Fresh And Frozen Meat – Is There a Difference?
To clarify, fresh meat is any cut that hasn’t been processed in any way, including being frozen.
While frozen meat can be fresh, it still has been processed and changes the characteristics of the meat itself.
So, what’s the difference between fresh and frozen meat? And, which is the best? Well, fresh meat has a much firmer texture, better flavor, and carries more nutrients. Because of the ice crystals of frozen meat, the texture and flavor will not be as good, but the shelf life has been prolonged, which helps prevent food waste.
When it comes to which is best, it depends on your preference. Frozen meat is still better than rotten meat. But, when comparing which is better to purchase, fresh meat does contain more nutrients and will be of better quality. In my opinion and concurs with many meat connoisseurs, frozen meat will perform at half the grade it claimed to be when it was fresh, hence the reason why frozen meat cost business half the cost of Fresh.
Today, we will explore everything about fresh and frozen meat, including their physical and nutritional characteristics. We will also look at some risks of each and ultimately, which form is the best to use!
Characteristics Of Fresh Meat
First things first, let’s look at exactly what qualifies as fresh meat. This category of meat includes any cut or piece that hasn’t undergone any processing. This includes the use of preservation methods such as drying, smoking, and curing. It also includes flavoring techniques like marinating and salting, and finally, it includes any form of cooking.
This meat is completely fresh and has only been left to potentially age, but not to such an extent that it dries out at all. Fresh meat contains all of the original nutrients that the cut contains.
Now, technically defrosted meat is still “fresh”. However, it also still isn’t in a way. It has undergone some changes that altered the texture, flavor, and nutritional value of the meat.
Storage And Shelf Life
Fresh meat is highly perishable. It should always be stored inside of the fridge that has a temperature of roughly 32-40°F. You should also prevent it from drying out, but not keep it inside an airtight container unless it has been vacuum-sealed. Always keep the meat in its clean original packaging for as long as you can. If you don’t have the packaging anymore, then try and replicate it as best you can. Otherwise, place the meat into a contaminant-free container and cover it with plastic or saran wrap.
If you absolutely have to, then you can place the meat inside an airtight container (we’d recommend this one). But this may cause condensation to build up inside and change the quality of the meat. You can also wrap the meat in some parchment paper or even baking paper. It will allow the meat to breathe and prevent it from drying out.
If stored properly fresh meat can last between 2-5 days. It depends mainly on how fresh the meat was when you originally purchased it and of course how well you stored it. Hence the reason why we don’t accept anything over 15 days packing date, even if its guaranteed to the retailer for 100 days (boneless) 60 days (Bone in) if its kept at ideal temp, and it’s original oxygenating solution. Remember, the warmer the storage temperature is, the quicker the meat will deteriorate. This is why frozen meat stays good for so long.
Characteristics Of Frozen Meat
Moving on to frozen meat, this category contains any meat cut that has been frozen or flash-frozen. These are both preserving techniques that are used to drastically extend the shelf life of the meat.
When meat is frozen, the extremely low temperatures change some structural elements in the meat itself. The water in the meat freezes and forms ice crystals. These ice crystals break the firm fibers that are present in fresh meat. So, once the ice crystals have melted (when the meat is being defrosted), it leaves you with a less firm cut of meat. And, because the fibers have been broken, the meat cannot retain moisture as well once it is cooked and its natural flavors have also escaped.
Storage And Shelf Life
Frozen meat should always be kept in a freezer that has a stable temperature of around -0.4°F. If the temperature fluctuates, it will cause the ice crystals to constantly change and ultimately completely ruin the meats’ texture. You can store meat in the freezer inside of its original packaging or in a vacuum-sealed bag. Otherwise, wrap the meat in plastic or saran wrap. Cover it with a layer of foil that will provide extra protection against freezer burn. And finally, always label your frozen meat. It’s often hard to make out exactly what cut has been frozen. It also helps to add the use-by date on the meat.
Frozen meat will stay “good” for up to 12 months. However, we highly recommend using it within 1-2 months, this is when BOGO freezer sales come in play with some retailers, this helps them clean their freezers, to load with somewhat a little better quality than one already stored for months. The longer you store the meat, the lower quality it will ultimately be. So, especially for expensive meat cuts like fillet, you don’t want to ruin it and waste money.
Is There a Difference Between Fresh and Frozen Meat?
As you can now see, there is a difference between fresh and frozen meat. While all fresh meat can be frozen, this preservation process does change the characteristics of the meat a lot. Let’s recap and compare the two side by side.
Physical Characteristics
Fresh meat hasn’t been processed in any way. For this reason, the meat is highly perishable but has very good qualities.
Fresh meat will have a very firm texture that can be processed to make juicy tender cooked meat cuts. Furthermore, it has an extremely pure and meaty flavor. The color of the meat (while fresh and cooked) will also be much more appealing and brighter.
Now, frozen meat on the other hand is meat that has been preserved through freezing. While this does extend the shelf life of the meat by several months, it does lower the overall quality of the meat, in my opinion about half.
The ice crystals that formed during the process break the meat fibers. This causes a major loss in flavor when the meat eventually defrosts. It also affects the texture of the meat. Often, these meats will be tougher and less juicy once they have been cooked.
Nutritional Composition
Meat is generally a very nutritious ingredient. Naturally, some types will be healthier than others and have varying nutritional compositions. For example, fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, whereas red meat isn’t. But, the easier element to compare is how freezing changes the nutrient content, regardless of the type of meat you have. As we have mentioned, when meat is frozen, the ice crystals break the meat fibers.
When the meat thaws, the fibers cannot hold the nutrients that were present in the fresh meat. So, as the moisture escapes the frozen meat, so do the nutrients.
That being said, it is still one of the best preservation methods you can use that arguably retains the most nutrients of them all. Frozen meat has to be completely defrosted before it is cooked using the method of your choice. This is because the meat will cook more evenly and carry fewer risks when doing so.
As we have explained, when cooking meat from frozen, it could cause rapid growth of harmful bacteria in the parts that aren’t cooked yet, while other parts are busy overcooking. These bacteria could potentially cause food poisoning. SO, once properly thawed, you can cook the meat in any way. For fresh and frozen meat cuts, you have to look at the cut to determine what the best cooking technique will be. You always want to try and retain moisture and juiciness in the cut.
So, Which Is Better?
We always prefer using fresh meat that is high in quality. Fresh meat will have a better flavor and texture.
It cooks evenly and can stay juicy and rich when using the correct cooking techniques. Not to mention, it is the best form to get the nutrients from that’s specific meat type.
Frozen meat isn’t necessarily bad, and it does preserve the meat for much longer (which is the downside of fresh meat). So, it is a fantastic way to not waste fresh meat if you know you aren’t going to be using it. But it won’t have an equally good flavor or texture. And, you do lose a lot of the nutrients present in the meat. That is where you have to choose an appropriate cooking technique to ensure it still is juicy. We like to slow-cook frozen meat cuts for long periods. This tenderizes the meat and keeps it juicy. In my professional opinion, frozen beef is of only if your home address finishes with either North or South poles. Consume fresh, treat yourself with nothing but the best!!! Try the difference today at Prime Butcher Shoppe.
Sincerely
Pepe
