Safe cooking temperatures

Kate_157660

Hi... Sous vide makes a lot of sense at home, but I don't understand how it can work in public catering. If meat is generally bettr to eat when cooked at 50degC (122degF) how does one stay compliant with minium cooking temperatures of (usually) over 74degC (165degF)? See http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html

I'm also wondering how to keep a batch of poached eggs warm - or warm up previously cooked eggs - for serving as people want them. Any advice gratefully received!

Brandon_Byrd_40557

If you're going to do SV in a catering or restaurant context, it may pay (or even be required) to develop a HACCP plan. The short answer is that the USDA and FDA guidelines for food safety are extremely conservative and don't take into account the length of time that food is held at a particular temperature. Contrary to the temps you listed, most SV meats are cooked at 130F or above, and this will be enough to pasteurize the product if you hold it for long enough. (Search for Douglas Baldwin's Sous Vide guide for time/temp pasteurization charts for more information).

As for the egg question, you can cook eggs at your desired temp (say, 62 or 63C) for an hour and then hold them at 57C for service. You can also cook them off before hand, chill them down, and then warm them back up in a 57C bath, but you'll want to allow enough time for the eggs to warm up in the center.