How to Recognise Good Meat

The sight of raw meat can be unsettling, but the more open we are to learning and understanding the meat we eat, the more comfortable we become with looking at it, thinking about it, talking about it and cooking it.

So, what should good meat look like? In its unadulterated, raw state, meat reveals things that cooking masks. If you’re in a first-rate butchery, the meat on display should look fresh, but not wet. (Wet meat is a sign that it may have been stored in a vacuum-sealed bag.) Look at the colour too – this is always a good indicator to see if it came from a healthy animal. Pork should be a gorgeous pink, not anaemic grey. Quality beef is a dark, rich red with yellow fat that is only possible with a grass-fed diet. The bright, artificial colour you sometimes see in supermarkets is a sign of a substitute diet. Be aware of red spots, as they are proof that adrenalin was released into the muscles due to distress at the abattoir. Don’t be afraid to hold a piece of meat to your nose. You’re not a creep if you do. Good meat should smell, well … meaty. Even when raw, it should make you want to eat it. If, just by the smell, you’re already dreaming up dishes to cook, it’s the right stuff. Listen to your gut. If you’re buying sausages, ask your butcher what’s in them. Soy? MSG? Bulking agents? Cereal? Sausages should be all meat and fat and spices – and they should smell incredible. Sadly, most are horrendous.