Grocery Stores in the USA

[NoPat]

If someone writes "I heart American food" and expect to sound serious I think it's a waste of time to engage in a conversation (and yes, I'm wasting my time too).

 

[steveinbsas]

If someone writes "I heart American food" and expect to sound serious I think it's a waste of time to engage in a conversation (and yes, I'm wasting my time too).

At least she didn't sign her post with the word "peace" (a leap forward of at least a decade).

 

[SaraSara]

Why use "I heart American food" when "I love American food" takes one keyboard stroke less? Doesn't make sense.

 

[davonz]

Everywhere, restaurant menus listed beef as "aged".

Do any of you really know what aged meat is ?

We killed our own animals on the farm - cattle, sheep, goat, so you cant get any fresher meat than that. And we aged the cattle meat, which means it was hung in a cool-store for a week or two, or put in the fridge for a couple of weeks. This is especially important for steak, as it helps to brake down the fibers in the meat (basically the rotting process starts), making it more tender.

Fresh meat, as in basically straight from the cow to the plate ( i can bet most people here havent had it as fresh as me ) is not as nice as aged, it is tough.

Most meat that is pre-packed and purchased in the supermarkets in the west is not aged for any length of time, it is only a matter of 30 minutes from when the animal has had it throat cut and quartered or in the box ready to ship - so depending on how long it is in transit depends on how much it is aged, unless it is frozen.

Sheep and goat wasnt aged, it was killed in the evening, and then cut up the next morning after the meat has set (basically the fat and meat becomes hard and is easier to handle/cut), the liver eaten fresh for breakfast and the rest put in the freezer.

 

[mini]

Did I miss the aged meat discussion? Do we have a problem with aged meat?

Aging meat is not a bad thing. It's a good thing. There is dry aging as davonz described. But there is also wet aging which is where the meat is vacuum packed. I'm sure you've seen those packages in the supermarket.


[Oh, and you can use a smiley to write "I <3 American food". It's only two characters! LOL. ]

 

[dropboxdan]

dude can't we just say " aged " instead of " rotting " ? It really doesn't sound as tastey when you put it that way.

This is especially important for steak, as it helps to brake down the fibers in the meat (basically the rotting process starts), making it more tender..

 

[davonz]

dude can't we just say " aged " instead of " rotting " ? It really doesn't sound as tastey when you put it that way.

Yes we could.. but aged is just being politically correct for starting to rot..

One of my uncles would hang his pheasants by the neck and wait for them to fall before he ate them.. That is really AGED..

 

[LAtoBA]

It's too bad that every time a conversation like this starts up it takes on such a nasty "us vs. them" tone.

Honestly, whether people want to admit it or not, that's what makes the site half interesting....when it remains civil that is.

 

[SaraSara]

The choice of Fresh vs Aged meat is simply a matter of personal taste. Aged meat is more tender but not so tasty, while fresh meat is tougher and has more flavor.

No one is better than the other - there are just different. Why insist on imposing our own preferences on others?

Another difference is that beef in the US is corn-fed, while in Argentina it's still range fed. This starting to change, as local cattlemen discover the lower costs of feedlots. (Less fences, less workers to keep them in shape, easier to do headcounts, etc.)

On a recent trip to the Madariaga area I saw feedlots for the first time, and a sorry sight they were: huge silos surrounded by corrals, with the cattle standing around without moving.

 

[mini]

The choice of Fresh vs Aged meat is simply a matter of personal taste. Aged meat is more tender but not so tasty, while fresh meat is tougher and has more flavor.

No one is better than the other - there are just different. Why insist on imposing our own preferences on others?

Another difference is that beef in the US is corn-fed, while in Argentina it's still range fed. This starting to change, as local cattlemen discover the lower costs of feedlots. (Less fences, less workers to keep them in shape, easier to do headcounts, etc.)

On a recent trip to the Madariaga area I saw feedlots for the first time, and a sorry sight they were: huge silos surrounded by corrals, with the cattle standing around without moving.

I don't see anyone "imposing" anything on anyone. It's just a discussion.

I also mentioned that aged meat does exist here in Argentina. It's called "wet aging" and it's the meat packaged in vacuum sealed pouches which you can get at the supermarket, if that is your preference.

Feedlots are in fact very sad sights.