Tips for Choosing Fresh Meat
By Tanya Kaplow
The cold winter weather has arrived and I bet you are staying in more. With the cold breeze, it sure is nice to cook a stew or some other meal that warms you up. With the holiday season here, you may be doing a lot of cooking and eating too! So, when choosing the best food for you and your friends and family, you want to make sure that you buy food that is fresh. Here are some signs to look for when choosing fresh meat:
Fresh Meat:
- Beef should be bright cherry red.
- Lamb should be light red.
- Pork should have pink lean meat and white fat.
- Poultry should have no discoloration.
- Flesh should be firm and spring back when touched.
Fish is another option for meat eaters. This meat is low in fat and cholesterol and also contains many essential fats that are good for the body and brain. When looking for the freshest fish, consider these points:
Fresh Fish:
- Fish should have bright red gills and bright, shiny skin.
- Odor should be a mild ocean or seaweed smell.
- Eyes should be bright, clear and full.
- Flesh should be firm and spring back when touched.
Once purchased, hopefully you will cook something scrumptious. Some people however may leave the meat in the refrigerator for too long, making the meat go bad! If you leave your meat in the refrigerator for more than three days check for these signs that your meat has spoiled:
Do not buy or eat if:
- Color is brown, greenish-brown or green
- Meat has purple blotches or black.
- Flesh is slimy, sticky or dry.
- Carton is broken, wrapper is dirty or packaging is torn.
- Odor is sour.
For fish, check for these signs that it may have gone bad:
Do not buy or eat if:
- Gills are gray and dull.
- Skin is dry and dull.
- Fish has a strong fishy smell or ammonia smell.
- Eyes are cloudy, red rimmed or sunken.
- Flesh is soft and keeps an imprint when pressed.
With the holiday season in full force, remember to always refrigerate your unused portions of meat, or freeze them for later. If you buy meat and then have a change of plans, freeze the meat so that it does not spoil in the refrigerator.
Happy Holidays and happy winter cooking!
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