If eating healthy is one of your 2022 goals, then you should read this article; the ultimate meat checklist you need to know.

Safety is always a huge concern when shopping for meat because different kinds of bacteria can grow on animal by-products.

Your 2022 Red Meat Checklist 

One of the key factors that contribute to healthy living, is eating nutritious and hygienic food. Proper knowledge of meat quality and handling when shopping is necessary for wholesome well-being.

Read on to see what you should look out for when buying red meat! 

1. Meat Colour 

When shopping for red meat, most of us look for a nice, bright-red-looking piece of meat. But did you know that fresh meat is actually purplish in color? 

When exposed to air, meat pigments react with oxygen to form the red color we know so well. And more exposure to air makes the meat go from red to brown. Does this mean brown-colored meat is spoiled? If it’s brown, it simply means it has been exposed to oxygen. It will still be safe to eat!

Red meat should be dark in color and can vary between purple, red, and brown. 

2. Meat Texture

It is important to use senses of touch, smell, and sight when you are buying meat. Always make sure that the meat is firm to touch, and check that the packaging doesn’t have any tears, holes, or dripping liquids. It should also be cold or cool to touch and have no rotting odor.

Now, if you look closely at red meat, you will notice meat fibers. The fineness or coarseness of the fibers can tell you whether the meat is tough or tender. Coarse meat grains, with many visible muscle fibers, mean tough meat with lots of flavors. Smooth meat grains, on the other hand, mean that the meat will be tender when cooked.

If the meat is slimy or sticky, do not purchase it. This goes for all types of meat, whether you’re buying beef, lamb, or chevon.
Red meat should be firm, dense, and dry.

3. Quality of the meat

Meat with white specks 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. Meat with evident marbling is usually more expensive due to its high quality.

If you’re buying meat from stores or supermarkets, meat is often packaged and stored in a refrigerator, with the best before date. 

Best before dates have more to do with quality than food safety. The manufacturers are saying that the meat is at its best before a certain date. After that date, the meat can still be eaten, 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 date. In that way, you can refrigerate it for some days without running the risk of spoiled meat.

4. Meat Handling 

One of the ways to spot good quality meat is, by the way, it’s butchered.

If the meat looks like it’s going to fall apart, it could be due to poor handling. The muscle fibers of the meat should be tightly packed and be uniform. Look for clean cuts that are uniformly sized, and stay away from jagged-edged meat.

Be sure to observe the packaging for any sign of damage or dirt. Although it does not necessarily affect the meat quality directly, it, however, gives you an indication of how well the meat was handled. If you see dirty marks on or inside the packaging, your meat was likely handled with the same dirty hands. Also, if the package is damaged, it is most likely contaminated by outside elements.

5. Buy Meat From Meat247

Looking out for all these factors when shopping for meat can be quite tedious. Especially if meat shopping is new or foreign to you. And even if you can check off all these qualities, there is little assurance that the animal processed into meat was healthy. 

With Meat247, buying meat is a seamless and wholesome experience. To start with, you don’t have to make the ever exhausting trip to the market. Even better that you can buy meat from meat247 with total assurance that the animal processed was certified by a vet doctor to be fit for slaughter.

All you have to do is visit our website, fill in your order, make payment, and have fresh, wholesome meat right at your doorstep! Same-day delivery! 

Awesome right? Now with Meat247, shopping for meat can be fun!

You can order wholesome, vet-certified livestock here (cattle/ram/goat available) now.

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