Bachelor needs some cooking help...

[artrius]

Ok, I know this is a dumb question, but I normally don't do much "cooking".

If you buy some lean ground beef or something like that, which is normally red, and it turns brownish, that's bad right? It was in the fridge for only a couple of days and it doesn't smell bad....

 

[jenscats5]

It's probably OK to eat. But you should either cook it or freeze it once you bring it home.... I think it turning red to brown is a reaction with oxygen (not sure)

 

[artrius]

It's probably OK to eat. But you should either cook it or freeze it once you bring it home.... I think it turning red to brown is a reaction with oxygen (not sure)

ahhh good ok :

hopefully I won't be sick tomorrow........

 

[jenscats5]

ahhh good ok :

hopefully I won't be sick tomorrow........

Cook it very, very thoroughly......how many days did it sit in the fridge??

 

[artrius]

Cook it very, very thoroughly......how many days did it sit in the fridge??

3 or so, then I froze it fr a couple of days, and thawed it out last night for cooking today.

 

[JayC9]

3 or so, then I froze it fr a couple of days, and thawed it out last night for cooking today.

sounds fresh and ready for eatin

 

[Vicious cycle]

My Grandmother use to say, "If you can read. you can cook". Go to Borders or some place like that and pick up a cookbook. They usually address stuff like what you have described and will give you the tools you need to prepare good meals. Chicks love a guy that can cook!

 

[jenscats5]

3 or so, then I froze it fr a couple of days, and thawed it out last night for cooking today.

You should be fine with it then..... Just cook it thoroughly!!

And I second the cookbook idea. I didn't become a good cook by classes, etc....I'm self taught. I watch/ed a lot of cooking shows, read a lot of books, etc....

 

[Scotsman]

Beef rapidly looses the red color in favor of a dark red then brown and finally an almost black color. This is the aging process. Meat shouldn't be bright red when you cook it as it will be tougher and less flavorful. Properly aged meats have a "buttery" texture and are very juicy. Aging is due in part to oxidation but is also the breakdown of the inter-fiber material in the muslces.

So in otherwords don't be afraid of the meat unless it has:

An odd odor indicating rot.
A greasy film on the meat with a mild "mildew" smell
Actuall mold(although this can be scraped off until you get a "fresh" surface on the meat and then cook it thoroughly, this is actually the best point in the traditional aging process and will yield the most flavor and tenderness.)

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[artrius]

Good to know, thanks guys!

 

[Island Son]

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article.php?id=36

i haven't tried it yet, probably the bechamel version next week

 

[slickdadd]

Yeah it's all about smelling it and knowing if it has gone bad. Typically once it starts turning brown you do want to cook it though, don't wait too long. And as jencats said, freeze that mofo unless you are going to use it within a day or two days of when you buy it. Then just throw it in the fridge the day before you plan to cook it and it will be thawed out.

 

[habitualhealth]

cooking's not the only thing you need help with genuis....










.....crayons and construction paper

 

[artrius]

cooking's not the only thing you need help with genuis....

.....crayons and construction paper

you'd be surpised to find out what I do for a job... probably more like terrified for your safety