How NOT to Overcook Meat

You’ve decided what to make for dinner. You’ve shopped, chopped, cooked, cleaned, and placed a gorgeous meal on the table. You take your first bite and start chewing… and chewing… and chewing… it’s tough, it’s dry, it’s over cooked. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there!

Cooking meat can be tricky. You want to cook it long enough so that it’s safe to consume, but not so long that it becomes tough and unappetizing. Sometimes there is a very fine line between the two. Even worse, overcooking some types of meat can create carcinogens. Lucky for you, the Dinner Diva is here to save the day! Here are a few tips to help you avoid overcooking meat.

When grilling meat, be sure to grill slowly over low heat. This will help reduce charring which poses a cancer risk. If you do end up with black areas on your grilled meat, scrape them off before serving. Marinating meat before cooking can help avoid overcooking as well.

A digital probe thermometer is an excellent tool to help you discern the level of doneness when cooking meat. You insert the probe end of the thermometer into the meat and the readout end rests outside of your oven, Some models are wireless whereas others use a thin wire that doesn’t prevent the oven door from being closed. This enables you to check the meat’s internal temperature without opening the oven door and letting heat escape. Some can even be programmed to beep once a particular temperature is reached. Here are a few internal temperature guidelines for cooking different types of meat:

  • Beef Roast: 155º F
  • Ground Beef: 160º
  • Pork Roast: 160º
  • Ham: 135º
  • Lamb: 155º
  • Veal Chops: 155º
  • Whole Chicken or Turkey: 170º

By using a thermometer to check the internal temperatures you will avoid guessing which can often mean a disaster for dinner. How many times have you cut into your turkey to find it is not done, so you put it back in the oven only to remove it later and it’s turkey leather? With a thermometer you can avoid that and with so many varieties on the market you are sure to find one that works for you.

0 Responses

  1. when cooking meat
    really what is the juice that is in the bottom of the pan?
    My hubby thinks it is mostly water -so when he cooks he keeps it in the pan to flavor sauces, gravy & etc… (but it is gross to me)

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