If you are on the market for meat, you want to find nice, bright-red-looking cuts on the shelf. And you probably think that fresh meat must be red. But, the truth is that the freshest meat is purplish. Once exposed to air, the pigments in meat will react to oxygen to form a red colour. Keep reading to know what exactly to look for when shopping for fresh meat:
Getting the Perfect Meat Colour
The right meat colour depends on the kind of meat you want to purchase. Read meat must be dark in colour and can vary between brown, red, and purple. When a slice of meat turns brown, it means exposure to oxygen. This meat is safe to consume. If you want to purchase pork, ensure it has a light blushing pink colour.
The colour of poultry varies because of the impact of their diet on their meat colour. Thus, fresh poultry can be blue-white to yellow in colour. Also, the right delivery service such as Farm Club organic meat delivery will ensure the meat stays fresh when it reaches your freezer.
Checking the Smell
Fresh meat does not smell good for everyone. That is why a lot of home cooks find it hard to establish whether they are smelling a normal aroma or a spoiled one. However, the smell is the perfect way to determine the freshness of meat. You never want to purchase meat with a pungent smell.
Finding Clean Cuts
How the meat is butchered determines its quality. Find smooth cuts with uniform sizes and avoid jagged-edged meat. Keep this in mind especially if you are getting poultry. Sometimes, lower-grade poultry is not butchered properly, thus, care is not taken during the removal of the bones and joints. If you prefer to get chicken meat without small bones, get higher-grade cuts.
Checking the Surface of the Meat
When you examine red meat closely, you will notice meat fibres. The fibre’s grain indicates toughness or tenderness. Coarse meat grains have a lot of visible muscle fibres, which means tough meat that has plenty of flavour. Go for these cuts if you want to cook it low and slow. If you wish to purchase beef tenderloin, you won’t see these grains, which means that the meat will be tender once cooked.
Considering Meat Fat
vMeat that has white flecks and fat streaks found throughout the muscle is juicier and tenderer than others. The fat in meat is called marbling and the tastiest beef has the finest marbling.
