One thing which can make you dinner or lunch super hit is fried pork chops. And most importantly it is not necessary that you should be a culinary expert or an experienced chef. Pork chops are really very delicious and meaty as well, plus it is great source of energy as well. White meat and pork generally are meant to be a healthy alternative rather than eating red meat due to number of health benefits. But proper cooking and storage is quite important to protect pork from harmful effects. So, if you love eating pork then you must know that how to determine whether meat is good or has gone bad and also know how to cook it properly. You should always cook one, fresh pork [หมูสด, which is the term in Thai] and second, at an internal temperature and do not forget to store it in a proper way.
Why should you use always fresh pork?
Spoiled pork may contain bacteria which without any doubt can result in food poisoning and produces symptoms like stomachache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and cramping. It usually takes one to three days for symptoms to occur. While on the other hand, adding fresh pork in your diet is a healthy option which you will never regret. 3.5 ounce of pork meat contain about 5 grams of fat and nearly 190 calories. Lean pork is another great source of energy and protein as it contains vitamins B, zinc, iron, phosphorous and magnesium. But, along with all these things it is important to know how can you determine whether meat can be used or has it gone bad.
Steps to check whether meat is OK or has gone bad
The color of the pork should be white or pink when fresh and if the meat is of any other color this means that meat has gone bad. Greyish or green brown is without any doubt is sign that you should not buy or use the pork. Bacteria and yeast can result in this appearance and even protein breakdown, freezer burn and mold can also be responsible for this. Not only this, very fresh meat will have reddish color. Along with you must also know that, if meat is stored for prolonged period in freezer then it may cause color fade but still it can be used and eat. To make meat taste better you can simply trim off freezer burned parts. Always keep in mind that no meat should not be yellow or gray instead it must be white. Overall, if you are in doubt then one must not eat meat.
You must always look at label of packaging. Use pork in the use by period to get the best taste and health benefits, if you have no plan to freeze it then use it in the first day itself. But you can store pork in fridge for complete three days. In fact, many do not know this but if kept in freezer then pork can be stored for around three months without losing quality and consistency. Keep in mind that with time, quality of meat deteriorates. You can stop this by freezing it in proper sized freezing bags. But it’s highly advised that you should use meat in first two months.