Cooking outdoors is popular the world over, from British barbecues to South African braais. There’s something wonderful about cooking over a flame or heat when you’re outside, which is probably why so many people are investigating ways of making their meals al fresco. The rise of pizza ovens, ceramic barbecues and more compact grilles reflects a rise in popularity, too. 

But if you’re cooking outdoors, how can you stay safe and make sure everything remains fun and easy? Here, we’re going to take a look at some of the key ways to keep as safe as can be when you’re cooking outside.

Make sure your barbecue is located somewhere safe and sturdy

Before you even light a match, you want to make sure that the grill or pizza oven that you’re using is located somewhere safe. You’re looking for a level area – ideally over stone or gravel – so that there are no unwanted wobbles during cooking as this could result in a tip. 

Avoid putting your barbecue directly onto grass – it’ll scorch and kill it – and keep it away from sheds, branches or trees. You may want to keep a bucket of water or sand nearby to put the flames out if an emergency were to occur. 

Get the barbecue up to temperature before you start cooking

It’s always tempting to get grilling right away once there’s flames, but this can result in undercooked and nasty-tasting food. If you’re using charcoal, then you want to get this going with an appropriate starter – such as zero-paraffin wood bundles – and allow it to come up to temperature. 

You’ll be able to start cooking once all of the black charcoal has turned white. Don’t be tempted to rush things, either, though a charcoal starter chimney can help speed things along. 

Keep food chilled until required

It’s easy to lay everything out and think that you’re all sorted, but this can lead to food coming up to unpleasant temperatures. So, until you’re ready to cook, keep raw food chilled and separate from any cooked or fresh produce. You’ll either want to do that that by keeping it in the fridge or, if you’re out and about, by using a cooler. 

If you’re planning on cooking any frozen items then make sure that these are completely thawed out before you put them on the grill. 

Always wash your hands

It goes without saying that good hygiene is essential when you’re cooking outside. Make sure to wash your hands wherever you’ve been touching or working with raw meat and make sure to santetise before you touch any clean plates or cutlery, too. 

You’ll also want to get two sets of barbecue utensils – one for the raw items and one for when you’re turning the cooked food. 

Make sure everything is cooked through

If you’re cooking meat, then you really need to focus on making sure that everything is cooked through properly. While there’s a certain level of leeway with steak or lamb, it’s chicken where you really need to ensure that things are properly cooked as the alternative could be serious. You may want to consider cooking chicken in the oven before finishing it on the grill to be certain everything is as it should be. 

Don’t leave food standing around for too long

While barbecues are often a masterclass in grazing, you’re not going to want to leave things hanging around outside. If it’s items such as salads or grains, then let people dig in before returning them to the fridge or cooler to stay chilled. 

When it comes to cooked food, allow people to tuck in once it’s straight off the grill. If you’ve got any leftovers, then cover them and allow them to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge. Eat them within 48 hours and only reheat them once if you need to.