How To Tell If Steak Is Bad

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Discover How To Tell If Steak Is BadSpoiled food sucks. Not only is it a waste of food, but it also breaks your heart, your tummy and your bank. It doesn’t matter if you’re a college student, already working, a full-time mom or what not – seeing what could have been a delicious meal turn into waste is plain annoying. It is frustrating if the spoiled food happens to be the most expensive ingredient in your favorite meal, more so if it was meat.

When meat is already spoiled, it is no longer advisable as safe for consumption. Bad meat can house different bacteria like E-Coli, Clostridium, Salmonella, Bacillus and Staphylococcus. Intense heat can kill some of these bacteria but Bacillus and Clostridium can leave toxins behind that can make you sick even after cooking. What if you happen to have that stash of steak you plan to cook on a special day, only to find it’s already spoiled? How can we even know if steak is bad?

How to tell if steak is bad?

How to tell if steak is bad before cooking? Look for the following tell-tale signs:

1. Check for the appearance of the steak

Does it look different than you last saw it? Is there a discoloration on any part of the steak? Does it have a greenish or blackened appearance? If yes, then you have spoiled meat caused by molds. Is it still edible? While it may look like you need to get rid of it already, try to check other signs of spoilage like texture, smell and expiration date. If all seems right and you’re sure you have stored the meat in the freezer, then make sure to cook the meat well, just don’t expect them to taste as good as fresh meat.

2. Check for the meat’s smell

How to tell if raw steak is bad? Use your sense of smell and let it guide you! If what you have is red meat and it has that distinct pungent odour, or if there is a foul or rancid smell, then it is time to get rid of your meat.

3. Feel the meat

How to check if frozen steak is bad? If your steak has that sticky, slimy or tacky texture after being defrosted, then it means there is already a bacteria overgrowth. Slime is a sign of spoilage and can cause food poisoning if consumed. Fresh meat has a moist feel, but never slimy.

4. Check the expiration date

Most perishable foods are always labelled with expiration dates, so make sure to check on that. How to tell if steak is bad? It is past the expiration date, and may or may not have a foul odor, slimy texture.

 

How to tell if steak is bad after cooking?

If you’ve decided that your meat is still safe to cook and eat but wants to be 100% sure that you won’t get an upset stomach, try to check if you can find slimy chunks in the steak. It is best to grab yourself a knife, cut the meat and see if there are any funny spots inside.

How to tell if marinated steak is bad?

If you plan on cooking a marinated steak, make sure it was adequately prepared and covered. Also, avoid cooking and consuming marinated steak that has been at room temperature for more than 2 hours. As for marinated steaks placed in the fridge, it is safe to consume within five days. Also, when cooking marinated steaks, make sure to cook them at temperatures higher than 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to tell if tuna steak is bad?

Tuna steaks are tricky to tell if spoilage has begun or not, mostly because they may already have that slimy texture and overpowering smell. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot tell a bad tune steak for a good one.

How to tell if tuna steak has gone bad?

Check for a strange color

When checking for spoilage in tuna steaks, look for any dark brown discoloration found around the fish’s bone. Whether or not you’re your tuna is fresh or comes from a can, green, back and dark brown colors indicate your tuna is no longer safe for human consumption.

Check for a bad odor

Fishes have a naturally pungent smell, no matter if it is fresh or frozen. Try to smell your tuna steak and if you get that rotten smell that makes you want to lose your appetite, throw it out already.

Check the sell-by date

Tuna cannot stay fresh for an extended period, which is why it is advisable to eat your fresh tuna steak within 24 hours after purchase. As for canned or pouched tunas, never eat one that is past the expiration date. It may look and smell okay, but it may already have started to spoil.

Check for abnormal packaging

Look for the sign of botulism – dents, swollen or bulging can, seam openings or any sign that tells you some is not right. The bacteria that causes botulism, the Clostridium botulinum bacteria can be fatal if ingested so make sure never to consume canned or pouched tuna with suspicious packaging.

If you want to be sure you don’t get sick from eating spoiled meat or any food for that matter, then the best way to do it by throwing the food out when you’re in doubt. There are lots of ideas on how to prevent food spoilage. Knowing them is as important as being able to tell if your food is already spoiled or not.

These are some of the things you can do to help reduce meat spoilage:

• Remove all spoiled food in the fridge or freezer and make sure to take note of the date when you’re out your meat on the refrigerator.
• Place meat on a tray near the lowest shelf of your freezer. The tray will prevent decontamination and will catch any drippings from the meat.
• Dispose of meat that is left at a temperature at 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours.
• Prevent molds by cleaning your fridge weekly.

We do hope that this information help you minimize meat spoilage in the future. If you like this post, please share to your friends. Thank you.

 

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