Now that we are enjoying fine sunny weather, more and more time is being spent outdoors and cooking outside, at a campsite, or family picnic is great fun. Great safety tips to remember. Have a safe and fun filled summer!
Barbecue and Food SafetyCooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends. Now more than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year round. So whether the snow is blowing or the sun is shining brightly, it’s important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying and causing food borne illness. Use these simple guidelines for grilling food safely.
From the Store: Home First
When shopping, buy cold food like meat and poultry last, right before checkout. Separate raw meat and poultry from other food in your shopping cart. To guard against cross-contamination — which can happen when raw meat or poultry juices drip on other food — put packages of raw meat and poultry into plastic bags.
Plan to drive directly home from the grocery store. You may want to take a cooler with ice for perishables. Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. Refrigerate within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F.
At home, place meat and poultry in the refrigerator immediately. Freeze poultry and ground meat that won’t be used in 1 or 2 days; freeze other meat within 4 to 5 days.
Thaw SafelyCompletely thaw meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly. Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw sealed packages in cold water. You can microwave defrost if the food will be placed immediately on the grill.
Marinating
A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce in which a food is soaked to enrich its flavor or to tenderize it. Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Poultry and cubed meat or stew meat can be marinated up to 2 days. Beef, veal, pork, and lamb roasts, chops, and steaks may be marinated up to 5 days. If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and poultry in it. However, if the marinade used on raw meat or poultry is to be reused, make sure to let it come to a boil first to destroy any harmful bacteria.
Transporting
When carrying food to another location, keep it cold to minimize bacterial growth. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 °F or below. Pack food right from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home.
Keep Cold Food Cold
Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to use. Only take out the meat and poultry that will immediately be placed on the grill.
When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter. Avoid opening the lid too often, which lets cold air out and warm air in. Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in a separate cooler.
Keep Everything CleanBe sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters. To prevent foodborne illness, don’t use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Harmful bacteria present in raw meat and poultry and their juices can contaminate safely cooked food.
If you’re eating away from home, find out if there’s a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean cloths, and wet towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands.
Precooking
Precooking food partially in the microwave, oven, or stove is a good way of reducing grilling time. Just make sure that the food goes immediately on the preheated grill to complete cooking.
# SAFE MINIMUM INTERNAL TEMPERATURES Whole poultry: 165 °F
# Poultry breasts: 165 °F
# Ground poultry: 165 °F
# Hamburgers, beef: 160 °F
# Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks, roasts and chops):
* Medium rare 145 °F
* Medium 160 °F
# All cuts of pork: 160 °F
Cook Thoroughly
Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature. Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to 145 °F. Hamburgers made of ground beef should reach 160 °F. All cuts of pork should reach 160 °F. All poultry should reach a minimum of 165 °F.
NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later.
ReheatingWhen reheating fully cooked meats like hot dogs, grill to 165 °F or until steaming hot.
Keep Hot Food Hot
After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served — at 140 °F or warmer.
Keep cooked meats hot by setting them to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook. At home, the cooked meat can be kept hot in an oven set at approximately 200 °F, in a chafing dish or slow cooker, or on a warming tray.
Serving the Food
When taking food off the grill, use a clean platter. Don’t put cooked food on the same platter that held raw meat or poultry. Any harmful bacteria present in the raw meat juices could contaminate safely cooked food.
In hot weather (above 90 °F), food should never sit out for more than 1 hour.
Leftovers
Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Discard any food left out more than 2 hours (1 hour if temperatures are above 90 °F).
Safe Smoking
Smoking is cooking food indirectly in the presence of a fire. It can be done in a covered grill if a pan of water is placed beneath the meat on the grill; and meats can be smoked in a “smoker,” which is an outdoor cooker especially designed for smoking foods. Smoking is done much more slowly than grilling, so less tender meats benefit from this method, and a natural smoke flavoring permeates the meat. The temperature in the smoker should be maintained at 250 to 300 °F for safety.
Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal temperature.
Pit Roasting
Pit roasting is cooking meat in a large, level hole dug in the earth. A hardwood fire is built in the pit, requiring wood equal to about 2½ times the volume of the pit. The hardwood is allowed to burn until the wood reduces and the pit is half filled with burning coals. This can require 4 to 6 hours burning time.
Cooking may require 10 to 12 hours or more and is difficult to estimate. A food thermometer must be used to determine the meat’s safety and doneness. There are many variables such as outdoor temperature, the size and thickness of the meat, and how fast the coals are cooking.
Does Grilling Pose a Cancer Risk?
Some studies suggest there may be a cancer risk related to eating food cooked by high-heat cooking techniques as grilling, frying, and broiling. Based on present research findings, eating moderate amounts of grilled meats like fish, meat, and poultry cooked — without charring — to a safe temperature does not pose a problem.
To prevent charring, remove visible fat that can cause a flare-up. Precook meat in the microwave immediately before placing it on the grill to release some of the juices that can drop on coals. Cook food in the center of the grill and move coals to the side to prevent fat and juices from dripping on them. Cut charred portions off the meat.
By: Art Gib
You’ve been fishing in the same ponds, lakes, and streams for most of your life and you’ve absolutely loved it. Then you start to think: what am I missing? Although familiar fishing spots are as comfortable as that old sweater, sometimes it’s fun to get out of town and see what the rest of the world has to offer. How about Alaska, Montana, and even the Amazon River for starters? Here’s more about these great fishing venues.
Alaska
Although Alaska is a popular tourist destination thanks to its soaring glaciers, abundant wildlife, and whale viewing, people also flock to the state to indulge in some serious fishing. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a freezerful of halibut and salmon steaks all winter long after a successful and exciting trip. The Kenai River and Peninsula are great locations for finding those halibuts and salmon, and there are literally hundreds of outfitters that specialize in helping fishermen make memories to last a lifetime. Your experience can be rugged and primitive, or you can choose to be pampered in luxury when you’re not out on the water. It is a fly fisherman’s paradise also, so make sure you choose an outfitter that specializes in the kind of fishing you most want to do.
Montana
When it comes to fly fishing, it’s hard to beat the gorgeous rivers of Southern Montana. The most famous river is the Yellowstone, where anglers may catch glimpses of moose and other wildlife as they fish for brown and cutthroat trout. The Paradise Valley area has over 100 miles of fishable waters to enjoy. The Big Horn River is home to some of the most aggressive and large brown, rainbows, and cut-bows you may ever encounter, and you will be sure to test your skills while enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery in North America.
Brazil
For an exotic change, how about traveling all the way down to the dense jungles of Brazil to face off against the fearsome peacock bass of the Amazon River? The Peacock is not a bass at all, but rather, an aggressive and large form of cichlid. There is no mistaking what’s on the end of your line when you feel the Peacock’s explosive strike: it is an angling challenge that is unique and it can only happen on the Amazon since the fish is found nowhere else. The species can grow in excess of 27 pounds and has been known to shatter rods, so this type of fishing is not for the faint of heart. Make sure to choose a reputable and experienced outfitter to help make your experience successful as well as unforgettable.
Author Resource:-> Acute Angling (http://www.acuteangling.com) is your source for high quality Amazon Peacock Bass fishing trips. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
Article From Article Avalanche
By: Janine Carter
It is important to monitor your horse’s weight regularly, especially if he is prone to weight loss. A good way to monitor weight is with a weigh tape that can be purchased at most local tack shops or feed stores. If you use this tape at the same time each week it will be about 90 accurate and will let you know if there is any potential problems with your horse with weight loss being a symptom. There is also a thing called a weighbridge that your horse can walk up on to get an accurate weight, however these are not owned by most people as they are very expensive and only the large horse breeders can afford to install them.
When a horse loses weight, he loses his fat first and then the muscle tone. In this way he is just like humans. Usually a horse has a good amount of fat in reserve that he has stored during warm months to prepare for lean winters. It is inherent in their nature to store this fat. By the time weight loss can be seen on a horse, there has been a significant loss of weight already so it is important to keep track of any changes.
One way to put some weight back on your horse is to feed him conditioning cubes or feed. There are many varieties on the market such as Spillers Condition Cubes. You should see results fairly quickly in as soon as two weeks in most cases.
Feed more grain than your horses usual portion. Use a feed that is higher in fiber and lower in starch as this reduces the chances of your horse exhibiting bad behavior from his over abundance of energy. More protein and energy intake builds weight. Low energy feeds can be fed from 1kg to 6 kg without your horse going thru the roof with energy.
If you have no good grazing land, offer more hay during the day to provide extra roughage and nutrients. Of course fresh grass is much better, but the hay will still provide gut fill which creates heat from the process of fermentation. Try to stay away from large round bales as they can develop mold and are not suitable for horses.
Lastly, consult your veterinarian if you are unsure how to best feed your horse to get your horse back to the proper weight and health. If nothing else they can suggest a good nutritionist that will guide you to the proper diet and supplements.
http://www.poshpamperedpets.com
Article From Article Avalanche
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Pets
This post was written by the Listed Author on June 23, 2009
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By: Amy Nutt
With the serious problems affecting our environment today, many people are wondering how they can control the temperature of their indoor environments without continuing to deplete the natural environment. Air conditioners have long been a source of environmental pollution with the prolonged use of damaging artificial refrigerants that wreak havoc on our delicate atmosphere. Now that ‘green’ building has become so popular, the heating and cooling industry has begun to offer an array of widely available, environmentally friendly air conditioners for both residential and commercial use. By replacing the old-fashioned cooling systems of yesterday with the innovative air conditioning and air cleaning systems of today, we can substantially reduce the amount of damage done by our desire for indoor climate control.
Air conditioning products cool the indoor environment to a comfortable temperature in hot weather, providing an enjoyable and temperate climate in which to function. Appliance efficiency is one of the biggest factors to consider today, and the total efficiency of an air conditioning unit is indicated by the SEER rating, which indicates the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This rating is mandated by the government, can range between 10 and 17, and the higher the number, the more efficient the air conditioner. Many well known and respected heating and cooling companies offer high-efficiency air conditioning models for the public consumer. Choose a manufacturer that you trust and check out the range of SEER ratings on their available air conditioning units.
The type of cooling system that air conditioning units use depends on the climate. For instance, in the Midwest where it is typically humid and warm in the summer, forced air AC units are used, but in the Southwest, where the climate is dry and hot, evaporative units are used, which are generally environmentally friendly by their very nature, using a very natural technology by cooling and evaporating plain water into the air. This method is very effective in such an environment.
While a highly efficient air conditioner may mean more cost up front, a consumer will save even more in the long term with reduced monthly energy costs. In addition to air conditioners with a high SEER rating that are still powered by the local electric company, there are other alternatives, such as solar powered air conditioners and even newer technologies are still in the works and being developed and tested everyday using a wide array of environmentally friendly, natural and non toxic materials.
Another way to keep the immediate environment friendly is through the use of air cleaners and purifiers, which remove toxic gases, allergens and harmful molds and bacteria from the air by implementing powerful filters and air exchange systems to reduce negative effects on the body and the surrounding physical environment. Many of these air cleaners incorporate natural materials, such as organic cotton filters, into their construction while eliminating harmful dyes and chemicals. There are some very unconventional, highly efficient and completely environmentally friendly air cleaners and purifiers available today, some that even require no conventional electricity to work!
The wide availability of environmentally friendly air conditioning and air cleaning products today is truly astounding and is expanding all the time. Information on the many different and earth friendly products available can be found everywhere, and soon, the damaging technology of early climate control units will be a thing of the past.
Author Resource:-> Duct Cleaning Toronto Company servicing residential, commercial and industrial customers. Offering Robotic Duct Cleaning. Visit one of our locations at: Duct Cleaning North York, Scarborough.
Article From Article Avalanche
