What to do if the beef tastes a bit off

Meat is high in nutrients and very beneficial to health, so we often have some meat in our homes. Among other meats, beef, especially cooked beef, can be kept relatively long, but it will also change its taste over time. Beef is quite expensive, and if it has just gone bad, most people would be reluctant to throw it away. So, what should we do if the beef tastes a little bit off? Let’s take a look at the method below.

How to tell if meat is spoiled

Surface stickiness

The surface of fresh meat is slightly dry or moist, the cut surface is slightly damp, and it feels oily but not sticky. When the meat goes bad, due to the massive growth of microorganisms, sticky metabolic products are produced, causing the surface of the meat to become sticky and even stringy. A sticky surface on meat is a sign that spoilage has begun.

Elasticity deteriorates

Fresh meat has a firm and elastic texture, and will immediately return to its original shape when pressed with a finger. The longer the meat is stored, the more the protein and fat in it will be broken down by enzymes and the muscle fibers will be destroyed, so the meat will lose its original elasticity. The indentation left by pressing with the finger will not only fail to fully recover, but may even leave marks.

Raw meat color

The skin of poultry is light yellow or white, and the meat is white with a hint of red. As the storage time increases, the meat color will gradually turn reddish brown due to the oxidation of myoglobin. The darker the color, the less edible it is. When the surface of the meat turns gray or gray-green, or even has white or black spots, it means that the microorganisms have produced a large amount of metabolic products, and such meat cannot be eaten.

Soup base color

When fresh meat is cooked, the broth is transparent and a large amount of oil droplets gather on the surface of the soup. The protein in the spoiled meat is broken down by microorganisms, producing many low-level metabolites that are scattered in the soup, causing the broth to be turbid and with almost no oil droplets on the soup surface.

Beef storage method

If the beef is eaten within two days, it can be stored in the refrigerator. 2. If there is a large amount of meat, it is best to cut the beef into small pieces and store it in the freezer. Take out a small piece and thaw it each time you eat it. Generally speaking, frozen beef tastes slightly worse than refrigerated beef. 3. You can also make beef into braised beef. Because it contains salt, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.