Discussions

So as I enjoy my Canada Day home grilled mushroom burger I got to thinkin. What is it that makes the majority of Canadians enjoy well done ground beef, where as the Americans less done .I for one make sure mine is well done if eating anywhere but my own beef off my own grill , then it's medium. Steaks always medium rare! Mmmm love the critters that cross my grill

Come to think of it I have no idea. I was always taught to cook it until it isn't pink anymore. Yet I eat my steaks medium rare...

Ever since hamburger disease Ecoli a few years ago its hard to find a restaurant that will cook you a rare burger and cooking instructions for burgers are to cook till clear liquid comes out of the burger, steaks don't matter because Ecoli can only get on the exterior of the steak and be cooked off, but burgers its right through the whole burger because its ground

When it comes to hamburger I always make sure there is no pink left in it, and as for other beef cuts I like them medium as well, have had the odd medium rare steak and didn't mind it but still like the pink gone. When it comes to other meats like them usually cooked well.  
I'm terrible when it comes to barbequing, never seem to get the temperature right and seem to over cook it on the outside.  
 
As Canadians I think we have been taught to cook our hamburger to well done for a very good reason. If there is any ecoli present in hamburger it could be completely through th meat and of internal temperature isn't high enough you won't kill it off. If ecoli is on a steak it wiil be only on the surface and if you sear it the temp should get high enough to kill it, and yet you can still have it pink inside and not have any worries.

Sorry for repeating what you said, I was writing while you were posting, but some thing are worth repeating.

A few years ago, there was that big meat recall from Costco too because of tenderized steaks... needles inserted into the steak would create similar contamination on the interior of the meat. There was actual contamination and people got sick, if I remember correctly.  
 
I think all "tenderized" meat now carries recommendations to cook to well-done for that reason.

don brown said "Sorry for repeating what you said, I was writing while you were posting, but some thing are worth repeating. "

I can remember when hamburger disease first was a big deal there where hundreds of cases and people died ,I didn't remember how long ago that's was, the 80s seems just like yesterday time flies