Recipes

[RinaRina]

I buy my steaks at one of the discount membership markets.

On Sunday, I bought some Ribeye with a "sell by" date of Dec 2.  I opened them last nite (Dec.1).

Throught the cellophane, the tops of the steaks were red, but when I removed them from the wrapping the bottoms were dark brown.

I've never see this before.

Are they still good?

TIA.

[Jersey Born]

@RinaRina, The short answer to your question is, maybe, maybe not.

Sometimes freezers fail, even at places we shop for food.  As meat ages, it starts changing color from its desirable red to a brown color.  That particular color change, alone, does not mean that the meat is bad.

Does the meat smell bad, or off, or unusual in any way?  If so, it is bad meat that should be returned for a refund.

Does the meat have a slimy feel to it at all?  If so, it is bad meat that should be returned for a refund.  

Take a picture of the meat to present to the store where you purchased it.

"When in doubt, throw it out."  Author unknown

[RinaRina]

---

@Jersey Born wrote:

@RinaRina, The short answer to your question is, maybe, maybe not.

Sometimes freezers fail, even at places we shop for food.  As meat ages, it starts changing color from its desirable red to a brown color.  That particular color change, alone, does not mean that the meat is bad.

Does the meat smell bad, or off, or unusual in any way?  If so, it is bad meat that should be returned for a refund.

Does the meat have a slimy feel to it at all?  If so, it is bad meat that should be returned for a refund.  

Take a picture of the meat to present to the store where you purchased it.

"When in doubt, throw it out."  Author unknown

---

===========================================

No, it didn't smell bad.  The "brown" kind of took me aback, but it had no smell at all, which is why I continued chopping into serving slices for freezing.  I ate 2 slices and got bad cramps.  However, I have diverticulitis, so that happens a lot --- I can't "blame" it on the meat.  For example, I can get stomach cramps from bananas, apples, kale -- anything.  That's just how diverticulitis works.

THANKS for the headsup.

[Jersey Born]

So sorry that eating that meat made you feel sick.  I am sorry about your diverticulitis, too.  I have a neighbor who needed surgery due to that condition.  

Wishing you a much better experience with your next meat purchase.

[Imaoldhippie]

Having worked in the meat dept in a grocery store I can tell you that the brown side was the meat being "cooked" by the lights in the store.  They repackage them turning the brown side down.  A sell by date is not an expiration date.  Its they date they must sell that meat or trash it, according to FDA rules.  Your meat is ok unless it has a rank smell.  

This is an everyday common practice in the meat dept.

@RinaRina 

[RedTop]

Not bad to me unless there's a smell.   

[ECBG]

@RinaRina 

The brown is where air touched the cut side.  If they have an odor, however, they're bad.

[KBEANS]

@Jersey Born 

When in doubt, throw it out."  Author unknown

😂 The author of this quote was my father. 😝 along with his other famous quote "You're a poet, but you don't know it" 😂 

You give good advice on distinguishing bad meat.

[Jersey Born]

You are very funny, @KBEANS, and thank you for the compliment.