June 13, 2002

Prairie Fare: Is It Done Yet?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

The other day conversation around our lunch table at work gravitated to food, as usual. Someone was talking about grilling, and I teased him about whether or not he used a food thermometer.

No, he just cooks it "‘til it’s brown." That’s not necessarily safe, I told him. Brown meat might not be at a safe internal temperature. Well, that set off quite a debate, including the standard "we’ve always done it like that." I even offered a thermometer. He hasn’t accepted it yet. Fortunately, I wasn’t banished from the lunch room for teaching during a break.

How much do you know about food safety and meat temperatures? Try this quiz.

What are the recommended internal cooking temperatures for:

1. Ground beef
2. Chicken breasts
3. Steak

The answers are a) 160 degrees; b) 170 degrees and c) 145 degrees. It’s safe to eat steak at a lower temperature than ground beef, because bacterial contamination is usually on the outside of muscle meats like steak and roasts. Cooking will kill the bacteria on the outer surface. With ground meat, the bacteria is mixed throughout, therefore requiring a higher internal temperature.

Judging ground beef doneness by color tends to be especially deceptive. In one study, scientists bought 240 pairs of ground beef packages from stores across the United States. They froze one package and cooked patties made from the other package. They found that one burger in four turned brown before it reached the safe internal temperature of 160 degrees. The researchers termed it "premature browning." Meat that had been frozen was even more likely to turn prematurely brown than fresh meat.

The flipside of premature browning is "persistent pinkness." Ground beef that’s pink may actually be at a safe internal temperature, but the only way to know for sure is to use a food thermometer. Added ingredients like dry onion soup, chopped onions or bacon may contribute some nitrates, which can cause the meat to turn and remain pink, even at a safe temperature.

Other factors also influence cooking time. Leaner ground beef conducts heat less well than higher-fat beef, so it usually requires longer cooking to reach the same endpoint temperature. Adding oatmeal, soy or other fillers may lengthen cooking time of meat.

Using an accurate food thermometer is the best way to determine doneness, but Americans aren’t doing very well in following this recommendation. In a recent USDA survey, 22 percent of respondents said they owned a meat thermometer, but they were usually the kind used for large roasts. Only about 5 percent of the survey respondents often checked burger temperatures. At least 46 percent were undercooking meatloaf.

Here’s a chance to use a food thermometer and serve a tasty – and safe – home-cooked meal.

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
2 eggs, beaten
2 lb. ground beef
1/3 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. onion, minced
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard. In separate bowl, combine eggs, ground beef and remaining ingredients. Add half of tomato mixture to beef mixture. Mix thoroughly and shape into loaf in baking pan. Pour remaining tomato mixture over meatloaf. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees.

Makes 8 4-ounce servings. A serving contains 330 calories, 21 grams fat and 17 percent of the daily recommendation for iron.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu