Buying, Storing, Preparing and Cooking Meat
At the Dolce Diet we love meat! However, it is one of the main culprits of foodborne illness. With the holidays upon us, and lots of hosting/dinners to plan, be sure to practice safe food handling so you don’t send your guests to the hospital!
Buying
• Check to make sure your meat/poultry has the Safe Food Handling label on the packaging. This label is representative of safe processing and includes safety tips for handling and cooking.
• Be sure that meat is packed/wrapped tightly and is cold.
• Get your meat last so that it doesn’t start to warm up in the cart and make sure it’s wrapped separately from other foods (a produce bag is perfect for this).
Storing
• Meat should be stored in the coldest part of the fridge or in the meat drawer
• You should use meat within 3 to 4 days of purchase
• Ground and organ meats should be tossed after 2 days in the fridge
• When freezing, be sure it is wrapped in a freezer-safe container at or below 0 degrees F.
• Frozen or cooked meat should be eaten within 3 to 4 days.
• Keep meat out of the Temperature Danger Zone (40 – 140 degrees F)
Preparing
• Always wash hands prior to handling meat by washing hands thoroughly for 20 seconds before, during and after handling.
• Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and raw vegetables/fruits to prevent cross-contamination.
• Never defrost meat on the counter. Defrost in the fridge or microwave on the defrost setting. If thawing via microwave, cook immediately as parts of the meat may start to warm/cook during the defrost process. (The Dolce Diet does not recommend using the microwave.)
• Do not re-freeze meat once thawed.
Cooking
• Use a thermometer to cook meat to proper temperatures.
• Proper cooking temperatures for different meats vary and are important to kill harmful bacteria
• Ground meat: 160 degrees F
• Beef, pork, veal and lamb: 145 degrees F
• Poultry: 165 degrees F
• Leftovers: 165 degrees F
• Never leave cooked meat out of the fridge for more than two hours.
1 reply on “Buying, Storing, Preparing and Cooking Meat”
I like that you mentioned to buy your meat last so it doesn’t warm up in the cart while you shop. That can be a great way to keep your meat fresh! My wife and I want to start eating with fresher and healthier ingredients, so we are looking for tips. I will definitely keep this in mind, thanks a lot.