Is it safe to eat blue steak? What if we told you that there was a new type of beef on the market, and it’s not just red or black. There is now blue steak! But what can this mean for your health? Read more to find out about the science behind how this meat became blue.
What is Blue Steak?
Blue steak is known as blue because of its color when fresh cut, it can be seen with a faint purple hue. It’s caused from oxygen being depleted and there are still traces left over blood in the meat which gives off this distinctive look even after exposure to air again for some time; myoglobin starts changing back to bright red once exposed – just like how you would expect any other kind of beef or pork we eat on our plates today!
Is it Safe to Eat Blue Steak?
To prevent foodborne disease, the United States Department of Agriculture recommends that beef cuts have an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. When ground, it must be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (Bacteria are found throughout the meat, both on the surface and inside).
Cooking beef below 145 degrees Fahrenheit, such as medium-rare (130 140 – 140 F) or rare (125 130 – 130 F), increases the risk of getting food-borne disease, although only slightly; the same is true for blue-steak (115-125 F).
Consuming raw beef is possible because beef has a dense, tight-grained texture that inhibits pathogen infection in muscles. However, germs may be present on the surface of the meat, necessitating that the beef’s surface be seared or roasted to remove pathogens.
The same reason why it is unsafe to consume undercooked chicken. The structure of the flesh is very porous, which allows infections to completely enter the muscle. To eliminate germs from food, it is essential to properly cook it.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that those at risk of developing food-borne disease avoid cooking or eating raw beef due to the danger of contracting Toxoplasmosis as well as other food-borne infections. This implies that an interior temperature of 140 F (or a moderate temperature) is needed. According to the NHS, all meat, including beef, should be “thoroughly cooked” and free of blood or pink.
How to Cook the Perfect Blue Steak
Things You Will Need:
- 1-inch thick, premium steak. Fillet or sirloin steaks are also great choices.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Season with salt, pepper, or any seasonings of your choosing.
- Grill tongs
- A griddle with a flat surface or a big fry pan
- Wipes for disinfection
- A digital meat thermometer.
Instructions:
- Choose the most delectable cut of steak: opt for fillet steaks over sirloin steaks unless you really must eat rump steak.
- But, you should also strive to make the most thick cut you can get.
- If possible, remove the steak from the refrigerator a few hours before cooking it. This will re-warm the meat. This will enable the meat to warm up, which is important given the short cook time (2-3 mins).
- Season the steak with salt and pepper to taste. I like a pinch of sea salt and plenty of cracked black peppercorns. You may also add herbs if desired; rosemary is my personal fave.
- Then, in a big fry pan, heat some (extra virgin) olive oil. The heat should be turned up to a high setting and the oil should be very hot.
- A very little quantity of butter should be injected. It will instantly begin to bubble.
- In the fry pan, place the soon-to-be blue steak. Allow it to sit and avoid tension. Avoid stirring, poking, weighting down, or pushing the pan; a little shaking of the pan every now and then is all that is required to alleviate the fear that it may get stuck.
- Ascertain that the heat has not been switched off.
- If your steak is not thick enough after 1 minute, turn it over.
- If the steak is very thick, stretching it out to 1.5 minutes each side may be tough.
- When the second side is ready, check to ensure that the meat is not cooked on the exterior. If you’re dealing with a large steak, the sides are likely uncooked; thus, you’ll need to rotate the steak around to gradually flip it to the side.
Things To Keep In Mind
- To avoid food contamination, you must completely seal off the exterior of the steak.
- This will help to avoid cross-contamination. Once you’ve put the steak in the pan and flipped it over, disinfect your tongs.
- A good rule of thumb to follow when determining if the meat you buy is a blue steak is to cook it on the outside but not in the center.
- One of the primary reasons blue steak has become so popular is because it has a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth feel that enables you to fully appreciate the rawness of the steak.