The summer solstice has come and gone, leaving in its wake longer days and their joys.

Swimming. Visiting local parks. Reading at the beach. Wowing guests with your grilling abilities, or passing these valuable skills on to someone else.

The 4-H Tailgating Contest is a program that aims to teach youth how to safely prepare meat dishes in outdoor settings. One related Ask IFAS publication, “Florida 4-H Tailgate: Cooking Safety,” focuses on location, fire, and food safety while grilling. This information can help brand-new and seasoned grillers alike.

In this publication, Chad Carr, Brian Estevez, Sonja Crawford, Jason Scheffler, George Baker, Ed Jennings, and Mark Mauldin share several helpful tips that include but are not limited to the following.

*Secure your grill on a firm and level surface to prevent the grill from tipping over.
*Do not place portable grills on tabletops that can burn.
*Never grill indoors, inside garages, or in other poorly ventilated areas.
*Only use an approved charcoal chimney starter. Never use gasoline or kerosene to start the fire, and never put lighter fluid on a fire.
*Never leave your hot grill unattended.
*After cooking, either douse the hot coals with water or close the vents on the grill to smother the fire. Make sure the coals are cold before disposing of them.
*Cook products to their proper internal temperatures.
*Use a calibrated thermometer and correct thermometer placement to ensure proper temperature management.
*Remember and implement three control measures: keep food clean, keep food cold, and keep food hot. Do not let raw meat juices contaminate other food items or use the same plate and/or utensils for raw and cooked protein.

Interested in perusing the rest of the Florida 4-H Tailgate series, or learning more about the Florida 4-H Youth Development Program? Do you have questions about food safety? If so, remember to Ask IFAS.

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