Cook ground meats thoroughly (aim like poultry) because bacteria can be mixed throughout
Treat ground meats differently from steaks: cook them fully (the video suggests up to 165°F / well-done) because grinding increases bacterial risk.
The video explains that ground beef (and later ground meats generally) should not be cooked like a steak because grinding mixes surface bacteria throughout and increases surface area. It recommends cooking ground meats thoroughly—visually (no red/pink) or by temperature—and suggests cooking to the same level as chicken.
The short version
- Ground meats should be cooked thoroughly (well-done)
- You can judge by color (no red/pink) or by temperature
- Reason: grinding increases surface area and mixes bacteria through the meat
What goes wrong
Cooking ground beef to steak-like temps (e.g., 145°F)
Cook ground meats thoroughly; use color and/or temperature to confirm doneness
Why it works
Grinding distributes potential contamination throughout the meat, so the interior must reach a higher temperature to be safe.
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