Cooking Tips For Meat Lovers

I found this cooking tips and ideas on boervalley and would like to share this with you.

1. Always use a sharp knife when cutting meat.
2. Carve meat into slices by cutting across the grain.
3. Thaw meat in the refrigerator or microwave oven. Never defrost meat on the kitchen counter.
4. Wash hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds after handling uncooked meat.
5. Keep raw meat from coming into contact with other raw foods such as fresh vegetables and salad ingredients during preparation.
6. Use separate platters for raw and cooked food.
7. Do not wait for leftovers to cool down. Store them in small, shallow, covered containers within two hours of cooking.
8. Rinse meat with cold water before cooking to rinse away any bacteria.
9. Keep utensils and cutting boards used to prepare meat separate from those used to prepare fruits and vegetables.
10. Be sure to thoroughly wash all utensils you use to prepare raw meat with hot, soapy water.
11. Keep wood cutting boards clean by washing them every few days with a diluted bleach and water solution.
12. Never leave uncooked or already cooked foods at room temperature for long periods of time. A lukewarm temperature promotes bacteria growth.
13. Always keep foods hot on the stove or in the oven until it is ready to be served.
14. Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible.
15. Refrigerate fresh goat meat in meat compartment as soon as possible after purchase.
16. Goat meat can be refrigerated in a tightly covered container for four to five days or frozen up to three months.
17. Freeze gravy and stuffing separately from cooked goat meat.
18. Do not season ground goat meat before freezing as this can cause rancidity.
19. Never thaw on the counter or in other non-refrigerated locations.
20. When thawing meat in cold water, put meat package into a leak-proof bag and keep submerged. Change water every 30 minutes.