You love grilling your own food because you know that it is fun but you have to admit that there are still so many things that you want to learn. For example, you are still not aware if the meat that you are buying is fresh or not. It can be a bit hard to know especially if you purchase the meat marinated already.
There are also some other factors that you should consider when you are purchasing such as the following:
- Quality of Meat – There are some types of meat that cost more than others because of how the animals were raised before they were slaughtered.
- Organic or Non-Organic – Everything organic is more expensive than the typical meat. Even other organic products like chestnut hair color hair dye are more expensive because organic products are known to not cause any bad effects to the body. You can try consuming purely organic products now so you can see and feel the difference.
- Types of Meat – There are various types of meat that you can find in the market. Some can be cooked immediately while there are also others that need some time before they can be fully cooked.
Now that you know some factors that will help you choose the right type of meat, there are some simple things to remember that will allow you to choose freshest meat that you can find.
The first thing that you have to do is to smell the meat. The smell will tell you if the meat is still fresh or if it already spoiled. There is a distinct smell that you can only associate with spoiled meat. It will be enough to make you turn away because that is how pungent it is.
The second thing to consider is the meat’s texture. Fresh meat is usually firm and the color is still similar to how the meat should look like. For example, red meat should look red. If the texture of the meat is already sticky or a bit slimy, this is a sign that the meat is far gone from its freshness date.
Since the color of the meat was already discussed earlier, get to know the different types of meat and their required color:
- Poultry – Bluish White to Yellow
- Pork – Grayish Pink
- Ground Beef – Purplish to Brownish Red
- Ground Pork – Dark Pink to Red
Take note that if the meat starts to turn a bit green or a greenish-brown, this is a sign that your meat will not be good for cooking anymore. You do not want your grill to be touched by spoiled meat, right? It might contaminate the other types of meat that you are going to cook.
In order to make your meat stay fresher for a longer period of time, you are recommended to place the meat in the freezer if you plan to use it in a few days. To thaw the meat, place it in the refrigerator overnight then you can cook it the next day. Most meat products can only be stored up to 5 days before they lose their freshness.
A Few Tips for Healthy Grilling
You have started to love grilling more these past few days. Grilling is considered to be healthier than frying mainly because you do not get exposed to the grease. There are also far healthier marinades now that you can use that will not make the taste of your grilled food suffer. For instance, you may substitute coconut oil for vegetable oil. You can use the coconut oil as the base for the rest of your marinade that may consist of other sauces, a dash of vinegar and some herbs.
There are some experts who say that grilling may not be as safe as people make it out to be mainly because of the carcinogens that may be due to charred meat that you sometimes get when you grill. You can make grilling healthier if you would follow these tips:
- Marinade Your Meat – Do you know that adding marinade to the food that you grill can reduce the risk of carcinogens? It seems that the marinade not only makes the food more flavorful, it also acts as a shield of the meat so that carcinogens will not wreak any havoc to it.
- Keep Your Grill Clean – It is important to use a clean grill or a smoker each time that you are going to grill so that you can get rid of the build-up of carcinogens that may have formed on your grill or smoker the last time that you have used it. At the same time, using a clean grill will make your food taste better than usual.
- Use Lean Meat – This goes without saying that lean meat is always healthier than meat that does not come with any fat. Lean meat will not cause any grease to drip to your grill that may sometimes cause flare ups. Lean meat is good meat as long as you know how to marinade properly in order to adjust its taste.
- Do not Burn Your Meat – You know that charred meat is sometimes good that you are just tempted to eat it all up but remember that this can cause problems in the long run. Burnt meat is known to cause cancer. Avoid meat from burning by knowing how to grill and smoke your meat properly. If you still burn your meat, get rid of those burnt areas before eating.
- Be Aware of the Time – Your different foods will take different times to cook well. There are some food products like shrimp and fish that do not take long to cook. Meat will take longer depending on your desired level of cooking. Well done meat may take up to 10 minutes or more depending on how thick the cut of the meat is. If you want to reduce cooking time, you may cut the meat into cubes.
One of the things that people forget whenever they grill food is to have fun. You always have different options for cooking your food. You can make something like pizza on the grill for that smoky taste or you may try grilling some fruits as well. The possibilities are endless as long as you know the healthier tips to follow when you grill.