how do you know for sure if meat has gone bad before you cook it?

Answer 1

You know meat has gone bad when its color turns from that healthy red color to that nasty gray-brown. Refrigerated meat usually begins to deteriorate after about two full days from purchase.(unless it is frozen). A sure test of meat's freshness is in its smell. If you think it is bad, give it a quick whiff. You'll know immediately if it is bad.

Answer 2

There is not really a way to tell if the meat has gone bad. Sure smell, color, n texture will tell you, but there is virus n bacteria that grow in there also that do not give their self away. Only way to be sure and this is not even 100 per-cent, is to keep it frozen till you want to use it. Do not let it thaw out overnight on top of the counter. Put it in frig overnight, use microwave on thaw setting.
If it is hamburger make sure it is cooked well. Even cooking meat well done can not guarantee a safe product. Some of the bugs can withstand that high of temp.

Answer 3

Okay...green is not always an indication of spoilage...aged beef...truly "aged" beef is very green and among some of the best tasting, most tender meat you will ever eat. There was a chop house in Detroit where you could go into the cooler and pick your own steak and they would take it to the kitchen and scrape off as much as 1/8" of "green" from each side before cooking. I used to age my strip loins for 35-45 days before cutting them into steaks and we got rave reviews for our beef. It absolutely melted in your mouth...so that theory is out the window.

If it has a greasy feel from slime or if it has a distinct odor it is spoiled...

The best rule I saw posted above.."If in doubt, throw it out." But that can get expensive if you just aren't sure what you are looking for. Alot of perfectly good meat get thrown away because people just don't know.

Another common error people make is taking the meat out of a plastic package and giving it a big whif..."Whoomp" right in the trash! Why? Because when meat is packaged in plastic especially vac-packed and even more especially if it is a bone-in product it needs time to "air-out" before you smell it. It wills almost always smell bad if it is not allowed to "breathe" for a few minutes (10-15).

My suggestion...Make a date with the head of your local market's meat department and let them give you a hands on lesson...they are usually more than happy to accomodate and educate...

Answer 4

That's a really good question! I might be tempted to look into home canning (you know, in the glass Kerr jars). I'm certainly no canning expert but I would imagine you could home can things like pasta sauce, salsa, soups, etc. I mean, if you can buy it in a glass jar with no refrigeration you ought to be able to can your own at home? If you do this do be careful and read about how to do it properly. If you don't get a perfect seal on the jars the food will spoil and you can make your hubby sick! Of course pack it carefully when you ship it! Good luck!

Answer 5

The best way to tell is to smell it. If it has a strong odor--throw it out!! Lunch meat will get a greenish-blue fluorescent color to it before it changes in smell. Whenever I buy meat, and don't cook it right away, I put it in a plastic zipper bag and write the expiration date on it with a felt marker. Remember...when in doubt--throw it out! Be safe! :)

Answer 6

The smell is the best giveaway. Also the color. Beef turns brown, chicken turns yellowish, fish stinks to high heaven. If the smell is bad, don't take a chance or you will be sitting on the pot with both fists clenched, sweating like Kevin Federline at a job interview, spray-painting the inside of your toilet like a Wagner Power Painter spraying an old garage door.

Answer 7

If meat is bad, you would barely get it to your mouth before gagging.. rotten meat naturally induces a gag reflex in people.. some that smells as awful as that will be easy to tell.

Answer 8

Smell, color, and is it sticky (like when lunchmeat starts to go bad). When in doubt -- throw it out! And never thaw meat on the counter (thaw in fridge).

Answer 9

I sniff it, and if my mouth spontaneously waters, it's ok. I'm serious, I really do judge meat this way.

Answer 10

Take a really good whiff....if something smells bad, you'll know it.