Grill ’em, Danno!

It’s always grilling season here in Sacramento, but a little reminder of food safety could make your next cookout even better. Amy Davis of Raley’s/Bel Air shares these tips:

“In the store, pick up your meat right before you check out. Place it in a plastic bag at the meat counter to keep the juices from dripping on other foods. Don’t store it in the same ice chest with ready-to-eat foods.

“Be sure to wash hands and surfaces often. Don’t use the same plate that was used to bring the raw chicken or meat from the kitchen to the grill. Keep one for raw and one for cooked.

“A food thermometer is the best way to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Color doesn’t always tell if meat is safe to eat. Fish should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit; ground beef, 160 degrees Fahrenheit; poultry, 165 degrees Fahrenheit; and fully cooked meats like hot dogs, 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or until steaming hot.”