S A F E   &   S O U N D

Beef Safety 101

No one likes to think about getting sick after eating, that is why cleanliness in the kitchen and care in food handling are important steps to prevent food-borne illness. Below is our take on food safety 101.

KEEPING A CLEAN KITCHEN

WASH YOUR HANDS     Washing your hands is one of the best ways to stop the spread of food-borne pathogens. Wash before and during cooking, especially after touching raw meat. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends at least 20 seconds in hot, soapy water. 

CLEAN YOUR SPONGES     Whenever possible, use a paper towel or a clean dishcloth instead of a sponge to wipe up. If you do use a sponge, disinfect it. While there are many different strategies out there for sanitizing sponges, try boiling them for 5 minutes. 

SANITIZE YOUR SINK    Studies have found that the kitchen sink contains even more bacteria than the garbage bin, and different areas of your sink can reintroduce bacteria to your hands after you've washed them. This bacteria can live as long as 60 hours in your kitchen in the right conditions. 
Keep your sink clean with hot, soapy water. For added insurance, clean the sink and faucet handles frequently with a solution of 1 tablespoon bleach per quart of water. 

CLEAN YOUR CUTTING BOARDS     Keeping cutting boards clean is a major part of preventing cross-contamination and killing harmful bacteria.  Clean your cutting board regularly by washing them with hot, soapy water. If your board is dishwasher-safe, you can put it through the dishwasher, but keep in mind that wooden boards should never go through the dishwasher. 

AVOIDING CROSS-CONTAMINATION

DON'T RINSE MEAT     Avoid rinsing raw meat. While some may argue for the benefits for rinsing beef, the research is clear. Rinsing meat is more likely to spread contaminants around the sink and to anything sitting nearby. 

SEASON SAFELY     Though bacteria can't live for more than a few minutes in direct contact with salt, it can live on the edges of a box or shaker. To avoid contamination, try preparing all of your seasonings in small bowls before you work with raw or cooked food. 

PUT UP A BARRIER     Items that come into contact with both raw and cooked food, like scales and platters, should be covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to create a protective barrier. Once the item has been used, the wrap - and any bacteria - can be discarded.  Similarly, wrapping your cutting board with plastic wrap before pounding meat will limit the spread of bacteria. 

DON'T RECYCLE USED MARINADE     Used marinated is contaminated with raw meat juices and is therefore unsafe to consume. If you want a sauce to serve with your cooked beef, make a little extra marinade and set it aside before adding the rest to the raw meat.