A meaty issue

[Pregomeister]

Couple of days ago myself and the flatmate decided we wanted pasta for dinner- so off we went to get the ingredients for the following day. Now, upon opening the door to the fridge we found the one day old mutton had turned lurid green. I co worker claimed that it was because we did not put the meat in the freezer and boil it before frying. Never heard of that one! Anyone got any ideas what happened?

[harrybarracuda]

When in doubt, throw it out.

Your fridge isn't cold enough.

[nidhogg]

Couple of days ago myself and the flatmate decided we wanted pasta for dinner- so off we went to get the ingredients for the following day. Now, upon opening the door to the fridge we found the one day old mutton had turned lurid green. I co worker claimed that it was because we did not put the meat in the freezer and boil it before frying. Never heard of that one! Anyone got any ideas what happened?

I bought some apparently nice packaged lamb shanks from Tops supermarket a while ago. One day in the fridge, opened the packs up to cook, and had to throw them away - the smell was gag inducing.

I would think inventory control on meats is slight to non-existent.

[VocalNeal]

I believe meat can only be frozen once. If you don't buy it frozen, then cook it first and then freeze.

[ENT]

Green, grey or discoloured streaks on frozen meat, may be just oxidation, but if on thawing, it smells, chuck it out.

[Headworx]

I bought some apparently nice packaged lamb shanks from Tops supermarket a while ago. One day in the fridge, opened the packs up to cook, and had to throw them away - the smell was gag inducing.

Nidhogg while I'm sorry to hear that, I also feel a bit better now knowing I'm not the only one to have been thru this. Twice in the last 2 weeks I've had to bin legs of lamb that were off as soon as they came out of the cryovac wrappers and smelled rancid, 1 from Macro and 1 from Big C. Both were thawed out ready for the oven and looked fine when I got them. I've always bought them like that in the past and had never had a problem, can only assume they've been thawed/re-frozen a few times or have been sitting in the supermarket fridges for way too long. Pointless taking them back obviously, these brain dead numpties would only say "not my fault" and hope you go away...

Anyway, lesson learned. I'm only buying frozen lamb now.

[Maanaam]

One day old, no. It was one day out of the shop. But how long in the shop, how long at the wholesaler and how long from the abattoir. If it was packaged, it should have a date it was packaged and an expiry date. If it was fresh from a butcher's window, I'd take it back as they should not be selling meat so close to being off.
The main reason meat goes off is poor handling at some stage.
That stage may have been after the shop! How long did it sit in the car and then on your kitchen bench before you got it into the fridge? If it was not packaged, did you handle it before refrigerating?
And, as has been mentioned, c how cold is your fridge?

[stroller]

I would think inventory control on meats is slight to non-existent.

Depends on the supermarket.

[Pregomeister]

Brownouts are very common where I live. I suspect that it happened when I was at work. Thanks for all the ideas go- I suppose anything is possible.

[Maanaam]

I bought some apparently nice packaged lamb shanks from Tops supermarket a while ago. One day in the fridge, opened the packs up to cook, and had to throw them away - the smell was gag inducing.

Nidhogg while I'm sorry to hear that, I also feel a bit better now knowing I'm not the only one to have been thru this. Twice in the last 2 weeks I've had to bin legs of lamb that were off as soon as they came out of the cryovac wrappers and smelled rancid, 1 from Macro and 1 from Big C. Both were thawed out ready for the oven and looked fine when I got them. I've always bought them like that in the past and had never had a problem, can only assume they've been thawed/re-frozen a few times or have been sitting in the supermarket fridges for way too long. Pointless taking them back obviously, these brain dead numpties would only say "not my fault" and hope you go away...

Anyway, lesson learned. I'm only buying frozen lamb now.

That's a crying shame. And an expensive waste.
I wonder if the smell was from the slime that occurs inside the wrapper, and if the meat itself was ok. A good wash under the tap to rinse away the smelly slime, and you might have found an ok joint.
If it happens again, try washing it, and you can also trim the fell off, the fell being the papery "skin" type tissue that covers the muscle.

Chicken meat and fish for some reason goes bad all the way through, but lamb and beef go bad slowly from the outside, so you can often trim the bad bits off lamb and beef, but not chicken or fish.

Oh, and if your next one is a frozen one, defrost very slowly in the fridge (24 hours) and only leave it out to come to room temperature a couple of hours before it's supposed to go into the oven. That bringing to room temp is important for moistness and tenderness, but don't let it stay out for too long.

[Headworx]

That's a crying shame. And an expensive waste.

About 2200 Baht worth, not counting the 500 Baht x 2 for a Pizza delivery to ease the disappointment.

I wonder if the smell was from the slime that occurs inside the wrapper, and if the meat itself was ok. A good wash under the tap to rinse away the smelly slime, and you might have found an ok joint.

No it was completely off mate, no mistaking that smell and no way would anyone have bothered cleaning it to see if it came good. The smell on both occasions was so rancid I triple bagged the joints and took them straight to the bin by the elevators. And the smell still lingered in the condo for a few hours after .

Oh, and if your next one is a frozen one, defrost very slowly in the fridge (24 hours) and only leave it out to come to room temperature a couple of hours before it's supposed to go into the oven. That bringing to room temp is important for moistness and tenderness, but don't let it stay out for too long.

Good advice and that's what I do with roast Pork. The exception being Beef and Lamb, once the meat is room temp on the outside (about 40 mins after coming out of the fridge) is the time I put it in the oven. The center of the joint will still be chilled of course, but if medium-rare is your goal that's not a bad thing. Then there's the importance of resting the meat under loose tin foil for at least 20 mins etc and now I have to go buy another fucking leg of Lamb because that's 2 weeks without eating one now

[harrybarracuda]

You should have made a ruby murray with it mate.

They were invented to cover up rancid meat.

[nidhogg]

I wonder if the smell was from the slime that occurs inside the wrapper, and if the meat itself was ok. A good wash under the tap to rinse away the smelly slime, and you might have found an ok joint.

No it was completely off mate, no mistaking that smell and no way would anyone have bothered cleaning it to see if it came good.

Cough. I did actually try. Come on - it was lamb shank!!!!

And yes, it did f*ck all good.

And yes, the smell did linger for a curiously long time...

[thaimeme]

I would think inventory control on meats is slight to non-existent.

Depends on the supermarket.

.....and depends on the type of meat that is usually exported, which can be suspect.

Buy local.

[Maanaam]

I bought a bag of frozen Australian T-bones from Makro.
I tend to think they were cut up here as they were less than 1 cm thick. Very difficult, or nigh on impossible, to get brown on the outside and rare in the middle with such thin steaks.

Just a word to the wise for T-bones: On one side of the "T" is what, if butchered differently would be sirloin. On the other, fillet. Don't buy T-bones that have a tiny side. You're missing out on the fillet. A good T-bone has lots of mass on both sides.

And of course they should be thick so as to brown outside but not overcook inside.

[Headworx]

.....and depends on the type of meat that is usually exported, which can be suspect.

Buy local.

Ever seen Thai lamb for sale in supermarkets?. Of course not, but you just had to display your stupidity.

Fuck off Jeff.

[Eliminator]

If it's your problem EVERY time that you buy LAMB, then I would suggest OPENING the package at the STORE. If it stinks then, don't buy it. Buy your pork, beef or whatever and cut into usable portions and then FREEZE. Do NOT take a big piece of ANY kind of meat and then let it thaw and REFREEZE.

[stroller]

Ever seen Thai lamb for sale in supermarkets?

That was the point.

[thaimeme]

Ever seen Thai lamb for sale in supermarkets?

That was the point.

Yep.....

[Troy]

The Op needs to know his mutton from his lamb and, more importantly, a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing...

That aside, I have only ever bought NZ frozen lamb (leg and shoulder) from Makro and it has been superb every time (even if I say so myself).

[Headworx]

Ever seen Thai lamb for sale in supermarkets?

That was the point.

And my point was, to buy local means never eating lamb again. Jeff might be able to survive on local buffalo and rat meat that's never seen refridgeration, most of us have no need to.

[BaitongBoy]

Please don't eat the buffalo...The board's in enough trouble...