How bad is 170 degrees F?

[Satya]

I make beef brisket at 170 for several hours usually.  It always looks pink when done, but to eat brisket raw is next to impossible.  So how bad is this?  IOW, what kinds of damage are done?  Probably not as much as regular temp roasting or grilling, but, any clues?

Thanks.

[TheWayCreatesTheWarrior]

not sure, but im pretty sure that enzymes keel off at around 110` and im sure all the bacteria would be dead as well. not sure if its hot enough to mutate fat or make any unnatural compounds.

[xylothrill]

I suppose it would depend upon the internal temperature of the brisket. I've read that slow-cooking results in more toxins, such as amines.
But, I think in those cases, it's that people tend to keep the meat on heat until it's way over-cooked, resulting in more toxins. The worst thing you could eat would be one of those roasted chickens offered at the grocery store, which have been cooked until there's no sign of blood and the meat is falling off the bones. These are still offered at my local grocery store under heat lamps, long after the deli has closed!

Mercola says not to exceed 100 degrees C.

There are many ways to cook food, some with less harmful results. Steaming, boiling, and stewing expose food to heat not exceeding 100 degrees C. On the other hand, baking and roasting expose food to temperatures up to 200 degrees.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/05/29/over-cooking.aspx

I've read that people die of high fevers because their enzymes start to malfunction and that's about 105 F I believe. The enzymes are probably the first to go.

Craig

[Raw Kyle]

Craig you should change that 100 F to C, because in Mercola's quote he says Celsius. Also 100 C is the boiling point of water, not 100 F. If that was true water might be boiling in some parts of my neighborhood today and yesterday!

[xylothrill]

I can't copy and paste right now but do you know how hot 100 degrees C is?
You northerners have worse heat than we get in the summertime. But that's beside the point. :-)

100 C would be way too hot for slow-cooking! Don't you think?

Craig

[Raw Kyle]

100 C = 212 F

Multiply it by 5/9 and add 32!

[xylothrill]

Kyle,

Oops! He was using C, wasn't he? 

Craig