BBQ experts share perfect temperatures to cook meats – including chicken

This Monday we’re being treated to yet another May bank holiday and this one is predicted to be a scorcher.

With the high temperatures getting us in the mood for summer, many people will be thinking about dusting off the BBQ and inviting friends round for a feast in the back garden.

However, it is important to make sure you are cooking meat on the BBQ at the correct temperature to avoid food poisoning.

Here are some expert tips on the exact temperature you should BBQ different meats at.

What temperature should you BBQ meat?

Experts from MuscleFood.com have warned that cooking meat on the BBQ is not the same as cooking it on the hob or in an oven.

Ashleigh Tosh at MuscleFood.com said: ‘As soon as the sun starts shining, it’s hard to resist the temptation of tucking into a delicious BBQ.

‘However, there’s a potential danger that comes with cooking meats like beef burgers and pork on the BBQ, especially for those inexperienced with the cooking appliance.

Beef burgers

According to MuscleFood, the best temperature to cook beef burgers on the BBQ at is from 71ºC to 74ºC.

Beef burgers are best cooked medium rare to well done – however, if you take them off the grill too early, you could end up with throwing up the next day due to food poisoning.

Hot dogs

MuscleFood states that hot dogs should be cooked at a slightly higher temperature than beef burgers, from 74ºC to 75ºC.

It is important to make sure that hotdogs are cooked evenly throughout, as they can look cooked at the ends but may be pink in the middle.

Pork

Pork can be cooked at a slightly lower temperature than burgers and hotdogs, according to MuscleFood, at 63ºC to 66ºC.

However, it’s not just the appearance of pork that can show whether its been undercooked, it’s also the texture.

If the meat has a chewy texture, this can suggest that it is underdone, so make sure to keep checking the inner temperature with a thermometer.

Ribs

Ribs need to be cooked at a much higher temperature than other meats at between 93ºC and 97ºC.

They also need to be left to grill for four or five hours so make sure to whack them on the barbie plenty of time before your guests arrive.

Chicken burgers

Unlike beef burgers, it is imperative to make sure that there are no signs of pinkness in a chicken burger, as this could cause salmonella poisoning.

MuscleFood states that making sure the temperature of your burger is between 74ºC-76ºC is the best way to avoid harmful bacteria from uncooked chicken.

Salmon

For fish lovers and pescatarians, salmon is the perfect BBQ treat, and needs to be cooked at 90ºC to 92ºC.

The colour of your salmon is a key indicator as to whether it’s properly cooked – if it’s dark pink in the middle, it needs a little longer on the barbie.

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