Marinating Meats Safely

Grilling season is here and it’s time for a refresher on marinating meats safely. This is a time to shine for so many backyard grill masters. We love having spur of the moment get togethers but we also love the well planned out events that require patience and expertise on marinating and smoking/grilling meats and veggies. Today lets take a peep at how to safely make these events a success and have your guests begging to come back for more.

How to Marinate Meats Safely:

1. Contain it. Marinate food in a food-safe container. Don’t use metal as the acid in the marinade can interact with it. If you prefer to marinate in sealable food-safe plastic bags, you’ll need to discard them after use, so look for eco-friendly options or use reusable glass containers to minimize waste.
2. Let the fridge be your friend. Make sure the container of marinating food is fully covered. Place it on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator (at or below 40°F), not on the kitchen counter. This will keep food out of the temperature “danger zone,” which is the temperature range where bacteria multiply and may reach unsafe levels.
3. Pack properly for the park. Consider a picnic cooler as a transportable refrigerator. Make sure your marinating food is in a well-sealed container. Ideally, place it in a cooler designated just for perishable items, pack with ice and keep out of direct sunlight.
4. Be mindful with the marinade. Cross-contamination can lead to food poisoning. This may occur when a marinade is used on raw meat, poultry or fish, and then reused “as is” on cooked food. If reusing marinade on ready to eat food, boil it first before reusing to destroy harmful bacteria. When possible, plan ahead by setting aside some fresh sauce strictly for this purpose before marinating.
5. Cook for safety; make it tasty. Don’t rely solely on your senses. Use a food thermometer to assure marinated meat, poultry or fish is prepared to a safe minimum internal temperature. And regardless of the type of food you’re preparing, remember this: When food is cooked to the proper temperature, it won’t be undercooked — or overcooked.

Marinades can be categorized into three main types, each with unique properties and benefits:

• Acidic Marinades: These contain acidic ingredients like vinegar or citrus juices, which help to break down proteins, making meats more tender.
• Enzymatic Marinades: Made with ingredients like pineapple or papaya, these marinades contain enzymes that can tenderize meat effectively.
• Dairy-based Marinades: Ingredients like yogurt and buttermilk are not only flavorful but also help to tenderize meat due to their lactic acid content.

Health Risks Associated with Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination can lead to foodborne illnesses, which can result in symptoms such as:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain

In severe cases, some foodborne illnesses can lead to hospitalization or even be life-threatening, emphasizing the importance of safe food handling practices.

Marinating Veggies:

Many people love to grill vegetables just as much or sometimes even more than meats. I personally love them both but know that there are risks with marinating and cooking them together. Here are some reminders about that.

To avoid potential cross-contamination, the USDA recommends:

• Always marinate raw meat, poultry, fish and vegetables in separate containers.
• Do not reuse marinades used on raw meat/seafood on vegetables or cooked foods. Discard after use.
• Use different utensils for handling marinated raw meat vs vegetables.

By keeping meat and produce marinades fully separate, you prevent bacteria on raw meat from spreading to your veggies or other ingredients.

While marinating raw meat and vegetables separately is the recommended practice, there are a few instances where combining may be okay:

• If marinating cooked meat along with vegetables. The cooked meat poses less contamination risk.
• Marinating veggies to be paired with cooked meat, such as kebabs or skewers. Grill meat fully before adding veggies.
• Using leftover marinade as a sauce ONLY if boiling it for 3-5 minutes first to kill any bacteria present.

In these cases, the raw meat never directly contacts the produce being eaten raw. But in general, keep them separate for maximum safety.

While you should marinate beef and vegetables separately, you can still coordinate their flavors. Get creative with these alternatives to marinating them together:

• Marinate meat and veggies in marinades with complementary flavors. For example, steak in red wine marinade and mushrooms in a balsamic version.
• Skewer marinated raw meat and unmarinated veggies on kabobs. The meat will flavor the veggie skewered next to it.
• Brush marinated meat drippings over vegetables when roasting them as a side dish.
• Toss cooked meat with veggie side dishes to mingle flavors.

For more spring and summer grilling tips keep your eyes peeled here at Make Food Safe. We wish you all a successful grilling season.