Things to Consider when Shopping for Meat
Whenever you are shopping for red meat, you are probably looking for a bright-red piece of meat. However, for those who don’t know, the color of fresh meat is a bit on the purple side. Meat pigments will react with oxygen when exposed to air. This will produce the red color people know so well.
What about the brown meat you see in your local supermarket? Is it fresh? Before you search for “butcher shop near me” on Google, here are a couple of things you should consider when shopping for meat:
The Texture of the Meat
Beef meat should be dry, dense, and firm. The fibers of the muscle should be uniform and packed tightly. It is probably low-quality meat if it looks like it is going to fall apart. Poultry meat should also be dry and firm. You should go to another store if you notice that the meat is sticky or slimy.
Meat Fat
If you’re looking for a tender and juicier cut of meat, you should look for streaks of fat and white flecks distributed throughout the muscle. This is also known as marbling. The meat will be a lot tastier if the marbling is finer. One excellent example of this is that wagyu beef. However, you should keep in mind that these kinds of meat are not cheap.
The Surface of the Meat
You will notice meat fibers if you closely look at red meat. The fibers’ grain will tell you whether the meat is tender or tough. Tough meat usually has a lot of visible muscle fibers. It also has a lot of flavors. If you’re aiming for slow and low cooking, choose these cuts. On the other hand, tender meat will have less noticeable fibers.
Search for Clean Cuts
You can spot easily high-quality meat by the way it is cut. You should search for smooth cuts that are uniform in size. You should avoid buying meat with jagged edges. This is particularly true if you’re purchasing poultry meat. Low-quality poultry isn’t always properly butchered. This means that the butcher isn’t careful when cutting bones and joints.
The Smell
Nobody loves the smell of fresh meat, even meat lovers. Because of this, a lot of people find it hard to establish whether the scent they are smelling is spoiled or fresh meat. For those who don’t know, smelling is the ideal method of figuring out whether the meat is still fresh. You should stay away from the meat if you smell a rotting odor.
Color
The correct color varies on the form of meat you’re purchasing. Red meat should have a darker color. It can vary between brown, red, and purple. If the meat is exposed to oxygen, it will turn brown. Still, it will be safe to eat. Game meat should have a darker color. On the other hand, pork meat should be a light pink color.
You may have noticed that poultry meat has different colors. The reason for this is that their diet influences the color of their meat.
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