Handling Raw Meat with Safety

'There is no sincerer love than the love of' eating a hot, succulent piece of meat. Be that a fat dripping Steak, delicious Lamb curry or the delectable Thanksgiving Turkey, meat lovers are there to enjoy every bite. So, today I thought how about I share my pointers for cooking meat. Why? Because raw meat contains bacteria and it is very important to follow certain steps to ensure the food is being prepared in the most hygienic way. 

I have divided the pointers under four topics: Buying, Thawing/ Refrigerating, Hygiene and Cooking. Let’s start:

Buying Meat Products:

• Always check the expiration date on the package while buying meat from grocery shops.
• Make sure to check the packet and if it is torn or leaking, replace them.
• Never use any meat past the expiration date (Sell-By or Use-By) dates.

Thawing/ Refrigerating The Meat:

• If you are keeping the frozen meat in the fridge to thaw slowly, always keep it in the lowest rack so that its juices do not drip over other food.
• When thawing frozen meat outside, fill a big pot or pan with tap water and put the meat in a zip lock bag. Keep the Pot preferably in the sink so that the water can be easily drained out. Keep changing the water every hour and cook the meat as soon as it gets thawed.

Hygiene While Handling Meat:

• Always wash hands before and after touching any food (meats, fruits, vegetables). As a good practice I always wash my hands as soon as I enter the kitchen.
• Make sure to wash all the counter tops, chopping boards, knives etc. before and after handling meat to prevent any cross contamination.
• Make sure to wash all the kitchen cloths you are using while handling/ cooking meat.
• Keep raw food away from meat, specially those which wont be washed before eating like Bread and Salad.
• Keep a designated chopping board for cutting meat. I prefer to use plastic chopping boards for meat as they can be washed in the dish washer at a high temperature. I have wooden chopping boards for Vegetables, Fruits, Bread and Cheese.
• Replace the chopping boards when they develop too many deep groves which may hold moisture and hence bacteria.

Cooking The Meat:

• Make sure the meat is properly thawed before you start cooking it. 
• When keeping the marinated meat in the fridge, put it in a zip lock bag or a covered dish.
• Raw meat has bacteria and that is why it is important to cook it throughout. If the meat is steaming hot you can be assured that it is safe to consume it. The best cooking approach is medium well. 
• Keep moving the meat on the grill so that it is cooked evenly on all sides.
• Always consume any cooked meat leftovers within 3-4 days. If you are not planning to consume it soon it is better to freeze it.
• Always allow a resting time for the cooked meat. When the meat is hot from the grill or oven allow just a couple of minutes for the juices to mix evenly with the meat. This enhances the taste.
• Use an aluminum foil to cover the cooked meat.
• Always use separate dishes for keeping uncooked and cooked meat. You don’t want the bacteria of raw meat to transfer to the cooked product.

I follow these pointers every time I cook meat and they have always worked for me. I hope they will help you too.

Happy Cooking!

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