While meat can be a tasty protein source in your daily diet, cooking it improperly can increase your risk for foodborne illnesses, such as E. coli and salmonella. To reduce the likelihood this will occur, cook meat thoroughly and evenly to prevent any “cool spots” where the meat has not gotten warm enough to kill disease-causing bacteria. By taking several precautions, including checking your equipment, you can prepare thoroughly and evenly cooked meat.
Step 1
Check your equipment to ensure stove tops, grills and/or ovens are heating evenly by performing regular maintenance on all equipment. On a grill, this can mean spreading charcoal as evenly as possible.
Step 2
Allow your meat to sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking it. Allow the meat to sit for the full 30 minutes if it is especially thick, such as a roast. This time period will allow the meat time to become a more consistent temperature, which increases the likelihood it will cook more evenly.
Step 3
Cook meats that have previously been frozen for 10 to 20 minutes longer per pound than you would cook a fresh source of meat.
Step 4
Turn meats as least once if you are cooking them on a grill. While you do not have to constantly turn meats when grilling, turning them occasionally will help to ensure both sides are exposed to heat and cook thoroughly and evenly.
Step 5
Check the internal temperature of the meat using a meat thermometer. Because your goal is to cook evenly, test the meat in several locations to ensure it is thoroughly cooked. Because different meat types have desired cooking temperatures, consult the United States Department of Agriculture or other reliable resource to determine the appropriate internal temperature for the meat you are cooking. Always wash the meat thermometer thoroughly after use.
Step 6
Allow your meat to stand between 3 and 5 minutes after cooking and before serving to allow it to achieve a more consistent temperature throughout.
Tips and Warnings
- Always test a meat thermometer for accuracy by inserting it into boiling water before using it. If you live at sea level, the temperature should read 212 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live above sea level, the temperature should be two degrees less for every 1,000 feet you live above sea level.
Things You'll Need
- Meat thermometer
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