(ARA) – Americans and Canadians love hamburgers … that’s a fact. An estimated 1.5 billion pounds of ground beef become those favored burgers cooked at home each year. Whether it’s gas versus charcoal, with cheese or without, every burger fan has a different opinion about what makes the perfect patty.

But there’s one thing most burger enthusiasts agree on. According to a national consumer survey from The Beef Checkoff, 90 percent of people enjoy their burger cooked to medium (160 F) doneness or higher. However, some home chefs and grillmasters are using unsafe methods for checking when a burger is done, like cutting into them with a knife, squishing them with a spatula, or just making an educated guess.

Dave Zino, executive director of the Beef and Veal Culinary Center at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, suggests a better method for checking your burgers to ensure a juicy, flavorful and safe result.

No matter the hamburger preference, the beef industry is dedicated to providing consumers with healthy and nutritious food. Steps taken at every segment of the beef production chain — from pasture to plate — ensure the safest product possible. However, there still are many opportunities for consumers to improve food safety in their own kitchens, and making sure your ground beef is cooked to 160 F is just one of them.

“Whether I am at work as a professional chef or in my home kitchen, food safety is always a part the recipe,” Zino says.

Try Chef Dave’s tips to ensure your burgers are safe and savory this summer:

* Keep beef refrigerated, even when thawing it. Don’t leave beef out at room temperature.

* Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after making patties or preparing any other foods.

* Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw and ready-to-eat foods separate. Think ahead when at the grill or stove and have a clean plate ready for cooked meat.

* Insert an instant-read meat thermometer sideways into the center of the patty. Always cook burgers to an internal temperature of 160 F.

* Have leftover burgers? Refrigerate cooked foods no later than two hours after cooking.

For more information, tips and recipes for making your burger the best, visit: www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com/safesavoryat160.

Classic Beef Cheeseburgers
Makes four servings. Preparation and cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoons steak seasoning blend
4 hamburger buns, split
4 slices cheese (such as Cheddar, American, Swiss, etc.)
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices

Toppings:
Ketchup, mustard, onion slices, pickles

Directions:

1. Combine ground beef and steak seasoning in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four 3/4-inch thick patties.

2. Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 13 to 15 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 13 to 14 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160 F, turning occasionally. About two minutes before burgers are done, place buns, cut sides down, on grid. Grill until lightly toasted. During last minute of grilling, top each burger with cheese slice.

3. Line bottom of each bun with lettuce leaf; top with tomato slice, burger, and toppings, as desired. Close sandwiches.

Cook’s Tip: To prepare on stovetop, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place patties in skillet; cook 12 to 15 minutes until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160 F, turning occasionally.

Cook’s Tip: Other popular burger toppings include grilled or caramelized onions, blue cheese, bacon, sauteed mushrooms and barbecue sauce.

Cook’s Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – Grilling over the open campfire is a rich tradition. Maybe it’s a combination of how the wood brings out food’s natural flavor and the ambiance of being outdoors. Whether camping with the family, hunting with friends or simply achieving that wood-grilled flavor at home, campfire cooking is delicious and easier than you might think.

“Camping is a popular activity that many enjoy all year long,” comments Tom Benzschawel, an expert on outdoor cooking and creator of the Grate Mate Outdoors, Quad Pod campfire grill. “Whether you’re camping for the evening with family, on a hunting adventure with friends, or on a week long scouts’ trip earning a survival badge, cooking over a campfire is a fun experience that can produce great results.”

This first thing to keep in mind is that cooking over a fire is different than using a traditional stove. Make sure to pack forks and knives as needed along with kitchen supplies such as tinfoil and resealable plastic baggies. It’s also a good idea to bring extra butter and oil, along with salt and pepper as these can be used for cooking most items.

Planning out your meals will save you time and money when it comes to camping. Depending on the type of tools you have for cooking over a fire, you can cook simple items like hotdogs or complex items like pizza.

So what is the best way to cook over a campfire or fire pit? Metal pokers might work for marshmallows, but are very limited when it comes to cooking a whole meal. Tripods are convenient, but they can get messy and are unstable. Use a grill made especially for this type of use such as the Quad Pod, a collapsible metal grill that can be placed over a fire for cooking many types of food. Four metal legs keep it stable and the adjustable grate was designed to provide the user with complete control of cooking temperatures. The side table allows you to keep side items, such as a kettle of coffee or ears of corn warm while you cook other food.

When cooking over a campfire it’s fun to be creative, but remember you are cooking over an open flame so be careful and monitor food to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. You are sure to find a favorite you can cook over and over again, but if you need some ideas to get you started, use these recipes for a great start to outdoor cooking:

Camper’s Tinfoil Dinners

1 roll tinfoil
1 potato cubed
2 carrots chopped
1 small onion chopped
Camper’s favorite meat

Take a 12-inch piece of tinfoil and lay on the table. Place potatoes, carrots, onion and the camper’s choice of meat on the tinfoil. Add a small amount of butter or oil to help the ingredients cook and prevent sticking to the foil. Cover with another piece of tinfoil and wrap into a small package. Place foil on the grill, flipping every ten minutes. Check progress after 20 minutes to see if meat and vegetables are thoroughly cooked.

Camper’s Chicago Style Pizza

Pizza crust mix
1 small stick of pepperoni, sliced thin
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
8 mozzarella slices
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can mushrooms, drained
1 small can black olives, pitted and halved
Pepper and oregano to taste

Mix pizza crust mix as directed on package. Pat out dough to 12-inch circle and place on grill. Add remaining ingredients. Cover top of pizza with a large piece of tinfoil. Bake until base is golden and insides are cooked. Allow extra time for thicker crusts.

After you’ve cooked all your food don’t delay in cleaning up. Now with a full stomach you can truly sit back and enjoy nature. Who knows, you might have so much fun cooking over your campfire that you want to do it at home! Use your grill over the bonfire pit at home to get the flavor of the outdoors any time of year.

Ask for the Quad Pod by Grate Mate Outdoors by name at your local outdoor retail store. For more information visit www.gratemateoutdoors.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent