It's cold, it's time to eat beef! Beef tastes very good, mainly because it is highly nutritious, and it must be eaten often in the autumn replenishment.
Although beef is delicious, when buying beef, many friends will encounter the problem of distinguishing the quality of meat. Buying the wrong beef will not only cost you money, but it will also harm your health.
In order to help you choose high-quality beef, below, I will teach you 4 characteristics that need special attention, if you find these characteristics in the butcher shop, please do not hesitate to choose another store or product immediately.
1. Abnormal color
High-quality, fresh beef, usually bright red to deep red in color, with a shiny surface. This is because the amount of myoglobin in the muscles determines the color of the flesh.
When you notice that your beef is too dull in color, or has a brown or even green hue, it is likely that it has been stored for too long or has been improperly handled.
In addition, if the meat surface is observed. The presence of a pronounced whitish phenomenon should also cause alarm, as this phenomenon may indicate: This area has suffered freeze damage, which has affected the quality of the meat.
Second, the peculiar smell is obvious
Normal raw beef should have a faint meaty smell. If it smells sour, spoiled, or otherwise unpleasant, the beef has gone bad.
It is worth noting that sometimes unscrupulous merchants will use various means to mask the true taste of stale meat, such as adding a lot of seasonings, so in addition to direct sniffing, you should also pay attention to check whether the packaging is complete, as well as the production date and other relevant information.
Third, it doesn't feel right
Touching with your hands is one of the important ways to judge the quality of beef. Fresh beef, which is elastic to the touch and can quickly return to its original shape when pressed; Stale beef will feel fluffy and weak, and even sticky to your hands.
In addition, if you feel that the surface of the meat is wet and too much water is not easy to dry, this is also an abnormal phenomenon, which may be caused by water injection or long-term soaking.
Fourth, the price is unusually low
As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for". Although there is always a desire to buy good things at a lower price, when it comes to food, especially fresh products, excessively cheap prices are often a sign of low quality.
When you see that some beef is sold for a price well below the market average, it is important to carefully consider its origin, its provenance and safety. The cost of purchasing goods through regular channels determines a reasonable price range, so when facing the temptation of low prices, we must keep a clear head and avoid being greedy for small and cheap and suffering big losses.
In the process of selecting beef, by observing the color, smelling the smell, touching the texture and considering the price, etc., you can effectively identify the difference between high-quality and low-quality products.
Once any of the above non-compliance with the standards is found, consumers are advised to decisively give up the purchase and report the suspicious situation to the relevant departments to jointly maintain the food safety environment. At the same time, you are reminded to try to choose a reputable and high-rated merchant for purchase.