Monday, September 04, 2006

Raw chicken and pork are some of those health hazards which shouldn't be taken lightly. I'm usually pretty good about not touching anything after dealing with these raw meats and immediately washing the utensils used. However, even though I always scrub them down with really hot water and soap, I still worry about every trace of it being eliminated and especially about what's left on the sponge.

Many of you have probably already figured out your own ways of dealing with certain raw meats, but here are a few things which I have lately been doing and feel satisfied with. Please comment and share any other practices you yourself do when doing this step of cooking in your own home.

First of all, don't use those beautiful wooden cutting boards for cutting up these raw meats. No matter how well-varnished, the wood will still, over time, collect tiny bits of the food you put onto it in their knife-marks. Instead, choose a good solid PLASTIC cutting board which you ONLY use for these particular meats. Designate 1 cutting bard for this purpose.

Make or buy a diluted bleach spray (some bleach with water) and have it handy right near the sink. After cutting the meat, throw away all contaminated wrappings, etc while your hands are still coated with the raw juices, and put the prepared meat into a bowl. Put all the utensils, cutting board, containers etc. into the sink. Promptly wash your hands and spray everything down before washing. This helps kill everything first.

To wash these items, use a rag instead of the sponge, which is what you use to clean all your other dishes. If you use a rag to wash all your dishes, use a different rag to wash the raw meat dishes, then promptly wash it. Just wash the dishes normally with hot water and lots of soap, and rinse well.

Happy meat-preparing!

Labels: useful ideas

one of us :: 7:38 AM :: 2 Comments

---------------oOo---------------