12 Grilling Safety Tips
Did you know that according to the National Fire Protection Association between 2013 and 2017 there were annually 10200 home fires caused by grilling? This, unfortunately, happens every year worldwide and many people still think that the whole process is very simple and easy. The main issue here is that you should always take safety precautions even if you are doing the simplest thing in life because you don’t know what might happen suddenly and ruin everything.
In this article, we are going to provide you with some safety tips to be able to grill happily and enjoy every moment with your family and friends.
Tip #1 Grill outside away from anything
The more far away the better. Many fires start from structures that are attached to your home such as carports, stuff in the garage… etc. It might also flare up to wooden structures in the yard. This tip applies to all kinds of grills not only gas grill, even if the gas grill is more dangerous than the charcoal grill but still you need to take precautions in both kinds.
Tip #2 Keep the grill clean
When it comes to cleaning the grill it is a safety issue on all sides, you should always clean the grill to avoid any greasy or buildup components on the grates that might cause a flare-up and lead to adding more fuel to the initial fire so this might cause more fire and lead to burning what is around.
Tip #3 don’t grill too much food at one time
Placing too much food at the same time on the grill will cause more fat drops on the grates that will definitely cause flare-ups and also increase the fire. You can cook the food in batches to prevent the grill from being overloaded and also to cook your food much better.
Tip #4 If you are using a gas grill check gas leak
It is known worldwide that most of the fires that happen are due to gas grills more than charcoal grills because of gas leaks. To check if there is a gas leak all that you need to do is prepare a soup and water solution and rub the hoses with then turn the gas on, if you see bubbles this means that there is gas leakage so fix what you need to fix at that moment. Never ever use fire to try if there is a gas leak because if there is you will end up with a huge fire all over the place.
Tip #5 Keep a water spray bottle with you
This is a very simple yet effective tip because if any flare-ups happened you will spray it with water directly and stop the fire from spreading and also in this way you will not ruin your food because it’s just water. Make sure you also have a fire extinguisher with you because sometimes the water might not be enough if the fire is huge and of course you need to keep it away from kids’ sight because it is harmful to them.
Tip #6 Never keep the grill alone
You might keep the grill unattended for a short period of time but you don’t know that it might burn everything and harm a kid within those few minutes. So never ever keeps the grill without anybody watching out the fire and the whole process until you finish cooking and also never keep a kid beside the grill because kids might do actions that are not responsible and ruin everything in seconds.
Tip #7 Use a thermometer
Using a thermometer is very important as a health safety tip because you might have a very hot grill and very hot food from outside but still raw from inside so this might lead to food poisoning for the whole family. So make sure you are using a thermometer to know the exact temperature inside the food so you eat it safely.
Tip #8 Always turn off the grill
You might say that this is a silly tip but believe me, it is not at all. Sometimes if you are in a hurry you might forget to turn the grill off if it is gas and what is more dangerous is that if you are using a charcoal grill even after stop cooking the charcoal needs time to turn off. You can easily put out the fire released from the remaining charcoal by using water.
Tip #9 Avoid cross contamination
This is another health safety tip, you might be grilling vegetables and meat so always make sure you separate them before start cooking because raw meat might transfer bacteria to your food and the food might not be cooked well so it will cause poisoning. Make sure you always separate food and be more organized in the process.
Tip #10 Caution with lighter fluid
Sometimes you might need to use a little bit of lighter fluid to turn the charcoal on but you should always use it carefully especially if the fire is on and everything is okay by adding a lighter fluid you might increase the fire and cause more burning which is not needed at all.
Tip #11 Avoid turning gas on while lid is closed
If you do that gas will build up inside the grill and might cause an explosion when you open it and turn the fire on, always make sure that the lid is open and then turn the gas on so you avoid any extra gas before even lighting up a fire.
Tip #12 Wear the suitable clothes
Make sure not to wear very soft clothes because they catch fire easily and also try to wear gloves to avoid burning your hands and long sleeve shirts so you take care of your skin in this way.
So as a recap, those 12 safety tips cover all the tips that you all should know before start grilling. Grilling is a very joyful activity for you and your family and also kids love it, but before you go through this experience you have to know that there are many rules to grill safely and to get out the best of the food that you are going to grill, and also by taking those safety measurements you will prevent yourself and your family from any food poisoning and bacterial infection due to food contamination. Remember that precautions are more important than the process itself because if you follow the right precautions and rules the process will be so easy and joyful.
