The art of prepping meat
Five rules for prepping meat from the experts at Seriously Smoked.
1. Don’t Rinse Meat Before Cooking
A lot of people wash meat or rinse it before cooking but it’s not needed. In fact, doing this can actually spread bacteria around the sink and kitchen. All bacteria will be killed during cooking, so there’s no need to risk cross-contamination by rinsing it in water.
2. Don’t Soak Meat in Salt Water
Some people soak meat in salt water in an effort to make them juicier when cooking. However, this can drastically up the salt content of the meat, making it unhealthy. Instead, buy high-quality cuts of meat that won’t dry out during cooking. If you do want to soak the meat, make sure to do it in the fridge to keep the meat at a safe temperature.
3. Don’t Reuse Cooking Utensils
If you use a fork or spatula to handle raw meat, do not reuse it before washing with hot water. This will increase chances of cross-contamination. It’s best to have a set of utensils for raw meat and a completely separate set for cooked meat to be safe.
4. Do wash your hands
Washing your hands after handling raw meat is a necessity to stop bacteria from spreading. After handling meat, wash your hands with warm soapy water for twenty seconds before handling anything else.
5. Do Throw Away All Packaging
Any packaging that carried raw meat should be rinsed and thrown away or recycled if possible. Never wash these and reuse them – even after washing they are a cross-contamination risk.
