Why is Beef aged and not Pork?

Beef has a stronger connective tissue, making it less tender. Aging the Beef causes the enzymes in the meat to break the connective tissue down, thereby tenderizing it.

Pork on the other hand does not have the strong connective tissue. This means it is not as tough to begin with. Sometimes consumers do confuse dry, over-cooked Pork as being tough.  This means that there is no advantage to aging Pork; in fact it causes the shelf life in pork to decrease, creating a Food Safety issue.

Pork can come from many different breeds of animals, as well as different feed programs, although over the years these factors are becoming more uniform. This being said, if the meat is too pale or dark, it can be an indication that the animal will not be of top quality. Pale Pork can be an indication that the meat has a low Ph level making it dry and stringy. Dark Pork is also an indication of poorer quality. A nice pink color is the best to look for.

Pork odor, often called Boar Taint can be from different sources. It is due primarily to high levels of androstenone and/or skatole in pig carcasses. Androstenone is a steroid produced by the testis near sexual maturity. Male pigs are castrated at a young age to curb this effect.

Causes can be the animal was castrated to late; or sometimes a testicle is missed in castration. These animals are known as Ridglings. Some breeds are just prone to Boar taint more than others.

The best thing to do when you purchase a cut with a strong odor is to let your meat manager know. He has no way of knowing that this is happening, as it generally does not come out until you take it home and cook it. Your meat manager can then go back to his supplier and alert them of the problem. Your manager should be quite happy that you have alerted him of the problem, as you are probably not the only customer having this problem.

Freezer burn is caused when the meat in your freezer is exposed to the air. The moisture slowly evaporates from the surface of the meat, leaving a dry discolored surface. It can be trimmed off without affecting the rest of the meat. Proper wrapping to seal the meat from the outside air is the best protection and make sure not to bump the product and tear open the seal.

It is not harmful if you should eat it, but the flavour and texture will not be optimum.

If the product is frozen, it is best to ensure that the meat is sealed from the outside air. Even though the meat is frozen, moisture will still evaporate from the product if it is exposed. Vacuum packed bags are still the best form of packaging.

For fresh meats, always check the “best before”, or “packaged on” date. A good rule of thumb is if you are not cooking it within two days of purchase, wrap it in an air tight seal and freeze it right away.  Summers are especially dangerous; never leave groceries in the back of your vehicle for any length of time. Put your fresh products in a cooler, a cardboard box, or for those stores that carry them, an insulated bag.

How do I tell if my Pork is ready on the BBQ

Wherever possible, use a meat thermometer, but those occasions where you are cooking steaks or chops on the BBQ, a thermometer is not always feasible. After you have flipped the cut over on the Grill, apply a slight pressure to the surface using your fork. This squeezes some of the juices to the surface, if the juices are clear meaning there is no red blood then the meat is cooked. There may still be some pink to the meat, but that is fine, if the juices are clear.

Alberta Pork has a great little probe that you enter into the steak and it changes color to indicate that your steak is ready. conatc us at promotions@albertapork.ca for more information. Tell them Dave sent you.