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Here are five essential tips for handling meat properly and safely.

1. Double-bag it at the store.
Smart grocery stores have plastic bag dispensers handy in the meat department so you can wrap up those meat trays. This prevents the tray itself from leaking on other groceries and to keep from transferring any germs already on the outside of the package to your hands.

Just place you hand inside the bag, grab a hold of the tray, and then pull the bag over so that you never touch the package. Then make sure to keep the double-bagged meat in a separate bag until you get home and can store it properly.

2. Keep it cold. (Really cold.)
Make the grocery store your last errand, so you'll get raw meat home right away; it shouldn't be out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. (That drops to one hour if it's hotter than 90°F out.)

For ground meat and ground poultry, freeze it if you're not going to use it in a day or two, and for other meats, freeze them if you're not going to use them in four or five days.

3. Prep carefully.
You already know not to use the same knife and cutting board for raw meat as veggies or other foods, at least without a thorough cleaning in between, but a few other common food-prep habits can also spell danger. “Never defrost at room temperature, on the counter, or in the sink,” says Rutledge. “Defrost in the fridge, on a tray, so that juices don't drip on other foods or surfaces.”

Tip No. 4 is crucial: Try to trim as much as possible from the meat, taking care not to touch or spill the juices. Then, tie up the excess you trimmed into a plastic bag, tie it securely, and then take it out to garbage can ASAP, not letting it stay inside the house any longer than necessary

Oh, and here's a bonus tip: While it may be tempting to let Fido have the scraps, it can be dangerous as well, carrying the risk of foodborne illness. So, no matter how much your pooch might beg, don't let him gnaw on bones or lick the cutting board after you've used it for cutting meat.

What do you think of these tips? Are you careful to always follow every one of them? Do you have any additional meat safety tips to share? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Article Source: The Kitchn