Beef, It's What's for Dinner

Avoid Cross-Contamination

Take a moment and think about all of the surfaces, utensils, people and food that you touch when preparing a meal. Bacteria can inadvertently spread throughout your kitchen on unwashed hands, cutting boards, kitchen utensils, countertops and sponges. This is known as cross-contamination, and that's why it's important to thoroughly clean anything that has been in contact with raw meat, eggs or poultry with hot, soapy water.

Wash your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before preparing food, as well as before and after handling raw meat.
Keep raw meat, poultry and fish and their juices from coming into contact with other foods during preparation. Wash all utensils and surfaces with hot, soapy water after contact with raw meat.
Never chop fresh vegetables or salad ingredients on a cutting board that was used for raw meat without properly cleaning it first. If possible, designate a separate cutting board for preparation of raw meat, poultry and fish.
Thaw foods only in the refrigerator or microwave oven; never leave out at room temperature. Foods thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately, not refrigerated.
Marinate in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter. Discard or boil thoroughly any leftover marinade that was in contact with the raw meat.
Clean produce well under cold, running water, and scrub thoroughly with a clean brush when possible.

Use an ovenproof or instant-read meat thermometer to prevent over- or undercooking.
Place the thermometer at the thickest portion of the meat, not touching bone, fat or the bottom of the pan.
For ground beef patties, insert the thermometer sideways into the center of the cooked burger.
Roast meats at oven temperatures of 325°F or above.

Safe Cooking Temperatures
Product	Minimum internal temperature (°F) for safety and quality
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb
Ground meats	160°
Whole cuts (roasts and steaks, etc.)	145°
Fresh Pork (all cuts, including ground)	160°
Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck)	165°
Eggs	Yolk and white are firm
Egg dishes	160°
Fin Fish	145°
Shellfish	Until firm, opaque
Leftovers, casseroles	165°

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