Progress 01/01/09 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Microbial safety of cooked hamburger can be assured by bringing the internal temperature of patties to 71C. This is a challenge in grilling of thick, home-style or restaurant burgers, because the surface may char before the center reaches the desired temperature. Cooking in hot water is an alternative that efficiently cooks the product without surface charing, but this method is perceived to cause inferior burger texture, flavor, and appearance. Thus, a study was undertaken to improve the hot water cooking method by 1) grill-marking frozen patties to improve appearance, 2) cooking patties at 93C in marinade (0.5% salt and 0.3% caramel color), rather than water, and 3) hot holding patties (60C) in the same marinade to improve flavor and color. In initial studies, hot water cooking resulted in 8 % more weight loss, compared to pan-fried patties, but hot-water cooked patties re-gained moisture during 1-2 hr hot water holding. Not surprisingly, consumer panelists rated freshly cooked patties higher in appearance, flavor, and acceptability than patties held 1-4 hr in hot water or in a steam cabinet at 60 deg. C. A focus group preferred the appearance of grill-marked patties, compared to patties without grill marks. In separate trials, the focus group rated appearance and flavor of patties with 0, 0.5, or 1.0 % added salt to raw meat and water during cooking and holding; and similarly evaluated effects of 0, 0.3, and 0.5% caramel color. The focus group preferred patties mixed with 0.5% sodium chloride before cooking, and then cooked/held in a marinade of 0.5% salt and 0.3% caramel color. A series of consumer panels were then conducted to evaluate the new cooking procedure (grill-marking, cooking and hot holding in marinade), compared to grilled controls, after 1-4 hr holding in marinade or a steam cabinet, respectively. Freshly grilled patties were rates highest, but marinade-cooked patties were acceptable, with panel scores of 6 (like slightly) or higher, for 1-2 hr holding time. Patties cooked in marinade to 71 deg. C can be held in hot (60 deg. C) marinade for up to 2 h and remain palatable. Thus, this method is a safe and effective alternative to grilling for restaurant and food-service operations. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Retail restaurants and cafeterias, and the associated government regulatory agencies. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Food safety is paramount for cooking of hamburger in restaurant and food service operations. The center of the patty must reach 71 deg.C to assure destruction of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, or other possible contaminating food pathogens. This is difficult to achieve during grilling of thick restaurant-style burgers, without charring the burger surface. This study demonstrates that an alternative cooking method (surface grilling, followed by cooking/holding in hot marinade (0.5% salt, 0.3% caramel color) allows adequate cooking without surfaced charring, and patties remain acceptable to consumers for up to 2 hr hot holding. This, the new cooking method has important advantages of assured food safety, improved consumer acceptance, and the ability to rapidly and safely serve large groups of people in restaurant or food service operations. The cooking marinate is also easy to prepare, and inexpensive.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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