Food - Drink
The Reason Rare Steak Is Usually Safe To Eat
By HALDAN KIRSCH
Rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, or well? How you prefer your steak can be controversial, but in a time when the dangers of raw meat are well publicized, you might wonder why rare steak is still an option. As it turns out, rare steak is an exception to this rule, and can usually be eaten safely.
Consuming raw meat increases your chance of getting dangerous foodborne illnesses, including salmonella and E. coli, which can cause severe food poisoning. While rare steak is only prepared to 125 degrees, the USDA advises cooking red meat to 145 degrees in order to kill any potential bacteria.
Rare steak is safe to eat, mostly because of its composition; steak is so dense that most bacteria live on its surface and cannot penetrate the meat’s interior enough to make you sick. This rule changes if red meat is ground up, which allows bacteria to spread throughout, so burgers should always be cooked completely before being served.