"beef" news and stories

Whether medium-rare or well-done, learn what internal temperature a steak should be for your desired doneness.

A steak delivery chain that's closed half its outlets is pinning its turnaround hopes on a state that seems perpetually starved for beef.

"If you can't make a steak delivery system work in Texas, then something's very wrong," concedes Mark Kime, who opened the state's first Steak-Out in Fort Worth late last month.

The Steak-Out concept -- summarized on the company's Web site as "from our grill to your door" -- was created in 1986 in Alabama by David Martin, who helped grow the chain to 70 stores. There are now a mere 30 outlets spread across a dozen Southern and Midwestern states.

According to a recent story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the chain shut down 10 stores over the last 18 months for under-performing and failing to comply with company standards. Chief Operating Officer Peter Petrosian told the paper that Steak-Out plans to revitalize its operations by recruiting more franchisees like Kime, who's spent 17 years in the restaurant business.

Beef Packers, Inc., has recalled 22,723 pounds of ground beef on fears it could be contaminated with salmonella.

The Fresno, Calif., company issued the recall Friday, according to the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The beef was packaged on Sept. 23, 2009, with the code "EST. 31913" on the case labels. According to the FSIS, the beef subjected to the recall are "60 pound cases of 'GRD Beef Fine 93/07 10/60.' Each case bears the identifying case code W69363 with Use/Freeze by dates of 10/11/09."

The beef was sent to a retail distribution center in Arizona.

In August, the same company issued a beef recall for 825,000 pounds of ground beef.

Salmonella can be life-threatening to the elderly and young children. It causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight to 72 hours of exposure. It's recommended that ground beef be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria.

Meet the newest dynamic duo in snack food: Cheese Jerky.

A creation that hails from the cheese-centric state of Wisconsin, Cheese Jerky is created by shredding premium beef jerky then adding it to Wisconsin farmstead mozzarella string cheese.

"People are surprised by the idea which surprises me because meat and cheese always go together," Ross Segel, Snack Patrol's CEO and Chief Snack Technician, told Slashfood. Segel created Cheese Jerky in 2007.

We could blather about burgers endlessly, and today, yet another one has left us breathless anew.

Flickr user Marshall Astor brought to our attention the beauty of this bacon, pineapple and Gruyere burger from El Segundo, Calif., restaurant the Counter -- and the brilliance of the chain's "Custom Built Burgers" motto. An unexpected combination, this burger promises an intriguing, complex burst of flavor, with the earthy creaminess of Gruyere, the salty chew of bacon, topped with the refreshing juice of a grilled pineapple slice.

On selection at the burger joints is a choice of 10 cheeses, four out of 28 toppings (from black olives to dried cranberries), three bun options, and -- gasp! -- a choice of 18 sauces, from Caramelized Onion Marmalade to Horseradish Mayo. Check the Counter's Web site for locations, get inspired by their menu to try your own concoctions or follow the Counter's tips to make your own burger at AOL Food.

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