Handling veal:

• Thaw meat in the refrigerator or microwave (at reduced power setting). Never defrost meat on the kitchen counter.
• Wash hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before preparing food.
• Keep raw meat from coming into contact with other raw foods such as fresh vegetables and salad ingredients during preparation.
• Use separate platters for raw and cooked food.
• Do not wait for leftovers to cool down. Store them in small, shallow, covered containers within two hours of cooking.

Guidelines:

• Rinse meat with cold water before cooking to rinse away any bacteria.
• Keep utensils and cutting boards used to prepare meat separate from those used to prepare fruits and vegetables.
• Be sure to thoroughly wash all utensils you use to prepare raw meat with hot, soapy water.
• Keep wood cutting boards clean by washing them every few days with a diluted bleach and water solution.
• Never leave yet to be cooked or already cooked foods at room temperature for long periods of time. A lukewarm temperature allows for bacteria to grow rapidly, thereby producing more toxins.
• Keep foods hot on the stove or in the oven until you are ready to serve them.
• Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible.
• When cooking large batches of food, such as stew, divide the leftovers into small batches that, once in the refrigerator, will cool to temperatures that limit the growth of bacteria.

In summary, it is important that when handling veal the meat is thawed properly, hands are washed thoroughly, raw and cooked food never comes into contact with one another and that leftovers are stored in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. With these food safety tips in mind, cooking with veal will be safe and easy.

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