Can you eat Impossible Burger rare?

Quick Answer

It is not recommended to eat Impossible Burgers rare or medium-rare. Impossible Burgers are made from plants, but food safety guidelines for plant-based meats are similar to those for animal meats. The FDA recommends cooking all burgers to an internal temperature of 160°F to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli. So you should cook Impossible Burgers to at least medium doneness for food safety.

Can You Eat Impossible Burgers Rare?

No, it is not recommended to eat Impossible Burgers rare or medium-rare for food safety reasons.

The Impossible Burger is a plant-based vegetarian burger designed to mimic the taste, texture, and cooking properties of real ground beef. It contains ingredients like soy protein, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and heme, an iron-containing molecule that replicates the “bloody” flavor of meat.

While Impossible Burgers don’t contain any animal products, food safety experts say they should be treated like raw beef from a food handling standpoint. This means cooking them thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 160°F to kill any potential foodborne pathogens.

FDA Recommendations for Cooking Burgers

According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, all types of hamburgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to ensure they are safe to eat. This temperature is hot enough to kill dangerous foodborne bacteria like E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes.

The FDA considers any burger cooked below 145°F (63°C) to be undercooked. Burgers cooked rare or medium-rare fall into this category.

Here are the FDA recommended internal cooking temperatures for hamburgers:

Doneness Internal Temperature
Rare 125-130°F
Medium-Rare 130-135°F
Medium 140-145°F
Medium-Well 150-155°F
Well Done 160°F or above

As you can see, the FDA only considers hamburgers cooked to medium or higher safe to eat. Burgers cooked below 145°F may still contain harmful bacteria.

Impossible Burger Safety Standards

Impossible Foods, the maker of the Impossible Burger, adheres to the same food safety standards and guidance as traditional beef. On their website, they state:

“If a consumer chooses to cook an Impossible Burger rare or medium-rare, we recommend following the same guidelines for ground beef from cows.”

So Impossible Foods explicitly advises cooking their plant-based burgers to at least medium doneness, with an internal temperature of 160°F or higher.

This is mainly as a precaution, since there is a small risk of contamination during the manufacturing and handling process. Impossible Burgers go through extensive safety testing and quality control checks during production. But they aren’t sterile products, so there is a tiny chance some bacteria could slip through.

Thorough cooking effectively eliminates this minor risk. But eating Impossible Burgers rare or medium-rare skips this crucial safety step.

Risk of Foodborne Illness

Eating undercooked Impossible Burgers comes with a heightened risk of food poisoning. Any surviving pathogens may cause foodborne illness with symptoms like:

– Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps
– Diarrhea
– Fever, headache, body aches
– Dehydration

Some dangerous bacteria that may contaminate plant-based meats include:

E. coli O157:H7

A notorious strain of Escherichia coli that causes severe bloody diarrhea and potentially fatal kidney complications like hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Salmonella

Salmonella species are common causes of food poisoning worldwide. Salmonella food poisoning causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.

Listeria monocytogenes

The culprit behind listeriosis outbreaks in contaminated produce and prepared foods. Listeria infection is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, elderly, and immuno-compromised individuals.

Cooking Impossible Burgers thoroughly neutralizes these and other bacterial hazards by destroying the pathogens. But eating them rare skips this critical kill-step, so any contamination present can survive.

Overall, it’s better to be safe than sorry and cook plant-based burgers like Impossible Burgers to at least medium doneness (160°F internal temp) to minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses.

Taste and Texture Differences in Rare Impossible Burgers

Aside from food safety issues, rare or medium-rare Impossible Burgers will have a quite different taste and texture compared to beef burgers cooked to those donesses.

Here’s how Impossible Burgers cooked rare and medium-rare differ from rare/medium-rare beef:

Taste Differences

– Impossible Burgers won’t have the rich “beefy” bloody flavor of rare/medium-rare beef since they don’t contain heme iron like beef does. The plant heme additive won’t “bleed” and catalyze flavor reactions like real myoglobin in beef.

– The flavor will be mildly meat-like but lack the complex savory taste of beef. The patty will taste more like the mild raw vegetable flavors of the ingredients.

– Maillard browning reactions won’t develop to the same degree as seared beef, so the flavor will be less complex.

Texture Differences

– Impossible Burger meat lacks the tender and juicy properties of rare beef. The plant proteins and fats don’t soften and render in the same way.

– The texture may be dense and chewy compared to soft, loose ground beef. The patty holds its shape rather than falling apart.

– Without melting fat, the mouthfeel isn’t as rich and lubricious as properly cooked beef.

Appearance Differences

– No sign of pinkish “rare” color from myoglobin like in undercooked beef. Impossible Burgers retain their brown color even when undercooked.

– No blood-like “juices” will leak out since the heme isn’t from real myoglobin like in beef.

– The patty will appear dense and firm rather than loose and crumbly like rare ground beef.

So in terms of sensory properties like taste, texture, flavor, and appearance – rare or medium-rare Impossible Burgers don’t mimic beef very closely. Thorough cooking improves mimicry of the beef eating experience.

How to Cook Impossible Burgers

To enjoy Impossible Burgers with the proper safety, taste, and texture, follow these recommended cooking methods:

Pan-Sear

The high heat of pan searing creates that quintessential crust and caramelization that gives Impossible Burgers their signature “meaty” flavor.

– Use a heavy pan like cast iron or stainless steel over medium-high heat. You want thick, flat pan that conducts heat evenly.

– Let it preheat well before adding the patties so the surface is nice and hot. Use a high smoke point oil like avocado or grapeseed oil.

– Don’t crowd the pan. Cook the patties in batches if needed so they sear rather than steam.

– Let the patties get a dark brown crust before flipping once halfway through. Press gently with a spatula to maximize surface contact.

– Cook to an internal temperature of 160°F. The outside should be well-browned.

Grill

The open flames and hot grill grates of an outdoor grill can also achieve excellent flavoring through searing and charring.

– Preheat gas or charcoal grill fully. Clean and oil the grates.

– Grill the patties for 3-5 minutes per side. The high ambient heat cooks them quickly.

– Flip only once halfway through. Get good sear marks for that charbroiled flavor.

– Check temperature before removing. 160°F internal temp for food safety.

Oven Broil

Broiling in the oven is a convenient hands-off approach. The intense overhead heat from the broiler browns and crisps the patties nicely.

– Preheat oven broiler on high heat. Place patties on a broiler pan or baking sheet.

– Broil 3-5 inches from heating element for 5-7 minutes total, flipping once halfway.

– Monitor patties to avoid burning. Adjust rack height as needed.

– Cook until 160°F internal temperature. Broiling may cook slightly faster than grilling or pan searing.

Stovetop

You can also cook Impossible Burgers right on the stovetop similarly to ground beef. Not as much searing, but still effective.

– Heat oiled skillet over medium heat. No need to preheat.

– Cook patties for 5-7 minutes per side, flipping once halfway. Press down gently to maximize browning.

– 160°F internal temp for food safety.

Microwave

Microwaving isn’t ideal since it won’t brown or develop flavor. But it’s very quick if you’re in a rush.

– Microwave single patties for 45-60 seconds on HIGH, flipping halfway.

– Check internal temp before eating. Cook longer if needed until 160°F.

– Optionally, brush with oil and broil 30 secs to 1 min after microwaving to improve flavor.

Conclusion

While Impossible Burgers mimic many properties of beef, food safety guidelines still recommend cooking them to medium or beyond for optimal safety and taste. Rare or medium-rare Impossible Burgers lack the complex flavor, appealing texture, and beef-like qualities that result from thorough cooking. For the best flavor, texture, and safety – cook Impossible Burgers to at least medium doneness, with an internal temperature of 160°F. While you may be able to eat them rare, it isn’t recommended.

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