We love to enjoy the summer and the good temperatures that allow us to spend time outdoors and spend more leisure time in open spaces.
But along with the benefits of heat, we can also find some drawbacks such as the need to pay more attention than ever to the preservation of meat, since high temperatures can affect its flavor, quality and durability.
Two things to keep in mind when buying meat
If during the rest of the year the type of meat we buy is important, when summer arrives it is essential to pay even more attention.
Accustomed as we are to seeing more and more packaged meat, it can be difficult for us to differentiate the different types of meat, their uses and that they are of high quality.
It is very important to choose the piece of meat that we buy and the use that we are going to give it (breading, baking, stewing, etc.), so we can get pieces of meat with more flavor and better quality.
Another thing to keep in mind when buying meat is the importance of avoiding cutting the cold chain.
We are used to carrying the typical shopping bag where we all store, but it would be better to try to carry an isothermal bag that helps the meat lose as little cold as possible on the way home.
How to preserve meat at home
So that the meat is very fresh and tasty when eating it, the ideal is to prepare and cook it the same day of purchase.
But on many occasions it can be difficult to carry out this, due to work and other obligations. So what do we do to keep it in good condition?
in fridge
If the meat is going to be able to be consumed in the next two days after the purchase, it is possible to leave them in the refrigerator waiting to be used.
In order for them to be preserved properly, it is important that before storing them in the refrigerator, they are removed from the packaging they are in and transferred to a film or aluminum foil, removing any juices that may have been released.
It must be remembered that in these juices it is easier for bacteria to begin to proliferate that cause the meat to lose its good qualities.
Once dry and well stored in aluminum foil, it is essential to put it immediately in the fridge to avoid loss of cold.
It is important to consume meat stored in the fridge as soon as possible, at most two days after buying it.
The freezer resource
When the meat is going to spend more time than expected without cooking, the freezer is a good resource to be able to extend the useful life of the meat.
As happens when we prepare the pieces of meat to store in the fridge, before putting them in the freezer, it is important to change the packaging and get rid of the juices that the meat has released.
We can freeze making small packages to manage the meat and enjoy it on different occasions.
How to defrost meat properly
Care must be taken when defrosting meat, and follow the appropriate steps to avoid problems with its consumption.
Some people take the meat out of the freezer and, perhaps thinking that the defrosting will be faster, they leave the piece at room temperature so that the ice is gradually removed.
However, defrosting in this way is a mistake, especially when temperatures are as high as they often are in summer. And it is that, without realizing it, we are leaving the meat unprotected from bacteria.
It is best to remove the piece that you want to defrost about 24 hours before and leave it in the refrigerator to defrost. In this way we manage to maintain the properties of the meat.
Once it has thawed, the meat needs to be cooked as soon as possible without allowing too much time to pass. In this way, we will be eating an excellent piece of meat with all its flavor.
In summer you have to be very careful with meat, since high temperatures can cause it to spoil. But by following these little tips, we will achieve meat dishes with an unbeatable flavor, even despite the high summer temperatures.
