One of the most
enjoyable activities of the summer is barbecuing and
there's nothing better than sitting out in the sun
with a cold drink and some delicious hot food! We
have a number of good suppliers of barbecues and
barbecue accessories and a few examples are below.
Before you plan your
barbecue event you should give some thought to the
safety of your guests and yourself. Barbecue food
usually consists mainly of meat and often in large
quantities. It is also often prepared by people who
do not regularly cook such food and so are not
always aware of the amount of time needed to ensure
the meat is cooked safely.
Following the advice
below should help ensure that the food you serve is
safe to eat.
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Greenfingers Gas Barbecue. £299. Free
Delivery. This could be just what you are
looking for if you like to eat outdoors in
the evening but don't want to wait for a
charcoal barbecue to light. A beautifully
designed, top of the range model in
stainless steel with hardwood trolley.
Powered from a gas cylinder (not included)
it has a cast iron cooking area of 65 x
49cm, a piezo ignition system, heat
indicators and a drip tray for easy
cleaning. Some basic assembly required.
Size: 128x62x106cm high. |
-
Defrost all meats
thoroughly
-
Keep meat in the
fridge until needed
-
Keep cooked and
uncooked meat completely separate
-
Cut the meat into
small portions before cooking
-
Pre-cook chicken
to ensure the middle gets cooked properly
-
Use separate
utensils for cooked and raw food
-
Make sure that the
meat is cooked through by testing a piece or by
using a meat thermometer (see
Amazon advert below)
-
Keep the heat low
to prevent burning the outside before the inside
is cooked
-
Serve meat
immediately after cooking
-
Keep salad
ingredients covered and refrigerated until
needed
-
Minimise the use
of "high risk" ingredients such as home-made
mayonnaise, ham, shell-fish and eggs
-
Have a bowl of
warm, soapy water handy for washing hands
between cooking
-
Keep all utensils
on a clean tray or table away from the food
-
Make sure the cook
wears an apron and uses clean towels
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Your own personal
safety is another important consideration when
barbecuing. You should take the following sensible
precautions:
-
Set the barbecue
up on a level surface away from plants, fences
or flammable materials
-
Never pour petrol
or lighter fuel on to the barbecue
-
Use kindling and
fire lighters if necessary
-
Keep a bucket of
water handy incase of fires
-
Avoid wearing
loose clothing which may catch in the flames
-
Make sure the fire
is out when you have finished the barbecue
-
Use a plant
sprayer to douse flames from dripping fat
-
Use long handled
tools and thick oven gloves
Let's hope we have a
good summer this year and we're able to enjoy our
gardens even more with some al fresco dining with
family and friends.
