Skip to main content

Pink Pork USDA

If you're one of those pork connoisseurs who prefers your chop or tenderloin to be pink in the middle, rest assured: As of Tuesday, the USDA says you're in the clear as far as food-borne illness is concerned.
More from The Stir: Exploding Watermelons Are Da Bomb for Summer Barbecues
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has lowered its temperature recommendation for cooking pork to 145 degrees -- down from 160. (This means that pork will be held to the same standard as beef, veal, and lamb.) Moreover, it is recommended to let the pork rest for three minutes after removing it from the grill or oven; the temp will continue to rise slightly while killing any remaining pathogens.
Of course, there's an inherent irony in the fact that the USDA is lowering pork's minimum temperature ...
It's that professional chefs have been cooking pork this way FOR YEARS! Now home cooks and backyard barbecuers can finally catch up to the restaurant standard without worry. But the question is: Will they?
The USDA's longstanding 160 degrees recommendation is so ingrained in our minds, it may be difficult for some to adjust to the new temp, explains Rob Weland, a chef at an upscale restaurant in Washington:
People have been taught this for generations and it's going to take a long time to get this removed ... It will be good for the next generation not to be so fearful so they can enjoy pork in a way they may not have been able to in the past.
Pork producers have been lobbying the USDA for years to lower the recommendation, arguing that improved feed and housing methods -- namely, moving hogs into bird- and rodent-proof buildings -- reduced the risk of pathogens and disease. From the consumer point of view, it's surprising to learn they were successful this time around given all the recent horror stories in the media about how factory farms are harmful to animals, the environment, and most important, the public.
More from The Stir: How to Avoid Being the Woman Who Almost Killed Her Dinner Guests
But if there's nothing worse to you than a piece of overcooked pork, news about the lower temp recommendation will surely make your day. Bring on the pink pork!
What temperature do you cook your pork to?

Image via VirtualErn/Flickr
Written by Kim Conte for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.

More from The Stir:
A Sin Tax on Fast Food Drive Thrus? Best. Idea. Ever.
Cannabis Food in Australia? It's High Time!
Sandwich Shop Opens in Restroom -- Sloppy Joe Anyone?
Lady Gaga & Starbucks Partnership Is a Bad Romance

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Dishes for this Week

MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli TUESDAY Chicken Alfredo and Rice Casserole WEDNESDAY Slow-Cooker Flemish Beef Stew THURSDAY Vegetarian Chili FRIDAY Slow-Cooked Chicken with Sourdough-Mushroom Stuffing SATURDAY Easy Marinated Pork Tenderloin SUNDAY Lamb Chops with Red Onion, Grape Tomatoes, and Feta (...AND sign up for Yahoo! Shine's weekly recipe newsletter) MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli Provided by Better Homes and Gardens For more stroganoff recipes, try these delicious dishes. Here is a dinner idea that can be ready in 30 minutes. If you are a fan of beef and broccoli, this is a recipe you must try. Serve it on top of cooked wide noodles and enjoy. Share this recipe with friends who also have busy schedules and are looking for a quick and delicious main dish
Post a Comment
Read more

China Gas Truck Explosion

BEIJING: At least 20 people were killed and 14 others injured on Friday in an explosion caused by a leak of an oil tank truck in south China s Guangdong province.'The explosion, which sparked a massive fire, took place on an expressway in the provincial capital of Guangzhou around 5.15am local time, a spokesman with the city s public security bureau said.He said 20 people were killed in the explosion.State-run Xinhua news agency reported that the 14 others who were injured in the incident have been hospitalised.The fire caused by the blast was brought under control around 8.30am local time, according to firefighters.
Post a Comment
Read more

Worth It or Not: A Shopping Guide

We’ve all been there , standing in the aisle of a store, spending way too much time weighing the small differences between two similar products. Are the knives with the carbon steel blades really worth the extra $30? Will the more expensive weed wacker stay sharp longer? When it comes to a croquet set, is $220 too much, too little, or just right? More from SmartMoney.com: The True Cost of Your Wish List The Truth About a $25 Sweater Do Retailers Inflate Their Discounts? It’s enough to make some shoppers stop trying. The average American will spend $145.61 on gift cards this year, up more than $5 since 2009, according to the National Retail Federation. Each month, SmartMoney Magazine looks at sets of two similar consumer products, from digital scales to leaf mulchers and beyond, and assesses the better buy. This year, we looked at a wide variety of goods, including scales, rain boots and leaf mulchers. To aid in your holiday shopping, here are five suggestions.
Post a Comment
Read more