When you are catering outdoors, there are some special things you need to look out for, in addition to all the normal food hygiene rules.
Barbecues
When barbecuing, the most important things are to make sure that raw meat is handled carefully and cooked properly.
Remember, even if the meat is charred on the outside, it might not be properly cooked in the middle. It is very important to cook poultry, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs until they are piping hot all the way through, with no pinkness left.
-
Light the barbecue well in advance, making sure you use enough charcoal. Wait until it is glowing red with a powdery grey surface before starting to cook
-
Move food around the barbecue and turn it regularly, to ensure even cooking
-
If you are cooking large amounts, you could start to cook raw meat on one barbecue and then move it onto another one when it is partially cooked, to help reduce the risk of cross-contamination
-
To ensure thorough cooking, you could cook meat indoors and finish it off on the barbecue for added flavour
When you are cooking or serving outdoors, and working out of your usual routine, you should be especially careful to avoid cross-contamination.
-
Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat
-
Use separate tongs for raw and cooked meat
-
Never put cooked food on a plate that has been used for raw meat
-
Keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods, such as salads, sandwiches and desserts
-
Do not put raw meat products next to cooked or partially cooked meat on the barbecue
-
Do not add sauce or marinade to cooked food if it has already been used with raw meat
Buffets Outdoors
When catering outdoors, for example providing a buffet in a marquee, you need to be especially careful to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot, because bacteria can grow more quickly in warm summer conditions.
Leave chilled food in the fridge for as long as possible before taking it outdoors and make sure you obey the temperature control regulations. You should also protect food from contamination by insects, birds, animals and people by keeping it covered whenever possible.
Remember, if you are catering at a temporary venue, you need to make sure that you follow good hygiene at every stage, during storage, preparation, cooking, transport and serving.
Plan ahead to make sure that you will have everything you need to prepare and serve food safely. For example, make sure that there will be adequate facilities for staff to wash their hands and to keep food at the right temperature.
