PP;
Your last statement about getting a grinder to grind your own beef begs me to ask you why? I’m betting that you can buy ground beef as cheaply as you can make your own, by the time you add in the risk v/s return, the cost isn’t going to be all that cheap. Your process will look something like this: Resanitize the grinder head just prior to using it (even though you sanitized it yesterday when you were finished using it), then sanitize the entire work surface, including the plastic lugs that you will store the ground beef in, bring the box of beef from the cooler and place it on a cart or other suitable surface, put on the plastic gloves, a disposable plastic apron, a hair net, and maybe a beard net and process the meat through the grinder, cover the ground beef, and immediately transfer to the cooler (it’s a good idea to measure and record the temperature of both the cooler and the beef at this time, as well as marking the date on the container. Now you’re ready to clean and sanitize the entire area once again again. Keep in mind that who ever handles the ground beef, especially if they aren’t going to be using all of it, should be wearing plastic gloves. Also, a quick refresher course in cross contamination probably wouldn’t hurt.
Do I sound more than just a little paranoid? Probably so, but rightfully so at the same time. Handling prepared (cooked) meats is one thing, and handling raw meats and egg products is yet another. What I’m saying is know what you are getting into, know the right way to do it, remain vigilant, and be careful. No one wants to see another case of food borne illness or worse, much less have it associated to our industry, that could result in a lot more scrutiny and oversight from the health officials than we ever bargained for.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
