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USDA vs. Recommended Temperatures

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    USDA vs. Recommended Temperatures

    Tomorrow I will use my new ThermoPop IR thermometer for the first time, on rib eye steaks. I'm aiming for medium-rare, and I've noticed that the 'chef recommended' temperature range is less than USDA's minimum for safety in steaks. How can that be?

    #2
    Governments err on the side of safety
    Chefs err on the side of taste

    Comment


    • RonB
      RonB commented
      Editing a comment
      Well said!

    • Bulldog
      Bulldog commented
      Editing a comment
      Big smile on that! I'm not doing any harm, am I, by serving my steaks at 130-135?

    • Dadof3Illinois
      Dadof3Illinois commented
      Editing a comment
      Not at all...we take them off the heat at 125F. That way a little carry over won’t take them past med rare.

    #3
    There is a big difference between a solid piece of meat and meat that is ground up The grinding can introduce bacteria which was on the surface throughout the entire mixture. On a hunk of meat like your steak most bacteria will be on the surface and they will be exposed to the temperature you are cooking at. If cooking something like hamburger you should go to higher temps just to ensure that all the bacteria inside has been neutralized.

    As stated above I never take my steaks above 125-128F on the cooker. The carryover cooking will raise the internal temperature perfectly into the medium rare zone.

    Comment


    • Dadof3Illinois
      Dadof3Illinois commented
      Editing a comment
      If you can grind your own you can do a quick blanch in boiling water to kill anything on the outside. I do beef short ribs and chuck roast for my grind when I can.

    #4
    Thank you all. I get it now. USDA probably had its reasons for being conservative.

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      #5
      I always lean to the side of caution....But thats just me. With that said, I totally agree with the comments on ground meats and will typically cook longer. Steaks on the other hand, medium rare.

      Comment


      • smokin fool
        smokin fool commented
        Editing a comment
        Agreed nothing gives me the heebie jeebies faster than an uncooked hamburger still showing pink inside

      • DiverDriver
        DiverDriver commented
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        smokin fool I have been eating raw ground beef and lamb my whole life and never got sick. BUT for the last 20 years only shop direct from farm. None of that CAFO stuff for me.

      • smokin fool
        smokin fool commented
        Editing a comment
        DiverDriver Yeah I get what your saying, my father in law eats raw pork sausage by the package.
        When we were kids it was pounded into our heads meat had to be cooked to death, no pink at all.
        A confusing stance since I love steak medium rare to rare as I've gotten older....

      #6
      USDA has to lean towards worst case scenario. So when you see 7-Log reduction, which says, "If 10 million pathogens are here, we might leave one," it's hopefully as bad as it gets.

      I LOVE medium-rare steaks, I typically cook ground meat to over 180-F. I like the crispy maillard and the 9-LOG reduction (just guessing).

      Comment


      • Bulldog
        Bulldog commented
        Editing a comment
        I get it ... I really get it now. Thanks.

      #7
      If I want med-rare ground, I just use SousVide to pasteurize at a low temp.

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