Cooking meat

Meat and poultry may carry different pathogens dangerous for man’s health. Thorough cooking is required to kill these disease-causing agents. The only way to know if meat is thoroughly cooked is to take the temperature of the meat.

The correct end point temperature will destroy disease-causing bacteria depending on:

o Cooking time

o Number of bacteria present

o Bulk of product

o Type of bacteria

The bulk of the meat determines the amount of time required to achieve the temperature needed to kill disease-causing bacteria to a large extent. Different types of meat have different safe temperatures, because they may have different types of bacteria.

The United States Department of Agriculture recommends cooking ground beef, pork and lamb patties or mixtures such as meat loaf to 160°F. Whole pork cuts such as chops and roasts should be cooked to 160°F (medium), or 170°F (well done). Whole beef and lamb cuts such as steaks and roasts may be cooked to 145°F (medium rare), 160°F (medium), or 170°F.

When cooking a whole turkey or chicken, the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh should reach a minimum of 180°F. Stuffing is safest if cooked outside the bird. If the bird is stuffed, the centre of the stuffing must reach 165°F. Individual drumsticks, thighs and wings should be cooked until they reach an internal temperature of 180°F. Individual turkey and chicken breasts should reach 170°F.

The length of time required to achieve these temperatures will depend on:

o The amount of meat and the size of the pieces being cooked.

o Whether the meat is cooked from the fresh, thawed or frozen state.

o The cooking method (frying, roasting, boiling).

o Type of equipment used for cooking (oven, crock pot, stew pot, grill).

o Additional ingredients cooked with the meat (potatoes, stuffing, etc.).

Other points to keep in mind to cook meat safely include:

o Turn meat over at least once during grilling.

o Reheat pre-cooked meat to 165°F.

o If you cook meat from frozen state, add 10-20 minutes cooking time per pound.

o Never brown or partially cook meat and then refrigerate.

Unfortunately, colour is not a reliable indicator of properly cooked meat. In fact, meat may appear brown before it is fully cooked, especially for whole cuts of meat. On the other hand, some meat may look pink even when it is fully cooked. Many things can affect the colour of meat in addition to whether it is cooked thoroughly or not. For instance, the amount of fat may affect the meat’s colour and so can vegetables cooked with meat.

Pathogens may be outside or inside the meat, so internal temperature is important and the only way to know for certain that it has been cooked safely.

14.Convert the following temperatures of meat cooking from Fahrenheit (F°) to Centigrade (C°). To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius subtract 32°, multiply by 5 and divide by 9.

70°F - 32° = 38 x 5 =190: 9 = 21°C

MEATS	Temperature
F°	C°
Ground beef, pork and lamb		…
Whole pork, beef and lamb cuts		…
Whole turkey or chicken		…

15. Speak on the nutritional value of meat.

FOOD for THOUGHT

Read the following idioms and their meanings. Think of their Ukrainian equivalents. Complete each sentence with the correct idiom.

bring home the bacon: provide material support eat one’s mutton with smb: have dinner with somebody meat and drink to smb: something that somebody enjoys very much dead meat: in serious trouble after meat mustard: too late mean as cat’s meat: scrooge

1.I could have given you advice but now it’s like........

2.I have to....... for five kids.

3.If anyone finds out, you are........

4.The matron is as......., and she’ll only just give you enough to keep you alive.

5.Will you....... with me today?

6.Dealing with difficult customers is....... to her.