Cooking Ground Beef Safely
- Cooking kills harmful bacteria. Be sure ground meat and ground poultry are cooked thoroughly. Use a thermometer to ensure proper cooking.
- Ground meat patties and loaves are safe when they reach 160° F in the center; ground poultry patties and loaves, 165° F, regardless of color.
- During broiling, grilling, or cooking on the stove, turn meats over at least once.
- When baking, set the oven no lower than 325° F.
- If microwaving, cover meats. Midway through cooking, turn patties over and rotate the dish; rotate a meat loaf; and stir ground meats once or twice. Let microwaved meats stand to complete the cooking process.
- After cooking, refrigerate leftovers immediately. Separate into small portions for fast cooling.
- To reheat all leftovers, cover and heat to 165° F, or until hot and steaming throughout.
Source: FMI
