Serious question about enhanced meat and an apology.

Mo-Dave

Mo-Dave

Quintessential Chatty Farker
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
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Hurrican...
I should probably have made this two different topics but I feel bad and need to apologies for a comment I made in a previous post. After reading it I realized how condescending it sounded of me and I am sure others here may have viewed it that way. It was a reference I made about, "no such thing as bad/tough meat just cooks that don't know how to prepare it". This just did not come out as I had intended and was not directed at anyone, just a stupid statement on my part and I have not felt right about it. Please accept my apology.

Just to show you, I don't think I know all there is to know about meat or any food for that matter, I have a question about enhanced meat.

I know when I want to make a pastrami I will soak and rinse the corned beef repeatedly to remove a lot of the salt same goes for buckboard bacon. My question, could I do the same with enhanced meat to remove at least some of the solution. for instance like a previous post talks about ribs tasting hammy because of the solution injected, could this procedure work for that as well?

I can't personally remember any enhanced meat tasting like that but I do worry about the salt content and how I use my rub on them. Any thoughts on doing this.
Dave
 
Yes, soaking will remove additional sodium, not all of it though. I suppose the issue is can enhanced meat be avoided or not. I suspect that at a certain price point, it cannot be avoided, as sodium is such a good tool for extending the meat's shelf life.
 
There are different levels of enhanced meat. I have purchased ribs that were enhanced "up to 8-percent" and I didn't notice any difference. I've also cooked pork that was enhanced "up to 15-percent" and I did notice a minor change in texture.

As for soaking it out, I don't know if it would help, even if it worked. It depends if the changes in the meat happen before or during cooking of the enhanced meat, if that makes any sense.

CD
 
I was buying some ribs and butts this weekend and noticed it said nothing about being enhanced. So I assumed it's not 'enhanced'. But then, to CDs point about the different levels of enhancement, is there a certain amount of enhancement (sodium/water) that can be done without labeling the meat as enhanced? Just wondering.
 
landarc said:
Yes, soaking will remove additional sodium, not all of it though. I suppose the issue is can enhanced meat be avoided or not. I suspect that at a certain price point, it cannot be avoided, as sodium is such a good tool for extending the meat's shelf life.
Click to expand...

For me, I can't remember the last time I came across ribs, brisket, pork butt or chicken along with many other meats that were not enhanced unless I buy from a butcher shop doing its own butchering. As said I have never encountered an off taste with these but do worry about excessive amounts of salt and thought about soaking and rinsing for that reason and not so much taste.

Now lets throw the subject of organic products in the mix. It would seem, due to pour government regulation, organic does not in most cases really mean organic but it can be labeled as such. Ok I just put that out for a heads up to those that think they are getting the real deal, even if bought from a local farm.
Dave
 
I don't remember seeing more than 12 % and don't know what % can be used with out it being on the label or if it has to be on the label no matter how much is used. Maybe someone in the industry can address this.
Dave
 
According to the USDA fact sheet it has to be labeled regardless of the %. Best advice is that if you're meat has an ingredient list than it has been modified to some extent by the producer.
 
While it will remove some of the sodium the texture will still be Mush. Much easier to let the retailer know he can keep it and why and go else where.
 
Dave,

I've had really bad luck getting enhance meat to be like unenhanced; even soaking... The only ribs/butts I've ever had close were Smithfields with a red label "All Natural". Not ANY of their others, just the "All Natural". They weren't terrible. I rinse the butts, and I soak the ribs overnight in AJ, water, and woosy....

Now I pretty much get them from a local butcher, fresh.
 
Mo-Dave said:
I don't remember seeing more than 12 % and don't know what % can be used with out it being on the label or if it has to be on the label no matter how much is used. Maybe someone in the industry can address this.
Dave
Click to expand...

I've seen some Smithfield brand stuff labeled 25%...
 
Farmland, Tyson both can be pretty high on the percentage also. We've been finding a few unenhanced spares, not BBs though. As mentioned if it is part of the process, it must be listed. When I cook high percentage numbers, I season within an hour of cooking and lessen the hamminess effect. Ones with a salty rub will have that over brined effect when rub is left on for longer periods of time. Steve.
 
Bludawg said:
While it will remove some of the sodium the texture will still be Mush. Much easier to let the retailer know he can keep it and why and go else where.
Click to expand...

I wonder if you let them sit in a fridge and air dry for what ever time it took, would they firm up and not be as mushy. Just thinking out load.
Dave
 
I've been thinking that for those without access to non-enhanced meat it may be best to make rubs without salt. That way you can add your spices with the same generosity that you normally would and adjust the salt used based on the amount of enhancement.
 
Mo-Dave said:
For me, I can't remember the last time I came across ribs, brisket, pork butt or chicken along with many other meats that were not enhanced unless I buy from a butcher shop doing its own butchering. As said I have never encountered an off taste with these but do worry about excessive amounts of salt and thought about soaking and rinsing for that reason and not so much taste.

Now lets throw the subject of organic products in the mix. It would seem, due to pour government regulation, organic does not in most cases really mean organic but it can be labeled as such. Ok I just put that out for a heads up to those that think they are getting the real deal, even if bought from a local farm.
Dave
Click to expand...

That's right. Twenty years ago I owned a large (20,000 s.f.) health food store. We were very diligent about our organics, including meat. The government wasn't involved in "certifying" then. Now, the government's certified organics are NOTHING like what we sold in the day ... not even close.
 
On the other hand, at least around hee, many of the products are produced by growers who put their name behind their produce and meats, that you can actually go and meet them and see their operations. Often they use seperate certifying organizations to prove their worth.

In a lot of ways, it is easier than ever for me to get good clean foods.
 
pueblo said:
That's right. Twenty years ago I owned a large (20,000 s.f.) health food store. We were very diligent about our organics, including meat. The government wasn't involved in "certifying" then. Now, the government's certified organics are NOTHING like what we sold in the day ... not even close.
Click to expand...

I am not totally up on it. It seems there are several different levels of what can allow a product to be labeled organic, from completely organic or just some small procedure taken, that will allows the producer to label it organic. Most see organic and never realize it is not as organic as they are led to believe
Dave
 
Once the USDA got involved there were two things that really changed.

1. The term organic on food became regulated, and for the first time, it became clear what the label meant, if you were willing to study it.

2. What became clear, was that large companies were able to influence what was not to be considered 'organic' and some loopholes were put in that allowed non-organic methods, which allowed for larger scale factory farming to occur.
 
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