Anyone who has cooked meat knows what it’s like to take it out of the oven or pan and find that it’s not quite done. When it comes to steak, it probably won’t hurt you (that’s why you can eat it rare), and in America, we tend to greatly exaggerate how dangerous pork that isn’t fully cooked is. But if its chicken? Hoo boy. You definitely want to finish that bad boy off, because undercooked chicken is a serious health risk. It’s not healthy, but if you can’t get the meat to the right temperature, you need to cook it longer.
Fortunately, its an easy fix when this happens. You just put it back in the oven the same way it was, right? If you have time, yes; that can be a great way to do it. What if you don’t have time to cook the meat? There are other quick ways to get it where you need it to be! The easiest way is to cut it into smaller pieces first.
Undercooked beef can happen to even the most seasoned home cooks. You carefully monitor the meat while it’s cooking, but when you cut into it you realize it’s still raw in the middle. Now what? Is it safe to just put it back in the oven or on the grill to finish cooking? Or does undercooked beef pose a dangerous food safety risk?
To cut a long story short, yes, you can safely cook undercooked beef again to kill bacteria. Find out how to fix undercooked meat correctly in this article. This will save your meal and keep you from getting sick.
Is It Safe to Eat Undercooked Beef?
If you eat beef that is raw or not cooked all the way through, bacteria like E coli or salmonella. Beef can be contaminated with bacteria during processing or preparation. Any bad bacteria that might be in the beef are killed when it is cooked to the right internal temperature.
The USDA recommends cooking beef to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F and allowing it to rest for 3 minutes before carving or consuming. At this temperature, bacteria are destroyed while the meat remains juicy and tender.
So no it’s not considered safe to eat beef that’s red pink, or only lightly browned in the center unless it has been properly aged, vacuum sealed, and prepared sous vide or other precise cookery method. You’ll want to thoroughly cook undercooked beef before serving.
How to Fix Undercooked Beef
The good news is slightly undercooked beef can easily be returned to the oven, grill or stovetop to finish cooking to a safe internal temperature Here are some tips for safely recooking undercooked meat
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Preheat your oven, grill or pan: Make sure you have a hot cooking surface ready before adding the undercooked beef. Preheat your oven to 350°F or heat a grill or pan over medium-high heat. The hot surface will help the meat reach the target internal temperature quickly.
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Use a meat thermometer: Using an instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of determining doneness. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone, fat or gristle. Continue cooking until the thermometer reads at least 145°F.
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Cook it uncovered: Cooking undercooked beef uncovered will help it brown and cook faster. Covering meat while cooking retains moisture but doesn’t allow the surface to dry out and develop color.
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Cut into smaller pieces: Slice large cuts of undercooked beef into thinner pieces before returning them to cook. Smaller cuts will heat through faster in the center.Aim for 1-inch thick pieces or less.
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Add sauce or stock: Drizzling undercooked beef with sauce, stock or water before reheating will prevent it from drying out and help it cook faster. The added moisture helps transfer heat to the center.
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Don’t partially cook meat in advance: It’s not safe to par-cook beef in the microwave or on the stove to finish later on the grill. Any bacteria present wouldn’t be destroyed. Only partially cook meat if transferring immediately from stove to hot grill.
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Check temperature in multiple spots: Since the thickest area takes longest to cook, double check your meat by taking the temperature in a couple different places. You want the entire cut to reach the safe 145°F.
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Let it rest before serving: As with initially cooking beef, you’ll want to allow it to rest at least 3 minutes after reheating before slicing into it. This allows the juices to redistribute evenly.
Tips for Reheating Refrigerated Undercooked Beef
If you already refrigerated the undercooked beef after initial cooking, you’ll need to reheat it thoroughly before finishing on the grill or in the oven. Here are some important refrigeration safety tips:
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Refrigerate undercooked beef within 2 hours of cooking. Don’t leave it sitting out.
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Safely reheat chilled undercooked beef to 165°F on the stove, in the microwave or in sauce before finishing by grilling or roasting.
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Bring sauces, soups or gravy containing undercooked beef back up to a boil before serving.
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When reheating in the microwave, rotate and stir meat halfway through for even cooking.
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Don’t partially cook meat in advance or to store cooked later. Cook completely or cook immediately.
Properly reheating beef that was initially undercooked will kill any bacteria that might have survived the first round of cooking. Then you can finish grilling or roasting until it reaches your desired doneness.
What to Do With Overcooked Recooked Beef
Sometimes beef that’s been returned to the oven or grill to finish cooking ends up overdone and dry. Don’t panic! You have options for rescuing overcooked reheated beef:
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Slice very thinly: Extremely thin slices are more palatable than thick chunks when meat is overcooked. Aim for 1/8-inch slices across the grain.
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Simmer in sauce or gravy: Letting toughened meat simmer for an hour or more in a flavorful sauce will make it fall-apart tender again.
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Shred for tacos or sandwiches: Use two forks to shred overcooked beef and use it for a flavorful taco filling or sandwich topping. The smaller pieces rehydrate in sauce.
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Make a pie, pot pie or casserole: Dice beef small and combine it with vegetables and sauce in a baking dish topped with dough or biscuits. The tender filling disguises dryness.
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Use in chili, soup or stew: Cut beef into bite-size pieces or ground and simmer it into a flavorful chili, soup or stew. The moisture helps rehydrate it.
So you see, even overcooked reheated beef can be revived with some creativity! With the proper techniques, you can turn an undercooked mishap into a delicious dinner after all.
FAQ: Common Questions About Undercooked Beef
How can you tell if beef is undercooked?
Signs that beef is undercooked include a red, pink or rare interior, lack of browning on the exterior, cool center temperature and juicy rareness throughout. Beef will also feel soft and spongey without any firmness when poked.
Can you get sick from slightly undercooked beef?
There is a risk of food poisoning from eating beef that’s bloody, pink or rare in the center if bacteria is present. You may or may not get sick, but properly cooking it destroys any potential harmful bacteria for safest consumption.
Is it OK to eat beef medium rare?
Beef cooked to medium rare with an internal temperature between 130-140°F is considered safe to eat by USDA guidelines only if certain precautions are followed:
- Whole cuts like steak are used instead of ground
- Meat is properly aged
- Muscle meat without heavy marbling or connective tissue is chosen
- Preparation avoids cross-contamination
For highest safety, cook beef to the recommended minimum of 145°F.
Should you throw away undercooked beef?
You don’t necessarily have to throw away undercooked beef. As long as it hasn’t sat out at room temperature for over 2 hours, it can be quickly reheated until safe to eat. To be extra cautious, you can boil undercooked beef for complete safety before finishing by grilling or baking.
Can you eat steak that is brown on the outside, raw inside?
Brown on the outside but raw inside is often known as “blue rare”, which isn’t considered safe since the interior doesn’t reach the killing temperature for bacteria. It’s best to fully cook the interior of beef to the safe minimum internal temperature.
The bottom line is properly handling and thoroughly cooking beef eliminates the risk of foodborne illness. Pay close attention as it cooks, use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness, and immediately recook any underdone portions to ensure your meal is safe to enjoy. With some care in the kitchen, you can confidently fix undercooked beef.
Cutting meat into smaller pieces cuts down on cooking time
Slicing meat into smaller pieces makes sense as a method for fast cooking. Smaller pieces mean more of the proteins surface area can be exposed to heat, and itll cook faster. This is the best way to handle poultry or pork (though not steak). For chicken, you want the internal temperature to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit and for pork, it should be 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure you leave the pieces in for long enough to reach those temperatures.
You should also keep the moisture in those smaller pieces, though, since they’ll dry out faster because they’ll be exposed to heat more. Because of this, you should put stock, sauce, or water on top of the meat before putting it in the 400-degree oven. The key is to cook it quickly but not to sacrifice dinner in the process.