medium-rare burgers

I'm curious about a meat issue, after last night's dining experience. My husband, I, and, our son, Dave, who was the chef at Nio's, until recently, went to Sweet Peas for dinner. I asked for a medium-rare Angus burger, and was told, medium-well was as "raw" as I could get it. I refused that, of course, because, in my opinion, medium-rare is the way to go with beef, for good flavor. We discussed this at our table, Dave being familiar with regs, an waivers, and all, but I would like to know what the forum thinks, and knows. This is my first post, I hope this hasn't been discussed to boredom before.

This seems to vary from restaurant to restaurant; I won't go to Buckhead at all, because the smarm on their menu about the reasons behind their refusal to go below medium-rare on burgers ticked me off. Genny's will happily serve you a medium-rare burger and I had an excellent one at Diamante earlier this week. (Not that that's going to be an option for much longer, sigh.)

I always get the Buffalo burger at Cumberland brews medium rare on the rare side. Never had a problem with it. Always delicious.

I don't know and I'm sure I wouldn't tell you anything you didnt already know. For me though I shy away from any kind of ground meat that is under cooked from restaurants. I do agree that the flavor is better but it isnt exactly safe when you could be getting mass market beef. I feel better when I know where it comes from but that isnt exactly a guarantee. Other than that, I think most restaurants will do it. I find it RARE when they don't oblige but if I were a restaurant, I probably wouldn't serve it at risk of being shut down if someone gets sick. Or maybe make them sign a waiver.

Man I have to agree.

I would never eat ground meat anything less than medium without taking internal temperature readings myself while it cooked.

Too much potential for bacteria. I completely understand restaurants refusal to serve it at anything less than medium or medium well given the litigious nature of our society.

You say you want it medium rare until you get a nasty bout of e-coli. Suddenly well done sounds just grand... as does a lawyer.

Bristol cooks their Bristol Burger to whatever temp you'd like.

[Robin Garr]

This is my first post, I hope this hasn't been discussed to boredom before.

Nancy, welcome to the forum! Don't worry, this is a new question, and even if it had been a golden oldie, we often hash over old topics again ... no rule against it.

I'm a little surprised that Sweet Peas has this rule ... it strikes me that this kind of fear-of-litigation policy is more common at large corporate chains where there are lawyers as well as bean counters, marketing people and others standing firm between the kitchen and the client.

I did get a laugh once at Cheddar's, not a favorite, where their menu bears a stern warning about burgers being cooked well-done. My wife ordered one anyway, and it came out beautifully hot pink! It was the only thing they got right in a disastrous meal, and it was only right because they didn't do it according to their own rules.

At least the one in LaGrange, will cook a burger to order.......

[quote] it strikes me that this kind of fear-of-litigation policy is more common at large corporate chains where there are lawyers as well as bean counters, marketing people and others standing firm between the kitchen and the client. [quote]


I don't know. I think there'd be greater risk of one lawsuit wiping out a small independent who doesn't have a staff of lawyers to defend it like a corporate chain has. I completely understand Sweet Peas position and actually think its smart on their part.

I'm curious about a meat issue, after last night's dining experience. My husband, I, and, our son, Dave, who was the chef at Nio's, until recently, went to Sweet Peas for dinner. I asked for a medium-rare Angus burger, and was told, medium-well was as "raw" as I could get it. I refused that, of course, because, in my opinion, medium-rare is the way to go with beef, for good flavor. We discussed this at our table, Dave being familiar with regs, an waivers, and all, but I would like to know what the forum thinks, and knows. This is my first post, I hope this hasn't been discussed to boredom before.

Beef (and other meats) are subject to pathogens (bad bugs). This occurs on the surface of meats. When cooked whole, they are destroyed by the heat on the surface.. If the food is ground, bugs can be incorporated into the inside of the meat.

Therefore these bugs can live if not fully cooked. This can cause problems, especially for people with immune problems. That is why some places will not cook less that well done. The old CYA.

Restaurants who don't cook and item how the customer desires have a lot more to worry about than litigation. They need to provide the best experience to the customer that's possible. Litigation and the "Food Police" are going to limit what we can eat if we don't push back. In South Carolina (where I moved here from) there is a state law that prohibits burgers from being served below 160°and I know several other states also have such laws. In addition some states also have laws that prohibit eggs from being served with a runny yolk! We as customers should be able to eat items that are cooked how we desire not how others dictating them to be cooked.

Some restaurants won't cook a steak well done because it makes the steak tougher in less flavorful yet they will willingly cook a burger that way?? The next thing you know I won't be able to get my favorite appetizer at Z's (Steak Tartare). I'm sure some how they're also trying to keep us from eating Carpaccio and Sushi.

I'd rather die eating what I want how I want it rather than live eating what others want me to, at least that way I'd die happy!

The government doesn't regulate things like food temp to ruin your dining experience. They regulate it because of three factors : 1) Liability insurance rates, 2) Medicare / medicaid and other government provided medical costs and 3) health insurance rates.

Laws like you are speaking to help keep insurance rates down for millions of people and businesses. They also reduce the amount of your tax dollars that the government must spend fixing people who either willfully or unknowingly consumed food prepared improperly, and they help reduce liability insurance rates for restaurant owners.

I would think at some point the rising number of e-coli and botulism outbreaks would make people WANT to have these laws.

Not only do they keep your insurance and taxes lower, they keep you from landing in the hospital because some kid working a grill didn't cook your food properly or didn't close the door on the fridge all the way. If you want to eat undercooked meat, you can do it at home, or order a steak and not a hamburger. You can get those as bloody as you like...

I'm normally a medium rare person, but I have learned from experience. Medium to medium well ground beef is your friend. E-coli is NOT.

Very well said, Mark.

I suppose we could get the standard release that we could carry with us and sign for the restaurant. Something along the lines of: "Nothing we order, eat, do, see, say, overhear or just by being here can we hold you, The ________ Restaurant responsible for.....and I mean it. I promise. Really. Trust me."

Anyway, doesn't the U.S. Department of Agriculture protect us from the scourge of food borne pathogens?

We need to do a better job of enforcing the current laws aleady on the books.

I'd rather die eating what I want how I want it rather than live eating what others want me to, at least that way I'd die happy!

Except that once you're dead, the restaurant has to deal w/ your relatives (remember, you're dead), and the relatives probably wouldn't know, or wouldn't care, that you wanted your tainted ground beef burger served rare. The relatives are more interested in following the advice of the attorney who advises suing the deep-pockets chain for all they're worth to assuage their pain and suffering.

Where did you live in SC? (I was in Cola/Irmo)

I agree with you Ed, I thought the government's inspections were supposed to insure that the food provided to us and restaurants was safe and free from harmful bacteria. Of course people weren't so scared of new technology we could have Irradiated products and not worry about "bugs".

Chris, it seems like you must be either a government employee, lawyer or someone who has had their pants sued off! We don't need to help gov't take away our freedoms! I don't mean to sound harsh but I wish the government would keep their noses out of things in our everyday lives. We could pay the additional costs out of the money we'd save by having a much smaller government!