SUNSHINE is expected this weekend with temperatures set to reach 20 degrees.
Whether you’re a self-proclaimed BBQ legend or a first-timer, it’s important to know how to cook foods like burgers, chicken and sausages thoroughly to avoid making you, your family or friends sick.
safefood is encouraging people to follow good food safety habits when preparing and cooking food on the barbeque this summer as part of its Well Done BBQ Burger campaign.
While we like to think we’re all grilling experts, new research carried out by safefood in June 2020 uncovered that 45% of us are at risk of getting sick from eating under-cooked burgers as we don’t cook them to well done.
The research also revealed that we’re lacking in confidence when it comes to knowing when BBQ meat is thoroughly cooked, with 50% of those surveyed saying they find this challenging.
Dr Gary Kearney, Director of Food Safety at safefood explains, “While we all hope to cook on the barbeque more frequently during the summer months, this research reveals that many of us still lack the confidence when it comes to knowing how to properly cook meat & poultry.
“Foods like burgers, chicken and sausages must be cooked thoroughly, and absolutely never served rare or pink in the middle as this can cause food poisoning. You know they are cooked when they’re piping hot all the way through, the juices run clear and there’s no pink meat left.
“With our tips & advice, we want people to have confidence in safe BBQ cooking by following good food safety advice and avoiding any food poisoning situations so that they can keep their families safe. Lots of practical help and recipes are available on the safefood website www.safefood.eu.” he said.
Supporting safefood’s Well Done BBQ Burger campaign are Russell Alford and Patrick Hanlon, BBQ aficionados and food and travel writers aka Gastro Gays, who said: “Cooking on the barbecue is one of the best ways of eating during the summer months.
“However, going to all that effort is pointless if meat is not cooked thoroughly and you run the risk of making yourself, your family or your friends sick.
“By following food hygiene guidelines and making sure you’ve a well done burger that is cooked thoroughly throughout will ensure your BBQ crown will stay intact. All you will have to worry about is the sun shining!” they added.
Additional findings in safefood’s research revealed:
- When it came to our favourite food to cook on a barbeque, burgers came out on top (69%), followed by sausages (57%) then chicken (54%).
- When it comes to BBQ disasters, there are a few common challenges. safefood’s research revealed that 45% of us have burnt the food on the outside, while it was still raw on the inside. 37% claimed it took too long for the BBQ to heat up, and 16% of those surveyed have set fire to the BBQ.
- We’re an optimistic bunch when it comes to cooking outside. 61% of us are fair-weather BBQ hosts – the second we catch a glimpse of sun we’re ready to fire up the grill alfresco during the summer months, while 4% of us are hardy and BBQ all year round, whatever the weather.
- Despite the ever-changing Irish summer and spending more time at home than ever before, 27% of us are barbequing more than usual, with 18% rolling out the BBQ with the same enthusiasm as previous years.
- 69% of us love a BBQ to celebrate a special occasion like birthdays, family get-togethers and bank holidays.
- When it comes to determining who wears the all-important BBQ King or Queen apron, while perceptions might lead us to believe that men dominate the barbeque, the research revealed that more women in Ireland barbeque than men, but only slightly at 51%.
- We mostly look online (34%) for trusted sources of information and inspiration, as well as tips and advice for barbequing, while 26% ask for advice from friends and family and 15% rely on cookbooks.
Further food safety advice and recipes are available on the safefood website, www.safefood.eu.
