Meats are among the main ingredients we use in our daily dishes. As for those who are just beginning to learn how to cook, you probably have a lot of questions on how to cook meat the right way. There are many ways to cook meat. You can fry them, grill them, bake them, roast them, or microwave them among many others. Some even eat raw meat. But whatever way you want to cook or eat your meat, preparing them is also a crucial part of completing that dish or recipe. Below are various tips on how to cook meat and how to prepare them.
Preparing your meat is as important as cooking your meat the right way. You may enjoy a delicious beef stew or pot roast but what if you get sick from food-borne bacteria simply because you didn’t prepare and cook your meat well? Make sure that you also spend time making sure that you cook your meat safely. This way, you don’t have to worry about any harmful bacteria.
Frying pan filled with meat
TIP #1: As soon as you step foot on your house from all the grocery shopping that you did, ensure that you place perishable foods in your fridge. For one, fresh meats should be placed in your freezer within 2 hours of buying them. To prolong the time, make sure that you grab your fresh meats the last when you go to the grocery. If you leave your fresh meats at room temperature for too long, it will spoil.
TIP #2: When you buy your meats, it’s best to cook it as soon as you buy it. Remember, ground meat will only last two days. Other types of whole meats such as beef, lamb, or veal will stay fresh in your refrigerator for up to five days.
TIP #3: To ensure that you kill surface bacteria in your meats, make sure to cook them to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit which is medium rare. Of course, it would be better to prolong cooking for a medium or well done at 160 degrees Fahrenheit and 170 degrees Fahrenheit respectively.
TIP #4: On the other hand, ground meat must be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit to be completely cooked. With a ground meat, surface bacteria tend to spread out easily so it’s recommended that you don’t cook your ground meats medium rare. That includes hamburgers and meat loaf.
TIP #5: Make use of a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your meat. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of your meats.
TIP #6: It’s best to thaw your meats in the refrigerator for slow thawing. Boneless meat takes about one day to defrost while those with bones take about 2 days. It’s also faster to submerge the meat in an airtight wrap in cold water.