4 Ways to Handle Raw Meat Safely

1. Handling Raw Meat

It's important you know how to handle raw meat to prevent the spread of bacteria that can give you food poisoning. Make sure you've cleaned with soap and water your counter top before getting the meat out. Use separate bowls, platters and cutting boards for meat from those you use for your vegetables or other ingredients. Never put cooked meat onto a plate that uncooked meat was sitting on. Wash hands immediately after handling raw meats and before you touch any other ingredients or cooking implements. Clean any juice spills immediately with soap and water and make sure your sponge or wash rag isn't just spreading the juice over your countertops. Clean your countertops with warm soapy water, after the meal, in case you missed any juice spills.

2. The Use of Cutting Boards

Plan to use separate cutting boards for uncooked meat and other ingredients. After cutting uncooked meats, wash your cutting board in warm soapy water. If you really want to clean it, mix a solution of 2 teaspoons bleach in about a quart of warm water. Make sure you never cut cooked meat on a cutting board you've used for uncooked meat

3. Freezing and Storing Raw Meat

A big part of handling raw meat safely is the storage of raw meat. The packages your meat comes in won't prevent freezer burn. Make sure you rewrap or over-wrap raw meat you're planning to freeze to prevent freezer burn and prevent leakage of juices onto other items in your freezer. The packages your meat comes in won't prevent against freezer burn.

4. Defrosting Raw Meat

Take your raw meat out and place it into your refrigerator. Make sure you put your meat into a tray or onto a plate that'll catch the juices so they don't get onto any area of your fridge. You can also place it into a sealed plastic bag. If you're defrosting in the microwave, follow the instructions on your microwave. Most microwaves are programmable for defrosting raw meat. If your microwave doesn't have a setting, put it on a 30 percent power and check it every few minutes. Avoid defrosting your meat by putting it on the kitchen counter or in warm water. This allows bacteria to multiply very quickly. However, you can defrost meat in cool water if you plan to cook it immediately.