How to recognize a good steak ? How to judge the flesh, which can be seen behind the counter ? Has it been trimmed with red or pink light artificially for a better color? Is the pork really organic? Not an easy task with a view to find out. Mostly meat spoils bacteria by poor hygiene. Then change the smell, texture and taste. This is most clearly visible. The meat is then inedible. One can just throw away yet. With a little practice you can see fine quality shortcomings:

10 indicators for healthy, good meat have compiled the food experts from TÜV SÜD :

1. the color

It varies, depending on the breed and age of the animal. In younger animals the meat color is usually brighter than older ones. Fresh beef is dark and when it is very good, it’s slightly mottled. Fresh lamb is usually bright red and may have a slight marbling of fat. Pork is a bright and shining a little dusky pink. Fresh venison stands out with a reddish to dark brown color significantly from the other meats from. In poultry, the color can be affected by food. If , for example, fed a lot of corn, then the fat of the animals is somewhat yellower than usual.

2. The surface structure

The meat surface must look flawless, so seemingly and smooth. Caution is advised when pressure points are seen in poultry meat. In general, for all meats, the nature of the surface must never look greasy.

3. The structure of the fibration

Even with the naked eye can be seen as a rule, the amount and configuration of the coarse fibers. On one hand, they are important for the consistency of the flesh, on the other hand, too many coarse fibers are not good for the delicateness. Young bull meat (young bull is a male, not neutered animal) naturally has a coarser texture than the meat of heifers (not yet calved female animals) or steers (castrated male bovines). No type of meat must collapsed or look effeminate. If you press with your thumb on the meat should not backed down and it may also feel under no circumstances spongy.

4. The marbling

Good meat is traversed by veins like fat accumulation and usually tastes juicier and more tender than very lean meat. The finer the meat is marbled, the better the taste, because fat is the carrier of many flavors, which only develops during frying or cooking.

5. The juiciness

Whether juiciness is good or not you recognize easily at the trimming edge surfaces of sections. ‘ Floats’ the meat in its own juice, it is not a good quality, no matter whether it is packaged or open behind the counter.

6. The smell

High-quality, fresh meat smells neutral to mildly but never uncomfortable. Depending on the type of meat is the smell now and then accompanied by mild acidic components. The meat is severe, biting or sweet smells to be treated with caution.

8. The expiration date

After the expiration date no food should be sold more. This is for example very precarious in ground beef, because here there is an imminent danger to human health after a short time. Minced meat spoils quickly due to its large surface area. The offers optimal breeding ground for unwanted bacteria and molds. The use-by date should not be exceeded as possible.

9. The Packing

When packaged meat, the package must be clean and undamaged. The inside of the film should be mostly dry in vacuum-packed meat. Small droplets on the film can be an indication of inadequate cooling and when the meat has wettened the underlay, then it is usually diluted meat from Turbo breeds, from the factory farming and therefore of lower quality.

10. The storage conditions / cooling

Especially in summer, you should also pay attention to already adequate cooling during transport of the meat. The best offer coolers for doing so. Meat should always quickly come home and join in the refrigerator. Meat should therefore be kept below 7 degrees Celsius, is an ideal storage at two to four degrees. In principle, one can also freeze meat well to keep it longer. It is important to observe the optimum freezing conditions: Pork is at minus 18 degrees around 6 months, beef, and in principle valid for up to 18 months, the shorter the better. The shelf life is not given unlimited as enzymatic processes are not stopped by the freezing condition and can affect the taste .

Good meat has a value and therefore it costs more of course. Who himself wants to do good and to whom the high standards of hygiene, production quality and enjoyment are important, which should take more time in the flesh Shopping anything. Fresh meat is an animal product and not a candidate for Price intrigues. It is good to look at the meat purchase carefully!