Food and Beverage
Grilling Beef-Alternative Burgers: Safety Tips
Grill beef-alternative burgers safely by following cooking temperature guidelines and avoiding cross-contamination.
Memorial Day weekend is a time for grilling, and many Americans opt for beef alternative burgers. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the same cooking requirements for beef burgers won’t necessarily apply to black bean or other plant-based burgers.
Melissa Wright, director of the Food Producer Technical Assistance Program at Virginia Tech, recommends cooking beef burgers to an internal temperature of 160°F, while alternative burgers have different cooking temperatures.
Melissa Wright, director of the Food Producer Technical Assistance Program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech
« Expert offers safety tips for grilling beef-alternative burgers on Memorial Day
“There are many alternative burger options, and knowing the correct internal temperature for each type is the best way to make sure your long weekend isn’t ruined by foodborne illness,” Wright said.
Wright’s recommended appropriate cooking temperatures for popular burger options include:
● Ground chicken or turkey – 165°F (74°C)
● ImpossibleTM burgers (soy protein) – 160°F (71°C), according to product packaging
● Beyond® burgers (pea protein) – 165°F (74°C), according to product packaging
● Morningstar Farms® burgers (chickpea protein) – 165°F (74°C), according to product packaging
● Black bean burgers – 165°F (74°C)
● Ground salmon – 145°F (63°C)
● Ground bison – 160°F (71°C)
● Ground elk – 145°F (63°C)
“Food continues to cook after being removed from the heat source, so it’s alright to remove your burger from the grill and check its internal temperature after a couple of minutes to avoid overcooking,” said Wright.
It’s important to avoid cross-contamination between raw proteins and ready-to-eat foods, and uncooked plant-based burgers should be included in this category when prepping to grill.
Additionally, beef-alternative meats are much leaner than beef, making it easy to overcook them if you’re used to grilling beef. Checking the internal temperature after removing the burger from the grill for a couple of minutes can help avoid overcooking.
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