- Barbecuing is one of the most widespread practices in America, with a full three out of four American families owning a grill and using it, on average, at a rate of roughly five times per month.

- One aspect to remember when using your barbecue is remembering to thoroughly clean it after every use. If you've got a gas grill, you'll just need to turn the grill on for about 10 minutes and it should self-clean. Charcoal grills can be cleaned quickly and easily with soap, water, and a wire brush. Be sure to not clean your charcoal grill until after it has completely cooled down in order to prevent injury.

- When you're preparing to barbecue meat, it can be helpful to allow the meat to be warmed before you place it on the barbecue. An hour prior to grilling, take the meats and place them in your house to allow them to warm up. This helps your meat to grill faster and can result in a more succulent meat, with less dryness.

- It's important to your immediate health to ensure that the meat that you are grilling is cooked all the way through prior to eating. To check for complete cooking, pierce the meat at the thickest point and note the color of the juices. The juice should run clear if the meat is ready to eat.

- Be sure to keep different utensils for your raw meats and your prepared foods. Cross-contamination can cause just as much illness as eating raw meat, so safety is definitely important when it comes to using the right tools.

- When marinating meat, place it in large plastic bags as opposed to letting it sit. This provides more complete coverage for the meat, and consequently, a more proper application of the marinade.

Now that you know more about maintaining proper barbecue safety and better ways to cook your meat, your barbecues can be more efficient and safe.