Sunday, May 25, 2014

Flipping steaks is better

Flipping steaks on the barbecue every two minutes improves food safety, according to a study published in the Journal of Food Protection.

The grill needs to be heating the meat to at least 60 degrees Centigrade.

The recommendation from many chefs that steaks on the barbecue ought to be turned only once proved risky because some E. coli 0157:H7 shoved inside the steak to simulate mechanical tenderizing survived, even after grilling at 60 degrees for about eight minutes. Grilling for 10 to 12 minutes also killed the harmful bacteria.

It also helps to close the barbecue lid for the final couple of minutes; that increases the temperature all around the steak.

About this time last year, some people in Edmonton fell victim to E. coli 0157:H7 that came from XL Foods Ltd. of Brooks, Alta.

Their steaks had been mechanically tenderized, meaning the harmful bacteria on the surface when it left XL Foods got pushed to the interior where it was less likely to be killed by heat during cooking.

Food safety communications guru Dr. Doug Powell says he has long been in the habit of flipping his barbecuing steak frequently, and now he knows it’s also a good food safety precaution.