3 Ways to Avoid Food Poisoning this Summer

By Sarah Correll

Pool parties, barbecues, sunshine, and… Food poisoning? Foodborne illnesses are much more common in the summer than any other time of year. Follow these three tips to keep your family safe this grilling season!

Keep It Clean

Be sure to clean your grill before you use it and don’t cross-contaminate your dishes by using the same plates or utensils on raw and cooked meat.

Put Leftovers Away

Be sure to pack up and cool your leftovers within two hours of serving the meal if the temperature is under 90 degrees, and within an hour if it’s 90 degrees or higher outside.

Thaw Safely and Cook Thoroughly

Thaw meat completely in the refrigerator or microwave before putting it on the grill, and make sure it’s completely cooked. That’s 165° for chicken, 160° for ground meats, and 145° for pork and beef with a three minute rest after.

Have a happy (and healthy) grilling season!

Great Grilling Recipes

By Sarah Correll

It’s warm.  It is finally warm. (Or we will pretend it is until it is!)  That means spring sports, show livestock in the barns, and, of course, grilling season.  In celebration of that, here is a recipe roundup of some tasty grilling recipes from the Real Farmwives of America and Friends!

 Ham and Pineapple Kabobs from Goodeness Gracious

 Grilled Pizza from A Latte with Ott, A

 Grilled Artichokes from 3 Kids and Lots of Pigs

Grilled Summer Salad from Goodeness Gracious

The Perfect Steak from Beyer Beware

Bourbon Tenderloins from A Latte with Ott, A

Barbeque Chicken Thighs from Goodeness Gracious

Asian Duck Burgers from A Latte with Ott, A

I’m definitely excited for this warm weather and everything (food and non-food) that goes with it!  If your favorite recipe isn’t listed above, be sure to share it below!

Table Talk: Cool Treats and Grilled Meats

Summer is sizzling on. The temperatures are high and the days are long. We are all looking for ways to keep cool. What are two ways to beat the heat in the kitchen? The grill and frosty treats!

The Indiana Table Talk Contributors have been freezing and grilling up a storm and are kind enough to share all the recipes with you!

Michelle at Gotchya Baby gives us the 5 step recipe for Tin Foil Potatoes that she uses while her kitchen is closed for the summer.

Krista over at Everyday Mom's Meals includes her son on the fun of making homemade popsicles that are sure to be a treat for everyone in the family!

Angie at Just Like The Number shares with us the magic meal appeal of summer in her Grilled Marinated Flank Steaks.

Sarah at Redefining Perfect is enticing all her neighbors over to her backyard with her Quick Pop Bar.

Beth at In Good Cents lets us in on the recipes for her Garlic Butter Vegetable Rub and Ragin Cajun Rub . Be careful how much Cayenne Pepper goes into the Cajun Rub, or you might be playing the same game as Beth's family!

Beth also shares with us her adventures with her Zoku as she makes her Chocolate Chip Malted Milk Ice Pops.

Heather at Inexpensively continues to celebrate National Dairy Month all summer long as she teaches her teen life skills and whips up quick and easy pizzas on the grill.

Whether it is meat, veggies or pizzas on the grill or a tasty frozen treat for dessert, our Table Talk Contributors prove that enjoying summer time foods is fun!

Seven Super Steps to Safe Food In the Summer

An excerpt from www.fightbac.org

During warm weather, it is especially important to take extra precautions and practice safe food handling when preparing perishable foods such as meat, poultry, seafood and egg products. The warmer weather conditions may be ideal for outdoor picnics and barbecues, but they also provide a perfect environment for bacteria and other pathogens in food to multiply rapidly and cause foodborne illness. Follow the suggestions below to Fight BAC!® (foodborne bacteria) and reduce the risk of foodborne illness this summer.

1.   Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands. Always wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.  Sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat twice to get a sense of how long you should wash.

2.   Marinating Mandate. Always marinate food in the refrigerator. Don’t use sauce that was used to marinate raw meat or poultry on cooked food. Boil used marinade before applying to cooked food or reserve a portion of the unused marinade to use as a sauce.

3.   Hot, Hot, Hot. When grilling foods, preheat the coals on your grill for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the coals are lightly coated with ash.

4.   Temperature Gauge. Use a food thermometer to ensure that food reaches a safe internal temperature.

5.   Where's the Beef? Chicken and Fish? Hamburgers should be cooked to 160 ºF, while large cuts of beef such as roasts and steaks may be cooked to 145 ºF for medium rare or to 160 ºF for medium.  Poultry must reach a temperature of 165 °F. Fish should be opaque and flake easily.

6.   Stay Away from that Same Old Plate. When taking foods off the grill, do not put cooked food items back on the same plate that held raw food, unless it has been washed with hot water and soap first. And in hot weather (above 90°F) foods should never sit out for more than one hour before going in the refrigerator.

7.   Icebox Etiquette. A full cooler will maintain its cold temperatures longer than one that is partially filled so it is important to pack plenty of extra ice or freezer packs to ensure a constant cold temperature. Keep the cooler out of the direct sun. Keep drinks in a separate cooler from foods. The beverage cooler will be opened frequently while the food cooler stays cold.

Grilling 101

Guest Post by Leah of Real Farmwives of America and Friends and Beyer Beware

After the long, cold winter we had, I am craving pork chops right off the grill. And boy do they taste so good after spending several hours in a good spicy brine. Learn more about how to make your own brine over at my Hunk of Meat Monday post.

But to learn more about grilling, and gas grilling to be exact, it is all right here.

To start, you want to start with a great piece of meat. I love to grill with cuts of meat that have the bone. I think it adds to the flavor of the meat. I also would recommend having a piece of pork that is at least an inch thick.

Whether you brined, marinated or dry rubbed you pork, let it sit out for about 15 minutes at room temperature so it is not so cold when you throw it on the grill.

I grill at a medium heat. You don't want to torch the juice out of your meat. You want to make sure you preheat the grill just like you would a traditional charcoal grill. I place my pork chops over the heat.

 

Unlike beef, I need to make sure my pork to be done. Not hockey puck done, but fully cooked. (Our mothers were taught to cook the hell out of pork to kill all the parasites that pigs were exposed to when they were raised on pasture. These parasites have been eliminated from the pigs since we have moved pigs into barns. No fear, it is not your mother's pork.) While pork is referred to as the other white meat, it is a red meat. So, don't be afraid if the inner meat is still pink as long as it reached 145-150 degrees on the grill.

I seasoned my pork with a BBQ seasoning salt. I cook for about 8 minutes on each side for an inch thick chop. After cooking on both sides, you want to let your chops rest for 5 minutes before cutting. Resting insures the juice will be locked in for the most flavor.

If you love lots of BBQ sauce on your chops, grab your favorite bottle of sauce. What is your family’s favorite sauce? Ours is Sweet Baby Rays Honey Chipotle Sauce.

Hamin' It Up This Season

Note: Scroll to the bottom to see who won our giveaway this week.

Interested in learning how to perfectly carve the Christmas Ham or looking for a super easy Holiday Ham recipe this season? Our friends over at TheOtherWhiteMeat.com have the perfect way for you to Ham up your holiday!

Check out this quick video on how to carve a ham. Or, see the great simple recipe below.

Spiral-Sliced Ham with Pepper Jelly Glaze

Recipe from TheOtherWhiteMeat.com

Times:

10 minutes prep, 60 minutes cook

Ingredients:

5-6 pound fully-cooked bone-in ham, half ham, spiral sliced
1 8-oz. jar hot pepper jelly

Cooking Directions:

Place ham in shallow pan and heat in 350 degrees F. oven, uncovered, for 1 1/4 hours. (about 15-18 minutes per pound) until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 140 degrees F.


The last 15 minutes, pour the pepper jelly over ham, spreading evenly. Heat for 10-15 minutes more, basting occasionally.


Serves 8


The winner of our Grill Set Giveaway is...

Lesley Mitchell! Congrats!


Please contact us at indianafarmers@gmail.com and let us know where to ship your new grill set!


Stay tuned next week for a whole new giveaway.