Whether you are hosting your own event for other people to join or making a dinner at home with your family, it is important that whatever you are cooking actually tastes good. Food can ruin a good vibe, but it can also make the vibe better. If you don’t want to be the one to ruin the good moods of a party or dinner with bad choices in food preparation, then simply make smart choices about how you choose to prepare your food and where you get your food from. Cooking isn’t just about throwing a bunch of spices and ingredients together and calling it a delicious home cooked meal. Cooking deals with making the right choices about which food to incorporate, where to get your food items, and how to find the freshest of the freshest ingredients, because guaranteed if the ingredients are not fresh, no matter how much spice or sauce you soak in it, your party goers and family will definitely know something went wrong. No worries. When it comes to preparing the main attraction and entree (meat), we have you covered on all the do’s and don’ts that comes with buying the right kind of meat for the best dinner party ever.

What are the Consequences of Cooking with Meat that isn’t that Fresh?
For some people, meat is something they don’t take that serious. They see meat that has been sold at the store and assume that grabbing any type of meat is okay because they will all taste the same. Wrong. Just because the meat is being sold in the store doesn’t necessarily make it the freshest meat to consume. A lot of stores can get away with selling meat that is looking a little dull and they hope that many uninformed customers will buy them anyway because they assume that technically since it is sold in the store they all should be fresh and the best. Yes and no. You will rarely find any spoiled meat being sold at the store, but without a doubt not all the meat that is being sold at the butchers or in stores is considered fresh meat. That is why it is so beyond important that you take the time to really research the meat you are buying and what to look out for so you know you are buying the freshest choices for yourself. Once you have cooked not so fresh meat, you will instantly understand why fresh meat is so beyond important. For example, if you cook up chicken, there are times that when you attempt to cut the chicken, the chicken will be extremely chewy and difficult to cut through (trust me that texture will surely make your dinner guests disgusted). In addition, chicken that isn’t fresh and has been cooked often offers this squeaky noise when you cut through it that meat should never ever have. The chicken will often be accompanied with a very unappealing grey or dull color that will surely put off many dinner guests. Red meat is no different. Not so fresh red meat, once it has been cooked, produces a very rubbery and rough texture, has no juiciness or flavor, and is also accompanied with a very odd taste and smell, that surely will not appeal to party guests and will put an incredible damper on the fun barbecue festivities.

Do’s and Don’ts of Choosing Meat

Color
One thing you should definitely look out for when selecting the best and most fresh meat out there, is color. Color is so beyond important and is a very strong sign of really fresh meat as well as meat that has definitely run its course. Of course, color is going to be different for all meats that you buy, but one thing to look out for is a very vivid color, that doesn’t look dull in any way. For example, raw chicken should have a distinct pink looking skin and flesh. If you notice that the pink color is not as vivid or distinct or even that the meat is fading to a grey color, then this is a strong sign that the chicken has spoiled. Fresh red meat should have a distinct bright red color that is a sign that it has been treated well and is fairly recent. Any spoiled red meats tend to give off the color of a brownish looking meat rather than red. If your red meat is looking brown or dull then this demonstrates to you that the meat is not fresh at all and should be completely avoided. For the color of raw seafood, it is best to research yourself on what fresh seafood looks like since, seafood comes in many different meats and color therefore the type of color you are looking for will be dependent upon the color the meat should be in the first place. For all meats in general, keep an eye out for any discoloration. If the color looks bright and uniform without then the meat is really fresh whereas if the meat tends to show spots of discoloration than this is a sign that the meat was either handled poorly (and therefore will not Tate as good as meat handled well) or that the meat is starting to spoil.

Texture
Another great way to understand whether the meat you are purchasing is up to par or not is by checking out the texture of the meat. Texture of the meat refers to the direction of the muscle fibers within the meat. If the muscle fibers in a piece of red meat is fairly tight and uniform than this shows that the meat is incredibly fresh and ready for cooking! If the muscle fibers do not demonstrate any tightness/uniformity and instead show fibers that are very loose or uneven then this can be a sign that the red meat is not of good quality or has been handled improperly. In terms of determining whether the raw chicken is of good quality or not, it is important that you understand that fresh raw chicken should feel slimy to the touch but not overly sticky or slimy. Raw chicken should have a bit of a glossy look and feel slimy, yet if you run it under water and the chicken still feels incredibly sticky or overly squishy then this is a very strong signal that the chicken has gone completely bad. In addition, if you touch the meat, it should be cold. If the meat feels warm then you should not buy it all for this means that the product was not stored in the proper storage with the appropriate temperature. Try reading and observing for these types of qualities the next time you go meat shopping, so you know you can single out what is the freshest meat to buy.

Well Butchered Meat
Another way to determine the best meat for your next successful barbecue with friends and family is by examining the cut of the meat and how it was butchered. If meat is badly cut than this can cause some serious problems for cooking. Meat that is too thin or too thick can end up being cooked unevenly with some places that are extremely raw and some places that are incredibly dry from being overcooked. Even and well butchered cuts ensure that all your meat have the chance to be grilled properly and evenly, with the right amount of juices and heat being applied. Cuts of the same variety should be about the same size and thickness. When examining the cuts look out to see if they are smooth with no ragged edges, small bits that have been hacked up, or any parts of the meat that are incredibly uneven. These are all signs that the meat hasn’t been cut well by the butcher and will most likely give you problems when it comes to cooking and barbecuing.

Has an Odd Odor
One of the most obvious ways you can tell that meat has gone bad is the smell. It is very easy to identify odd or potent smells within meat that you know are not right by any means. For example, in chicken, if you begin to smell any sort of sour smell or scent of ammonia, then that is one sign that the chicken has completely spoiled. In red meat, if you begin to smell a very sour or foul smell then that is for sure a strong sign that the meat doesn’t smell good. Of course, at a butcher, meats for the most part will not be that spoiled, but if you do think that the smell of the shop doesn’t seem right to you than that is probably a sign that the meat being sold there is not fresh and shouldn’t be bought.

Quality Standards
Here are some more ideas of what exactly you should avoid when buying the best and most fresh meat. Aside from color and texture, be sure that your meat is free of any bruises, blood clots, bloody tissue, and blood discoloration. Discolored or dark surfaces of meat are a sign that the meat is spoiled and that can be due to dehydration, aging, or microbial oxidation. Be very careful of what is known as the enhanced poultry. Enhanced poultry has often been injected with salt water in an attempt to make it look plump. Once the salt has been injected into the meat, you cannot do anything to wash it out or off since the salt has been imposed mechanically into the meat. Salt injected meat can still be considered natural and called natural so be very important. Don’t be misled by any labels. In addition, survey your package of any punctures or tears. If you observe any holes around the packaging of the meat then you should avoid it as this is a sign of improper handling. Any meat that is accompanied with a copious amount of liquid is another red flag. Excessive liquid around the meat can demonstrated that the meat has been abused by temperature or excessive storage.

Marbling and Bone
Meat should be well marbled. Yes, mean that there are small white flecks dispersed throughout the meat. These small white flecks are fat and are considered to be very good for the meat because it offers a more juicy and tender cut of meat. Meat that doesn’t have good fat dispersed or marbling are generally known to dry out very quickly and contain a lot less flavor. In terms of determining whether you want bone in or bone out of your meat, that is a bit of tricky business. Bones are great heat conductors and at the same time are great for flavor. They are known to add more flavor to the meat than meats that are boneless. More flavorful meat and a shorter cooking time? Sounds good to me!

Hopefully this article has given you a lot more needed information on how important it is to be smart about the choices you make when it comes to the type of meat you use for cooking. One of the most important aspects of a barbecue is having a delicious BBQ meal ready for everyone to eat. It is so beyond important that you have nothing, but the freshest ingredients to incorporate in your barbecue. You don’t want to put in so much effort for a BBQ, only for the meat to not cooperate with you. When choosing the right meat for your dinner, you need to be very well educated on the right things to look for. This is the only way to ensure that all your hard work spent at the grill was perfectly worth it and the feeling of triumph will feel so overwhelmingly good. Take a little time to know what you need to look for when choosing the right meats and be picky. Picky is the way to ensure you have the most memorable barbecue that your friends and family will never forget.
How to Choose the Fresh and Best Meat

Whether you are hosting your own event for other people to join or making a dinner at home with your family, it is important that whatever you are cooking actually tastes good. Food can ruin a good vibe, but it can also make the vibe better. If you don’t want to be the one to ruin the good moods of a party or dinner with bad choices in food preparation, then simply make smart choices about how you choose to prepare your food and where you get your food from. Cooking isn’t just about throwing a bunch of spices and ingredients together and calling it a delicious home cooked meal. Cooking deals with making the right choices about which food to incorporate, where to get your food items, and how to find the freshest of the freshest ingredients, because guaranteed if the ingredients are not fresh, no matter how much spice or sauce you soak in it, your party goers and family will definitely know something went wrong. No worries. When it comes to preparing the main attraction and entree (meat), we have you covered on all the do’s and don’ts that comes with buying the right kind of meat for the best dinner party ever.

What are the Consequences of Cooking with Meat that isn’t that Fresh?
For some people, meat is something they don’t take that serious. They see meat that has been sold at the store and assume that grabbing any type of meat is okay because they will all taste the same. Wrong. Just because the meat is being sold in the store doesn’t necessarily make it the freshest meat to consume. A lot of stores can get away with selling meat that is looking a little dull and they hope that many uninformed customers will buy them anyway because they assume that technically since it is sold in the store they all should be fresh and the best. Yes and no. You will rarely find any spoiled meat being sold at the store, but without a doubt not all the meat that is being sold at the butchers or in stores is considered fresh meat. That is why it is so beyond important that you take the time to really research the meat you are buying and what to look out for so you know you are buying the freshest choices for yourself. Once you have cooked not so fresh meat, you will instantly understand why fresh meat is so beyond important. For example, if you cook up chicken, there are times that when you attempt to cut the chicken, the chicken will be extremely chewy and difficult to cut through (trust me that texture will surely make your dinner guests disgusted). In addition, chicken that isn’t fresh and has been cooked often offers this squeaky noise when you cut through it that meat should never ever have. The chicken will often be accompanied with a very unappealing grey or dull color that will surely put off many dinner guests. Red meat is no different. Not so fresh red meat, once it has been cooked, produces a very rubbery and rough texture, has no juiciness or flavor, and is also accompanied with a very odd taste and smell, that surely will not appeal to party guests and will put an incredible damper on the fun barbecue festivities.

Do’s and Don’ts of Choosing Meat

Color
One thing you should definitely look out for when selecting the best and most fresh meat out there, is color. Color is so beyond important and is a very strong sign of really fresh meat as well as meat that has definitely run its course. Of course, color is going to be different for all meats that you buy, but one thing to look out for is a very vivid color, that doesn’t look dull in any way. For example, raw chicken should have a distinct pink looking skin and flesh. If you notice that the pink color is not as vivid or distinct or even that the meat is fading to a grey color, then this is a strong sign that the chicken has spoiled. Fresh red meat should have a distinct bright red color that is a sign that it has been treated well and is fairly recent. Any spoiled red meats tend to give off the color of a brownish looking meat rather than red. If your red meat is looking brown or dull then this demonstrates to you that the meat is not fresh at all and should be completely avoided. For the color of raw seafood, it is best to research yourself on what fresh seafood looks like since, seafood comes in many different meats and color therefore the type of color you are looking for will be dependent upon the color the meat should be in the first place. For all meats in general, keep an eye out for any discoloration. If the color looks bright and uniform without then the meat is really fresh whereas if the meat tends to show spots of discoloration than this is a sign that the meat was either handled poorly (and therefore will not Tate as good as meat handled well) or that the meat is starting to spoil.

Texture
Another great way to understand whether the meat you are purchasing is up to par or not is by checking out the texture of the meat. Texture of the meat refers to the direction of the muscle fibers within the meat. If the muscle fibers in a piece of red meat is fairly tight and uniform than this shows that the meat is incredibly fresh and ready for cooking! If the muscle fibers do not demonstrate any tightness/uniformity and instead show fibers that are very loose or uneven then this can be a sign that the red meat is not of good quality or has been handled improperly. In terms of determining whether the raw chicken is of good quality or not, it is important that you understand that fresh raw chicken should feel slimy to the touch but not overly sticky or slimy. Raw chicken should have a bit of a glossy look and feel slimy, yet if you run it under water and the chicken still feels incredibly sticky or overly squishy then this is a very strong signal that the chicken has gone completely bad. In addition, if you touch the meat, it should be cold. If the meat feels warm then you should not buy it all for this means that the product was not stored in the proper storage with the appropriate temperature. Try reading and observing for these types of qualities the next time you go meat shopping, so you know you can single out what is the freshest meat to buy.

Well Butchered Meat
Another way to determine the best meat for your next successful barbecue with friends and family is by examining the cut of the meat and how it was butchered. If meat is badly cut than this can cause some serious problems for cooking. Meat that is too thin or too thick can end up being cooked unevenly with some places that are extremely raw and some places that are incredibly dry from being overcooked. Even and well butchered cuts ensure that all your meat have the chance to be grilled properly and evenly, with the right amount of juices and heat being applied. Cuts of the same variety should be about the same size and thickness. When examining the cuts look out to see if they are smooth with no ragged edges, small bits that have been hacked up, or any parts of the meat that are incredibly uneven. These are all signs that the meat hasn’t been cut well by the butcher and will most likely give you problems when it comes to cooking and barbecuing.

Has an Odd Odor
One of the most obvious ways you can tell that meat has gone bad is the smell. It is very easy to identify odd or potent smells within meat that you know are not right by any means. For example, in chicken, if you begin to smell any sort of sour smell or scent of ammonia, then that is one sign that the chicken has completely spoiled. In red meat, if you begin to smell a very sour or foul smell then that is for sure a strong sign that the meat doesn’t smell good. Of course, at a butcher, meats for the most part will not be that spoiled, but if you do think that the smell of the shop doesn’t seem right to you than that is probably a sign that the meat being sold there is not fresh and shouldn’t be bought.

Quality Standards
Here are some more ideas of what exactly you should avoid when buying the best and most fresh meat. Aside from color and texture, be sure that your meat is free of any bruises, blood clots, bloody tissue, and blood discoloration. Discolored or dark surfaces of meat are a sign that the meat is spoiled and that can be due to dehydration, aging, or microbial oxidation. Be very careful of what is known as the enhanced poultry. Enhanced poultry has often been injected with salt water in an attempt to make it look plump. Once the salt has been injected into the meat, you cannot do anything to wash it out or off since the salt has been imposed mechanically into the meat. Salt injected meat can still be considered natural and called natural so be very important. Don’t be misled by any labels. In addition, survey your package of any punctures or tears. If you observe any holes around the packaging of the meat then you should avoid it as this is a sign of improper handling. Any meat that is accompanied with a copious amount of liquid is another red flag. Excessive liquid around the meat can demonstrated that the meat has been abused by temperature or excessive storage.

Marbling and Bone
Meat should be well marbled. Yes, mean that there are small white flecks dispersed throughout the meat. These small white flecks are fat and are considered to be very good for the meat because it offers a more juicy and tender cut of meat. Meat that doesn’t have good fat dispersed or marbling are generally known to dry out very quickly and contain a lot less flavor. In terms of determining whether you want bone in or bone out of your meat, that is a bit of tricky business. Bones are great heat conductors and at the same time are great for flavor. They are known to add more flavor to the meat than meats that are boneless. More flavorful meat and a shorter cooking time? Sounds good to me!

Hopefully this article has given you a lot more needed information on how important it is to be smart about the choices you make when it comes to the type of meat you use for cooking. One of the most important aspects of a barbecue is having a delicious BBQ meal ready for everyone to eat. It is so beyond important that you have nothing, but the freshest ingredients to incorporate in your barbecue. You don’t want to put in so much effort for a BBQ, only for the meat to not cooperate with you. When choosing the right meat for your dinner, you need to be very well educated on the right things to look for. This is the only way to ensure that all your hard work spent at the grill was perfectly worth it and the feeling of triumph will feel so overwhelmingly good. Take a little time to know what you need to look for when choosing the right meats and be picky. Picky is the way to ensure you have the most memorable barbecue that your friends and family will never forget.