Cooking Hints and Tips   
Food Safety

When meat is ground, the bacteria present on the surface is mixed all through the ground mixture. If this ground meat is not cooked to at least 160 to 165 degrees, bacteria will not be destroyed and there's a good chance you will get sick. Solid pieces of meat like steaks and chops don't have dangerous bacteria like E. coli on the inside, so they can be served more rare. Still, any beef cut should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees (medium rare). The safe temperature for poultry is 180 degrees. Solid cuts of pork should be cooked to 160 degrees. Eggs should be thoroughly cooked too. (Sorry - eggs over easy aren't good for you any more!) If you are making a meringue or other recipe that uses uncooked eggs, buy specially pasteurized eggs or use prepared meringue powder. Foods that will be eaten uncooked and foods that will be cooked before eating MUST ALWAYS be separated. Cross-contamination occurs when raw meats or eggs come in contact with foods that will be eaten uncooked. This is a major source of food poisoning. Always double-wrap raw meats and place them on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator so there is no way juices can drip on fresh produce. Then use the raw meats within 1-2 days of purchase, or freeze for longer storage. When grilling or cooking raw meats or fish, make sure to place the cooked meat on a clean platter. Don't use the same platter you used to carry the food out to the grill! Also wash the tongs used in grilling after the food is turned for the last time on the grill, as well as spatulas and spoons used for stir-frying or turning meat as it cooks. Make sure to wash your hands after handling raw meats or raw eggs. Washing hands with soap and water, or using a premoistened antibacterial towelette is absolutely necessary after you have touched raw meat or raw eggs. Not washing hands and surfaces while cooking is a major cause of cross-contamination. That leads directly to cleaning. Wash your hands and work surfaces frequently when you are cooking and after you have blown your nose, been to the bathroom, touched a pet, or changed a diaper. Plain old soap and water work just fine. If you are cooking for someone who is pregnant, is very young or old, has a chronic illness, or a compromised immune system, choose a soap with more sophisticated antibacterial qualities. Use paper towels for drying hands and countertops. They are easily discarded and don't carry bacteria to another surface. A sponge is actually a great way to spread germs. I prefer using paper towels, discarding them after cleaning each surface, to totally prevent cross-contamination. One easy way to avoid cross-contamination is to use a large platter to cut raw meats. After the meat is prepared and is cooking, just put the platter directly into the dishwasher, along with any utensils used. Chilling food is very important. The danger zone where bacteria multiply is between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Your refrigerator should be set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below; your freezer should be 0 degrees Fahnrenheit or below. Here's a simple rule: serve hot foods hot, cold foods cold. Use chafing dishes or hot plates to keep food hot while serving. Use ice water baths to keep cold foods cold. Never let any food sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours - 1 hour if the ambient temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above. When packing for a picnic, make sure the foods are already chilled when they go in the insulated hamper. The hamper won't chill food - it just keeps food cold when properly packed with ice. Hot cooked foods should be placed in shallow containers and immediately refrigerated so they cool rapidly. Make sure to cover foods after they are cool. Check sell-by dates when shopping and tell the grocery store manager if you see any expired foods on the shelf. Don't dawdle between the grocery store and your freezer or refrigerator at home. Never use food in cans that are bulging, leaking, rusted or dented. Thaw foods in the refrigerator. Bring all canned soups and gravies to a rolling boil before serving.

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