A wise choice of food is imperative for a proper diet and a healthy body. Whether you are vegetarian or non-vegetarian, you need to hit the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other components to ensure complete nutrition for your body. When it comes to non-vegetarian, meat is an essential part of their diet. However, it is also associated with unhealthy eating habits. Most experts suggest chicken be the healthiest option. However, choosing the right kind of meat is not enough. You also have to find the best quality meat from The Meat Store.

If you are looking to cut down your cholesterol or watch your weight, picking the right quality of meat is inevitable. Often people order online or turn to their closest store to buy meat. While doing so, you need to be cautious about several aspects. Even while ordering for home delivery, you should enquire about the quality. Here are some tips to help you buy the best meat for your meal.

  • Get the right cut

The cut of the meat is the animal part it comes from. You should look for the back parts such as ribs, loin, rumps, etc for better quality meat. This meat is much tender as compared to the front part meat coming from legs, shoulders, etc. This meat is also available in small portions and cooks faster. This makes it highly popular and expensive in the market.

  • Choose between with bones or boneless

Bone or boneless is completely a personal choice. However, with-bones enjoys higher popularity among foodies and restaurant chefs. It has many reasons for being in a higher preference. The bone conducts heat well and helps in spreading it for faster and better cooking. It also gives more intense flavor to the dish as believed by many chefs. It also costs somewhat less as the butcher takes less time to prepare it. On the contrary, some people also prefer boneless as it is easier to eat.

  • Take a close look

The appearance of the meat is a great indicator of its juiciness and tenderness. A slice of perfect looking meat that has no bruises, feathers, broken bones, discoloration, or any other defect has a much richer flavor. Make sure that the meat is free from any tears or open flesh. These can make your dish dry after cooking. The surface must be free from blood stains and has proper moisture.

  • Check the color and smell

Another way to judge the freshness of the meat is to look for its color. Fresh meat, except poultry, has a bright red color. Avoid the purchase if the color is not bright red or has turned grey, greenish, or brown due to partial discoloration. Also, fresh meat smells acidic. Say no to anything that smells rancid.

  • Check its firmness

Do not hesitate to poke the meat before buying it. It must have a balanced firmness that is neither too hard and nor too soft. You should be able to press it a bit while poking and notice it regaining its shape as you leave. The meat must be on the shelf for quite a long time if it is too hard or does not regain its shape.

By Peter