[Lifestyle] Tricks for storing meat to make it last longer

[Clayboy™]

 

Storing raw foods such as meat in the refrigerator is actually easy and difficult. If stored properly, the meat will last longer and stay fresh when consumed. However, if you store it the wrong way, the meat can become a breeding ground for bacteria to rot easily. So, where do we need to store meat so it doesn't go bad? Then, what are the tips for doing thawing after the meat is frozen? Reported from Real Simple, here are tips for saving meat from the founder and head butcher at Primal Supply Meats, Heather Marold Thomason.

 

Store in the fridge
According to Thomason, meat needs to be stored in tight packaging to minimize exposure to air. "Meat paper is great for refrigerating storage, because it's made to store meat for several days," says Thomason. Then if you want to freeze in butcher paper, Thomson suggests putting the meat that has been tightly wrapped in a Ziploc bag to minimize exposure and humidity. Styrofoam packaging can also be stored in the refrigerator.But if you're going to freeze it, Thomason suggests opening and wrapping it more tightly in plastic wrap or freezer paper, then sealing it in a Ziploc bag. Then if the leftover meat has been partially used, wrap it tightly. Plastic wrap is one of the best options for resealing fresh meat or for freezing leftovers. "However, never refreeze meat that has been removed from the freezer," says Thomason. According to Thomason, refreezing will reduce the quality of the meat, both in terms of texture and taste. This is due to the loss of moisture due to the process of freezing and thawing (thaw) repeatedly.

 

Freezing and thawing
Thomason believes that the best time to freeze meat in the freezer is when the meat is still fresh and the expiration date is still quite far away. Then if you want to freeze meat at the last minute of its expiration date, Thomason suggests putting a label on it to remind yourself to cook it immediately after thawing. “Use the meat in the freezer in the next few months. The less time it freezes, the better the quality and integrity,” says Thomason.Thomason also adds that generally we can store meat in the freezer for up to a yearThen about thawing, Thomason suggests that we do it gently to avoid decreasing the quality of the meat. "It's best to plan one day in advance and move the meat from the freezer to the fridge in advance," he says. Note, however, that large cuts of meat such as frozen turkey or pork shoulder may take a few days to thaw in the refrigerator. “If you forget to plan your thawing the day before, you can thaw the meat quickly in a bowl of cold water,” says Thomason. Meanwhile, for small packets of meat (about half a pound or more), the thawing process doesn't take long, about an hour.

 

However for larger packages, it can take up to two hours. “I wouldn't recommend quick defrosting if the meat is 1.3 to 1.8kg,” says Thomason. Thomason also doesn't recommend thawing in the microwave. "I totally disagree. Thawing gently and cold is the only way to protect the texture and quality of the meat," says Thomason. Also, Thomason advises against putting half-frozen meat in the oven.

 

Ensuring the freshness of the meat
When checking the freshness and safety of meat, the first thing we need to do is trust our senses and feelings. Then, remember that fresh meat should be refrigerated at 4.4 degrees Celsius or lower. After that, pay attention to the 'packed on' or 'used before' dates to make sure you're using the meat while it's fresh. the meat should be a nice, bright color (not gray), and moist and fresh to the touch (not sticky). And most importantly, trust our noses. Because rotting meat will have a pungent odor. Thomason also recommends using fresh meat wrapped in butcher paper within three to four days of purchase. “If the meat is vacuum sealed, we have to use it or freeze it within two weeks of the 'packaged on' date," he says. "The sooner you cook the meat, the fresher and tastier it will be. But time goes on. So if you can't cook it in time, wrap it tightly and freeze it to eat later. Then melt gently! " he concluded.

 

https://lifestyle.kompas.com/read/2022/05/27/172949020/trik-menyimpan-daging-agar-lebih-tahan-lama?page=1