Outdoor dining is one of best aspects of summer. But the No. 1 rule for this great style of cooking is to keep food safe to eat.
Remember, the comfortable temperatures of summer are just as comfy for bacteria that cause food-borne illness. So leaving some foods out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria to grow to levels dangerous enough to cause illness.
First it’s important to accept the fact that bacteria exist everywhere. They are in the soil, air, water and the foods we eat.
When they have nutrients (food), moisture, time and favorable temperatures, they grow rapidly, increasing in numbers to the point where some can cause illness. It’s up to you to understand how to deal with them.
Those bacteria that are likely to be present on food surfaces (fruits and vegetables as well as meats) are destroyed at 160 degrees. But even cooked foods can be recontaminated, allowing bacteria to flourish again.
For example, if you stir or handle raw meat or unwashed produce, then use the same spoon or hand to handle cooked foods you’ve just cross-contaminated the cooked food.
It’s the combination of time and the correct temperature that permits bacterial growth to occur at dangerous levels. Food scientists state that perishable foods should not be held for more than two hours in the range of temperatures called “the danger zone,” which is 40 degrees to 140 degrees. And in order to improve the odds, make sure that cold foods are well chilled (meaning, that they come directly from the refrigerator or out of ice).
If the day is particularly hot, above 90 degrees, they recommend not leaving the food out for more than one hour without a source of cooling.
Beyond that, when it comes to keeping food safe to eat, here are some additional tips:
* Thoroughly rinse fruits and vegetables in cool water, then drain on a clean surface. High acid foods, such as salads with tart dressings and fruit in wine, resist bacterial growth.
* If your party location is longer than 30 minutes from home, place perishable foods in a cooler with ice or freezer packs. When carrying drinks, consider packing them in a separate cooler so the food cooler is not opened frequently.
* Raw meat and poultry should always be cooked to a safe internal temperature. Temperatures (160 to 212 degrees) reached in baking, roasting, frying and boiling will destroy bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
When roasting meat and poultry use an oven temperature no lower than 325 degrees. Cook ground meats (beef, veal, lamb, and pork) to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, and ground poultry to 165 degrees. Steaks and roasts cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees are medium rare, 160 degrees are medium, and 170 degrees are well done.
* Don’t use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. When taking food off the grill, don’t put the cooked items on the same platter that held the raw meat. Any bacteria present in the raw meat juices could contaminate the safely cooked meat or other grilled foods. This is a prime cause of foodborne illness.
* Pack clean, soapy sponges, cloths and wet towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands. Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters for separately handling raw foods and cooked foods.
* Provide plenty of shade for food. Hot direct sunlight plays havoc on the quality. So bring along umbrellas or make use of roof overhangs, a building’s shadow, or trees and shrubs. But avoid placing food where debris can drop on it.
* Have a place for everything. Avoid clutter and chaos by placing plenty of baskets and bags around the area for litter. It will also make cleanup easier if you have baskets or pans available to deposit used utensils, plates and glasses.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@ proaxis.com.
1 1/2cups red wine vinegar
3/4cup soy sauce
1/3cup honey
3/4cup minced fresh ginger
1/4cup olive or salad oil
12large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
About 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3flank steaks (each weighing 2 to 1 1/2 pounds)
Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger, salad oil, garlic and pepper. Pour the marinade over the flank steaks in a container just large enough to hold all three steaks and the liquid (make sure the steaks are fully emerged in the marinade). You could also divide the steaks and marinade between 2 or 3 recloseable plastic bags. Refrigerate for at least for 4 hours, or up to 24 hours ahead.
When ready to cook, remove the steaks from the marinade. Grill over hot coals, turning once to brown evenly, until meat is medium-rare, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a board and let the meat sit for 5 to 10 minutes (this helps the meat retain its juices when cut), and then cut thinly across the grain, at an angle. Season to taste with soy sauce and pepper. As long as you boil the marinade for 5 minutes – for food safety reasons – you could serve that at the table as a sauce.
Each steak should serve about 6 people.
Zippy rice salad with avocados, tomatoes and corn
9cups regular-strength chicken broth
5cups long-grain white
1cup lime juice
1/2cup minced fresh cilantro
2small jalapeno chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced
3/4pound jack cheese, shredded
Fresh corn kernels cut from 3 cobs of fresh-cooked corn
3large (about 13/4 pound total) firm-ripe avocados
6medium-size (about 3 pounds total) firm-ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced
In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 8 cups broth to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer until rice is just tender to bite, about 15 minutes. Drain rice, reserving any liquid. Pour rice into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature
Mix the cooled rice with reserved broth, remaining 1 cup broth, 3/4 cup of the lime juice, cilantro and chilies. If making ahead, cover at this point and chill up to 2 days.
Stir 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese into the rice. Then add the corn kernels and gently toss until they are evenly distributed in the rice. Spoon the salad onto a large platter; sprinkle remaining cheese over and around salad.
Pit, peel, and slice avocados lengthwise; moisten slices with remaining lime juice. Arrange avocado and tomato slices on platter with rice.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.
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