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Cooking (cont'd)
Meat Basics
While cooking has alwaysbeen a talent, itis now becoming a science,also. Amana providesthisinformationas a
guide to aid in preparation. For specific questions regarding meat preparation, handling, or storagecontact
USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Meat & Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555.
Handling Hints
When shopping, put meat in its
own separate plastic sack to
keep drips off other foods.
Defrost frozen meats in
refrigerator, not at room
temperature.
Keep meat cool and covered
until it is time to cook.
Wash hands with warm soapy
water before and after handling
meat or raw egg.
Thoroughly wash any surface or
utensil raw meat or egg touched.
Do not put cooked meat on the
same plate that held raw meat.
Cooking Tips
Marinate meat in the
refrigerator. Throw out excess
marinade that came intocontact
withmeat.
Use an oven-proof meat
thermometer.
Cook meat to internal
temperature recommendedby
USDA.
When reheatingfoods, heatto
an internaltemperature ofat
least 165 °F.
While cooking meats, turnover
at leastonce.
Storage Safety
Once carved, refrigerateunused
portionimmediately.
Keep hotfoods hotand cold
foodscold when servingmeals.
Separate cooked foods into
small portionsfor fast cooling.
Do not storecookedground
meats or mealscontaining
ground meats for longerthan
3 to4 days inthe refrigerator.
Do not allowcookedor
uncooked meatjuices tocome
intocontactwithready-to-eat
foodssuch as fruitsor
vegetables.
Using a Meat Thermometer
When usinga meat thermometer,remember to insertitat a slightangle, in
the thickestpart ofthe meat, away from fat and bone.The meat shouldbe
removedwhen 5 °F belowthe desiredfinaltemperature. While the meat sits
before carving,itwillcontinue to cookinternally,raisingthelast5 °F byitself.
A meat thermometer can
Take the guesswork out ofcookingto a desired 'doneness'.
Help reducethe dskoffoodbome illness.
Oven-safe Thermometer
Inserted beforethe meat is placed in the oven, thisthermometer stays
with the meat while itcooks.
The internaltemperature will riseslowlyas the meat cooks.
Instant-read Thermometer
Not oven safe, these thermometers are placedin the meat when it is
removed from the oven.
While times may vary,an accurate temperature isnormallydisplayed
withinone totwo minutes.
When using an instant-read, remember toclean the thermometer stem
withwarm, soapy water between readings.
Tenderizing
Braising is only one way to tenderize
less tender cuts. Before cooking, you
may pound, cube, marinate, or use
commercially prepared meat
tenderizers. You may then use a dry
method to cook the meat.
Marinades are acidic liquids such
as wine, citrus, or vinegar.
Marinadessoften meat fibersbut
only penetrate about one-fourth of
an inch into the interiorof the
meat. Do not marinate meat for
longer than24 hours.
Pounding with a heavy meat mallet
breaks down the connective tissue
to tenderizemeat.
Cubing breaks down the structure
more thanpounding. Cubing is
done at the meat counter.
Commercial tenderizers are
primarily enzymes that work on the
outerfourth inch on a meat cut.
Make sure to follow the
manufacturer's directions.
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