Bbally,
I completely understand that however, I do not want this forum to be the place that sets that record straight
unless we can do it in a very respectful manner with absolutely no character assassination.
Everyone,
I am not pointing fingers at anyone specifically.. just asserting the direction that I want for this forum.
I appreciate everyone's adherence to this direction.
We don't ALL agree on what food safety is and I can tell you that while we use the USDA for the most part on this forum, I do not personally abide by everything the USDA says. Most folks don't and I can tell you that while that may be unfortunate, that is the way of our society and the way in my home at times and with certain foods.
I buy eggs from a local guy and they were laid that morning when I get them. They go straight into the fridge. I like my eggs over-easy with the yolk still running. I wouldn't ever eat eggs any other way.. firm egg is just nasty in my opinion
Over easy is totally against the USDA recommendations for cooking eggs for 2-3 minutes per side with firm yellow and firm white.
There again.. food safety is important but it is also something you have to decide for your own family at a very personal level.
My parents would both die before they would eat beef that was not cremated to a well done almost burnt condition.. I like mine medium rare most of the time.
I have friends who test poultry by looking for clear juice.. I use a thermometer.
As you can see, I may not do things the way other folks do but I make an informed decision about what I am comfortable with in my own home.
If you ask me how to fry an egg.. I am not going to tell you to cook it for 2-3 minutes on each side as recommended by the USDA, I am going to tell you to get the outer white done, flip it, cook 15 seconds then flip again quickly before scooping it out of the pan.
I'm just telling you how I do it.
If I were on network TV, I would do the same and obviously folks could take my advice or leave it at their own discretion.
Name ANY chef, TV or otherwise and study their cooking practices and I think you will find that they have a way that they do things that may or may not line up with the way that any of us do it. It also may or may not line up with the USDA recommendations.
My original statement was that I did not want this forum to be about setting every mainstream chef straight.. I am certainly not opposed to discussing methods in a more generic and non personal way.
There is nothing productive about tearing down all of the chefs, well known or otherwise, who don't seem to abide by the USDA government recommendations.