Cooking Steak On Hot Pavement Seems Scarily Efficient
Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done, and this is certainly true for searing steak on a hot pavement using only heat from the sun, which one TikToker, for some reason, decided to do. In the video, @apangmeats details their process. They first use a thermometer to determine the pavement's temperature, which reads as "HI." They then season a ribeye steak and let it sizzle on the pavement for 15 minutes. Once this time is up, they wrap it in tinfoil to ensure the heat doesn't escape. A mere 20 minutes later, they open the tinfoil and remove the meat, revealing a juicy steak that appears to be fully cooked.
Commenters on the video either didn't agree with the cooking process or didn't quite buy that it was real. "[There's] no way this the same steak," one user wrote. "But did they eat it though?" another asked. Other TikTok users, understandably, took issue with the unsanitary concept as a whole.
Why this isn't a good idea
Generally speaking, the average piece of pavement is pretty unsanitary. It's loaded with contaminants that can result in bacteria and mold growth, which can cause people to become sick, especially if any food that has touched it is later consumed. Secondly, undercooked beef is dangerous to eat, and although a thermometer might help determine a safe internal temperature, cooking with sunlight isn't reliable enough to ensure that safety. If food poisoning does occur, it can result in vomiting and gastrointestinal problems, among other issues. Even rare and medium-rare steaks can potentially cause problems, as their cooking processes don't allow them to reach a proper internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
@apangmeats Pavement Seared Ribeye Steak. #apangmeats #outsidecooking #steaktiktok @apang’s meats
Although ribeye steaks like the one prepared in this TikTok video can cause illness, there are a few types of steak that can be consumed raw, if those eating them don't have any underlying health issues. These include steak tartare, kachilaa, and Pittsburgh rare, among others.