When buying and choosing fresh meat, most of us are looking for pieces of meat that are light in color and fresh in appearance. But in most cases, it is not easy to distinguish fresh and quality meat. This problem becomes acute when after a few days, the flesh changes color and gives off an unpleasant odor. But in order to be able to do better in buying the right meat and prepare your desired product, we in this article from orshid to you in Choosing fresh meat and how to preserve it We help.
How to distinguish rotten and fresh meat
To choose fresh and quality meat, you should check such things as color, smell, texture, fat content, etc. Here are the most important tips for buying fresh meat:
1- Color of meat
The right color depends on the type of meat you buy. The color of the flesh is dark red and may vary between purple, red and brown. If it is brown, it means that it is exposed to oxygen and it will be safe to eat. The color of the meat is usually reddish pink, while the meat of the prey should be dark brown. You may have noticed that the color of poultry is somewhat different, because their diet affects the color of their meat. Therefore, the color of fresh chicken can vary from white to creamy and yellow.
2- The smell of meat
Most people do not like the smell of fresh meat, so many home cooks can hardly tell if the aroma they are smelling is ordinary or rotten. But the smell is actually the best way to tell if the meat is fresh. If the smell is pungent in any way (or smells like rotten meat), then stay away. Fresh meat has no rotten smell.
3- Clean cuts
By choosing fresh meat and how to preserve it, you can easily distinguish quality meat. Look for smooth slices of uniform size and avoid edged meats (with non-smooth cuts). This is especially true when buying chicken. Poor quality chicken is not always cut very well, which means that it is not done with great care when removing joints and bones.
3- Meat fibers
If you look closely at red meat, you will notice the fibers of the meat. The fiber grain tells you that the meat is firm or tender. Coarse grains of meat with abundant muscle fibers mean firm and fresh meat. Choose this model of meat for low and slow cooking. When you buy beef fillet, you will notice a lack of fiber grains, which means that the meat becomes soft and tender during cooking.
4- Meat fat
The flesh will be juicier and softer with white spots and fat streaks that spread throughout the muscle. This fat is called marble, and the finer the marble, the tastier it is. Beef is very valuable because of its marble and is famous for its taste and tenderness. These types of meats are expensive. Regarding chicken meat, we must say that the lower the fat of this meat, the higher the quality of the meat.
5- Meat texture
Beef should be firm, dense and dry. Muscle fibers should be tightly closed and uniform. If the meat appears to be decaying, these problems may be due to poor transportation or poor quality. Poultry meat should also be firm and dry. If the meat is sticky or sticky, it is best to avoid it.
6- Date of sale
Expiration date is important. Because it shows how close meat is to rot. You should always eat meat before or between the production and expiration dates. After this date, meat consumption is very dangerous. Meats such as minced meat are very dangerous. Try to eat the meat before it expires. Otherwise, you can keep it in your refrigerator for a few days, without the risk of spoiling the meat.
7- Quality of packaging
When choosing fresh meat and how to preserve it, you should pay attention to the way the meat is packaged. Look for any damage or dirt on the meat packaging. Although this does not necessarily affect the quality of the meat, it does show the signs of fresh, quality meat. If you notice any signs of dirt on the packaging, your meat is likely to be dirty and will spoil quickly. Similarly, if the package is damaged, foreign elements have entered the meat package and spoiled it.
Eliminate the smell of leftover meat
In order to choose fresh meat and how to preserve it, you should also pay attention to the symptoms of leftover meat. The meat may be left in the butcher for a few days or you may keep the meat in your refrigerator for a long time. In this case, the meat can be eaten but has an unpleasant odor. You can use the following methods to eliminate the smell of leftover meat:
- Mix the meat with salt and starch.
- Cover the surface of the meat with flour.
- Rub a mixture of vinegar and crushed garlic on the surface of the meat.
- Taste the meat before freezing.
- Put the meat in a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar.
- Use onion and bell pepper.
- When cooking meat, add a few bay leaves to it.
- Use garlic and spices when cooking meat.
The best way to preserve meat
How to store freshly bought meat without losing its taste, compactness and organoleptic properties? How to preserve red meat Maintenance is very simple. We know that when it comes to raw food, the risk of bacterial overgrowth can be higher than cooked food. However, with a few simple steps, we can safely keep food, including meat, fresh. So on The best way to preserve meat Explain:
1- How to store fresh meat in the refrigerator
The easiest way to preserve fresh meat is to refrigerate it. Depending on the number of slices of meat, the type of packaging and of course its freshness can be stored for up to 6 to 7 days. To better store meat in the refrigerator, keep a few simple points in mind:
- It is better not to keep the meat in the package in which you bought it. Separate the meat from the plastic, dry it with a paper towel, and place it in a sturdy glass or plastic container.
- Place the meat on the bottom of your refrigerator, where the colder temperature ensures that the bacteria in the meat reproduce less.
- When you decide to use the meat for cooking, take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start cooking.
- Before cooking, make sure that the meat does not smell bad, that it does not lose a lot of liquids, and that there are no gray or green streaks.
Store cooked meat in the refrigerator
The shelf life of cooked meat should not exceed four days. You should use a freezer bag to store meat and poultry. Failure to use the freezer bag causes the accumulation of bacteria and premature spoilage of cooked meat.
2- How to store fresh meat in the freezer
If you want to store freshly bought meat for a longer period of time, the best way is to put it in the freezer. Before storing the meat in the freezer, take the meat out of the package, wipe it with a paper towel to remove excess liquid and water, then place it in a special container. To store fresh meat in the freezer, we recommend using plastic containers or sealed glass or suitable bags for freezing.
If special utensils are not available, you can wrap the meat with a special machine that you can easily buy, or wrap it several times with plastic foil. Always put a label on the meat you want to keep in the freezer that shows the date of freezing.
The best conditions for maintaining the quality of fresh meat
We explained the choice of fresh meat and how to preserve it. But no matter what meat you put in the fridge or freezer, you should always be careful not to make the following small mistakes that can ruin the storage process:
- Never put fresh meat slices in contact with cooked meat. Raw food bacteria can contaminate pre-cooked food.
- Always use sealed containers, freezer bags or plastic wrap to store meat.
- Always pack and store different types of meat (chicken, turkey, beef) separately.
- When you decide to use frozen meat for your recipe, take it out of the freezer at least 12 hours before cooking and let it freeze slowly in the refrigerator.
Fresh meat storage time
Not all pieces of meat are the same, and depending on the process and the animal of origin, the time and method of storage can also change:
- Minced meat, which is more processed than other slices, must be eaten within 24 hours of purchase.
- Properly stored beef can be refrigerated for 5 days and up to 12 months in the freezer. It is better if it is closed in a vacuum bag.
- Chicken and turkey meat should not be refrigerated for more than 2 to 3 days and can be stored in closed containers for up to 6 months.
- Beef can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days and in the freezer for 12 months at a temperature of -18 ° C.
last word
We have described the choice of fresh meat and how to preserve it above, now you know very well what are the characteristics of quality meat and what should be considered in its preservation. It is only important that you prepare meat from a familiar butcher whose products you are confident in. Otherwise, you have to buy the meat you want from store products that have packaging and expiration dates. You can also get the best high quality meat from orshid stores.
