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Tips & Advice
- When preparing any meat, make sure you wash it thoroughly then place on a clean plate and pat dry.
- Never use the same utensils and bowls after raw meat has had contact with without thoroughly washing them first.
- It's very important that your meat be properly thawed before cooking. The best way is to let it thaw in the refrigerator.
To do so, leave the original wrapper on and place on a tray to catch any drippings and put in the refrigerator until the meat thaws.
Depending on the size of portion, allow one to four days for complete thawing. If thawing in the refrigerator takes to long and you don't
have time to wait, there are two other ways to thaw your meat. The most rapid thawing will be done if you place your meat in a watertight
wrapping and left in cold water. Changing the water frequently will accelerate thawing and is recommended to prevent bacteria buildup.
Small portions of meat require about an hour while larger portions will require 6 to 8 hours. Thaw until the meat is soft and free of ice.
- Always marinate your meat in the refrigerator.
- Do not reuse the marinade for basting purposes. If the marinade is to be used for a sauce,
bring it to a boil and boil for at least 2 minutes.
- Do not use a metal container to marinate your food in because it can react with acidic ingredients to give foods a bad flavor. Use non-metallic containers only.
- Plastic ziploc freezer bags work great for a no clean up method to marinate your food in.
- Cook your meat to an internal temperature of at least 160°F for boneless and 165°F for pieces with bones.
Any red meat is done and ready to eat when you reach at least 160°F.
- Slower cooking will produce more tender meat.
- Always preheat your oven before cooking.
- Make sure your grill is nice and hot before cooking. The high heat will sear the meat on the outside and seal the juices on the inside.
Your meat will stay moist and taste best using this simple method.
- Only add BBQ sauce towards the end of cooking because most sauces contain sugar which will burn if cooked too long.
Add your sauce on the last few minutes of cooking, just until you see it turn thicker and bubble a bit.
- Don't press down on your meat with a spatula or anything else because this will let out all the tasty juices and
cause it to become dry.
- Don't pierce your meat with a fork when cooking because this lets out all the juices becoming dry as well.
- When done cooking place your meat on a clean plate and cover with foil for a few minutes or until ready to eat.
This will keep your food hot and juicy and will taste great.
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