a fire, should one arise. Just in case somebody sustains a burn while cooking, it is advisable to have a first aid kit at hand.

2. Get the temperature right

Bacteria is present in all food, but raw meat is particularly rife with bacteria that could potentially make eaters ill if it is not cooked properly. By ensuring that all meat is cooked to at least 165°F, you can make that these nasty bacteria are killed off. For white meats like chicken and pork, make sure there are no pink areas on or in the meat and that juices run clear.

You should also keep meat refrigerated before and after cooking (if it is not going to be eaten) to stop bacteria from growing and multiplying.

3. Avoid the use of flammable liquids

One of the biggest causes of barbecuing accidents is down to novice barbecue cooks using flammable liquids to ignite charcoal barbecues. This is something which should never be attempted. Using newspaper to light a barbecue is much more sensible and much less likely to result in injury.

4. Choose a sensible location

Smoky barbecue grills need to be placed well away from buildings. If you are using a disposable barbecue, it needs to be placed on bricks and kept off grass. Your barbecue manual should tell you what is as safe distance away from buildings at which to place your barbecue. This advice is not to be ignored, because fire can spread very quickly when it reaches a building.

It is also important to keep barbecues away from play areas and high-traffic places to minimise the chances of people injuring themselves as they walk by.

5. Cut out cross-contamination

Cross-contamination is a major cause of food poisoning at barbecues. When bacteria from one kind of meat are transferred to another, or to other foods, it can result in a number of food-borne illnesses.

In order to avoid this, barbecue cooks should always wash their hands after handling raw meats, as well as any utensils and chopping boards that come into contact with them. Different types of raw meat should also be kept apart from each other.

All in all, a common sense approach to barbecuing can ensure an enjoyable gathering for everyone.