There’s no better way to celebrate America’s birthday than with beef on the grill. As you plan your menu for this holiday weekend, check out these grilling favorites from the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand.
For steak lovers all across the country, these blackstrap steaks with caramelized onions will light up your taste buds. Beef chuck eye steaks or ranch steaks are brushed with molasses and served with a caramelized onion relish, taking its flavor up a notch.
What’s more fun than constructing the perfect kebab like these smoked steak skewers with tomatoes, onions and olives? Top sirloin steak cut into cubes then skewered with tomatoes, red onions, olives, then sprinkled with manchego cheese, these kebabs are a great excuse to get out the smoker, but if you don’t have one, they are just as delicious on the grill.
Nothing sparks more excitement than the anticipation of a good burger on the fourth, and these western burgers are just the kick. Topped with avocado, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, tomato and onions, this recipe offers a little spice with a whole lot of flavor.
For more summer grilling recipes, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com along with the Grilling Basics and Smoking Basics pages to get the most out of your grilling and smoking experience.
Keep These Food Safety Tips in Mind
“Summer barbecues are a favorite tradition, but they also present unique food safety challenges when cooking outdoors and away from the safety of a kitchen,” says Denise Eblen, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) administrator. “Safe food handling is the best ingredient for a successful cookout.”
Here are some food safety recommendations to keep you and your guests safe this holiday weekend:
Handle Frozen Food Properly
- Thaw frozen beef, poultry or fish safely in the refrigerator, cold water or a microwave oven. When thawing with cold water and a microwave, cook immediately afterward.
- Although frozen products might appear to be pre-cooked or browned, treat them as raw food and cook thoroughly.
- Products labeled as “cook and serve,” “ready-to-cook” and “oven ready” must be cooked to the appropriate internal temperature.
Marinate Safely
- Always marinate food in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Bacteria multiply rapidly in warm environments.
- Use a food-safe container or resealable plastic bag for marinating.
- Never reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw meat or poultry unless you boil it first to destroy harmful bacteria
Cook Carefully
- Do not partially cook food ahead of time and finish later; cook it thoroughly the first time.
- Remember color is not a reliable indicator of doneness. Use a food thermometer to ensure foods reach a safe minimum internal temperature:
- Beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts: 145°F
- Seafood (fish and shellfish): 145°F
- Ground beef, pork, lamb and veal: 160°F
- Poultry (whole and ground): 165°F
Avoid the Danger Zone
- The bacteria that can cause foodborne illness grow between 40°F and 140°F — also known as the danger zone.
- If you plan to keep perishable foods on the table for more than two hours (or one hour in temperatures above 90°F), keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold to avoid the danger zone.
- Keep hot foods heated at or above 140°F with chafing dishes, slow cookers or preheated grill.
- Keep cold foods chilled at or below 40°F by placing them on bowls of ice or keeping them inside a cooler near the picnic table.
For more information about food safety, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or email MPHotline@usda.gov.
