To help you enjoy your beef purchase, here are some checkpoints for
safe grilling the next time you fire up the grill.

SHOPPING

• When shopping, choose meat and poultry last, and don't putthem
in the trunk. The temperature there is too hot and bacteria will grow
rapidly. Don't let meat set out for longer than one hour during warm
weather. If meat sets out too long, bacteria can produce toxins that can cause illness and stay active even during cooking.

• Refrigerate meat and poultry immediately upon arriving home.

• Purchase ground meat or poultry no more than a day or two before
you plan to grill it. Otherwise, freeze them. Grill larger cuts of meat,
such as steaks, within 4 days of purchase or freeze them.

PREPARATION

• Completely thaw meat and poultry in the refrigerator or just prior to
cooking in a microwave. Frozen foods do not grill evenly and may be
unsafe. Never defrost on the counter—bacteria will begin to grow. It takes about 24 hours to thaw 5 pounds of meat in the refrigerator.

• Clean up juice spills immediately so a raw product does not get on a
cooked product. Juice spills should be cleaned with a paper towel. If using a dishcloth to wipe up raw meat or poultry juices, wash it in hot soapy water before using it again.

• Marinate meat and poultry in the refrigerator. Sauce can be brushed on these foods while cooking, but never use the same sauce after cooking that has touched the raw product.