Are deli meats highly processed or minimally processed?

Question

whenever I go to the deli, all I see are huge big bowling balls of meat. I wonder if this is just all natural meats rolled into a ball or something...please educate me...

Answer 1

It will depend on the meat.

Something like a Parma, or Iberian, ham is low process, but something liek a mortadella is more highly processed.

One thing you can be sure though, they will be less highly processed than the same product found in a large store, and definately of higher quality.

Answer 2

Yes, big balls and loaves are not found in Nature in those shapes. Usually deli meats are machine scraped from the bones of the animals. They also included 'offal' or guts of the animal. Everything is ground with seasonings, extenders, chemicals and spices.
Not a very pretty picture.
I go for the non-processed meats.


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Answer 3

Ask the person selling it. Then buy the REAL meat. Whole turkey, roast beef, Real chicken.The processed tasts awful. It is like eating play food. So many people now, buy GOOD brands. Cloths etc. But then they buy the absolute junk in a deli.

Answer 4

Unless you're shopping at Whole Foods or another store that sells uncured, unprocessed cold cuts, then, yep, you're getting a truckload of sodium nitrates. Most deli meats are processed with alot of salt and other liquids to try to enhance the flavor of the meat, so you also end up with each slice containing alot of water. You're better off getting a turkey breast, or roast beef, or chicken thighs and breasts, seasoning them yourself, and using them in place of deli cuts.

Answer 5

Depends on what you want, for example you should get turkey breast as opposed to turkey roll (very processed).I also go for the pricier brands for better quality including taste and texture.Some things are just worth it.

Answer 6

They're all highly processed, especially bologna, salami, etc. No getting around it I'm afraid unless you cook your own.