Get Ready for Safe Summer Cookouts

Summer is here in Northeast Ohio, which means it’s time to soak up the sun and spend all the time we can outdoors. One of my favorite parts of summer is hosting outdoor cookouts with family and friends.

But, with any occasion, especially one involving preparing food, there are safety tips to keep in mind.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), each year in the U.S. there are more than 10,000 home fires involving grills, barbecues or hibachis, with most occurring during the summer. Unsafe grilling is not only a cause of home fires but also hospital visits. Each year, nearly 20,000 people are sent to emergency rooms because of injuries involving grills. Children ages 5 and under account for an average of 2,000 contact-type burns per year due to outdoor cooking. These burns typically occur when

By Melissa Koski Carney

someone bumps into, touches or falls onto hot coals or a grill part.

As you plan your next outdoor BBQ, here are some tips to keep your family and friends safe:

Obey the 3-foot safety zone: Keep children and pets at least three feet away from grills or other sources of fire. Keep your grill at least three feet from your house or deck rails.

Never leave the grill unattended while in use: Always keep an eye on open flame. Just because you don’t have hot coals doesn’t mean you can’t cause a fire. Gas grills cause a higher number of house fires than charcoal grills.

Light your gas grill properly: Make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it. Clean your grill properly after each use: Clean your grill by removing fat or grease from the grill top and in grill

Summer Cookout Recipe

Looking for an easy and safe (no grilling required!) dish to bring to your next summer BBQ? This pasta salad is a no-brainer. It can be prepped ahead of time so that all you have to do is put the ingredients together. I admit my kids pick out most of the greens and focus on the pasta and cheese, but they at least try it!

Cold Summer Pasta Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing

Here’s what you need:

For the salad:

1 lb. your favorite pasta, cooked

8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups of baby spinach, finely sliced

2 cucumbers, diced

1 cup feta or goat cheese

(your preference)

For the lemon Dijon dressing:

2 TBSP lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

Here’s what you do: trays. This can remove grease that may start a fire. If you clean your grill using a bristle brush, check to make sure that no detached bristles have made their way into grilled food.

Prepare pasta according to directions. When cooked, place pasta into a large bowl with extra room for the veggies and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, prepare all the vegetables for the salad – slice your tomatoes, finely chop your spinach and dice your cucumbers. Add these salad ingredients on top of cooked pasta. Prepare your dressing. I like to place all the ingredients into a jar and shake well to combine. Pour dressing over pasta and vegetables and toss well.

Dispose of charcoal properly: Once they have cooled, place used coals from your grill in a metal can with a lid.

Beware the silent killer – carbon monoxide (CO): No matter the weather, only use your grill outside. Even grilling in your garage with the door open has potential risks. Not only is it a fire risk, but gas grills produce CO, which can travel through drywall and into a house next to an attached garage. CO can also travel into your home through open windows, ducts or air vents.

Make it ahead of time:

This can be prepared ahead of time. You can make the pasta and cook the veggies a day before, and combine everything the next day. You can also prepare everything in the morning before an afternoon or evening BBQ; simply set aside some dressing to pour over immediately before serving.

Leftovers:

I have enjoyed leftovers 1-2 days later. After that, the spinach starts to wilt from the dressing.

What’s one of the best parts of outdoor grilling? Eating your freshly cooked meal outside. In addition to grilling safety, it’s important to keep safe food handling in mind when planning an outdoor event.

Here are some food safety tips from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA):

Marinate food properly: Marinated foods should always sit in the refrigerator, not the counter or outside. Never reuse a marinade that was previously used on raw meat or fish. If you plan to use some of the marinade as a sauce after cooking, set aside some of it before using it as a marinade.

Serve safely: If you use a plate to carry raw meat to the grill, don’t reuse it for the cooked food unless it’s been thoroughly washed.

Keep cold food cold: Cold foods, like salads or desserts, should stay cold before serving, ideally kept at 40 °F or colder to prevent bacterial growth. Place in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs to keep cool.

Keep hot food hot: Hot food, like grilled meats or fish, should be kept hot, at least 140 °F. Grilled food can be kept warm until ready to eat by being stored to the side of the grill rack, just away from the coals.

Serve food when ready to eat: Hot and cold food should not sit out for more than two hours. If it’s more than 90 °F outside, don’t let food sit out for more than one hour.