WAUSAU, Wis. (WAOW) -- It's the most popular weekend for grilling out, 4th of July weekend.
But do you know how to do it without setting off fireworks in your gut?
One thing to keep in mind, the internal temperature of your meat.
"We plan on grilling out and making sure the meats the appropriate temperature. My husband is always a stickler about using a meat thermometer, and then probably taking everything inside as soon as we're done eating. And make sure that we get it in the fridge and we're safe about what we're eating," said Melinda Pauls of Wausau.
Experts say, safety begins before you start cooking.
If you plan on making both chicken and burgers do so one at a time, especially if you like your burgers rare.
"So you want to make sure you do your chicken first and then clean up your area before you bring out your burgers. That burger isn't going to reach 165 temperature which is going to kill anything that would've got on it from the chicken," said Matt Adams, Zillman's Meat Market.
Meats aren't the only concern, those side dishes pose hazards of their own.
Especially if they're made with mayonnaise, for example, potato salad can spoil in less than two hours.
"Depending upon your overall health it could put you into the hospital and there are a number of deaths that happen nationwide each year. We're hoping to avoid all of that by properly handling things and it can be addressed that way," said Dale Grosskurth, Director of Environmental Health & Safety, Marathon County Health Department.
Just to keep it safe, experts say you should put everything on ice as soon as you're done eating.
More food safety tips can be found here.
Read more from the original source:
Is your food safe to eat? Grilling tips for 4th of July weekend - WAOW
