Foodfindsasia.com | Expert Tips for Choosing High-Quality Meat | Meat treats take a meal to the next level in terms of taste and nutrition. You might have heard or read pieces of text criticizing meat, but hey, we need that protein as bad! However, you have to be careful about the meat you choose because it has a huge impact on your health. You can also check online butcher if you want to make sure that you are getting quality meat. Here are some expert tips for choosing high-quality meat.
1. Know Where the Meat Comes From
The butcher may find it annoying, but you have the right to ask questions! If the attendant is willing to answer you, get as much information as possible. Ask whether the animal had any disease history or how it was raised. If you go to this page, you will learn about great options like pastured, grass-fed, organic, and antibiotic-free and how they are different from the others. Once you have this information, you can be comfortable even when ordering doorstep meat deliveries. The little information we ignore can go a long way in impacting our health positively (or negatively).
2. Check the Meat Package
Sometimes we do not get the time to get fresh cuts direct from the butcher, so we opt for packed cuts. When so doing, keep an eye on the type of cut, the fat content, and texture. The color varies from one animal to another. For instance, a fresh beef cut should be bright red. If the color is pale or off, do not buy. You may not feel the odor since it is packaged. Also, remember to check out the labels and certification for clues about animal practices. Check out expiry dates too.
3. Find a Farmer
You will feel safer when you buy chicken from a poultry farmer who slaughters and packs it for you as you watch compared to getting readymade packages. Besides, going local promotes agribusiness and boosts the local economy. The purchases keep the local farmers in business and you are guaranteed quality meat that you can keep in the fridge a little longer.
4. With or Without Bone
Some people prefer bone meat while some want pure steak. Interestingly, meat with bone cooks faster and has more flavor than meat without the bone. Boney meat has a better broth than non-boney meat. It is a matter of preference but in this piece, we are talking about quality meat. The next time you go shopping for fresh cuts, ask your butcher to add some more bones to the meat.
5. Appearance
Here, you should break the barriers a bit and judge the book by its cover. Quality meat should be tender, juicy, and have an acidic smell. Look out for broken bones, bruises, and discoloration. If there is any defect in the meat, leave it. Sometimes, a butcher may sell an animal that just died mysteriously to make profits. That is all the more reason to get your cuts from a butcher you can trust. Ensure that the meat is whole (fully fleshed and meaty) with no blood splashes on it.
A reputable and trusted distributor is key when it comes to meat cuts. Nonetheless, it will largely depend on the kind of meat you are interested in. Hopefully, the above few points will guide you in getting fresh, high-quality meat.