# Q: Meat sold in supermarkets



## jpinmaryland (Jan 6, 2011)

My dad's old girlfriend was pretty smart and knew alot about food and she told me one tip she learned when buying like chicken and pork was to tilt the package and see if the juices (watery red stuff) flowed downward, a lot of liquid like that was a bad sign. I asked some meat guy about it and he just shrugged. But I wonder if there is something to it?

I bought a slab of country ribs today and there was sure a lot of red liquid that flowed when I tilted the package enuf that it leaked out of the plastic, nasty...

I realize they have a process nowadays where they freeze the meat from the inside and then thaw it out when they put it on the shelves. These were refriegerated meats, not frozen but the package says you can freeze them.

ANy thoughts on seeing lots of liquid in refrigerated packages like this?


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## Rocklobster (Jan 6, 2011)

Frozen meats will render juices when thawed due to destruction at the cellular level. Not neccessarily a bad thing, if they are selling it as pre frozen, which should be a bit cheaper IMHO.


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## Chef Munky (Jan 6, 2011)

I think if it's been frozen, taken out to thaw in a refrigeration unit it's ok. To me it's just frozen condensation that's mingling with the meat juices.

Maybe what you picked up was bad packaging. Most place absorbent towels under the meat to catch the excess gross stuff.

I've bought whole packages of Tri tips, Standing rib roasts. From our local butcher. That have been aged. They usually have a little excess of ( don't know the wording ) of blood. It's never been a problem. 

If I saw something like that at the grocery store. I'd be checking the date on the package.

Munky.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 6, 2011)

When I see a "leaker" in a retail grocery I first check for dates...then look for a package with no (or at least minimal) leakage....


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## jpinmaryland (Jan 6, 2011)

These were probably poorly packaged as it was a special and I've seen it before at this store where they dont do a good job on wrapping the specials. I'll go and check the date but should be fine. they really looked nice.


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## fleitan (Jan 7, 2011)

I think the worry with too much liquid is if it's from frozen ice which was on the meat - which usually means that the meat has been dried out, the moisture has escaped and frozen to the outer layar - basically I'm describing "freezer burn" - which renders the meat supernasty. 

The best way to freeze meat, as an aisde to this topic, is to freeze it for a few hours alone, wrapped in plastic wrap, and then remove the plastic and submerge it in water and freeze the water with the meat inside - then you get meat in an ice block, which will seal in all the moisture. Any "dehydrating" which takes place from the freezing at that point will impact the block of ice, and not the meat inside. 

Im no expert, but I think this makes sense.


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## Zhizara (Jan 7, 2011)

fleitan said:


> I think the worry with too much liquid is if it's from frozen ice which was on the meat - which usually means that the meat has been dried out, the moisture has escaped and frozen to the outer layar - basically I'm describing "freezer burn" - which renders the meat supernasty.
> 
> The best way to freeze meat, as an aisde to this topic, is to freeze it for a few hours alone, wrapped in plastic wrap, and then remove the plastic and submerge it in water and freeze the water with the meat inside - then you get meat in an ice block, which will seal in all the moisture. Any "dehydrating" which takes place from the freezing at that point will impact the block of ice, and not the meat inside.
> 
> Im no expert, but I think this makes sense.



Thanks, Fleitan for the great tip.  I'll make sense to do it that way when I finally buy that whole beef tenderloin!


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## taxlady (Jan 7, 2011)

Zhizara said:


> Thanks, Fleitan for the great tip.  I'll make sense to do it that way when I finally buy that whole beef tenderloin!



While the method will probably prevent freezer burn, you will have very wet meat. Meat that has been washed can go off a lot faster than nice dry meat. You would probably be shortening its defrosted shelf life a lot. If I were you, I would experiment with a small piece of inexpensive meat, not big chunks of an expensive tenderloin.


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## Zhizara (Jan 7, 2011)

Thanks, TL.


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## CWS4322 (Jan 7, 2011)

I used to by chicken legs with backs attached from a restaurant supplier (unfortunately, the company went out of business a couple of years ago). Well, knowing that grocery stores buy from the same wholesalers as restaurant suppliers, the last time the local supermarket had chicken legs with backs attached on special, I asked the manager if I could just buy the whole box (rather than have the staff bag the legs into 10# bags). These were fresh and yes, I got not only one, but two boxes <g>.

Never hurts to ask. And, some restaurant and grocery store suppliers will sell "off the street" meaning you don't have to have a commercial business to take advantage of the savings, just need to be able to store the food.


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## Rocklobster (Jan 7, 2011)

Here I go with my Pathology again. When you freeze anything, moisture freezes and forms crystals. These crystals form jagged sharp edges(snoflakes?) and cut into cell walls, thus letting the moisture escape from the cells. So, I don't think that it would matter if it was frozen in water or not, the meat would freeze the same way. You would experience fluid loss when it thaws.  When you thaw a steak at home, it will render fluids on the bottom of the plate. If you bring home a fresh, aged piece of meat from the store it will , or shouldn't leak out any fluids.


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## fleitan (Jan 8, 2011)

taxlady said:


> While the method will probably prevent freezer burn, you will have very wet meat. Meat that has been washed can go off a lot faster than nice dry meat. You would probably be shortening its defrosted shelf life a lot. If I were you, I would experiment with a small piece of inexpensive meat, not big chunks of an expensive tenderloin.



Hey Taxlady.
Do you regularly not rinse all that juice off your meat before you cook it?


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## Claire (Jan 8, 2011)

I pretty much have to buy my meat from a chain supermarket.  The amount of water/blood/liquid isn't necessarily a sign, given that many meat trays have something resembling a sanitary napkin under it to absorb the liquids.  

That said, I've never had a problem.  Or perhaps I mean almost never.  I've bought ground pork that smelled ... phew!  And that wasn't here, and it was in several grocery stores across the country over many years.  So I simply don't buy ground pork any more!  And, no, there wasn't any liquid.


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## taxlady (Jan 9, 2011)

fleitan said:


> Hey Taxlady.
> Do you regularly not rinse all that juice off your meat before you cook it?



I usually just wipe it off. If I wash meat, it is right before I cook it.


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## mrs.mom (Jan 10, 2011)

I usually go with fresh meat that is refrigerated. I never buy frozen meat. You should always check the date on the package and sometimes I smell it. I think too much flowing liquid from the meat means that it is not properly refrigerated. This means the temperature of the fridge is high and not suitable for the meat.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jan 10, 2011)

I don't want to sound pompous, I buy my meat in a large piece from my local small abattoir, I pay for the fresh killed weight, they then hang it for 36 days. It then losses about 20% of its original weight, this is the fluid you are talking about. I then butcher it myself and pack for the freezer using a vacuum foodsaver. When defrosted it is dry.
Young frozen meat will benifit from the fluid ice crystals expanding inside the meat and breaking up the fibres when you defrost but the taste will be poor.Unfortunately you cannot make a silk purse out of a Sows ear


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## CWS4322 (Jan 10, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> I don't want to sound pompous, I buy my meat in a large piece from my local small abattoir, I pay for the fresh killed weight, they then hang it for 36 days. It then losses about 20% of its original weight, this is the fluid you are talking about. I then butcher it myself and pack for the freezer using a vacuum foodsaver. When defrosted it is dry.
> Young frozen meat will benifit from the fluid ice crystals expanding inside the meat and breaking up the fibres when you defrost but the taste will be poor.Unfortunately you cannot make a silk purse out of a Sows ear


 
Lucky you! Don't know where you live, but the law in Ontario was changed not too long ago re: Beef. It used to be it would age for 21 days, and if you didn't get back to the abattoir, you could stretch that to 26 days. Now the law is 14 days, if we're lucky, we can stretch it to 18 days.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jan 10, 2011)

CWS I live in the UK, there must be a reason for this stupidity?


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## CWS4322 (Jan 10, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> CWS I live in the UK, there must be a reason for this stupidity?


 The provincial liberal government.


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## Rocklobster (Jan 10, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> The provincial liberal government.


What? You don't like ol' Dalton? lol!
I have experimented with beef in my refrigerator. Eye of round goes on sale here quite a bit so I have taken different pieces and and hung them off my refrigerator racks for weeks to see how they would react. I have let beef hang in there for up to two weeks and stil no bad smell, or nasty growths. As we all know it is the wrapping that seals in the moisture and helps it spoil. Normally, that cut of beef can be fairly tough right out of the package, but after a week or so in the fridge it turns very dark and becomes very tender.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jan 11, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> The provincial liberal government.


W/Churchill said "a Liberal is a person with both feet firmly planted in mid-air"


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## joesfolk (Jan 11, 2011)

Actually, Alton Brown did a show about aging meat in your fridge.  Maybe you can find it on-line.


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## DaveSoMD (Jan 11, 2011)

The episode is called Celebrity Roast

Not the best quality video but you will get the important points. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmfaeWEjGpM&p=6C5A9287D5AA2935


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## jpinmaryland (Mar 8, 2011)

Winston Churchill also advocated invading Norway and a second front into Greece, so...?


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## jpinmaryland (Mar 8, 2011)

fleitan said:


> I think the worry with too much liquid is if it's from frozen ice which was on the meat - which usually means that the meat has been dried out, the moisture has escaped and frozen to the outer layar - basically I'm describing "freezer burn" - which renders the meat supernasty.
> .



I appreciated the rest of your comments, but as for freezer burn wouldnt you see this on the meat? E.g. it would look a bit discolored? But maybe that part would be on the underside and not see it due to the packaging???


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## jpinmaryland (Mar 8, 2011)

Rocklobster said:


> ... So, I don't think that it would matter if it was frozen in water or not, the meat would freeze the same way. You would experience fluid loss when it thaws.  When you thaw a steak at home, it will render fluids on the bottom of the plate. If you bring home a fresh, aged piece of meat from the store it will , or shouldn't leak out any fluids.



I've read the last sentence about 10 times now and I dont understand what you are saying;

what does it mean "aged piece of meat....it will". It will what "render fluids?" 

Then you say next phrase: "shouldnt leak out any fluids." 

So...it will render fluids and it shouldnt lead out fluids???

What does that mean?


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## taxlady (Mar 8, 2011)

jpinmaryland said:


> I've read the last sentence about 10 times now and I dont understand what you are saying;
> 
> what does it mean "aged piece of meat....it will". It will what "render fluids?"
> 
> ...



I think it means that *frozen* meat will leak when it defrosts and *fresh*, aged meat shouldn't leak.


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## Rocklobster (Mar 8, 2011)

taxlady said:


> I think it means that *frozen* meat will leak when it defrosts and *fresh*, aged meat shouldn't leak.


yes. thanks


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