Ground Beef Changes Color

[In the Kitchen]

Could someone give me their opinion about why ground beef should change color? I have two packages of ground beef in freezer that I wanted to use today. Both were bought around same time. One from grocery store, other from butcher shop. The one from the store looks old and brown. Other looks same color as when I bought it. Did anyone else notice this difference in the meat they bought? I could understand if one was older than the other but same month.

Thanks

 

[GhettoRacingKid]

what does it look like?

usually the color changing is jsut oxidation of the meat. the one from the butcher might have had less shipping/processing time and packaged better the supermarket one.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Sounds like the butcher's wrapping materials were superior. Grocery store wrapping is not well suited for the freezer. Let it thaw..break it open, and it will (may) "bloom" when the air (oxygen) hits it...

Have Fun -- Enjoy!

 

[AllenOK]

And sometimes, the stuff from a grocery store is spritzed with an anti-oxidant chemical to keep the meat nice and red, for marketing purposes. Stuff from a butcher shop is quite possibly ground on site, and probably doesn't have any anti-oxidants included in it.

The steakhouse I worked at up in MI ground their own burger, as well as cut their own steaks from sub-primal cuts. Their volume was high enough that they had to grind about a hundred pounds of burger every other day, and it didn't have time to turn brown.

 

[Seven S]

naturally, meat is brownish, not red... it is only red when oxygen hits it.

here is a series of 8 short clips... let it play through the first clip (20 seconds), the second clip answers your question:

Videos - CHOW

 

[ChefJune]

naturally, meat is brownish, not red... it is only red when oxygen hits it.

Or when the top has been treated to appear red...

FWIW, you'll have a better product after freezing if you remove any meat from the packaging you bring it home from the store in, and rewrap in plastic wrap, then bag in the appropriate sized zip lock freezer bag.

 

[Glorie]

What does it mean if it's red on the outside and brown on the inside? That's usually what happens to mine

 

[Maverick2272]

What does it mean if it's red on the outside and brown on the inside? That's usually what happens to mine

I think it means they treated it so it would stay red on the outside, and also as stated by others the outside oxygenated but not the inside as oxygen didn't get to it.
I always remove from the grocery store wrapping and use ZipLock bags when freezing. I also 'mix' it back up before using, not that it does anything much except turn it red again, LOL, just habit I guess.
The stuff from the butcher around here is of a much higher quality and it shows in the taste.

 

[In the Kitchen]

And sometimes, the stuff from a grocery store is spritzed with an anti-oxidant chemical to keep the meat nice and red, for marketing purposes. Stuff from a butcher shop is quite possibly ground on site, and probably doesn't have any anti-oxidants included in it.

The steakhouse I worked at up in MI ground their own burger, as well as cut their own steaks from sub-primal cuts. Their volume was high enough that they had to grind about a hundred pounds of burger every other day, and it didn't have time to turn brown.

did you see the video from Seven S? The Chow guy said if meat red on inside and outside has been colored? do you believe that? I thought since he just ground the meat that it was all red.

When I bring it home from the store was I supposed to put it in freezer wrap if I didn't use that day? It was wrapped in cellophane and that may be why the change in color? But I put the butcher meat in plastic and stayed same? I am just going to continue to try to get the meat from the butcher but he is 30 minutes away. Kind of inconvenient but he sure has business.

 

[In the Kitchen]

I think it means they treated it so it would stay red on the outside, and also as stated by others the outside oxygenated but not the inside as oxygen didn't get to it.
I always remove from the grocery store wrapping and use ZipLock bags when freezing. I also 'mix' it back up before using, not that it does anything much except turn it red again, LOL, just habit I guess.
The stuff from the butcher around here is of a much higher quality and it shows in the taste.

Has anyone smelled the difference between ground beef? I do remember my mother always fixed hamburgers and the meat was red and had fresh smell. The meat from the store does not smell t he same. From butcher shop has same smell as when I was young. I just worry about hormones and other things. Don't won't to eat something that I will have t o have some kind of bad effect s from it. You are what you eat ! Do you believe that?

 

[Maverick2272]

Has anyone smelled the difference between ground beef? I do remember my mother always fixed hamburgers and the meat was red and had fresh smell. The meat from the store does not smell t he same. From butcher shop has same smell as when I was young. I just worry about hormones and other things. Don't won't to eat something that I will have t o have some kind of bad effect s from it. You are what you eat ! Do you believe that?

What I get from the butcher smells much much better. What you get from the grocery store just can't compare, it just has to travel to far and is more processed, spends more time in the case, etc.
What I get from the butcher is much fresher as it is ground that day. Or, if I go right away sometimes it was ground the night before. Plus, I think they use a higher quality fat when grinding and mixing it up.