QUICK TIP: KEEP IT CLEAN

Big Poppa has a seemingly endless supply of tips & tricks when it comes to cooking in the kitchen and the backyard. Surprisingly, not all of them are food related. Some of the less glamorous (and often forgotten!) pointers have to do with food safety, fire/heat safety, and how to make cleanup easier.

Watch the video below + read on for more info about the tools Big Poppa uses to keep things clean!

We’ve listed some of Big Poppa’s favorite accessories, tips, and tricks for cooking cleanliness below. Each one has been Big Poppa approved for our online store (some are also linked to purchase).

Disposable Cutting Boards – these handy cutting boards are scored so you can fold the edges to keep juices from running off of the sides. They’re also disposable so you can toss them in the trash in between prepping raw meats and slicing the final product. Say goodbye to cross contamination!

Nitrile Gloves – Keep your hands clean while prepping and serving food with these handy nitrile foodservice gloves. These gloves are really great when you’re cutting hot peppers or jalapeños, or anything that might burn your skin. They come in a variety of sizes, two colors (black and blue), and are super effective when layered over cotton “hot” gloves (see below) when you need to handle hot food but don’t want to lose your dexterity. Poppa’s Pro tip: Don’t forget to change your gloves in between prepping raw meats, veggies, etc – you’ll rarely use just one pair during a cook.

Cotton “Hot” Gloves – These cotton gloves are the perfect tool when layered underneath the nitrile gloves. They create an instant, insulated glove to protect from heat while still allowing you to use all of your fingers. Do not (we repeat) do not allow hot liquids or grease to get on these while wearing them, it hurts (we know from experience)!

Double Glove Trick – Put on a cotton “hot” glove + layer a nitrile glove on top = instant hot food handling. Don’t forget, if grease or hot liquid gets on the cotton glove, it acts like a sponge and will burn your skin. Always check to make sure there are no holes in your nitrile gloves before layering, and change out your “double gloves” for a fresh set as needed.

Heavy Duty Hot Gloves – AKA “welder’s gloves” these gloves are seriously heavy duty, but they also limit your dexterity. We suggest using these only when you need to move hot, heavy grills, or adjust hot grill grates.

Some items that are not included in the video above, but also deserve a mention:

• Thermapen – or some type of digital, instant read meat thermometer. Big Poppa always has one in his pocket.
• Aluminum half pans + whole pans – you can find these in packs at almost any store, and we use them for prepping, transporting large cuts of meat, or for resting meat (so your counter/cutting board can stay clean when it’s time to slice and serve). You can wash them and recycle them or toss them straight into the trash when done, just make sure you don’t re-use them if they had raw meat in them!
• Heavy Duty foil – because the regular stuff doesn’t get the job done when you’re foiling 20 racks of ribs. Also, having all of the juices leak out of your wrapped pork butt, brisket, or ribs isn’t fun.

Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to food or fire safety? Comment below to share with us!

 

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