We’ve all seen it on the shelf at the supermarket. That piece of beef that’s turned an odd colour. Or the steaks you’ve just taken home from the store are a brownish shade on the underside when your open the packaging.
Cue panic and mayhem.
So if beef has turned brown in its packaging or in the fridge, has it gone bad?
No way.
The process of oxidation can change the colour of the beef and simply opening the packet and letting it stand for 3-5 minutes can bring back that full blush of red colour you’d expect.
Check out the video to see what it looks like when beef blooms back to its original colour.
But how do you know when beef has gone bad?
What is the exact colour?
Is your beef a greenish grey colour? Its day may have come, unfortunately.
What is the texture?
Do not test this with your mouth, repeat, do not test this with your mouth. If your steak is slimy or overly sticky to the touch, it might be best to give it the flick.
What does it smell like?
Often the easiest way to tell if your beef has gone feral is to take a sniff. If there’s a distinct, pungent (read disgusting) aroma that makes you want to gag, fling it.