Meat is one of the important sources of protein in our daily diet. With the busy life, many people choose to buy meat in large quantities and store it in the refrigerator to save time.
However, not everyone knows how to store meat properly to keep it fresh and safe. If you still follow the old way of prepping and freezing meat, don’t miss the following tips. This method not only helps to keep the meat fresh and delicious, but also retains its nutritional value.
To preserve pork for a long time while still maintaining its natural flavor, you need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Choose meat
You should choose pieces of meat that have a natural pink color, firm meat fibers, and thin skin layer. Avoid meat with strange colors and smells, soft and flabby meat fibers, or white spots and yellow fat as it may indicate spoilage or contamination.
Step 2: Prep the meat
Next, you cut the meat into portions for daily consumption, rinse the meat with a diluted salt and lemon mixture to reduce bacteria and help the meat stay fresh longer. After that, the meat needs to be completely dried to avoid freezing and losing its flavor when thawing.
After washing the meat, you can use one of the following two ingredients to brush onto the surface of the meat:
– Using white wine: White wine is used in the meat preservation process because of its antiseptic properties. The alcohol content in the wine can kill or inhibit the development of bacteria on the surface of the meat. By brushing a layer of white wine on the meat, we create a cleaner preservation environment, reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, and extend the shelf life of the meat while still retaining its freshness.
– Using cooking oil: Cooking oil is applied to the meat after brushing with wine to create a protective layer. This layer helps to prevent direct contact between air and meat, thereby limiting oxidation and the formation of ice crystals inside the meat during freezing, reducing the chances of the meat becoming dry or losing moisture. Moreover, cooking oil helps to retain the natural flavor of the meat during thawing and cooking.
Step 3: Freezing
After completing the above steps, you place the meat in a sealed container or put it in suitable specialized bags before putting it into the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. This helps to prevent air from coming into contact with the meat and minimize the chances of the meat being freezer burned while preserving its flavor when needed.
When you need to use the meat, take out the necessary amount from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator compartment to thaw slowly for 12-24 hours depending on the size of the meat. If you need to thaw it faster, you can use a heavy pot placed on top of the meat and pour warm water into another pot placed on top to increase heat transfer efficiency and thaw quickly while still maintaining the color and flavor of the dish.
According to Đời sống Pháp luật