How is it with normal pork cooking you want an internal temp of 165F, but some Sous Vide recipes are much lower than that? Is extended cooking at lower temps equivalent to reaching an internal temp of 165F normally?
The idea that pork has to be ‘well done’ has hung around since the day when the pork industry was having issues with parasites, etc. The industry cleaned itself up and the parasites are no longer an issue. It has been ok to eat rare pork for a good 10 years or more. Things are just taking an awful long time to percolate through the ranks.
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Historically pork was vulnerable to trichinosis which is why it was cooked to 165f, that’s no longer the case so 140f is now considered safe.
I don’t know how trichinosis is killed. Why 165f traditionally? Because bugs die in a few seconds of exposure to 165f. But they also die at lower temperatures if they stay in that temp for longer periods of time (usually measured in minutes).
My guess was along those lines, that formerly pigs were fed slop with unquestionable ingredients (ie garbage). Could subjecting meat to deep freezing conditions also help?
I’ve read so but don’t remember the details; like 10 days at -10f.
But there’s no reason to do this now with pork. I take leaner cuts only to 140f regardless of the cooking style.
@Harbison65 I have heard this also - that it’s mainly the diet of a pig, and bear, that causes trickinosis and not the animal itself. And on every farm I’ve ever known pigs and chickens at any left-overs from the dinner table.
Even were trichinosis still a factor, pasteurisation is the aim. That can be achieved at temperatures below the 165F. The 165F is the temperature at which pasteurisation is instant. Microorganisms die instantly at this temperature. However, pasteurisation is about time at temperature and not temperature alone. Pasteurisation can be achieved at temperatures in excess of 126F provided that the product is held at this temperature for long enough to ensure microbial death. While pasteurisation can be achieved as low as 126F, 130F is recommended as the ‘safe’ temperature to allow a margin of error for home cooking.
I recommended Baldwin for further reading.
http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html#Safety
What action would need to take if meat was at room temperature before start to cook
How long was it at room temperature? The recommendation is anything in excess of 2 hours over refrigeration temperature (4C/39.2F) but below 54C/130F should be cooked immediately (preferably to pasteurisation) and anything longer should be discarded.