FAQs - Meat

Why is fresh ground beef sometimes dark in the center and red on the outside?
Fresh cut meat is purplish in color. Oxygen from the air reacts with meat pigments to form a bright red color that is usually seen on the surface of ground beef purchased in the supermarket. The interior of the meat may be grayish-brown due to the lack of oxygen penetrating below the surface. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/freezing.htm

Do I need to re-wrap my meat before I store it in the freezer?
For long-term storage (more than a month or two) it is recommended that you re-wrap meat. Use airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap or freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag. Use these materials or airtight freezer containers to repackage family packs into smaller amounts or freeze foods from opened packages. It is not necessary to rinse meat and poultry before freezing. Freeze an unopened vacuum package as is. If you notice that a package has accidentally torn or has opened while food is in the freezer, it is still safe to use - merely overwrap or rewrap it.

What causes dark bones in cooked poultry?
The bones of young broiler-fryer chickens (6-8 weeks old) have not calcified or hardened completely, causing pigment from the bone marrow to seep through the bones and into the surrounding area. It is perfectly safe to eat the meat around the bones that has also become darkened as long as all parts of the chicken have reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

How do I cook fish?
Please view our Fish Cooking Guide.

Is it necessary to refrigerate canned hams?
If the ham was purchased from the refrigerated section of your grocery store it must be stored in the refrigerator. It can be stored, unopened, for up to 9 months. Shelf stable canned hams can be stored, unopened, for up to two years at room temperature.