We love beef here in Texas and here are Dinner Tonight we are dedicated to incorporate beef into a healthy lifestyle and meal plan. Below we talk about nutrition, purchasing tips, proper cooking temperatures for different cuts, share some great cooking tips and more! Check it out and learn a little bit more:

Cook it Right! Correct Beef Cooking Temperatures

Food is safely cooked when it reached a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.  The best way to check the internal temperature of food is using a food thermometer.  Follow these safe minimal internal temperatures:

Ground meats: ground meats should be cooked to a minimal internal temperature of 160°F.

Roasts: various cuts of roasts should be cooked to a minimal internal temperature of 145°F.

Steaks: steaks should be cooked to a minimal internal temperature of 145°F. Steaks cooked to a medium texture should reach 160°F, and if you like your steak well done cook it to 170°F.  Be sure to let the steak rest for three minutes after removing from the heat source.

Remember these key points about food safety:

• Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness or safety.
• Once you store cooked food you should always bring the food back to proper temperature.
• Always clean your food thermometer after each use.

Never eat meat which has been under cooked or between the temperature danger zone of  40°F and 140°F.  Take these steps to keeping your food safe!  If you would like more information check out our Food Protection Management page at http://foodsafety.tamu.edu/ or http://www.fightbac.org/ .

Click here to print a chart on internal cooking temperatures

Beef Nutrition and Purchasing Tips

Lean beef contains various amounts of nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, zinc, iron, selenium, and phosphorus.  When choosing beef for recipes, choose lean cuts.  Lean cuts contains less than 4.5 grams of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 ounce serving.  Lean cuts of meat include the words “loin” or “round” in the name.  This may help in choosing lean cuts of beef at the butcher or grocery store.  Be sure to look through our recipes for a recipe you might like to try!

Learn more about Beef Nutrition from our partners at the Texas Beef Council

Tips for Cooking with Beef

How do you get a fine cooked ground beef texture? Use your potato masher!

3 Ways to Tenderize Meat

1. Physically – Use a meat mallet or a similar food-grade tool to physically break up the muscles and fibers of the meat. Take care not to go overboard which can lead to torn cuts of meat.
2. Cooking – Cooking tough cuts of meat using low and slow cooking methods can work to break down tough fibers to tenderize meat. Examples: slow cookers or barbecue.
3. Chemically – Salts and citrus juices can both have a tenderizing effect on meat by breaking down the meat fibers. Salts can be applied directly to meat but are extremely effective as part of a marinade. Citrus juices contain acids that also break down meat fibers. Be cautious of the additional amounts of sodium from tenderizing!