Safety tips (for proteins)

Be safe, but waste not! If you have protein that’s been sitting in your refrigerator a few too many days, use these quick tips* to make sure it’s safe to eat.  

• To remove bad smells: Wash in a salt-water bath (or rub with salt and rinse) just before use.
• To remove small amounts of slime or film: Wash in a salt-water bath (or rub with salt and rinse) just before use.

*Consider throwing out the item if a salt-water bath does not eliminate the smell or remove the slime.

• Greenish tinted fat: Trim off beef or pork; as long as it’s just a few areas on the fat, the meat will be fine.
• Black or green meat: If there are many spots or large portions that have turned colors, throw it away. In cases like these, trimming the bad parts and washing in salt water probably won't be enough to protect you and your family from possible illness.

NOTE: If the meat tastes funy after using any one or more of these tips and after cooking, stop eating it and throw it out immediately. Don’t make yourself sick just to save a few pennies. It’s not worth it.


These are just a few tips brought to you by me, via my dad (a "butcher by trade"). What tips do you have for safely preparing and consuming meat? We'd love to hear from you!