Brown Burgers May Look Done, But Are They?

According to Health Canada, summer chefs who cook ground beef burgers on gas grills could have a food safety problem if they rely solely on colour-rather than an instant-read food thermometer-to determine if their patties are adequately cooked. For example, sometimes previously frozen beef burgers may turn brown in the middle before they reach a temperature high enough to kill harmful E. coli bacteria.
That's why it's so important to always use an instant-read food thermometer when cooking hamburgers to check that the burgers reach 71° C (160° F). At this temperature,
E. coli is killed and the hamburgers are considered safe to eat. For more information on food safety, visit the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education Web site at www.canfightbac.org.