wff_ng_7 wrote:
>
> "Pete C." > wrote:
> > The main reason for grinding your own meats isn't so much to get the
> > exact grind or amount of fat, it's mostly a function of time. All the
> > surfaces of the meat that are exposed to the air begin to oxidize and
> > clearly once ground there is a lot more surface area exposed to this
> > oxidation. When you grind right before cooking you greatly limit this
> > oxidation.
>
> But isn't that what carbon monoxide treatment is for? ;-)
>
> I guess the carbon monoxide treatment is more aimed at controlling color, as
> it gets locked in. The meat remains saleable longer if it looks red. The
> technique is directed at whole cuts of beef though, rather than ground beef.

Yep, just color. I don't think it in any way prevents the oxidation
either since it just gets bound up in the hemoglobin and the rest of the
meat would still oxidize.

> Some ground beef isn't even sold in transparent packaging. I would have a
> problem buying one of those big "logs" of ground beef in the white plastic
> wrap with ground beef "artwork" on it, not knowing what it actually looked
> like. But I'm never buying such large quantities anyway, so it's a moot
> point.

Actually those "logs", properly "chubbs" I think would probably be
better than the regular pack ground beef, at least in terms of
oxidation. I imagine those chubbs go directly from the grinder into the
plastic "sausage casing" which should protect them from oxidation far
better than a store grind and pack where they grind 50# of meat into a
tub, then portion it onto trays and then give it a fairly loose plastic
wrap.

Pete C.

>
> --
> ( #wff_ng_7# at #verizon# period #net# )