Why do they ask you how you want your burger done in Philly?

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: waylman

Originally posted by: benliong

Originally posted by: waylman

Originally posted by: iamme
yes, most restaurants ask you how you want it cooked.

don't restaurants in vancouver ask how you want your steak cooked?

yes, they do. But, eating a rare steak is safe. Eating a rare burger is not.

I know at least in Baltimore that by law, places serving burgers cannot serve them anything below medium. I tried to ask for medium rare and was told they couldn't do that because of the law.

just curious....why would you want it anything below medium?....are you not aware of the health hazard?

Life is a health hazard, I prefer to live it and let the chips fall where they may.

I'd rather risk my life in endeavors other than eating a burger.

That is one of the wonders of freedom, you are free to choose your risks and I am free to choose mine.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: waylman
Im from Vancouver. When you order a burger, they do not ask you how you want it done. It comes medium-well to well done. But, now that I live in Philly, when I order a burger, they ask me how I want it cooked??? Is all of the US like this? Are they not aware that it is unsafe to eat hamburger that is not cooked all the way through? I'm confused.

I'd rather take my chance with Ecoli at a good place then pay for a burnt steak or burger

 

[Saulbadguy]

mmm...burgers.

 

[Jeff7181]

My grandmother used to eat raw hamburger while making meatballs. I don't think she ever got sick... but I think she got lucky. =)

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: Spoooon

They don't ask you in Canada b/c it's against the law. At least that is what I was told when I tried to order a burger medium the last time I was in Vancouver. Even worse was not being able to get sunny-side up eggs or eggs benedict.

I think it's against the law in some places in the US to get your eggs sunny side up. I like mine over easy.

I didn't know that. I sometimes get them sunny side up, sometimes over easy, etc. I grew up on a farm and had chickens (and thus the associated eggs). Grandma nearly always cooked our eggs sunny side up (or scrambled) and it never hurt us. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there is supposedly a big health risk with eating undercooked eggs, but people with healthy immune systems can overcome that without even realizing it.

 

[waylman]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
My grandmother used to eat raw hamburger while making meatballs. I don't think she ever got sick... but I think she got lucky. =)

Oh man, that is nasty

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
My grandmother used to eat raw hamburger while making meatballs. I don't think she ever got sick... but I think she got lucky. =)

She had as much chance of getting sick from fresh raw beef as she had hitting the lottery. Folks, E. coli breakouts are RARE and small.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: waylman
Im from Vancouver. When you order a burger, they do not ask you how you want it done. It comes medium-well to well done. But, now that I live in Philly, when I order a burger, they ask me how I want it cooked??? Is all of the US like this? Are they not aware that it is unsafe to eat hamburger that is not cooked all the way through? I'm confused.

Cause we're not commies like up in Canada, we actually have choices.

 

[DnetMHZ]

I like mine pink on the inside..

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: Spoooon

They don't ask you in Canada b/c it's against the law. At least that is what I was told when I tried to order a burger medium the last time I was in Vancouver. Even worse was not being able to get sunny-side up eggs or eggs benedict.

I think it's against the law in some places in the US to get your eggs sunny side up.

I like mine over easy.

Why would it be against the law? I've eaten raw eggs before

 

[minendo]

The problem with ground beef is just you don't know who's handling it so there is a greater risk of bacteria or whatever.

If you have a butcher that you trust, then you should be able to have all the steak tartare that you want.

This would be true only if the meat was irradiated.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: minendo

The problem with ground beef is just you don't know who's handling it so there is a greater risk of bacteria or whatever.

If you have a butcher that you trust, then you should be able to have all the steak tartare that you want.

This would be true only if the meat was irradiated.

Why is it people do NOT understand how rare E. coli is???

I'm not against irradiation, but to say someone cannot eat raw beef without it is just plain silly. You have a better chance of hitting the lottery or being struck by lightning than you have getting sick from fresh raw beef.

 

[waylman]

it's more common than you think.....
link

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an emerging cause of foodborne illness. An estimated 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year. Infection often leads to bloody diarrhea, and occasionally to kidney failure. Most illness has been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. Person-to-person contact in families and child care centers is also an important mode of transmission. Infection can also occur after drinking raw milk and after swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Amused
Why is it people do NOT understand how rare E. coli is???

I'm not against irradiation, but to say someone cannot eat raw beef without it is just plain silly. You have a better chance of hitting the lottery or being struck by lightning than you have getting sick from fresh raw beef.

E. coli cases are rare due to the preventative measures in place in processing facilities, restaurants, and home cooking suggestions.

 

[guyver01]

i always ask for my burger/steak dead. if it's bleeding, it's not cooked.

if it moo's when i bite, it goes back.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: Amused
Why is it people do NOT understand how rare E. coli is???

I'm not against irradiation, but to say someone cannot eat raw beef without it is just plain silly. You have a better chance of hitting the lottery or being struck by lightning than you have getting sick from fresh raw beef.

E. coli cases are rare due to the preventative measures in place in processing facilities, restaurants, and home cooking suggestions.

E. coli cases are no more rare today than before most of those became universal precations. Ask any old timer about when they first heard of E. coli.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: guyver01
i always ask for my burger/steak dead. if it's bleeding, it's not cooked.

if it moo's when i bite, it goes back.

If you eat a filet cooked more than meduim or medium rare, you've ruined it.

And there is NO danger in medium rare steaks. The bacteria that makes you sick can only live on the surface of meat. Ground beef is considered more dangerous because everything inside has been in contact with the outside.

 

[labgeek]

Escherichia coli is NOT rare. Many thousands (think I've seen upwards of 100K somewhere) of cases are reported each year. Many more than that are never diagnosed nor reported. It often caused abdominal discomfort and diarrhea - like many "bugs". People think they "caught something" and may not even go to the doctor much less get it cultured to see what it really is. What I'm sure many of you are thinking of as e coli is really "E. Coli O157:H7" which is just 1 strain of hundreds.

I just ran a quick count on my microbiology database for the past 5 years - we dx'ed e. coli 17,096 times. Now granted we are a larger hospital with a large clinic system and do some outside work for other facilities. But we are just 1 lab... If we see mosre than 3000 cases a year, think what the number is nationwide or worldwide.

As to why eat meat rare? Because we want to... Same reason some people eat raw oysters knowing that it's possible to get sick. We feel we can (and have the right to) make the decisions for ourselves.

 

[Amused]

With only 61 deaths each year linked to it, (and nearly all of those young children or immune impared people), I dont think the risk is all that great.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Amused
With only 61 deaths each year linked to it, (and nearly all of those young children or immune impared people), I dont think the risk is all that great.

Did not realize that getting sick was ok, but death was not.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: Amused
With only 61 deaths each year linked to it, (and nearly all of those young children or immune impared people), I dont think the risk is all that great.

Did not realize that getting sick was ok, but death was not.

We risk illness just by going outside each day. Even more if you work and live in close quarters with many people.

In the 36 years I have been alive, I have never become ill from eating medium rare ground beef. I have, on the other hand, gotten sick from bad ham and chicken.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Amused
In the 36 years I have been alive, I have never become ill from eating medium rare ground beef. I have, on the other hand, gotten sick from bad ham and chicken.

You do realize that not everyone's microflora and immune system is the same correct? What goes for you may or may not go for the next person.

 

[waylman]

amused, why are you so bent on this? The fact is, E. Coli infection is common. Whether or not it has affected you is irrelevant....end of story.