Posted: January 29th, 2009 - 8:35am by Doug Powell

The Super Bowl of football (at least in the U.S.) is Sunday so Top Chef on Wednesday decided to do a football-themed challenge that was probably taped 6 months ago.

The football metaphors used in the show were as corny as the ones in a recent press release -- USDA gives food safety advice to kick off your Super Bowl party – but at least USDA provided accurate cooking advice:

“Color is not a reliable indicator of safety -- internal temperature is. Use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef should be cooked to 160 °F and all poultry should be cooked to 165 °F.”

On Top Chef, Jeff and his excessively complex meals were sent packing, although the always entertaining Fabio should have lost for overcooking venison.

Judge: The deer was already dead. You didn’t have to kill it again.
Fabio: It was still bleeding when I sliced it; it was beautifully pink.
Judge: That’s medium-rare?
Fabio: Yes

Use a thermometer, Fabio. It will make you a better cook.

Oh, and Carla (below) won, and proclaimed, “Hands up, whoa. Touchdown Carla”