Do I need to wash minced meat before cooking?

Do I need to wash fish fillets before frying?

Fish But fish does not need to be washed. “It’s enough to wipe it thoroughly with a paper napkin: anyway, it will then be subjected to heat treatment or soaked in an acidic environment for carpaccio,” says Ilya Cherkashin, chef of the Balcony restaurant.

Interesting materials:

Where did football come from? Where did the expression “carry your cross” come from? Where does the expression golden age come from? Where is Esmeralda from? Where is Elon Musk from? Where is Juliana Bucholz from? Where is Han Solo from? Where does Khinkali come from? Where does wheat come from? Where is Santa from?

Bacteria on raw meat

Often people bring chilled meat from the store and market, not frozen. I immediately want to wash it - after all, I don’t know where it was lying! You can't do this, and here's why.

Raw pieces harbor many disease-causing organisms that thrive in a warm, moist environment. Once the meat is brought home and unwrapped, the bacteria begin to conquer new territory. They do it quickly. It is enough just to put the raw product on the board, and microorganisms immediately move there. Chicken fillet is especially dangerous, as it is often a source of salmonella (extremely dangerous microorganisms).

Now imagine this situation: a piece of meat was placed under running water. All! The bacteria, along with the splashes, scattered at a distance of a meter around the sink. Now they live everywhere: in the sink, on the walls, on dishes, on the floor. In such a situation, it will be extremely difficult to get rid of them.

To wash or not to wash

Everything is clear with bacteria, they are dangerous and multiply quickly. But what if microbes enter the human body after cooking? This situation is practically excluded, since 99% of pathogenic microorganisms die during heat treatment. The only condition: meat products must be well cooked or fried so that bacteria do not hide among the fibers.

Should I wash raw meat before cooking if the surface is dirty? If dirt (sand, soil, wool, feathers, etc.) is visible on a piece of chicken or other fillet, then such a product, of course, will have to be washed. But this must be done while following some rules. Place a deep pan filled with water in the sink. Carefully place the piece in there and rinse it well, without splashing water around you. After the meat is washed, it must be transferred to another container and the water carefully drained, avoiding splashes. The same method can be used if a piece of meat needs to be washed from small bones.

Do I need to wash meat before preparing minced meat? This situation is no different from the previous one. Before getting to the table, the minced meat will still undergo temperature treatment (cutlets, cabbage rolls, meatballs, etc.). This means that all microorganisms in it will die without a trace and will no longer be able to cause harm.

Do not rinse chicken fillet before freezing. Moisture significantly reduces shelf life; the fillet will become weathered and lose its taste.

Risks

Cross contamination is a major risk of washing meat and poultry. Bacteria present in meat and poultry can cause illness if they enter the body.

Campylobacter bacteria can grow on many types of meat. Campylobacter infection is the leading bacterial cause of gastroenteritis, an infectious form of diarrhea, in the world. The most common symptom of this infection is diarrhea, which often contains blood. Other symptoms include: abdominal pain, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting. These symptoms usually last for 3–6 days.

Another bacteria that is commonly found in meat is salmonella. Symptoms of a Salmonella infection are similar to those of Campylobacter infections. In some cases, Salmonella infections can be serious and people may even require hospital treatment. These cases are more common in people with weakened immune systems, older adults, and children under 5 years of age.

Conclusion

You should never wash meat and poultry. Whether it occurs before cooking, freezing, or pickling, washing can lead to cross-contamination.

Cross contamination is when bacteria spreads from meat to other areas such as hands and kitchen surfaces.

Proper cooking of meat and poultry will kill all bacteria. Washing them beforehand only increases the risk of infection. Cross contamination can lead to bacterial infections that have a range of symptoms. For some people the effects may be more serious. For example, children under 5 years of age may require hospital treatment for Salmonella infections.

Tofu with Minced Pork - 4 Easy Steps (with Proven Tips)

Tofu with minced pork is a homemade dish that is served in every Chinese family.

Did you know that tofu (bean curd) has an ancient history dating back two thousand years?

Legend has it that tofu was invented by Lord Liu An劉安, a prince of the Han Dynasty around 160 BC. The earliest evidence of tofu production was found in a mural carved on a stone slab.

Another theory states that tofu was an accidental discovery as crushed soybeans were mixed with sea salt. The mineral in the salt caused the soy mixture to curdle and turn into a tofu-like gel.

Today, you don't have to endure the terrible taste of gelled curds or agree with a historian about tofu's obscure origins. Follow this recipe and you can enjoy the best tofu recipe at home.

Tofu with minced pork - an easy recipe in just 4 steps

In this blog post, I will show you how to make tofu with minced pork, a homemade tofu recipe well received by the Chinese in Malaysia.

Tofu with ground pork is easy to make, and best of all, it's delicious with a bowl of fluffy hot steamed white rice. This is a very tasty dish that is still great even if you get it wrong.

Let's get started.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information. I may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post.

Step 1 - Prepare Ingredients

Soak the mushroom

First, soak the dry Chinese mushroom in water for at least an hour. The dry mushroom will rehydrate and become soft so that it can be easily cut into small cubes.

If you forgot to soak the mushrooms in advance, you can use hot water to speed up the rehydration process.

Don't throw away the water after soaking the mushrooms, it has all the flavor of the mushrooms. After soaking, keep the water and use it to make meat sauce later.

Chopped meat

I use pork in this recipe. It should have about 20% fat to make it more tender. Chicken is a great alternative for those who don't eat pork, but the meat is drier.

Shredding the meat by hand using a knife is the best option, but you can use a food processor to get the job done. The texture of grinding it is somewhat different from mixing it with a machine. I, of course, prefer to cook it by hand.

Mix two tablespoons of vegetable oil and half a teaspoon of cornstarch with the ground meat and set aside. Ground meat mixed with vegetable oil and cornstarch has a smoother texture.

Step 2 - Deep fry the tofu for added flavor and texture

Carefully remove the tofu from the box. Carefully place it in the frying basket. Deep fry in hot oil for about five minutes or until golden brown.

This method is my favorite way to prepare a tofu dish because it creates a layer of chewy “skin” on the surface that contrasts sharply with the soft texture of the tofu.

To fry the tofu to form a layer of skin, use medium to high heat. Carefully place the tofu in the air fryer basket and deep fry at 190°C/375°F until golden brown. Because tofu contains a lot of water, it will take longer to brown than fried chicken or fish. The temperature of the oil should be high enough so that the outer layer dries quickly and forms a thin and crispy “skin” that effectively “blocks” the moisture from seeping out of the tofu.

Deep frying also adds extra flavor to the tofu. I especially like the chewy “skin” created after deep frying, which has a different texture and flavor than tofu.

There are two tips I want to share with you when frying tofu:

Don't be tempted to move the tofu around in the frying basket too often, as they can break easily . You can hold the basket by the handle and shake it slightly to prevent it from jumping out of the basket.
If you don't have a frying basket, buy one. Otherwise, you can add oil to a large frying pan to fry the tofu. Move it around slightly for the first minute to prevent the tofu from sticking to the bottom. Leave the tofu in the basket until it cools. Place it on a plate and carefully cut it in half. Move the tofu around slightly until it looks like two blocks.

Step 3 - Making the Sauce

Fry the garlic and onion in vegetable oil over low heat until fragrant. Since garlic browns faster than onions due to its higher water content, you need to sauté the onions first and then add the minced garlic after a minute.

Then add the minced meat to the garlic and onion and fry on low heat . Since it contains cornstarch, it will stick to the wok/pan easily on high heat. Once the meat is no longer sticky, you can increase the heat for another minute to get that signature stir fry flavor (wok hei).

Then add mushrooms and remaining ingredients. Stir and stir until it forms a thick sauce. Now he is ready for the last stage.

Step 4 - Cover and Decorate

Drizzle hot sauce over tofu. Garnish with chopped green onions and chilies.

You can watch the two videos I uploaded earlier to show you how to prepare the chillies and onions for garnish.

Video demonstrating how to cut chili peppers.
Video demonstrating how to prepare onions for garnishing.

Tips and Notes on How to Make Tofu with Minced Pork

Here is a list of helpful tips for making tofu with minced pork.

Types of tofu

There is no fixed rule about what types of tofu are in a recipe. You can use any type you like, just as if you were choosing pasta to cook with a creamy sauce. However, tofu with a firm consistency is easier to handle as it is not easily broken into pieces. You may have other choices in your accommodation location. Do your research and see the results with different types of tofu.

Steam and braise tofu with minced pork (alternative method)

Steaming

Since tofu is already cooked when purchased, some restaurants in Malaysia serve the tofu chilled with hot meat sauce as a topping. before serving. When you bite into the hot sauce and cold tofu at the same time, the sensation is incredible.

Please note that the water in the tofu will continue to flow out from the cold tofu. Drain the water from the plate before adding the meat sauce so it can be served undiluted.

Extinguishing

Mapo tofu is one of the typical examples of stewed tofu. You can check out my mapo tofu recipe for a detailed explanation.

To make mapo tofu, simmer the tofu with the meat sauce rather than using it as a filling. The tofu is usually cut into smaller cubes and mixed with the sauce. As a result, the tofu often breaks down into smaller pieces due to mixing it with the sauce. The tofu will absorb the flavor of the meat sauce.

Other Common Ingredients

Some other common ingredients for the ground pork tofu recipe include fermented soybean paste and broad bean paste , both of which impart a much stronger savory flavor.

Other frequently used ingredients are dried Chinese mushrooms , Chinese pickles and French beans .

I like to include some Chinese pickles that contrast sharply with the subtle flavors of the meat. As for the French beans, they add crunchy freshness to the dish.

Garnish

Decorating tofu with minced pork is relatively simple.

Add a generous amount of coarsely chopped onion on top of the tofu just before serving. The scallions have a crunchy texture much like lettuce, which is a welcome complement to the subtle flavor of the meat sauce.

You can also sprinkle fried shallots on top of the meat sauce before serving. It has a distinct aroma and pairs perfectly with the flavor of tofu.

Now it's your turn to decide. Do you prefer using meat sauce as a filling or simmering tofu? Let me know by leaving your comment below.

Recipe for tofu with minced pork

Cooking time 10 minutes

Cooking time 15 minutes

Total time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients A

Ingredients B (seasonings)

Sliced red chilies and green onions

Instructions

Soak the mushroom in warm water until it is soft. Remove the stem and cut it into small cubes.
Cut square tofu in half, deep fry in hot oil at 190°C/375°F for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Fry the onion and garlic in vegetable oil until it becomes fragrant. Add the mince and cook until fragrant.
Add mushrooms and seasoning (Ingredients B) until sauce thickens.
Place the tofu on a plate and pour the minced sauce over it.
Garnish with chopped red chillies and green onions. Serve.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and participant in other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The nutritional value:

Productivity:

Serving Size:

2 servings Amount per serving: Calories: 908 Total fat: 61 g Saturated fat: 15 g Trans fat: 1 g Unsaturated fat: 15 g Sodium holmehalogen: 15 g 5 g Protein: 72 g These data were
provided and calculated by Nutritionix on March 29 2019

What the chefs say

Experienced, educated chefs will never rinse raw meat. It doesn’t matter what it was purchased for: minced meat or barbecue. The chefs explain this for two reasons.

The first is to avoid spreading pathogens throughout the kitchen (this was already discussed above).

And the second reason is that meat has the ability to absorb water like a sponge, especially chicken and beef. Moisture-saturated chicken or any other meat is not able to form a crispy crust when fried. This is because the crispiness begins to appear at 110°C, and the water begins to boil at 100°C. therefore, it turns out that the product is not fried, but stewed in its own juice. Even if there is moisture on the meat, experienced cooks blot it off with paper towels.

Wash meat before cooking? Here's Why Experts Say You Shouldn't Use

Getty

The conversation about whether you should wash meat before cooking has been going on for some time. And while we all like to think that it's only non-Black people who choose to cook poultry without washing it first, that's not entirely true. The late world famous chef was actually a big proponent of washing meat before cooking.

"Just run the water right through it, inside and out," she said on Season 7 of The French Chef. "And the reason... I just think it's safer this way."

But a video from the hosts of Canadian talk show The Social has people talking again because some of the women, with the exception of co-host Marcy Ian, said they didn't wash their meat. Instead, they found clever ways to get the chicken out of the package and straight into the pan:

The video, as you can see, clearly ignores the idea of cooking meat without washing it. However, experts say washing only spreads pollution.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend washing meat before cooking. The biggest concern is the possible spread of germs in the kitchen, on countertops, in other food items, and on you.

"Water can spray bacteria up to 3 feet around your sink, which can make you sick," said Marianne Gravely of the USDA's Office of Food Safety Education. “We call it cross-contamination. Researchers at Drexel University have shown that it is best to move meat and poultry directly from packaging to the pan, as the heat required for cooking will kill any bacteria that may be present.”

Experts believe you could be spreading bacteria like salmonella and campylobacter. So they say that as long as you keep your surfaces clean, as well as your utensils, and cook your meat to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll be fine. Cooking meat properly should protect you from unwanted bacteria.

But for the record, no one is saying that washing chicken, keeping it away from other foods, and then sanitizing that area after the fact is a problem. The truth is, a lot of chicken comes in packaging with a film and a "blow-out", with the latter being that the red thing that you think is blood. Although it smells terrible, what was actually coming out of the chicken was water and meat proteins. And while some people are fine with putting it all in the pan, this is one of the main reasons why many people choose to rinse and dry the meat first. If you want to add lemon and go the whole nine yards, that's cool too.

So, cleaning meat before cooking may not be technically necessary, but if that's what floats your boat and you haven't been battling salmonella or Campylobacter disease, then why stop? I personally have not heard of anyone getting sick because of this...

Soak

But if you can’t wash it, maybe you can soak it to destroy germs? Experts say that this is as useless as washing. The fact is that the bacteria are quite firmly attached to the surface of the piece of meat and soaking them will practically not harm them.

If you need to soak the pieces for frying shish kebab, then it is important to do this carefully, and add a little vinegar to the marinade. This must be done so that the kebab is not always fried to the end. If there were bacteria on the meat pieces, then vinegar will help neutralize them.

Washing meat before cooking and 5 other cooking mistakes

Today in wish-I-learned-this-forever-ago news, The New York Times reports that rinsing raw turkey or chicken meat before putting it in the oven isn't such a good idea. Washing the bird with water does not remove bacteria—rather, since your hands are covering the bird, washing it can spread bacteria, whether it comes directly from you, from the sink, or some other surface in your home. kitchen.

“People are still shocked when we tell them,” Marianne Gravely, a food safety educator at the USDA, tells the Times, adding that they've actually been telling people this since the '90s. (Oops!) It makes you wonder what the hell else we've been doing wrong all along? Consider this the ultimate meal prep cheat sheet. Below are five common mistakes that even the most cautious and health-conscious eaters are likely to make.

Avocados unwashed

Unlike meat, avocados must be quickly peeled before eating. Sure, they have thick skin, but according to FDA food-borne illness expert Glenda Lewis, they can be contaminated by soil, worker production, or something else during the long journey from the grove. avocado to avocado toast. Pro tip: Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap, then gently scrub the avocado under running water using a clean vegetable brush. Dry it with a clean cloth or paper towel before slicing.

Washing food before cooling

Who knew rinsing food was so complicated? While many people tend to wash fruits and vegetables immediately after purchasing them, registered dietitian Nora Minno, RD, says it's best to wait until just before eating them. "Washing fruits and vegetables too early can leave excess moisture on the skin." products, which can lead to the growth of bacteria that can potentially cause illness,” she says.

Leaving ice cream too long to soften

It's not uncommon to dig into the freezer, grab your favorite pint of ice cream and leave it on the kitchen counter to melt while you finish dinner so it's nice and soft by the time you're ready to dig in. However, it's another dangerous practice that can cause food poisoning. "Ice cream melts fairly quickly at room temperature, and the milky, sweet liquid mixture is the perfect petri dish for bacteria like listeria," writes Amreen Bashir, Ph.D. The Conversation. It's best to eat it immediately after taking it out of the freezer. Or try dairy-free ice cream!

4.Eat pre-washed lettuce straight from the bag

Pre-washed greens are the best time-saver in meal prep, right? Well, maybe not. Food poisoning expert Bill Marler (a lawyer who has worked on food-borne illness lawsuits for 25 years) says he has seen so many E. coli outbreaks associated with pre-washed vegetables that he never buys them. Obviously, the extra rinsing means there are more people involved in the delivery chain, which increases the chance of cross-contamination. If you're going to buy bagged lettuce, you'll still need to rinse it at home.

Washing dishes by hand before putting them in the dishwasher

Okay, technically this is about cleaning, not eating. Prep, but it's still important advice when it comes to preventing foodborne illness. It's a good way to scrub dishes with a sponge for 10 seconds before putting them in the dishwasher, but there's an important extra step that many people forget: let the dishes soak. Immerse the dishes for 60 seconds in a cleaning solution (1 tablespoon bleach per gallon of water) kills unwanted bacteria.

This story was published on December 20, 2022. It was updated on December 21, 2022.

For more helpful tips, check out the best ways to clean your kitchen. Once you're done with that, learn how to effectively clean out your pantry.