Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
| Product | Minimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time |
|---|
| Beef, Pork, Veal & Lamb Steaks, chops, roasts | 145 °F (62.8 °C) and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
| Ground Meats | 160 °F (71.1 °C) |
| Ground Poultry | 165 °F |
Types of Potentially Hazardous Foods
- Milk and dairy products.
- Eggs (except those treated to eliminate microorganisms)
- Meat (beef, pork and lamb)
- Poultry.
- Fish and shellfish.
- Baked Potatoes.
- Heat-treated plant foods (rice, beans, and vegetables)
- Tofu and other soy proteins.
Beef and lamb are very dense so the bacteria is mostly on the surface so you only need to kill the bacteria near the surface and still enjoy your steak rare. Pork is firmer than chicken but pork can have some nasty parasites and other bacteria that require them to be cooked throughout.
CHECKING THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR STEAK
| Steak Doneness | Internal Temperature | Center Color |
|---|
| Rare | 120-130 °F | Red |
| Medium Rare | 130-135 °F | Pink |
| Medium | 135-145 °F | Some Pink |
| Well | 145-155 °F | Sliver of Light Pink |
According to US Food Safety guidelines, raw meat and poultry should be heated to at least 145°F for steaks or whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal, 160°F for those meats ground, and 165°F for all poultry.
The FDA Food Code recommends cooking chicken to 165°F (74°C). But the pasteurization of chicken is actually a function of both temperature and time. If you can hold your chicken at 145°F (63°C) for 8.5 minutes, you can achieve the same bacterial reduction as at 165°F (74°C).
The trick is to smoke at a low temp for a long time. The minimum should be 2 hours of smoking at 100-120 degrees to infuse that smoky flavour into your meats. Of course, cooking times will vary depending on the cut and size of meat so our tip is to use a meat thermometer to make sure it's cooked through.
The answer: When it comes to nutrients – protein, iron, zinc, etc. – there's no difference between steak that is cooked medium rare or well done. The concern is that meat cooked until it's well done contains more potential carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) than meat cooked for a shorter time.
They frown on well done steaks because they're morons who don't know how to properly cook a steak to well done. A properly cooked steak can be taken to well done and still be insanely tender, juicy, and flavorful to the point that it could be cut even with a plastic butter knife.
Gordon Ramsay has revealed his method for cooking the perfect, juicy steak. In it he says that after seasoning the steak on both sides in a dish, a splash of oil should be added to a pan. Then, placing the steak in the pan, he chucks in rosemary and a sprig of thyme and removes the meat to rest in a separate dish.
If the fresh meat is a steak, roast or chop, then yes — medium-rare can be safe. That means the meat needs to reach 145°F internally and stand for three or more minutes before cutting or consuming. Unfortunately, even if preferred by foodies, there's no way to guarantee the safety of rare meat.
A rare steak should be warm through the center, lightly charred on the outside, browned around the sides, and bright red in the middle. The meat should be soft to the touch, much like raw meat, but browned over the surface.
What exactly is blue steak? A blue steak is cooked for just long enough to sear and brown the outside, while the inside remains raw. Steak that is cooked blue is only placed on the grill for a round 1-minute, and the internal temperature of the meat rarely exceeds 115℉ .
Cook both sides of the steak in the cast iron pan until well browned. Place 1/2 tbsp of butter on each steak and cook uncovered in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.
Just like raw chicken and pork, raw beef can be problematic and contains its fair share of dangerous bacteria. It's safer than eating raw chicken or pork, but that doesn't make it 100% safe. Just a few of the infections or viruses eating raw steak could cause include listeriosis, salmonellosis, and E. Coli poisoning.
Most people who prefer steaks well done don't truly do so because of flavor. There are exceptions, but in a large number of cases, the preference is driven by fear. It may fear of the health consequences of undercooked meat. It may be fear of the red juice/blood that a rare or medium rare steak produces.
A well-done steak is defined as a steak that's been cooked to an interior temperature of 160 F or higher. They might live on the surface of a steak, but cooking the outside of the steak will kill them. Burgers are another story. To be safe, ground meats should be cooked well-done.
If you'd like your steak medium-rare, it should feel like your cheek: tender and soft but still fleshy (as opposed to raw, which would be just soft). If you want a medium steak, touch your chin: The steak should still be tender, but with some resistance.
Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the “Danger Zone.” Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours.
Undercooked SteakIt has been cooked as little as possible and should be warm through the center, browned around the sides, lightly charred on the outside and bright red in the middle. This steak should be soft to touch, just like raw meat, but browned on the outer surface.
+ Larger Image. Meat that has been cooked for a longer period of time, leaving the center warm and darker in color, while the texture may be somewhat firmer.
Touch Test Method 2: Make a FistFirst, make a relaxed fist. The fleshy area of your hand between your thumb and forefinger is soft, which is how a rare steak feels. If you slightly clench your fist, it's a little firmer like medium doneness. Clench your fist tightly and the area will feel like well-done.
Slow-roastBest cooked at 150-170C, recipes that require slow-roasting are trickier to control using a domestic oven. Brown the joint first to give it a bit of colour, cook it covered on low, then turn up the heat at the end to brown the meat.
Medium Rare (135° F) Medium (145° F) Medium Well (150° F) Well (160° F) The USDA recommends steaks and roasts be cooked to 145°F (medium) and then rested for at least 3 minutes.
Roast your beef, uncovered, to the desired doneness. After removing from the oven, tent with foil and let stand 15 minutes before carving. Roasts weighing over 8 pounds should be loosely covered halfway through roasting to avoid over-browning.
Cook at 350 degrees F for 20 for 25 minutes per pound.
Test your roast with a fork before you remove it from the pot. If it is done, the fork will go in easily and you'll be able to twist off a forkful of meat. It if is still firm, return the roast to the pot and continue cooking for another hour. Another problem is overcooking the pot roast, leading to dry meat.
Oven Roasting Guidelines
| beef cut | oven temperature (preheated) | Approximate Total Cooking TIme |
|---|
| Sirloin Tip Center Roast | 325°F | Medium Rare: 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours |
| Rump Roast, Bottom Round Roast | 325°F | Medium Rare: 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours |
| Eye of Round Roast | 325°F | Medium Rare: 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours |
Here's what I do: I put a rack in the bottom of a roasting pan. Then I place the roast (no rubs or seasonings) on the rack and cover it with a lid. I put it in the oven at 400° for 15 or 20 minutes, then turn it down to 325° and roast for 30 minutes per pound. All it does is end up tough, chewy, and well-done.
Steps
- Heat oven to 350°F. Arrange roast and all vegetables in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish. Sprinkle with all remaining ingredients except water. Pour water over top. Cover with foil.
- Bake at 350°F. for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender. Serve with pan juices.
Side Dish Salads
- Holiday Roasted Artichoke Salad.
- Alcachofas al Ajillo.
- Orange and Fennel Salad.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Wild Rice Salad.
- Broccoli Apple Salad.
- Spinach Pomegranate Salad.
