It's not about cooking "time" but rather cooking "temperature". Factors such as thickness of the pattys, temp of the grill/saute pan/broiler/etc all impact the time. The answer for cooking temperature is as follows- * Rare: 130°F * Medium rare: 140°F * Medium: 150°F * Well done: 160°F Hope that helps!
I have two pounds of hamburger in my refrigerator that are about three days old. They started out frozen so I figure it took a day to thaw. Is it safe to use?
coal
Uncooked meat is not safe to eat, in general. As for cooking it, a brown color can indicate that the hamburger is not freshly ground, that it has oxidized or possibly spoiled. Unless it has been under proper refrigeration since ground (where it may have been photo-oxidized by UV light), it should be suspected as spoiled.
Biological
Really, any cooking temperature is a safe cooking temperature for steak. You can eat steak raw, if you so wish, and the risks are minimal. Blue and rare steaks are still cold in the middle, and people "rarely" (pun not originally intended) fall ill from those.
Yes.
No, hamburger that is not cooked to 160°F could harbor pathogenic bacteria.
A hamburger's main ingredient is ground beef, which has no starch. However, there are many methods to prepare the meat prior to cooking it as a hamburger. This can include use of breadcrumbs as a filler, and if these are not used, there most likely is no starch in the hamburger.
I would personally say that a hamburger is more safe. It has more healthy foods in it like tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. The steak is still safe, just not as.
No cooking iron is not safe because it may lead to diarhea....
Saco