Sheldon wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
> > "Sheldon" > wrote
> > >
> > > Dan Abel wrote:
> >
> > >>In my experience in
> > >> the US, it's only beef where you commonly get to choose the degree of
> > >> cooking.
> > >
> > > In most parts of the world tender beef steak is not on menus because
> > > it's unavailable... in fact in most parts of the world, except canned,
> > > beef is unavailable. And throuhgout the US restaurants are not
> > > permitted to serve ground beef rare, it must be fully cooked through.
> >
> > Once the laughter subsided and business went on as usual ...
> >
> > I can get a rare burger at any place that has burgers on the menu,
> > not fast food type of places.
>
> I'm sure they're not actually rare... I've ordered rare burgers
> throughout the US including Jersey, what they serve when asked for rare
> is not even quite medium, it's slightly pink in the center (more
> towards med-well). Ground beef in US restaurants needs to be cooked to
> a minimal internal temperature of 140=BAF (which is not rare) and to
> play safe they go closer to the high side which is 160=BAF...
> restaurants are not going to risk a stiff fine from the Health Dept or
> being padlocked. A rare burger means barely warm in the center which
> is essentially raw... pink is not rare.

Michigan law requires a notice on the menu indicating that undercooked
foods may cause illness. Many restaurants will serve a genuinely rare
burger, notably the now-famous Sidetrack in Ypsilanti.

Cindy Hamilton