If you've ever gone to a butcher looking for something to grill up quickly on the BBQ before your pals come over, you know
that it can be an exciting and confusing experience.
There are so many different cuts and even varieties of meat available nowadays; it's enough to work a vegetarian into a
fury.
The thing is, there's more to selecting meat than meets the eye. It's all well and good to say that you want the best steak
available for the grill, but some steaks cook better over high heat, while others should be cooked slowly at a low
temperature. Should you buy your meat with the bone(s) in and skin on, or should you ask the butcher to trim off all the
fat and bones?
Without further ado, here are 10 tips for buying meat.
1. The right cut
When it comes to beef, one of the most important things to look for is the cut, or what part of the cow the meat is from.
Not all cuts are created equal; luxury cuts of beef -- and pork, for that matter -- usually come from the back of the
animal, like the rump, rib and loin. They are usually a lot more tender than working cuts of meat that come from the front,
like the shoulder, leg and flank. And since the luxury cuts make up a much smaller proportion of the animal, they are
usually in high demand and come at a higher price.
When you're comparing luxury and working cuts, there are a few more points to keep in mind. First off, luxury cuts are
usually best cooked quickly over high heat. Working cuts, on the other hand, are usually much tougher and can be quite
chewy if they're not cooked long enough. These are the cuts you should cook in the "low and slow" style.
Set the heat low and leave your meat to cook for a few hours. You may also want to marinade your working cuts for a few
hours before cooking them to help break down the natural fibers a bit more, which will make the meat even more tender.
There are some key words to look for when choosing your cut. Anything labeled "marinating" or "stewing" beef is a working
cut. The same holds for "top round," "bottom round" and "top sirloin." Expect to cook these cuts for a long time. On the
other hand, anything labeled "grilling" steak, "tenderloin," "porterhouse," "rib eye" or "T-bone" can be considered a luxury
cut. Cook these fast and high.
Cool fact: Talk about your luxury cuts of meat: Kobe beef, imported from Japan, costs as much as $300 per pound. Why?
The cows get regular massages and are fed beer as part of their diet to keep the meat rich and flavorful.
Choosing between bone-in and bone-out, saving money on meat, and how to determine the right amount of marbling..
2. Bone-in or bone-out?
Whether you choose to keep your meat on the bone or go for a filleted cut is a matter of personal preference, but bone-in
or bone-out, there are still a few things to keep in mind.
First off, bones are excellent heat conductors; they help radiate heat through the meat, resulting in a quicker cooking
time. What's more, some chefs will tell you that meat with the bone in has a better, more intense flavor than filleted meat.
Meat on the bone can also be a good buy. For one, it requires less preparation by the butcher, so it usually costs less per
pound. Also, if you're feeling industrious, you can boil up your bones with some vegetables and spices and you'll have the
beginnings of a good soup stock.
On the other hand, it can be a hassle to trim meat off the bone. Again, it all comes down to personal preference.
Cool fact: Bone marrow -- the soft, spongy tissue at the center of a bone -- used to be considered a tasty delicacy, but
has fallen off the table, so to speak, as a popular food item. In fact, these days, chefs use marrow as a flavoring for
stock or soup, and not much else. Too bad: Marrow is an excellent source of protein and is high in monounsaturated fat,
which is said to help reduce the risk of heart attacks.
3. Service please!
One of the best ways to save money on a piece of meat without compromising quality is to ask for less service -- a
butcher's term for how much effort went into preparing a piece of meat.
As a rule, the less effort a butcher puts into readying a piece of meat -- removing the skin, removing the bone, tying it
together, slicing it up -- the less expensive it will be per pound. Stop for a moment and compare the price per pound of
boneless, skinless chicken breast versus a breast with the bone in and skin on; you pay a lot more for the former.
Cool fact: It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employees working in
meatpacking plants had one of the highest rates of work-related injuries and illnesses in 2002: nearly one in seven.
Reported injuries ranged from repetitive strain injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome, to amputation.
4. Using your senses, Part 1: Marbling
Since we've always been told that fat is bad, a lot of people make the mistake of looking for the leanest cut possible, or
the cut with the least amount of fat, when buying meat. And while I'm not here to tell you that a bowlful of lard is a
good, healthy breakfast, a little bit of fat on your meat actually goes a long way. In fact, when it comes to meat, fat
equals flavor.
With luxury cuts of beef in particular, you should choose a piece that has nice flecks of white fat throughout; this is called
marbling. A well-marbled piece of beef, pork or lamb will baste itself during the cooking process and the meat will stay
moist, juicy and tender. Ultra-lean cuts of meat can dry out if they're not basted, so think of a well-marbled piece as
self-basting.
But as much as marbling is a good thing, make sure your piece of meat isn't all fat. Look for flecks of fat, not big streaks,
and be careful not to confuse fat with gristle -- an animal's connective tissue -- which isn't in any way similar, as it is
usually not evenly distributed, comes in heavier strands, and is chewy and downright nasty.
Cool fact: Got an ultra-lean cut of meat that you're ready to throw on the grill? Butter it up first; as it melts, a little pat of
butter will give any meat a great flavor and add some much-needed fat to keep it moist.
Using your other senses to determine the quality of meat and what the different grades of meat actually mean..
5. Using your senses, Part 2: Smell
It may sound obvious, but if it smells bad, don't buy it. Each type of meat has its own distinct smell, but different cuts of
the same meat should smell similar. Anything that smells rancid or funky should be avoided at all costs. Any butcher worth
his salt will let you smell and touch the cuts of meat before you buy them; if he doesn't, he may have something to hide.
Cool fact: You can buy meat-scented air fresheners. They come in two flavors: bacon and grilled meat. Buy both for
$4.99. No kidding. The Internet is truly a bizarre place.
6. Using your senses, Part 3: Firmness
Play with your meat before you buy it. Give it a poke. Good, fresh meat should be firm, not tough or soft. It should give a
little under pressure, but still retain its shape. Anything that doesn't spring back when you poke it or is too hard to poke
may have been sitting on the shelf for too long. Stay away.
Cool fact: The best way to test your meat to see if it's cooked is with your finger. Poke the fleshy part of your palm,
below your thumb; that's a good indicator of the firmness of raw meat. Fold down your index finger and poke again: that's
how rare beef should feel. Two fingers for medium rare, three for medium, and four for well done.
7. Using your senses, Part 4: Color
Many people mistake color for a key indicator of the quality of a cut of meat; in fact, it's usually the consumer's number
one determining factor when buying meat. It's true that color is an important factor, but it's not the be all and end all.
When it comes to beef, look for a piece that's dark red or cherry red; this is usually the best indication that the meat was
packaged and frozen shortly after being cut. Avoid beef that's turning brown since that usually means it's been sitting for
a longer period of time.
Look for pink chicken and pork, and stay away from either meat if it's gray.
Color aside, you can verify freshness by looking for the "packaged on" or "best before" date.
Cool fact: When it's first cut, beef's color is closer to violet than the traditional cherry red we're familiar with. The meat
begins to turn red shortly after being cut when proteins inside the meat begin to react with oxygen molecules.
8. Making the grade
One of the other ways to select cuts of meat is through the grading system, which is just another way to give you an idea
of what's good and what's for the dogs.
The USDA offers eight different grades of beef, from "prime" at the top of the chain, through "choice," "select," "standard,"
"commercial," "utility," "cutter," and "canner." The most widely available USDA grades in supermarkets are choice and
select; prime is most often used in hotels and restaurants. Standard and commercial grades are usually sold as "ungraded"
meat or in brand-name packages, while utility, cutter and canner are typically used for ground beef or hot dogs.
The grading system for lamb, poultry and pork, and the right portion sizes and quantities of meat to buy..
9. Portion sizes
Avoid packing on the pounds by buying smaller portions. People usually overestimate the quantity of meat they need;
according to nutritionists, a portion of meat for an adult should be about the size of a deck of cards, or your fist. You can
-- and should -- always supplement your meat with vegetables and some whole grains to balance your meal.
Cool fact: Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's smash hit 2004 documentary, Super Size Me, cost $65,000 to produce and, to
date, has grossed more than $17.7 million worldwide.
10. Is bigger better?
Finally, when you're buying meat, you want to be careful not to fall into the trap of buying huge quantities at one time
. Sure, it can be economical to buy a few servings of ground beef, but if someone offers you a great deal on a side of beef, be aware of what you're getting into.
For one, you need a lot of space to keep this meat and your deep freezer in the basement isn't a good option. Meat
usually has to be frozen quickly and kept at about 0 Fahrenheit. Also, not all meat keeps for long periods of time. Securely
wrapped and frozen at 0, beef can keep for up to a year. Ground beef and pork, though, will keep only for about six
months, and smoked meats lose their quality after about six to eight weeks.
Finally, butchers usually estimate that they lose between a quarter and a third of the carcass in boning and trimming, so
count on losing a good portion when you're buying a carcass.
Cool fact: Slow freezing a piece of meat causes damage to the meat fibers, as cells rupture and large ice crystals form
within the meat. Meat frozen slowly will lose more juices when thawed than a cut that's frozen quickly.
that it can be an exciting and confusing experience.
There are so many different cuts and even varieties of meat available nowadays; it's enough to work a vegetarian into a
fury.
The thing is, there's more to selecting meat than meets the eye. It's all well and good to say that you want the best steak
available for the grill, but some steaks cook better over high heat, while others should be cooked slowly at a low
temperature. Should you buy your meat with the bone(s) in and skin on, or should you ask the butcher to trim off all the
fat and bones?
Without further ado, here are 10 tips for buying meat.
1. The right cut
When it comes to beef, one of the most important things to look for is the cut, or what part of the cow the meat is from.
Not all cuts are created equal; luxury cuts of beef -- and pork, for that matter -- usually come from the back of the
animal, like the rump, rib and loin. They are usually a lot more tender than working cuts of meat that come from the front,
like the shoulder, leg and flank. And since the luxury cuts make up a much smaller proportion of the animal, they are
usually in high demand and come at a higher price.
When you're comparing luxury and working cuts, there are a few more points to keep in mind. First off, luxury cuts are
usually best cooked quickly over high heat. Working cuts, on the other hand, are usually much tougher and can be quite
chewy if they're not cooked long enough. These are the cuts you should cook in the "low and slow" style.
Set the heat low and leave your meat to cook for a few hours. You may also want to marinade your working cuts for a few
hours before cooking them to help break down the natural fibers a bit more, which will make the meat even more tender.
There are some key words to look for when choosing your cut. Anything labeled "marinating" or "stewing" beef is a working
cut. The same holds for "top round," "bottom round" and "top sirloin." Expect to cook these cuts for a long time. On the
other hand, anything labeled "grilling" steak, "tenderloin," "porterhouse," "rib eye" or "T-bone" can be considered a luxury
cut. Cook these fast and high.
Cool fact: Talk about your luxury cuts of meat: Kobe beef, imported from Japan, costs as much as $300 per pound. Why?
The cows get regular massages and are fed beer as part of their diet to keep the meat rich and flavorful.
Choosing between bone-in and bone-out, saving money on meat, and how to determine the right amount of marbling..
2. Bone-in or bone-out?
Whether you choose to keep your meat on the bone or go for a filleted cut is a matter of personal preference, but bone-in
or bone-out, there are still a few things to keep in mind.
First off, bones are excellent heat conductors; they help radiate heat through the meat, resulting in a quicker cooking
time. What's more, some chefs will tell you that meat with the bone in has a better, more intense flavor than filleted meat.
Meat on the bone can also be a good buy. For one, it requires less preparation by the butcher, so it usually costs less per
pound. Also, if you're feeling industrious, you can boil up your bones with some vegetables and spices and you'll have the
beginnings of a good soup stock.
On the other hand, it can be a hassle to trim meat off the bone. Again, it all comes down to personal preference.
Cool fact: Bone marrow -- the soft, spongy tissue at the center of a bone -- used to be considered a tasty delicacy, but
has fallen off the table, so to speak, as a popular food item. In fact, these days, chefs use marrow as a flavoring for
stock or soup, and not much else. Too bad: Marrow is an excellent source of protein and is high in monounsaturated fat,
which is said to help reduce the risk of heart attacks.
3. Service please!
One of the best ways to save money on a piece of meat without compromising quality is to ask for less service -- a
butcher's term for how much effort went into preparing a piece of meat.
As a rule, the less effort a butcher puts into readying a piece of meat -- removing the skin, removing the bone, tying it
together, slicing it up -- the less expensive it will be per pound. Stop for a moment and compare the price per pound of
boneless, skinless chicken breast versus a breast with the bone in and skin on; you pay a lot more for the former.
Cool fact: It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employees working in
meatpacking plants had one of the highest rates of work-related injuries and illnesses in 2002: nearly one in seven.
Reported injuries ranged from repetitive strain injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome, to amputation.
4. Using your senses, Part 1: Marbling
Since we've always been told that fat is bad, a lot of people make the mistake of looking for the leanest cut possible, or
the cut with the least amount of fat, when buying meat. And while I'm not here to tell you that a bowlful of lard is a
good, healthy breakfast, a little bit of fat on your meat actually goes a long way. In fact, when it comes to meat, fat
equals flavor.
With luxury cuts of beef in particular, you should choose a piece that has nice flecks of white fat throughout; this is called
marbling. A well-marbled piece of beef, pork or lamb will baste itself during the cooking process and the meat will stay
moist, juicy and tender. Ultra-lean cuts of meat can dry out if they're not basted, so think of a well-marbled piece as
self-basting.
But as much as marbling is a good thing, make sure your piece of meat isn't all fat. Look for flecks of fat, not big streaks,
and be careful not to confuse fat with gristle -- an animal's connective tissue -- which isn't in any way similar, as it is
usually not evenly distributed, comes in heavier strands, and is chewy and downright nasty.
Cool fact: Got an ultra-lean cut of meat that you're ready to throw on the grill? Butter it up first; as it melts, a little pat of
butter will give any meat a great flavor and add some much-needed fat to keep it moist.
Using your other senses to determine the quality of meat and what the different grades of meat actually mean..
5. Using your senses, Part 2: Smell
It may sound obvious, but if it smells bad, don't buy it. Each type of meat has its own distinct smell, but different cuts of
the same meat should smell similar. Anything that smells rancid or funky should be avoided at all costs. Any butcher worth
his salt will let you smell and touch the cuts of meat before you buy them; if he doesn't, he may have something to hide.
Cool fact: You can buy meat-scented air fresheners. They come in two flavors: bacon and grilled meat. Buy both for
$4.99. No kidding. The Internet is truly a bizarre place.
6. Using your senses, Part 3: Firmness
Play with your meat before you buy it. Give it a poke. Good, fresh meat should be firm, not tough or soft. It should give a
little under pressure, but still retain its shape. Anything that doesn't spring back when you poke it or is too hard to poke
may have been sitting on the shelf for too long. Stay away.
Cool fact: The best way to test your meat to see if it's cooked is with your finger. Poke the fleshy part of your palm,
below your thumb; that's a good indicator of the firmness of raw meat. Fold down your index finger and poke again: that's
how rare beef should feel. Two fingers for medium rare, three for medium, and four for well done.
7. Using your senses, Part 4: Color
Many people mistake color for a key indicator of the quality of a cut of meat; in fact, it's usually the consumer's number
one determining factor when buying meat. It's true that color is an important factor, but it's not the be all and end all.
When it comes to beef, look for a piece that's dark red or cherry red; this is usually the best indication that the meat was
packaged and frozen shortly after being cut. Avoid beef that's turning brown since that usually means it's been sitting for
a longer period of time.
Look for pink chicken and pork, and stay away from either meat if it's gray.
Color aside, you can verify freshness by looking for the "packaged on" or "best before" date.
Cool fact: When it's first cut, beef's color is closer to violet than the traditional cherry red we're familiar with. The meat
begins to turn red shortly after being cut when proteins inside the meat begin to react with oxygen molecules.
8. Making the grade
One of the other ways to select cuts of meat is through the grading system, which is just another way to give you an idea
of what's good and what's for the dogs.
The USDA offers eight different grades of beef, from "prime" at the top of the chain, through "choice," "select," "standard,"
"commercial," "utility," "cutter," and "canner." The most widely available USDA grades in supermarkets are choice and
select; prime is most often used in hotels and restaurants. Standard and commercial grades are usually sold as "ungraded"
meat or in brand-name packages, while utility, cutter and canner are typically used for ground beef or hot dogs.
The grading system for lamb, poultry and pork, and the right portion sizes and quantities of meat to buy..
9. Portion sizes
Avoid packing on the pounds by buying smaller portions. People usually overestimate the quantity of meat they need;
according to nutritionists, a portion of meat for an adult should be about the size of a deck of cards, or your fist. You can
-- and should -- always supplement your meat with vegetables and some whole grains to balance your meal.
Cool fact: Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's smash hit 2004 documentary, Super Size Me, cost $65,000 to produce and, to
date, has grossed more than $17.7 million worldwide.
10. Is bigger better?
Finally, when you're buying meat, you want to be careful not to fall into the trap of buying huge quantities at one time
. Sure, it can be economical to buy a few servings of ground beef, but if someone offers you a great deal on a side of beef, be aware of what you're getting into.
For one, you need a lot of space to keep this meat and your deep freezer in the basement isn't a good option. Meat
usually has to be frozen quickly and kept at about 0 Fahrenheit. Also, not all meat keeps for long periods of time. Securely
wrapped and frozen at 0, beef can keep for up to a year. Ground beef and pork, though, will keep only for about six
months, and smoked meats lose their quality after about six to eight weeks.
Finally, butchers usually estimate that they lose between a quarter and a third of the carcass in boning and trimming, so
count on losing a good portion when you're buying a carcass.
Cool fact: Slow freezing a piece of meat causes damage to the meat fibers, as cells rupture and large ice crystals form
within the meat. Meat frozen slowly will lose more juices when thawed than a cut that's frozen quickly.