Take the guesswork out of cooking
Cook beef to perfection, so that it is tasty and juicy - not overdone. Use a food thermometer to judge when beef is cooked.
Cook to safe internal temperatures. Be especially careful if you're cooking for those at high risk of serious illness from foodborne bacteria -infants/young children, pregnant women, older adults or those with chronic illness. Using a food thermometer or temperature indicator is the ONLY reliable way to test for safe internal temperatures.
Thermometers and temperature indicators
Our number one choice is a good quality digital instant-read (rapid-read) thermometer or thermometer fork, that gives a temperature reading, not just a doneness range. This thermometer type can be used in all foods, thin ones like burgers or larger pieces such as roasts. You can even use them in casseroles and liquids. They are not oven-safe, so you cannot leave them in the food while the food is in the oven or on the barbecue. Remove food from heat source and insert probe to take a temperature reading. Remove thermometer if food needs to go back on the grill or in the oven.
on the block: Temperature Monitor Thermometers have a cable attaching the thermometer probe to a digital temperature read-out. This allows you to see the temperature change as the food cooks without opening the oven door. Most are programmable so the thermometer will beep when your roast is done as you like it.
Thermometer Know-How
- Take temperatures with an instant/rapid read thermometer of thin foods like burgers within 1 minute of removal from heat. For larger cuts like roasts, remove from oven and tent with foil. Temperature in roasts may continue to climb for 5 to 10 minutes after removal from oven.
- Insert instant-read thermometer stem or fork thermometer tines sideways into the centre of patties/steak or centre of thickest part of a roast or meatloaf. Insert to a depth of at least 1 1/2"(4 cm), away from bone, fat or gristle.
- Leave thermometer in food for at least 30 seconds before reading temperature.
- When beef roast has an irregular shape, check the temperature in several places.
- Always use hot soapy water to wash the thermometer stem used in checking partially cooked meats before using again. Wash any tongs or plates that may have come in contact with undercooked foods.
- Review manufacturers' guidelines specific to the care of your thermometer or temperature indicator.
Temperature Rules for Safe Doneness
Print off this handy chart (below) and clip it on the inside of your kitchen cupboard so you will always have it on hand for easy reference while you cook or barbecue.
Beef Cooking Know-How
Ground beef, rolled stuffed beef steaks / rolled roasts and mechanically tenderized/delicated meats (e.g. Minute Steaks) should be cooked to medium (160°F/71°C). Check with your meat counter staff or butcher to inquire about the mechanically tenderized/delicated meats in their store.
Roasts and steaks can be enjoyed at medium-rare or medium doneness, since the high temperatures reached during cooking eliminate any bacteria that may be on the surface of the raw meat.
When cooking roasts, the oven temperature should be no lower than 250°F (120°C).
Take beef directly from the refrigerator to the barbecue or oven, don't bring it to room temperature.
Ground Beef Cooking
Cook ground beef completely, until it reaches 160°F (71°C). Don't rely on the 'colour test' to know when burgers are done. Recent research shows that the colour of cooked ground beef can vary - burgers may be brown in the centre before being cooked to a safe temperature.
