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Beef Safety Tips




Source of Recipe


From the USDA


Recipe Link: http://www.fabulousfoods.com

List of Ingredients




Hamburgers are the great all-American dish and in summertime, when cookouts are abound, Americans tend to chow down on burgers more than ever. Uncle Sam wants to help you stay safe and avoid food borne illness. Follow these tips from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and your hamburger cookouts won't have any unwanted after-effects.
At the store, to choose a package of hamburger that's not torn and that feels cold. If possible, enclose it in a plastic bag so juices won't drip on other foods. Make ground beef and other perishables your final purchase of the trip.
After leaving the market, get perishables home quickly and refrigerate or freeze immediately. If your trip home will take longer than an hour, pack meats in ice in a cooler chest, especially in summer heat.
Bacteria multiply rapidly in the "danger zone" between 40 and 140° F. Store ground beef at 40° F and use or freeze it within two days.
Ground beef kept frozen at 0º F should be safe for up to four months.
To thwart the growth of bacteria, it is essential to keep meat cold while defrosting. Never leave frozen meat out on the counter for more than two hours. Thaw it in the refrigerator instead.
When handling raw beef, don't let raw juices contaminate foods that won't be cooked. Wash your hands with soap and hot water before and after handling raw beef to make sure you don't spread bacteria from one surface to another. The same goes for utensils and surfaces that have come into contact with the raw meat.
Don't reuse packaging materials.
When taking meat off the grill, don't put the cooked meat on the same platter that held the raw meat.
To be sure bacteria are destroyed, cook hamburgers to 160° F (medium doneness) or until the center is no longer pink and the juices are clear.
Never partially grill extra meat for later use. Once you begin cooking meat, cook until completely done to ensure that bacteria are destroyed.
Any leftover meat left out at room temperature for more than two hours should be discarded.
Cooked beef can be stored in the refrigerator for three days or frozen for up to three months.
For further information about handling and cooking hamburgers safely, call USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555 visit www.usda.gov



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