May 28th is National Hamburger Day! We are celebrating with your safety in mind. From defrosting to grilling, here are the dos and don’ts so you don’t get sick.
Karen Edmond of Detroit enjoys pan frying burgers for her 13-year-old son.
“I like mine with cheese, ketchup and mustard,” she said when asked how she likes to fix her hamburger.
Edmond always buys her ground beef fresh because she doesn’t like how the meat thaws after you freeze it.
“So, I always have to fix the burgers right away. I know how quickly ground beef goes bad,” explained Edmond.
Registered dietitian and health coach Grace Derocha with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan said the biggest fear with handling ground beef is E. coli.
Knowing how to handle ground beef safely is important to help keep you from getting sick.
BEWARE OF E. COLI
“It’s a pathogenic bacteria that grows and can cause symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, headache, slight fever, gut issues,” Derocha said.
And defrosting is a big trouble zone. There are three safe options.
3 WAYS TO DEFROST FROZEN GROUND BEEF
“The number one best way to defrost ground beef is In your refrigerator. You want your refrigerator to be at 34-to-40 degrees.
And make sure you put the beef in a bowl on the bottom shelf for eight to 24 hours depending on how much beef you need to thaw.
Never defrost your ground beef on the top shelf of the refrigerator because the raw juices could drip down and contaminate other food.
Derocha said the second best way to defrost meat is in the sink under running cold water for about an hour. Granted, this is not the best way if you're trying to conserve water, but it is a faster option.
Whatever you do, definitely do not run hot or warm water over your frozen ground beef. Remember, you always want to keep the temperature of the raw meat from rising above 40 degrees before you're ready to cook it.
Another no-no?
Leaving the meat in bowl of water on the counter or in the sink. The water will just warm up gradually. Not good!
“Then you’re getting into the temperature danger zone. If [the temperature of your raw ground beef] past 41-degrees up to 140-degrees, that’s when bacteria will start to develop.”
And third way to defrost? Well, it's not the most ideal way, but Derocha said it is the fastest way.
"You can cook from frozen into the pan or grill," she said.
However, she added that your burger won’t be as moist or flavorful and oftentimes not cooked all the way. Yikes!
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR BURGER IS COOKED?
Do you normally check the color to see if all the pink is gone and the patty is brown all the way through? Sorry, that’s wrong!
The inside color of a burger is not always a reliable indicator because patties may be brown in the middle but unsafe to eat.
This is where a digital meat thermometer comes in.
Just insert the thermometer into the center of the patty about a half inch or so. Then wait until you see the internal temperature reach the magic number of 160 degrees – no less!
OTHER FOOD SAFETY REMINDERS
Avoid cross-contamination by keeping your raw meat on one plastic cutting board and using separate cutting boards for veggies or other foods.
Don’t use knives or utensils that you’ve been using to handle the beef to handle any other food.
Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.
And when you’re taking your cooked burgers off the grill or skillet, make sure you don’t put them back on the plate that had the raw juices on it. Yuck!
Time for the Hamburger Safety Quiz!
1. How long can ground beef be stored in the freezer?
a. 1-2 months
b. 3-4 months
c. 5-6 months
d. 12 months
Answer: b. 3-4 months
(Remember to use a marker to write on the package when you should throw it out)
2. How long can ground beef be stored in the refrigerator?
a. 1-2 days
b. 3-4 days
c. 4-5 days
d. 7 days
Answer: a. 1-2 days
3. How many days after the sell-by date is it okay to eat ground beef?
a. None
b. 1 day
c. 1-3 days
d. 4 days
Answer: c. 1-3 days
4. How many days past the expiration date is it okay to eat ground beef?
a. 1 day
b. 2 days
c. 3 days
d. Zero -- unless you freeze it that day!
Answer: d. Zero – unless you freeze it that day
For health tips and more information and recipes, visit www.AHealthierMichigan.org.
Have fun grilling this summer and happy National Hamburger Day!
