There's nothing Irish people love more than getting the BBQ out of the shed and firing it up for some al fresco dining in the sun.
The weather over the weekend and early this week will see thousands of our garden kitchens open for business with friends and family joining for the usual meat feast.
However, safefood Ireland has warned that Irish people sometimes let their standards drop when cooking on a BBQ and have released a number of top tips to make sure no one gets sick.
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First things first, make sure your grill is thoroughly cleaned. We get warm weather so infrequently in Ireland, months go by between BBQ opportunities and using the grill from the last BBQ you had without cleaning it is a big no-no.
"Scrub the metal rack with an oven cleaner or a damp brush dipped in bread soda. Rinse it well with hot, soapy water afterwards," they advise.
People are also told to use their fridge as much as possible. As you wait for the charcoal to ash over, keep your meat in the fridge until the last minute.
"Food is out of your fridge for longer when you are cooking and eating outdoors. This can lead to harmful bacteria multiplying quickly. Keep perishable foods like salads, coleslaw and quiche in the fridge until you need them," safefood says.
"Never put cooked food on a dish that has been used for raw meat or poultry. Always use separate utensils for handling raw and cooked meat when cooking. Never put cooked food on a dish that has been used for raw meat or poultry.
"Make sure frozen foods are fully thawed before you start cooking them. The best way to do this is to take them out of the freezer the night before and defrost them on the bottom shelf of the fridge."
Safefood also warns about cooking times as this is the fatal mistake people make when cooking with BBQs. "For charcoal barbecues, the flames should have died down before you start cooking," they warn. This is because food can easily burn on the outside if put on a grill that's too hot but remain raw on the inside.
"This is particularly important when cooking poultry, pork, minced and skewered meats, such as burgers, sausages and kebabs on the barbecue. While the outside may look cooked (and in some cases burnt), the inside can still be raw.
"If you’re cooking for lots of people, you can pre-cook meat in your kitchen oven just before you put it on the barbecue for flavour," the advice read.
"Turn the food regularly and move it around the grill to ensure it is cooked evenly on all sides. For meats that need to be cooked all the way through, cut into the centre of them to check that they are piping hot all the way through; there is no pink meat left and the juices run clear.
"If you have a meat thermometer you can check the meat is safe to eat by inserting a clean thermometer probe into the thickest part of the meat or poultry and checking the temperature at has reached 75ºC.
"Steaks or whole joints of beef or lamb can be served rare as long as they are cooked on the outside. Any harmful bacteria will be on the outside only, and not in the centre."
Safefood also issued an important warning over marinades.
"Make sure any marinade used on raw meat is not then used as a sauce to coat vegetables or cooked meat. It will contain raw meat bacteria. If you want to use marinade as a sauce, cook it in a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil before serving it."
When it comes to leftovers, don't be tempted to leave food sitting out at room temperature or outside for long periods.
"They could be in the sun and insects and animals could get at them," safefood says, adding, "as with all leftovers, cover them and allow them to cool down in a cool place (your kitchen). Put them in the fridge within two hours of cooking them and use them within three days.
If you’re reheating leftovers, reheat them only once until piping hot. If in doubt, throw them out."
Safefood concludes with a hand washing warning, advising, "wash your hands before and after handling food."
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