The USDA is offering safety tips for spring holiday meals such as Easter, Passover, and Mother’s Day. Those meals frequently offer ham, brisket, and egg-based dishes. Following food safety practices can help reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
First, make sure you understand the danger zone, which is between 40°F and 140°F. Bacteria can double every 20 minutes when food is kept at these temperatures. Do not leave perishable food out of refrigeration for more than two hours, or it will spend too much time in the danger zone. Discard ham slices, brisket, chicken, beef, and deviled or hard cooked eggs if they are at room temperature for more than two hours.
Ham requires special handling. Ready to eat hams are fully cooked and can be eaten cold without further cooking, or reheated. The product should have the words “Fully Cooked” on the packaging. Reheat these hams to 140 degrees F. Raw, fresh, and uncooked ham must be cooked to and internal temperate of 145 degrees F with a three minute rest time. If a ham says to “cook thoroughly” use a food thermometer and follow the instructions.
Brisket must not be cooked frozen. Allow enough time for it to thaw in the fridge; never thaw art room temperature. A trimmed, full cut brisket can take 24 hours to thaw. A whole brisket, which should weigh about 10 pounds, can take several days to thaw in the fridge. Bake the brisket in an oven set to no lower than 325°F. Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F minimum and let it rest for at least three minutes.
Lamb is a traditional holiday dish. Cook it to 145°F minimum as well, with a three minute rest time. Ground lamb must be cooked to 160°F.
Eggs and egg dishes must be cooked to 160°F as measured with a reliable food thermometer. Do not leave them out of the fridge for more than two hours. If you are going to decorate hard cooked eggs, use only food grade dye. For egg hunts, use non food decorative eggs instead of eggs that you eat.
Enjoy your spring holiday meals safely with fami
