How to tell when your BBQ meats are cooked

Barbecuing is one of the greatest delights of summer. Whatever you're grilling, it's important that the meat is cooked all the way through before serving. Here are a few tips for knowing how to tell when meat is fully cooked.

• Using a meat thermometer is by far the best way to check if your meat is thoroughly cooked.
• Insert the tip into the thickest part of the meat and make sure it's not touching a bone, as that can interfere with an accurate temperature read.
• It's important to know the proper temperatures for fully cooked meat to check its temperature against.
• Beef, veal, lamb, fish and pork should be 63 degrees Celsius, ground beef should be 71 degrees, and poultry should be 74 degrees.
• If your meat hasn't reached these minimums, stick it back on the barbecue to sizzle for a few more minutes.

• The finger test is one easy way to tell if red meat has cooked through all the way, and it lets you avoid poking through the meat with a thermometer and losing some of the juices inside.
• All you have to do is press the meat between your thumb and forefinger to sense how firm it is.
• Then open the palm of your hand and press on the fleshy part below your thumb.
• If the meat had a similar consistency as this part of your hand, it means that the meat isn't yet done.

• The juices of poultry, pork and other white meats should always run clear when they are fully cooked. Simply poke the meat with a fork to test it.
• If the juice has a pinkish colour, the meat needs more time on the grill. If the juice runs clear, it is usually safe to assume that it is done, but it's still a good idea to use a meat thermometer if you have one handy to make sure you don't end up eating undercooked meat.

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