Take the RealAge Test or sign in to find out how old you really are.
 

RealAge Tip

Brown Ground Beef: Is It Done?

Rating: 4 out of 5
If you're part of the grill-it-till-it's-brown crowd, looks could get your gut into serious trouble.

Meats can turn brown well before they've reached a safe internal temperature, especially if they're pale and soft (think pork and ground beef), salted (think marinated), or they have spent a long time in your freezer. Here's how you'll know when meat is done.

Don't Judge by Color
Meat -- especially ground beef -- can look thoroughly cooked even though its internal temperature might not be high enough to kill dangerous foodborne pathogens, such as E. coli (what's that?). Anything that alters the pH level of meat will affect how quickly it browns, including storage conditions, seasonings, and thawing methods.

Safe Numbers
Use a food thermometer to ensure that your beef, fish, and chicken reach the temperatures set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
  • Steaks, roasts, and fish -- 62.8 degrees C (145 degrees F)
  • Pork and ground beef -- 71.1 degrees C (160 degrees F)
  • Chicken breasts -- 76.7 degrees C (170.1 degrees F)
Read up on consumer food-safety issues.
RealAge Benefit: Stocking your kitchen with equipment that helps you cook in a healthful way can make your RealAge up to 4 years younger.

RealAge Smart Search: Learn more about how to prevent food poisoning with RealAge Smart Search.

References Published on 05/21/2007.
[PDF] Does it look cooked? A review of factors that influence cooked meat color. King, N. J., Whyte, R., Journal of Food Science 2006;71(4):R31-R40.

Click stars to rate.

Rate This Tip

Tips from the RealAge Community MemberTipsIcon
What other advice on this topic can you add?
Add Your Tip
Sign in to find out how young or old you really are and to create your RealAge profile and inbox. Then, you can start meeting other RealAgers.

Want more? Search all our tips by topic or interest.

Subscribe Icon Subscribe to receive RealAge Tips by e-mail.   SUBSCRIBE

    Add RealAge Tip of the Day to your site.

WATCH VIDEOS  RealAge Video  »
RealAge Cooking Tips & Techniques Grilling Fish VideoRealAge Cooking Tips & Techniques Grilling Fish Video
Grill Swordfish and Salmon with lemon and herbs. Delicious and healthy.

FIND RECIPES »

Soup
Grab your spoons. It's soup season!
 

GET ANSWERS »