HALF OF ALL FEEDLOT CATTLE CONTAMINATED BY E. COLI

» sckaroly - Handling meat properly -- Cook It!

The key to handling any ground meat product (for both home use and in commercial kitchens) is to store it refrigerated and to cook it to the correct temperature.

All meat should be refrigerated at 40-deg. F. or lower as soon as you get home. And then any ground meat product should be cooked until its juices run clear. In commercial facilities, we cook ground meat patties until they reach 155-deg. for 15 seconds (or to 157-deg.). In casserole dishes, the meat must be cooked until the whole dish reaches 165-deg.

Also, do not accept any ground meat (usually hamburgers) that are cooked anything less than well done. Although I used to love to eat rare ground steaks and hamburgers, today I always insist that the patty is cooked to well done. Especially when my children are with me.

No one should be shocked that beef or any other meat or poultry has bacteria on it. They always have and probably always will be infected. The best approach any consumer can take is to keep any meat and poultry item refrigerated at 40-deg. or less and to cook it to the proper temperature. If all consumers do that, then there will not be any E. coli cases.

I don't worry about E. coli in the home because of the precautions that I take.

Here's a few quick points to remember:

Refrigerate meat at 40-deg. or less. Bacteria grows best in the range from 40 to 140-deg. F. Chefs call this the danger zone.

Minimize handling time. Do not leave food out in the danger zone for more than two hours. This should give you enough time to cook the dish. If delayed, place the meat back in the refrigerator.

Thaw meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter top, especially on hot days. You just promote bacterial growth when you do.

Do not cross-contaminate. If you use a cutting board to cut meat, thoroughly clean and sanitize after cutting vegetables or fruit. Ideally, you should buy two cutting boards -- one for meat and the other for vegetables and fruit.

Cook meat tmeansghly. This meenstfaking ground beef tf ft least 157-deg. f. And in casserole dishes, cook it until you reach 165-deg. It is best to cook ground meat until the juices run clear and loose all red color.

Use a thermometer. Do ngagee your senses to guage doneness. The only way to accurately test for doneness is to use a thermometer.

And wash your hands. This is the most effective way to combat food borne illnesscommerciallye and in the commercialy kitchen.

Hope this helps.

Steve

-- posted by sckaroly

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» sckaroly - Re: Handling meat properly -- Cook It!

In response to message posted by sckaroly:

Sorry, the software mashed some of my words in my last post. Here's a few quick points to remember:

Refrigerate meat at 40-deg. or less. Bacteria grows best in the range from 40 to 140-deg. F. Chefs call this the danger zone.

Minimize handling time. Do not leave food out in the danger zone for more than two hours. This should give you enough time to cook the dish. If delayed, place the meat back in the refrigerator.

Thaw meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter top, especially on hot days. You just promote bacterial growth when you do.

Do not cross-contaminate. If you use a cutting board to cut meat, thoroughly clean and sanitize after cutting vegetables or fruit. Ideally, you should buy two cutting boards -- one for meat and the other for vegetables and fruit.

Cook meat thoroughly. This means taking ground beef up to least 157-deg. F. And in casserole dishes, cook it until you reach 165-deg. It is best to cook ground meat until the juices run clear and loose all red color.

Use a thermometer. Do not use your senses to gage doneness. The only way to accurately test for doneness is to use a thermometer.

And wash your hands. This is the most effective way to combat food borne illness in the home and in the commercialy kitchen.

Hope everything goes through this time?

Steve

-- posted by sckaroly

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