The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide by Steve Cylka Read Free Book Online

“danger zone” refers to the temperature range between 40°F and 140°F. It is termed the danger zone because bacteria and other pathogens multiply at a rapid rate in this range. The longer it takes for the cooking process to move meat through this range, the greater the risk there is in food being contaminated with hazardous bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and Clostridium botulinum . These are serious pathogens that can cause a wide range of illnesses from issues as minor as a fever or an upset stomach to serious health problems.
    People often think of food safety and the reduction of pathogens in relation to a certain temperature. In many recipes and instructions on food packages, it will say to cook food to a specific internal temperature. Although cooking to that specific internal temperature will make the food safe, that is only part of the story. Time is also a factor, along with temperature, for reducing pathogens and making food safe. So, this means that meat can be cooked to a lower internal temperature and it can be deemed safe to eat if it is held at this lower temperature (or above) for a longer period of time.

All this information is a guide, and in no way is it meant to cover all aspects of food safety. For more information about cooking food safely, using sous vide or any other method, please consult with the FDA, USDA, or your local public health office.
    Sous vide cooking safe, but it is essential to follow proper cooking temperature and time guidelines. The operations manual of your sous vide machine likely has detailed information regarding temperatures and times for different sorts of meat. There are also plenty of resources online that can provide all the information you require for cooking food safely. Also, Appendix A has Time and Temperature Charts (used with permission of Eades Appliance Technology, LLC/SousVide Supreme, www.sousvidesupreme.com ), for cooking all sorts of meat in a sous vide water bath. It is important to note that this information is a guide, and there are many other factors that come into play that can impact the length it takes to properly cook and in some cases pasteurize a piece of meat. Some factors include the shape, size, and thickness of the cut of meat. Obviously, the thicker a piece of meat, the longer it will take to cook and be safe to eat. In some cases, the meat may be too thick to cook and pasteurize safely and it may be necessary to cut it into smaller portions.
    It is important to note that most harmful bacteria reside on the outside of the meat. This does not include poultry like chicken and turkey that can have salmonella on the inside of the meat. But, for most other meats, the inside of the meat is generally considered sterile and free of these forms of bacteria. Ground meat is a different story because any harmful bacteria would be mixed throughout all the meat. Also, a knife or meat tenderizer that pierces the meat can send bacteria into the middle core of a solid piece of meat.
    Here are a few tips for cooking safely:
     
Purchase the highest-quality meat from a respected butcher or supermarket.
Take great care to prepare the meat in a sterile environment, regularly cleaning knives, tools, cutting boards, countertops, and your hands.
Package, cook, and consume the meat as soon after purchase as possible.
Make sure that when the meat is being stored it is in the fridge or freezer, in a proper temperature-controlled environment.
Read and follow FDA and USDA guidelines (or your local public health office) for the proper temperature and time for cooking meat.
Take greater care if you or someone you are cooking for is more susceptible to illness (e.g., the elderly, pregnant women, infants, others). In these cases, cooking at a higher temperature is advised.
    There are some amazing resources for cooking food safely using sous vide. One of the best tools available is in fact an iPhone/iPad app made by PolyScience. This app, called Sous Vide