8 Life-Changing Hacks on How to Choose a Fresh Meat
In today’s world, where it’s far too easy to get your meat from the grocery store shelf instead of directly from the farmer, it can be difficult to tell the difference between fresh and frozen meat when you are shopping at a farmers market.
This guide will show you how to spot which meat products have been picked at their peak freshness like at Farmers Market Hong Kong. These are the list of life-changing hacks so that you can avoid overpaying for frozen meat and still be able to enjoy an amazing meal from the farm. Read on below!
1) Know the Different Parts of an Animal
Every animal is made up of different parts: legs, wings, head, and neck. But knowing how each part of an animal can be used for cooking is essential if you want to buy a fresh cut of meat. Knowing where each part comes from will help narrow down your choices. For example, you probably know that lamb chops come from animals’ necks and pork chops come from their legs but do you know which parts of the chicken can be eaten? If not, you must brush up so you don’t end up with an inedible slab.
2) Understand What Each Cut Can Be Used For
When you walk into any butcher shop, it can be confusing trying to understand what each cut of meat is used for. In fact, with so many cuts and different names, it might make your head spin trying to figure out which piece is best for you and your family. However, if you know what types of cuts are available from a particular animal and how to pick out fresh meat, you’ll have an easier time shopping for healthy cuts of meat at the Farmers Market Hong Kong near you.
3) Be Nice To The Butcher
Shopping for fresh meat can be overwhelming if you’re not sure what to look for. There are lots of choices and you’ll want to try to cut your costs while buying high-quality goods. When possible, it’s always nice to visit farmers’ markets they are great places where producers sell directly to consumers.
Farmer’s market food is very often cheaper because its goods do not need any advertising, which is why their products go straight from the producer’s hand into the consumer’s stomach, skipping middlemen (i.e., grocery stores). When looking at different butcher shops and farmers’ markets, always be nice and kind to butchers because if you treat them bad they will never let you know anything about quality or price.
4) Bring Your Container
You may already be bringing your bags and containers for grocery shopping, but did you know that some stores (like Whole Foods) offer discounts if you bring your container? Not only does it help you save money, but it also eliminates unnecessary waste. When picking out meat from a fresh meat section, make sure that you purchase items with visible expiration dates.
If you don’t see an expiration date, ask for one! The general rule of thumb is two days in the refrigerator and one day in the freezer. If buying perishable food, be sure to buy enough for each meal so that it won’t go bad before use.
5) Take it Out As Soon As You Get Home
Fresh meat is best cooked as soon as possible—and no later than one day after it’s been purchased. When you get home, don’t put it in your fridge or freezer. Instead, take it out of its packaging and either clean and prepare it (see below) or cook it right away. That said, if you plan to eat some of your meat within 24 hours, make sure not to wash it first—water will break down its cell structure and cause bacteria growth. You can rinse off any fat that might be present with cold water or butcher paper instead.
6) Give It Time To Breathe
Once you’ve selected and purchased your meat if at all possible, let it sit out for about 15 minutes before cooking. (This doesn’t apply if you plan to cook something like pot roast or stew—in that case, make sure your slow cooker is at least 1/2 full.)
The purpose of allowing meat time to breathe is that it allows the juices in a piece of meat—or any food item for that matter—to distribute evenly throughout its cells. That makes them less likely to spill out when you cut into it.
7) Taste Before Cooking
Before you fire up your stove, take a bite of your raw meat. The rule goes: When in doubt, throw it out. Don’t be afraid to ask your butcher or farmer for information on where their meat comes from and how fresh it is. Even if you are purchasing from a trusted source, there’s no harm in doing everything possible to avoid food poisoning.
A few minutes of extra effort can save you hours in bed later—not to mention ruin an otherwise pleasant evening at home with friends and family. And if cooking isn’t your thing? Then don’t do it! Takeout and meal delivery services have never been better—and today’s options offer plenty of healthy choices.
8) Store Properly
The meat section of most supermarkets is akin to a game of chicken. You’re trying to avoid looking at every package until you find one that’s ready for purchase. But if you only pick up when you see sell-by dates that are still many days away, you may be passing up the perfectly good product (plus food safety laws require a ‘sell by date). Instead, take time to properly store your meat at home so that it stays safe and delicious until your next meal.
Conclusion
It’s very simple, one butcher for each cow, or at least for every animal. For example, The butchering process should be divided into many steps like cutting off the head, removing skin and connective tissue from bones then cutting up meat. Each step is managed by different people so no single person touches all parts of an animal. Another main thing which needs to be taken care of is cleanliness, fresh meat should not have any traces of any kind of antibiotics otherwise it can cause serious infection in consumers as well as in pets! Farmers Market Hong Kong provides high-quality meats free from steroids and antibiotics! Don’t forget that fruits and vegetables need also special attention when choosing them!
