 |
Ten Proven Tips to Buy the Best Meat Available
Ten Proven Tips to buy the Best Meat Available As you look through the meat section at your local grocery store you are probably like so many others asking yourself if the steaks you have chosen is really good meat. Here are some tips on how to make sure you buy good meat. The quality grade does not necessarily mean that you will be getting good meat. Some cuts of meat are just naturally more tender than others. You should look for cuts from the less used muscles along the back such as the rib and loin sections. The shoulder, flank and leg cuts will be tougher. How to make sure you buy good meat As you look through the meat section at your local grocery store you are probably like so many others asking yourself if the steaks you have chosen is really good meat. Here are some tips on how to make sure you buy good meat. The quality grade does not necessarily mean that you will be getting good meat. Some cuts of meat are just naturally more tender than others. You should look for cuts from the less used muscles along the back such as the rib and loin sections. The shoulder, flank and leg cuts will be tougher. The USDA beef quality grade is like this prime, choice, select, standard, commercial, utility, cutter and canner. The best beef that you can find is of course prime, but this is very hard to find and does come with a large price tag. Most of the beef that you find at your local grocery will be choice, select or standard. Standard is usually sold as un-graded or as "brand name" meatRoast and steaks should be firm. Do not purchase soft or squishy feeling roast or steaks no matter the type of meat. Check the sale by date and no buy after that date. You should buy the meat either before or on the day that is the "sell by date". Check the packaging for any type of damage. The meat should be cold and wrapped securely.The package should not contain any moisture. This could mean that the temperature of the meat has been above 40 degrees and that will cause the taste of your meat to be less quality. Look for beef that is bright red in color and has thin creamy white fat evenly distributed throughout the roast or steak. On the other hand, veal should not be bright red; it should be almost white in color or lightly pink. Before you buy any meat find out if it has been injected with flavorings. You do not want to purchase any meat that has been injected with flavorings, this can cause your meat to break down and become mushy.Do your own tenderizing. Do not buy meat that has been tenderized by the butcher. He uses piercing products that allows the natural flavor and juices to escape from your meat and this will be produce a tough and un-flavorful meal. Try to purchase dry aged if at all possible. This type of meat will probably only be found at a butcher shop. Dry aging is a process where the meat is taken from the bag that it arrives in to the butcher and is hung in a cooler for a certain amount of time to dry out. This will make the cost go up, but the aging adds more flavor and also tenderizes the meat. If you buy your steak from the local grocery, the steak has been cut, wrapped in plastic and has aged on the way to the store. When in doubt, talk with your butcher. He can answer all your questions regarding the different types of meat, cuts and may even have some great recipes for you to try. Hans is author of Steaks, Seafood and Barbeque Recipes at Steaks-Guide.com
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Food briefs for Sept. 8Canton RepositoryLearn some terrific cooking tips just in time for fall and holiday cooking at The Repository's Taste of Home Cooking School to be ... |
|
Food & Wine EventsMemphis MagazineCooking Class - Healthy cooking tips sponsored by the Church Health Center. Thursdays, 9 and 10:30 am and 5:30 pm 259-4673. Church Health Center Wellness, ... |
|
Center dishes out cooking tipsCannon ConnectionsThe smell of black bean sauce and five-spice powder filled the room as the Cantonese cooking demonstration began to heat up at the Airman and Family ... |
|
Weight-wise cooking tipsPayson RoundupIt's certainly possible to eat healthy without spending a lot of time shopping, preparing and cooking. With just a little preparation and forethought, ... |
Google News
|
 |
 |
 |
RELATED ARTICLES
Two for One Dinners: Pork
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked meal can easily become a delicious meal another night.
Little-known Tips for Easy Holiday Baking
Are you wondering if you have the time to bake homemade Christmas cookies this year? Every year at about this time we all start to get a little panicked that the holidays are coming up fast and we're not really ready yet. Here are a few little-known tips and tricks, for almost every type of cookie, to help you get the most out of the time you spend baking.
Making Homemade Pasta for Dinner Tonight
Homemade pasta cooked al dente (to the teeth), is a chewy and light treat. Here are the simple steps to making fresh pasta for dinner tonight.
Buying, Storing, and Preparing Apples
When buying apples, look for those that are firm and brightly colored. Shiny red for Macintosh, Rome and red Delicious.
Wok this Way! (Part 1 of 5)
IntroductionWoks have been synonymous with Chinese cooking since the emergence of Chinese cuisine. They have been used for some 3000 years in China for a variety of cooking methods, including stir frying, boiling, and steaming.
Once-A-Month-Cooking: How to Make Your Plan Work
As one of the oldest children in a family of nine, I know that cooking for a crowd can almost be a full-time job. Once-a-month-cooking has been a lifesaver for our family.
How to Prepare the Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes that you enjoy at your favorite restaurant, but have no idea where to start to achieve that wonderful and delightful flavor?There are a variety of ways to create the best garlic mashed potatoes that you have ever tasted but when it comes down to which way is best is according to your own taste buds.When you take a look at garlic you will see that there are various kinds of garlic that you can use for your mashed potatoes such as German red garlic, Spanish Roja garlic, Leningrad garlic, and Yugoslavian.
Two for One Dinners: Ham
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked meal can easily become a delicious meal another night.
Family Meal Planning Made Easy
As moms, we have hectic lives. Whether we work out of the home, in the home or look after the kids full time, we definitely have our jobs cut out for us.
Rice Cookers - Perfect Rice Every Time
Love fluffy cooked rice but dislike the preparation time and clean up? Then rice cookers maybe just what you need. Today's rice cooker is a thrifty time saving device for anyone's kitchen.
Secret of Light and Fluffy Biscuits and Pancakes
Would you like to lose some weight -- in your baking, that is? This one secret ingredient (that you likely already have in your kitchen) is not only inexpensive and healthy, it'll also add a bit of "cloud" to your biscuits and pancakes!And that ingredient is ..
50% Less Cooking
50% Less Cookingwithout hitting the fast food button! Don't you just cringe when some clever kitchen type tells you what you could be doing with the leftovers in the fridge, when it's plainly obvious the leftovers will stay there until they walk out by themselves!More often than not, saving money with leftovers, although a great idea, takes a lot of time in preparation and relies on many other ingredients being available. So.
Using Bread Machine Mixes in Your Oven
You don't have to own a bread machine to enjoy the variety of bread machine mixes. And you don't have to make blocky, square loaves with holes in the bottom.
Outdoor Chefs Choose Gas Grills
How many of you remember dad trying to get the charcoal started? The mess, time and burgers tasting of lighter fluid are some reasons why outdoor chefs are choosing gas grills for their recipes for BBQs over a charcoal barbecue. A gas grill offers many advantages for BBQ over charcoal.
The Almighty Beer-Can Chicken
A popular method of cooking chicken in recent years both in Barbeque contest as well as backyard barbeques is the beer-can chicken. Cooking a beer-can chicken couldn't be any easier but the results are worthwhile.
Cooking With Kids--Safely!
School's out! And summer is a good time to introduce your child to chores in the kitchen!To help you along, here are some things to remember when cooking, especially with kids. Plus a couple of kid-friendly recipes!1.
Buying, Storing, and Preparing Apricots
When buying apricots, always look for those that are firm, plump orange fruit that gives slightly when you press with your thumb. Bruised apricots should be avoided.
Better Breakfasts Ideas
Nutritionists tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. With breakfast, we are replenishing our bodies from the night before and charging them for the day ahead.
Troubleshooting Cookies
If your cookies are too tough . .
Whisk Your Way To a Perfect Meal Every Time!
The whisk. A true versatile cooking utensil.
|