Cooking time: Tips for preparing your barbecue for the summer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's still the barbecue season in Kansas City, but it's the weekend of Memorial Day that marks the unofficial start of the barbecue season .

If your plans require a barbecue, you should consider a few tips before lighting the grill.

The first step is to clean the grill.

"Thorough cleaning is a good start," said Jim Catty, owner of Smoke and Fire. "Insects can move mainly in the spiders of spring and autumn and create problems."

The Overland Park store, Kan. De Catty sells all kinds of barbecues and grills for outdoor entertainment.

Recommend your guests to start the season with a complete interior and exterior cleaning. Special degreasers are available to make the job easier.

He also suggests starting the gas grill and listening to the problems.

"When you turn on the grill, make sure you do not hear the roar of a jet engine," he said. "It's a burn and can damage the valve, so if you see any problems, solve the problem."

Catty also recommends using a brush and cleaning the metal grilles for cooking. But use a good brush. Some cheaper and older brushes can leave metallic hair.

You should also check your propane tank. Do not use a rusted tank. Once you have connected a new tank to your grill, you should check for gas leaks.

Overland Park Fire Department spokesman Jason Rhodes says you can use dish soap for testing.

"Take a third soap dish and two-thirds of the water, use this solution to cover the joints, look for bubbles," Rhodes said. "If you see bubbles, there's a leak."

Keep raw foods separate from cooked foods. Never cross contaminated equipment with raw food.

"If we take a plate of raw food on the grill, we'll grill the food once, remove the plate so we do not put cooked food on a raw plate," said Carolyn White of the Kansas City Health Department.

White also reminds people to roast food at the right temperature. Chicken at least 165 degrees, ground beef 155 degrees and veal fillets at least 145 degrees.

"Wash your hands often throughout the process," he added.

Once the food is cooked, serve and eat in an hour or in the fridge.

"When we eat out in the heat, these foods can make the bacteria grow at hot temperatures," White said.

When you have finished with the gas grill, close the propane tank. If you are using a charcoal grill, put the used charcoal in a metal box with a lid.

Catty offered another piece of advice.

"Fun, it's Kansas City, we know Bar-B-Que."

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