By Kaylee Smith, BRC Summer Intern
If you have ever gone to the grocery store most of the beef or any meat in general is in a cooler, sealed as “fresh,” never frozen. For some reason this tactic draws consumers in, but what you didn’t know is that frozen beef actually lasts longer and has the same amount of quality if not better.
Most people who buy meat buy several and freeze them when they get home, but sometimes it’s too late. The best way to store your meat is by freezing it.
Freezing meat is what makes it last longer and helps maintain its freshness. You may not know but freezing is the best way to prevent food poisoning that can be caused by pathogenic bacteria and spoilage bacteria. When we freeze meat it inactivates microbes like these bacteria as well as yeasts and molds, everything that can basically cause your food to go bad.
At BRC, all of our beef is freshly frozen to ensure the highest quality while also providing a longer shelf life. When you freeze beef, you can keep it frozen anywhere from 6 to 12 months.
Beef that is not frozen on the shelves at the store, doesn’t have a very long shelf life. Steaks in the fridge only have about a 3 to 5 day shelf life, meaning it doesn’t take long for unfrozen beef to start going bad.
Beef Packaging
Packaging of beef is also a big player in keeping meat fresh.
Since we at BRC use vacuum packaging it adds to the shelf life and freshness of our beef. When vacuumed package you might not get that bright red cherry color you want to see, but that is due to the myoglobin remaining in a native form giving you that distinct purple color. When in the store you may see the bright red steak that draws you in, but since it’s not frozen it is more likely susceptible to oxidation and bacteria to form when packaged with the air-permeable plastic wrap we so commonly see.
There is no doubt about the quality we have in our beef, but we take the extra steps in packaging and storing our beef to ensure anyone who buys gets a fresh, high quality cut of beef that we know you will enjoy each and every time.
To learn more about our Brahman beef, visit www.brahmancountrybeef.com or stop in our retail store at The Ranch Downtown.
