How much do you really know about keeping food safe? Yesterday, we published the first half of this list of food safety tips. This is Part 2.

SAFETY WITH EGGS

Myth #9: “Eggs are safe as long as the shell is not cracked. Germs can only get in through cracks.”
Reality: Salmonella, one of the bacteria that cause food poisoning, can grow inside fresh, unbroken eggs. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny. Scramble eggs to a firm texture. You can safely enjoy your eggs over easy, but not sunny-side up.

To ensure safety, cook the eggs by flipping once so that the egg white is completely cooked and the egg yolk is starting to gel. Don’t use recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked.

Myth #10: “Hard boiled eggs are safe and don’t need to be refrigerated.”
Reality: Keep boiled eggs on ice, in a cooler, or in a cold pack if the eggs will not be eaten within two hours. Just because they are cooked, doesn’t mean they can’t grow bacteria.

Even if there’s no crack, an egg can be
contaminated with bacteria. Photo by Kasey
Albano | SXC.

WHAT ABOUT MOLD?

“Myth #11: “If there is just a little bit of mold on top of the food, I can scrape it off. What’s underneath is still good.”
Reality: The mold you see is only the tip of the iceberg. Typically, the bacteria or toxins are found under the surface of the food. Although you can salvage hard cheeses, salamis and firm fruits and vegetables by cutting the mold out, most foods should be discarded.

SAFETY WITH POULTRY & MAYONNAISE

Myth #12: “Mayonnaise is often the cause of food-borne illness.”
Reality: Commercially purchased mayonnaise is pasteurized and has a high acid content that actually slows bacteria growth. Mayonnaise does not cause food poisoning, bacteria do. And bacteria grow best on foods that contain protein and are at temperatures between 40°-140°F. At greater risk for developing bacteria are the foods mayonnaise is commonly mixed with for picnics and potlucks, such as eggs, chicken, pasta, potatoes and tuna.

Their small, cut-up surfaces allow the bacteria to grow in the right environment. But even these foods will be safe if you keep your cooler below 40°F. Don’t guess: Use a thermometer.

Don’t thaw turkey or other poultry on the
counter. You’ve just got to make room in the
fridge. Photo by Evegny B | Fotolia.

Myth #13: “It is okay to let turkey thaw out on the kitchen counter. Everyone does it that way.”
Reality: You should NEVER thaw poultry at room temperature. Because it is impossible to ensure that raw poultry is free of harmful bacteria, you must rely on temperature to control or eliminate the harmful bacteria.

Bacteria tend to multiply and increase their population between 45°F and 140°F. By leaving raw turkey or any other raw poultry at room temperature, you are giving bacteria the the opportunity to grow.

It is best to thaw the poultry in the refrigerator. You can use other thawing methods, such as microwaving or running cool water over the bird, but these alternative methods need to be followed by immediate cooking.

BBQs, PICNICS, POTLUCKS & TAILGATES

Myth #14: “If food is kept in a cooler, it will be maintained at the proper temperature.”
Reality: The only way to know for sure if your cooler or refrigerator is at the proper temperature is with a thermometer. You want to make sure your cold foods stay below 40°F. Another precaution is to pack raw meat and cooked or ready to eat foods in separate coolers. This can help to avoid any potential cross-contamination from spilled juices.

Pack coolers tight with ice, store in a cool spot and keep them closed as much as possible. Only open when necessary and when it is time to cook or serve the food. Keep drinks in their own cooler so you can open and shut it frequently without having to worry about lowering the temperature of the food.

Myth #15: “Food can be left at room or outdoor temperature for more than two hours.”
Reality: Because bacteria grow rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F, food left at room temperature for more than two hours should be discarded. When the temperature outside is 90°F or hotter, picnic or barbecue food should be discarded after just one hour.

Now you know 15 ways to keep your food safe. If you have more food safety questions, let us know.

According to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation, 82% of Americans say they are confident they prepare food safely. But the data also showed that many people do not follow the simple guidelines for safe food handling.

How much do you really know about keeping food safe? Here are some common myths about food safety, courtesy of the Kansas City, Missouri Department Of Health. This is Part 1; Part 2 will appear tomorrow.

Myth #1: “Food prepared at home is much safer than restaurant food. If I get a food borne illness, it is probably because I ate something bad at a restaurant.”
In fact, it’s typically the opposite. In general, the majority of professional food handlers are knowledgeable about how food is to be prepared, cooked, and stored. Restaurant chefs and kitchen workers) have been trained and certified in safe food handling techniques.

No matter how clean your kitchen looks, it could be harboring harmful bacteria. Photo courtesy MassimoMarchiori.com.

Poor food handling practices at home are more likely cause food borne illnesses than in a restaurant.

Myth #2: “My kitchen is clean: I am always wiping things down with a dishcloth.”
Reality: Actually, using dishcloths could be doing more damage. Every time you clean your kitchen, you could be spreading germs throughout your kitchen.

It is best to use paper towels to clean up and/or to start off each day with a clean and dry wiping cloth. You should not use sponges in the kitchen (they harbor bacteria like you wouldn’t believe!)

Myth #3: “Microwaving food kills all bacteria, so the food is safe.”
Reality: When re-heating food in the microwave, you still must heat to at least 165°F or the bacteria may not be killed. Use a food thermometer to verify that the temperature has been reached.

Tips for cooking or reheating food in the microwave:

You can’t be sure that your cooked food is safe without a food thermometer.

Myth #4: “I don’t need to use a food thermometer. I can tell when my food is cooked by looking at it and pressing on it.”
Reality: Because most harmful bacteria can be eliminated at high temperatures, food cooked to adequate internal temperatures will help ensure that your food is safe. There’s no way you can “tell” without a thermometer. Even the most talented chefs can’t tell the exact temperature just by looking and touching. Also be cautious about cooking meats partially ahead of time, then finishing them later on the grill. This promotes bacterial growth.

Myth #5: “I can’t put hot food into the refrigerator. The food will spoil if I do.”
Reality: The leading cause of food borne illness in the United States is improper cooling, including leaving cooked foods at room temperature. Cool food as quickly as possible to avoid growing harmful bacteria.
 

Myth #6: “Washing your hands briefly before you start preparing food is enough to keep you safe.”
Reality: Hands need to be washed often and properly, before and after touching food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers or handling pets.

Proper hand washing requires warm, soapy water; a clean paper towel; and 20 seconds of scrubbing between fingers, under nails, and up to your wrist.
 
Myth #7: “Using the same utensils, cutting boards and plates for foods eaten at the same meal is safe as long as they start out clean.”
Reality: Not quite. Raw meat and other foods contain bacteria that can cross-contaminate other foods if not kept separate. Use these tips to ensure you are using safe food prep practices:

 
Myth #8: You can tell when food is spoiled because it looks or smells bad.
Reality: Most of the time, you can tell if food is spoiled; but not always. Bacteria are invisible and you can’t always tell if they are present by appearance and aroma. It’s best to adopt the motto “When in doubt, throw it out.”

 
Head to Food Safety Myths, Part 2. We take on coolers, eggs, mayonnaise, mold and turkey.

Those who like their meat rare to medium
rare should choose filet mignon. Photo
courtesy MackenzieLtd.com.

Yesterday we discussed the best cuts of steak to choose at a steakhouse. What if you want to grill at home?

Whether at home or at a restaurant, how rare or well done you like your meat can impact your choice of cut. As meat cooks, the fibers break down: That’s why medium-well-done meat is easier to chew than rare meat of the same cut. However, the more done the meat, the less juicy it is.

Some of the tougher cuts, like hanger steak, can’t be cooked rare: You need to go with medium to avoid the chewiness.

Want to know how steakhouse chefs cook steak? Chef Arturo McLeod of Benjamin Steak House suggests grilling times and techniques for the perfect steak:

GRILLING TIMES FOR STEAK

In general, medium rare is considered to deliver the best flavor. However, your preference also depends on the size and thickness of the steak.
 
Filet Mignon

Filet mignon is best served rare or medium rare.

 
Porterhouse

Porterhouse is best served medium rare to medium.

 
Rib Eye

Rib eye is best served medium rare.

 
Sirloin

Sirloin is best served medium rare to medium.

WHERE TO BUY, WHAT TO BUY

For USDA prime beef, opt for the best local butchers rather than chain grocery stores, says Chef McLeod. Some grocery stores don’t even carry choice, the second best grade of beef (see the different USDA grades of beef). You won’t know unless you ask.

Request aged beef; however, not all butchers and stores sell aged beef. Call around to see who has it in your area; or order it online from companies like Allen Brothers.

Most butchers don’t carry the same quality of meat as a top steakhouse. Even thought they might like to, only 3% of the typical steer is USDA prime, and top restaurants compete that small amount of meat.

Chef McLeod advises to buy porterhouse or New York strip steaks: They’re the better offering at your local butcher.

Before you buy, he advises:

Porterhouse: filet mignon and sirloin, separated by a T-shaped bone (hence, its other name, T-bone steak). Photo courtesy AllenBrothers.com.

 
HOW TO COOK YOUR STEAK

 
If you have questions for Chef McLeod, use the Contact Us link on this page.

Check out the many cuts of beef in our Beef Glossary.

Are you using enough microwave heat to kill
all harmful bacteria? Photo © Barry Schwartz
| Flickr.

Whether you heat, nuke, zap or other favorite word, using a microwave oven to cook or reheat foods is fast and convenient.

But it’s not effective at killing harmful bacteria if the food isn’t heated to a safe internal temperature, according to the Partnership for Food Safety Education, a non-profit group. The misconception that the microwaved kill bacteria is one of their four featured food safety myths for 2012.

September is National Food Safety Education Month. The Partnership, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a network of retailers across the U.S., has launched its annual Home Food Safety Mythbusters. See how many of the four safety myths you believe.

About one in six Americans—48 million people—will get a foodborne illness this year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. The Partnership launched Mythbusters in 2009 to address common food safety myths and to give consumers actionable steps they can follow to protect themselves and their families from food poisoning.

The last mythbuster was the that was news for us, and good news at that!

MYTH: “If I microwave food, the microwaves kill the bacteria, so the food is safe.”

FACT: Microwaving itself isn’t what kills bacteria in food: It’s the amount of heat generated by the microwaves. Microwaved foods can cook unevenly because they may be shaped irregularly or vary in thickness. Even microwave ovens with a turntable can cook unevenly and leave cold spots in food, where harmful bacteria can survive.

WHAT TO DO: Be sure to follow package instructions and rotate and stir foods during the cooking process, if the instructions call for it. Observe any standing times specified in the directions: the heat from standing time may be needed to kill the bacteria. For foods that can harbor harmful bacteria, such as meat and poultry, check the temperature of microwaved foods with a food thermometer in several spots.

MYTH: “I wash all bagged lettuce and greens because it might make me sick if I don’t.”

FACT: While it is important to thoroughly wash most fresh fruits and vegetables, if packaged greens are labeled “ready-to-eat,” “washed” or “triple washed,” then the product does NOT need to be washed again at home. Pre-washed greens have been through a cleaning process immediately before going into the bag. Re-washing and handling the greens at home actually creates opportunities for contamination.

WHAT TO DO: Don’t rewash greens that have been washed already, and always handle pre-washed greens with clean hands. Make sure that cutting boards, utensils and counter tops are clean.

MYTH: “I don’t need to use a food thermometer. I can tell when my food is cooked by looking at it or checking the temperature with my finger.”

FACT: The only sure way to know food is safely cooked is to check the temperature with a food thermometer and confirm it has reached a safe internal temperature.

You can refreeze chicken and other proteins if they have been thawed in the fridge. Photo courtesy 21Food.com.

Color, texture and steam are not indicators that a food is safe to eat. The surface of a food might be steaming hot, but there may be cold spots inside.

WHAT TO DO: Keep a food thermometer on top of the microwave; this slender thermometer is unobtrusive. Clean the food thermometer with soap and water after each use.

MYTH: “I can’t re-freeze foods after I have thawed them: I have to cook them or throw them away.”

FACT: If raw proteins such as meat, poultry, egg products and seafood have been thawed in the refrigerator, then they can be safely re-frozen without cooking. Never thaw raw foods by letting them sit on the kitchen counter; the warmth of the room enables harmful bacteria to multiply quickly.

WHAT TO DO: Only re-freeze raw or partially cooked foods that have been thawed in the fridge. If raw foods are thawed outside of the refrigerator—for example, in the microwave or in cool water—they need to be cooked immediately.

Mythbusters educational materials, including a PowerPoint Presentation, a teachers’ kit, games for children and more, are all available as free downloads at Fightbac.org. You’ll also find the four tips from 2009 through 2011.

Many recipes call for minced vegetables and herbs. Unless you’re a committed chopper, it can be annoying to cut things so small.

Yet, there’s an easy way to create those tiny pieces—the way professional chefs do.

Here, chef Jim Davis shows us the correct way to mincing onions. It’s well worth your time to watch the video: You’ll use the technique for the rest of your life!

If your steaks don’t taste as good as restaurant steaks, it could be the quality of the meat. Or it could be your cooking technique.

Restaurant chefs start with searing the seasoned steak in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan. Sometimes they finish cooking the meat in the oven. In this demonstration, the seared meat is tented—no oven needed.

Check out the technique in this video. And check out the different cuts of beef in our Beef Glossary.

If you’re making an angel food cake, meringue, soufflé or other baked good that requires the egg whites to be whipped separately, you need to do it correctly in order for your recipe to rise.

Here are some tips from Lauren Chattman, author of one of our favorite baking books, The Baking Answer Book (for $9.73 on Amazon.com, a great small gift or stocking stuffer).

1. DON’T OVERWHIP. Because of the protein structure of egg whites, it’s crucial, says Chattman, not to overwhip the whites. Overwhipping separates the water molecules from the egg whites, rendering them less capable of expanding (rising).

2. USE AN ABSOLUTELY CLEAN BOWL AND BEATERS. Even a speck of grease or oil in the bowl or on the beaters can spell disaster. It will prevent the strands of egg white protein from linking up with each other to create the foam that traps the air bubbles needed for the recipe to rise.

Lemon meringue pie. Photo courtesy American Egg Board.

3. SEPARATE THE WHITES INTO SEPARATE BOWLS. When cracking the egg, don’t use the one handed technique. A speck of egg yolk that sneaks in with the whites creates the same problem as oil. Instead, first separate the egg whites into a small bowl or cup. If some yolk ends up with the whites, don’t fish it out; use that egg for another purpose (scrambled, perhaps?). Wash and dry the bowl thoroughly, and start again.

4. ADD THE EGG WHITES ONE AT A TIME. Avoid the problem above by separating each egg into a small bowl or cup; then add it to the mixing bowl before separating the next egg. This way, if you end up with some yolk with your white, only one egg is impacted.

5. USE ROOM TEMPERATURE EGGS. The coiled proteins in egg whites are more relaxed at room temperature. You can whip cold eggs from the fridge, but it will take more time to achieve the volume.

6. DON’T USE VERY FRESH, EGGS. Most of us don’t have access to freshly-laid eggs. But contrary to what you might think, just-laid eggs are not the best for whipping whites. Eggs need to be 3-4 days old so their coiled proteins will relax for optimal whipping.

Now that you’ve got the technique, make this delicious key lime meringue pie.

Need an egg separator? Here’s a very spiffy one.
  

A standard plate of meat and veggies gets a sprinkling of glamour with pomegranate arils. Get the recipe at PomWonderful.com.

If you dine at fine restaurants, you may notice that garniture—the garnish on dish—makes a big difference in presentation.

Garnishes can improve any dish, savory or sweet, plain or fancy—a tuna sandwich, filet mignon, plate of pasta, dish of ice cream. As with fashion, the “accessories” take a look from now to wow.

Deciding in advance on the garnish is as much a part of our planning process as the basic recipe. It’s easy to choose the right garnish, as we show in this article.

The right final touch on the plate makes people take notice. In other words, it’s not just another bowl of tomato soup.

It’s easy to keep garnishes at the ready in the pantry and the freezer. Freeze extra chives, rosemary sprigs, berries and pomegranate arils and you’ll be prepared for most dishes.

Check out our article, Garnish Glamour, for an easy roadmap.

Today’s tip is from Chef Johnny Gnall. If you have questions or suggestions for tips, email Chef Johnny.

Home cooks can get intimidated by the thought of trying new ingredients. There’s a time-and-money issue of experimenting with something that might not turn out well.

But cooking is exploration. Sometimes explorers find that the trip yields nothing exciting, other times they happen upon a game-changer. With all the information and recipes on the Internet, you‘ve got all you need to add vivid new flavors to your cooking.

Ever heard of galangal (pronounced guh-LAHNG-ull, with a broad “a,” also called galanga and blue ginger)? Native to Indonesia, it is best known in America as an herb that flavors Thai soups.

Galangal. It looks like ginger but is used in a very different way. Don’t be intimidated by it! Photo by Piano Non Troppo | Wikimedia.

A member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, galangal is similar in appearance to ginger; but instead of ginger’s spice heat, it delivers an earthy, complex favor profile with notes of citrus, pine and cedar (and it’s usually removed prior to serving, not consumed in the same way as ginger). It’s also delicious in stews and stir-fries.

Once you know what something tastes like—kaffir lime or shrimp paste, for example—you can add it to your favorite recipes to give them new life.

DON’T BE INGREDIEN-TIMIDATED

Unleash your inner explorer and plan to try a new ingredient every month. Your supermarket may have enough to start you off—from enoki mushrooms in the produce department, quinoa with the grains, and the spice rack (check out black cardamom, cubeb pepper, fenugreek, grains of paradise, mastic, za’atar and many others).

Next, look up international markets and produce stores in your area and go browsing. If there are no local markets, search on the internet. Peruse African, Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern grocery sites.

Then, make yourself a list of 12 ingredients you want to try over the next year. Here are some ideas to start you off:

Don’t overheat your ham! Photo courtesy Snake River Farms.

Cured hams come fully cooked, but need to be heated (that is, if you want your meat to be warm or hot).

Micheale Muse, culinary expert for Snake River Farms, producers of “the world’s best” Kurobuta hams, shares this advice:

The final tip: