Group Discussion #1 Rubber gloves
 

Please discuss YOUR USE of rubber gloves. (This is not a poll)

Do you use rubber gloves?

When do you use them?
When do you change them?
What are your thoughts in general on rubber gloves?

i use them the second the meat comes out of the cryo or butcher paper. Or whenever im am doing prep work. Go thru them like water.

Change them whenever i handle something besides the meat or a utensil, or I switch meats.

See the jars in this pic? they got a glove on them. I also put on glove on all the rub jars and shakers before i start prepwork so I dont get coodies on them or from them.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/albums/BSA/IMG_0611.jpg


Thoughts in General? Besides keeping my coodies off the food, and making me all gross from the fats and blood. ?

I hate handling raw meat.. (gag reflex). The gloves make it easier to prep. I dont have to keep washing hands just to open the fridge or a cabinet. i get the foodhandlers glove box for $6 per box/100 and i buy them in lots of 12. I also buy them a size bigger so they come off an on easily and go on easily. I will use a box a week at home during bbq seasons and at least a box at a contest. But im notorious for putting them on doing one thing then throwing them out..

I switch to the smaller size for slicing, so i know where my fingers end.

That is a great idea for keeping containers clean!

I use the nitrile gloves. They're a lot stronger. But like Phil, I use them constantly! I went through a whole box of 40 gloves in two contests. The glove over the rub bottles is a great idea!

I use the nitrile gloves also ( buy in bulk at Napa). I started buying in larger quantities, as I have run out by turn in time in a few cases. Since I go through them also.

If you buy the size above your hand size, you can fit them over OVE Gloves - and have heat resisitance without staining your OVE Gloves grabbing slabs/butts, etc. out of the smoker.

I had to make sure I was using BLUE nitrile gloves. Wayne and Jeff like to brand my CROCs as brokeback BBQ shoes, so I try to avoid the purple nitriles - one of them might get excited after the margarita machine is empty:shock:

They stand up to alot of abuse. In my avatar, you can see them on me... I'm standing at a slicer - having just cut about 10 flats. No rips or tears :eusa_clap

I use REAL disposable gloves with no powder. Can't STAND those clear plastic one-size-fits-all things! I snap a pair on before I open the cryovac to rinse, dry and rub the meat, then use another pair when I get ready to slice or shred it after it's cooked.

Of course, they also help when you're gutting a deer. They protect you a little from bone shards and lung butter....:biggrin: <smirk>

At home, I don't use gloves at all. I had to learn some healthcare procedures last year and the first thing they teach you is as soon as you remove gloves, wash your hands. If I'm using all that soap and water, the gloves can stay in the box.

When I have help prepping meat for a cook, I alway have one person stay "clean", while the other handles the meat. The "clean" person handles the spices, sprays, clean utensils, etc but never the meat, and the meat person never touches anything but the meat.
When I have to prep solo, I use a lotta soap and water.

I don't use gloves when preparing to cook, just real clean hands.

After the food/meat is cooked, that's when I use them to handle, slice, serve, etc.

I use the latex extra large disposal ones because I can't find any of the real cheapo clear ones that fit. I use them for all kinds of projects around the house, yard and autos.

I use clean hands and gloves nearly 100% of the time...I used to get finger nail-bed infections when I butchered a lot and handled a lot of raw meat (I'm guessing a lot of it was salmonella but the doc never got back to me with the culture results)...once I started using gloves the infections were greatly reduced.

There is a general rule in food handling that you always use gloves for food not being cooked (or additionally cooked) -- in other words, technically you can handle raw meats with bare hands (clean, of course) because the meat will then be cooked - however, to keep Phil and other squeamish types from calling the Reps or food cops on you, it's best to wear gloves at all times.

Changing gloves between meats (prep time) is a no-brainer, especially when handling the chicken.

I use heavy duty neoprene (plumber or welder type) gloves to handle the meat in the cooker - I can usually get away with no liners, but a cotton glove liner makes a huge difference in the time you can hold a 14# brisket while waiting for someone to get off their ass and move the stuff off the cutting board (no, Tim is never guilty of this!!).

I prefer the nitril type but unpowdered latex work ok for me. I do prefer the heavier gauge gloves and like them to fit. I don't like poly gloves or the thin plastic "sandwich maker" type disposables.

Lots of hot soapy water on hands, utentils, counters. I have worked as a dietary aide before. Gloves just transfer bacteria from one item to the next.

Ive never used gloves but always wondered if I should. Do you wear the gloves so you dont get something nasty from the meat thru a papercut? Or wear the gloves so you dont contaminate the meat?

Thanks Joe

Some good points people!!!
A lot of good info and practices!
Keep them coming.

I wear rubber gloves. I get em at Gordons Food Service. Their disposable so I go through a lot of them. I wear em when I slather/rub my meats. Then I pitchem. I also don new gloves when I load the food on the pit. I wear 500 degree safe, gloves when pulling the meat off the pit. These I was w/hot soapy water, rinse really well. I usually put them in a clean plastic bag until ready for use. These work really really well when manhandling briskets, butts and are absolutely great for beer butt chickens. When guests arrive to help pull/slice or cut food they wear the gloves also. I think the guests really appreciate the fact that were doing everything possible to keep them safe. I wear welding gloves when sliding out the grates to spritz or move food on the pit. These are new welding gloves, not what I use weld with. But they get dirty really fast.
Mike

Ah yeah, good point Mike. Outdoor gloves are important too! I use one step down from welding gloves to work the fire. They're heavy enough to grab and (quickly) move live coals without being TOO bulky.