Grill Safer By Properly Cleaning Your Meat Thermometer In Between Uses

Grilling isn't exactly rocket science, but it's not as simple as merely slapping some meat over open flames. There is some nuance to it, and unless coming down with a bout of food poisoning is on your grilling bucket list, cooking your protein all the way through is a top priority. If you're using a meat thermometer correctly by sticking the probe into the thickest part of the flesh, you're off to a good start. Yet, if you find the protein hasn't quite reached a safe temperature and you don't clean the business end that probed the undercooked meat, you are begging for trouble.

Whenever a thermometer goes into underdone meat like chicken or pork, there is a good chance it will come out harboring bacteria. When you give the protein a second check, the bacteria can be transferred back in, creating a food safety issue that could end up making you and any guests eating your grilled fare painfully ill. Thankfully, the solution is as simple as giving your go-to temperature checker a good wash.

Hot water and soap are your best weapons against bacteria that might be lingering on your meat thermometer. The water doesn't need to be any exact temperature, as the soap is doing the brunt of the work. However, the probe needs to be cleaned for a minimum of 20 seconds in order for all the bacteria to be eliminated. Of course, if you are grilling in a public park, you might not have access to hot, soapy water. In that case, you'll want to be armed with another tool that will sanitize your meat thermometer efficiently.

Using soap and hot water is just one way to clean a meat thermometer. Alternatively, you can put the probe in boiling water to remove any bacteria, or you could create a mix of chlorine bleach and water and wash it with that. But not many of us are bringing bleach or a pot of water to boil with us when we're grilling away from home. If you find yourself without hot water or soap when grilling outdoors, the next best way to sanitize your meat thermometer is with an alcohol pad. 

Commercial kitchens often take this approach due to its fast and efficient nature. You can either open up the packet and fully remove the wipe, or you can simply poke the probe through the corners of the paper packaging and rub the pad inside all over the meat thermometer. In just a few seconds, it should be free of any problematic food safety issues. 

It's not just reintroducing bacteria to the protein that you have to worry about. Any surface that comes into contact with a tainted meat thermometer is at risk. You might just set it down for a moment while you attend to other aspects of grilling, but if your hand, a plate, or anything else touches it, you could be spreading bacteria all over various surfaces, including your food. Avoid the mistakes that can ruin grilled chicken all you want, but if it becomes contaminated with bacteria like salmonella from a dirty meat thermometer, anyone who eats it will only remember how sick they got at your BBQ.