THE TEMPERATURES OF MEAT

So in today's post we will refer to the ideal cooking of meat and specifically the temperature it should have developed inside, balancing between its safe consumption and an acceptable culinary result. Of course, the same is not true for all types of meat, as each type, due to its different composition, but also due to the different pathogenic microorganisms that can attack it, needs a different cooking treatment. In fact, even if it is meat from the same animal, the ideal degree of doneness of two different cuts may differ slightly, which also applies to their recommended "resting" times.

Evaluating the degree of doneness can be done even with a simple visual inspection, but this requires a lot of experience and familiarity. For someone less experienced, measuring the temperature inside the meat using a cooking thermometer is the safest and most reliable way to check.

Here it is important to point out that the ideal temperatures that you will see below refer to the temperature that should have developed inside the meat (i.e. at the point where it would develop the lowest temperature compared to the rest). Also, it is good to know that from the moment we remove a meat from the fire, it continues to cook, even raising the temperature. So a good solution for better results is to remove it from the fire just before the desired result and to "rest" it for about 5' (for larger pieces of meat the resting time differs significantly). This, in addition to better temperature control, also helps retain more moisture within the meat

Veal & beef

The range of recommended internal temperatures for veal and beef is the largest compared to other meats.

In our country, veal and beef are usually consumed at temperatures that even exceed the limit of the so-called Well Done. This results in the meat losing most of its moisture, acquiring a rubbery texture. The reason - in very simple words - is that above 60°C the collagen present in the meat tightens, compressing the remaining tissues, causing the loss of moisture and making it tough.

Depending on everyone's personal taste, the particular meat can be cooked at the following temperatures:

Blue Rare: 46-49°C


Rare in Greek means raw. Blue Rare is - at least from a safety point of view - a not-so-safe way, as the temperatures of the meat inside it are much lower than the safe pasteurization limits. This particular level of doneness is obviously the least popular of all and is characterized by the intense red color of the meat in most of its interior. Of course, here we should say that if a meat has been affected by a pathogenic microorganism, it will probably be on its surface, so the chances of getting sick from eating even such meat are really small. In any case, however, the quality of the raw material, but especially the correct way of maintaining it, is what matters the most.

Rare: 50-54°C

Characteristic of a Rare grilled meat is its particularly soft texture and its intense red color in a large part of its interior. But as you can understand - at least in our country - this specific degree of roasting is not the most popular. Regarding the safety of its consumption, a meat cooked in the traditional cooking method does not exceed the safe pasteurization limits. However, as we already mentioned, the chances of poisoning are infinitesimal.

Medium Rare: 55-59°C

We could say that Medium Rare is half-cooked meat and is - at least culinary - the most widely accepted cooking method for veal and beef.

Medium: 60-65°C

Medium-rare meat is a good choice for those who do want their meat juicy, but not that lively. From this point on, the meat begins to firm up, losing much of its tender texture. In terms of safety, a medium-cooked meat can be considered completely safe. At this point it is important to mention that red meat is fully pasteurized when its interior reaches a temperature of 63°C for less than 4 minutes.

The Medium Well: 66-70°C

Most chefs would recommend medium to well-done veal or beef with half a heart and only as the ultimate limit of maximum doneness. Of course, from a safety point of view, it is a perfectly safe bake.

O Well: 71-74°C

Well done meat is well-done meat with a characteristic rubber-like texture. The specific degree of cooking - from a culinary point of view - is recommended exclusively for minced meat (due to the higher microbial load that minced meat usually has).

Lamb & goat meat

Recommended internal temperatures for lamb and goat meat are similar to those for beef and beef.

Pork meat

The terminology for degrees of doneness for pork is also the same as for beef and beef. However, here the recommended degree of doneness is between Medium Well and Well Done to avoid trichinosis, a disease caused by a type of worm (Trichinella), which can also affect meat-eating animals.

Poultry

The recommended range of internal temperatures for poultry such as chicken and turkey does not leave us much room for how to cook them. The reason is none other than salmonella, from which we can be sure that we are not in any danger when the temperature inside the meat remains at 71°C for 15', at 70°C for a little less than 1' or at 65 °C for about 6'. But increasing the temperature above 74°C would result in a meat that is dry and tasteless and with a characteristic fibrous texture, especially when talking about the breast.

Tip: A properly cooked poultry should release some white liquid when cut, which should not be reddish or pink under any circumstances.

Fish

Fish, unlike poultry, can under certain conditions even be eaten raw. However, if we choose to bake them, and always depending on the species, the recommended temperature inside them should be between 55°C and 63°C. For example, it is stated that the pasteurization of the fish is achieved in just 7' when a temperature of 55°C has developed inside it, in 3' at 57°C, in 2' at 58°C, in less than 1' at 60 °C or in just 15" at 63°C.