SELECTION

OF MEAT
by Group 2
INTRODUCTION
Meat is animal flesh that is
eaten as food, it's a good idea
to eat meat or poultry every week
as part of your balanced
diet.Sadly, you can’t always
count on the meat you buy in a
store comes from a high quality
source.Many types of bacteria can
grow on animal products, so it’s
important to choose the right
meat that you can safely consume.
01
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT
Notes and Tips When Selecting Meat
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT
Meat quality is normally defined by the
compositional quality (lean to fat ratio)
and the palatability factors such as
visual appearance, smell, firmness,
juiciness, tenderness, and flavour. The
nutritional quality of meat is objective
yet "eating" quality, as perceived by the
consumer, is highly subjective.
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT CONSIDER COLOR
The right color depends on the
type of meat you are buying.
Red meat should be dark in
color, and can vary between
purple, red, and brown. If it’s
brown, it simply means it has
been exposed to oxygen. It will
still be safe to eat! Pork meat
should be a light blushing pink
color, while game meat should
be dark brown.
MEAT FAT
When it comes to choosing a cut of
pork or beef, look for fat around the
outside of the cut.Meat with white
flecks and streaks of fat distributed
throughout the muscle, will be juicier
and tender. This fat is called
marbling, and the finer the marbling,
the tastier. Wagyu beef is prized for
its marbling and is well-known for its
flavor and tenderness. These types of
meat are also more expensive.
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT LOOK FOR CLEAN CUTS
You can easily spot good quality
meat by the way it’s butchered.
Look for smooth cuts that are
uniformly sized, and stay away
from jagged edged meat. This is
especially the case when buying
poultry. Lower grade poultry are
not always butchered well, which
means care is not taken when
removing joints and bones. If you
don’t like small bones in your
chicken, then opt for higher grade
cuts.
THE MEAT SURFACE
If you look closely at red meat, you
will notice meat fibers. The grain of
the fibers will tell you whether the
meat is tough or tender. Coarse meat
grains, with many visible muscle
fibers, means a tough meat with lots
of flavor. Choose these cuts for low
and slow cooking. When buying beef
tenderloin, you will notice the lack
of these grains, meaning the meat will
be tender when cooked.
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT THE SMELL
Not everyone (even meat-eaters)
like the smell of fresh meat, so
many home cooks find it difficult
to establish whether the aroma
they’re smelling is a normal raw
meat funk, or whether it’s spoiled.
But smell is actually the best way
to determine whether the meat is
still fresh.Another quality factor
is smell.Meat should have a normal
smell. If the smell is in any way
pungent (or smells like rotting
flesh), then stay away!
THE PACKAGING
Look at the packaging for any sign of
damage or dirt. Although it does not
necessarily influence the meat quality
directly, it does give you an
indication of how the meat was
handled. If you see dirty marks within
the packaging, your meat was likely
handled with the same dirty hands.
Likewise, if the package is damaged,
it is open to be contaminated by
outside elements.
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT THE STORAGE
Something not many people look at
when shopping for fresh meat, are
the fridge and freezer storage.
Why does this matter? Well,
temperature control within a
facility is extremely important to
ensure your meat stays fresh. If
you notice that the fridges are
slightly warmer than usual, or you
see water dripping from the
freezers, there could be a
technical issue, which means your
meat might not be so fresh.
THE SELL-BY DATE
Best before dates have more to do with
quality than food safety. The
manufacturers are basically telling
you that the product is at its optimum
freshness before a certain date. After
that date, the food item can still be
consumed, but it’s up to the consumer
to decide whether it is still safe to
eat.If you are not planning to cook
immediately, try to buy meat with the
latest best-before or sell-by date. In
that way, you can keep it in your
fridge for a few days without running
the risk of spoiled meat.
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT THE USED-BY DATE
The use-by-date is important,
since it’s an indication of how
close the meat is to being
spoiled. You should always consume
meat before, or on, this use-by
date. After this date has passed,
it’s very risky to consume.Meats
such as ground beef are especially
risky. Not only is there more
surface area exposed, but it also
went through more processing and
handling. So, it’s more prone to
spoilage than a piece of steak.
ASK YOUR BUTCHER
You have a meat expert right behind
the counter, so make use of their
knowledge. If you’re uncertain about
all the aspects of meat, ask your
butcher for advice. They will be able
to advise you on what to look for,
what the right cuts are for your dish,
what the freshest meat in store is,
how to cook it, and may even give you
a discount if you buy in bulk!
HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT MEAT TEXTURE
Meat should appear firm rather than
soft. It should give under pressure,
but not actually be soft. Beef meat
should be firm, dense and dry. The
muscle fibers should be tightly
packed and be uniform. If meat looks
like it’s going to fall apart, it
could be due to poor handling or
poor quality. Poultry meat should
also be firm and dry. If the meat is
slimy or sticky, then rather stay
away. This stands for all types of
meat, whether you’re buying beef,
lamb, chicken, or pork.
 ADDITIONAL TIPS AND
FACTS ABOUT SELECTING
MEAT
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GROUP MEMBERS

CHARLES JUHA PRINCESS KATHLEEN LUJHILLE