Gross things found in meat

Mayberry · January 2015

More and more often, I'm worrying about the things I'm putting in my mouth and the mouths of my family. On numerous occasions, I have found tumerous chicken and large swollen injection sites in chicken from large grocery retailers. Last night, I planned to cook some wings and was clipping the tips and separating the drums from flats. In every single wing of a family pack from Publix, there was a gellatinous pink pocket on the base of the drum. I cut a few of them out, but have no idea what they were. They would somewhat dissolve under hot water, but had the consistency of jello. They weren't a natural part of the chicken...that's for sure. I'm going to startbuying all my meat from a local grocer/butcher, where at least I know where it comes from. There seem to be chemicals in everything we eat. Not to go completely hippie, but this has to play a role in the prevalence of cancer, alzheimer's and numerous other neurological disorders that are far more prevalent today than in the past.

DieselkW · January 2015

I'm with you on this - the American food "industry" is so profit oriented it has long stopped giving a sh*t about nutrition and quality and is focused on extracting as much money as it can from consumers.

A gelatinous pink substance in each chicken wing, a product that is sold by the pound, might be harmless to your health, but you paid $X per pound for that stuff when you should have gotten 100% chicken.

I couldn't find a Thanksgiving turkey in the grocery store that didn't have X% "solution" of salt water and whatever else for $X per pound.

Look at the shelf life of "food" in the interior shelves at the grocery store.

They're killing us.

cottonseed · January 2015

Eat what you kill as much as you possibly can. (if you kill).

Been doing it for years.

Legume · January 2015

I don't disagree with you, food science and focus on production profit has no doubt led to some compromises in our food supply that aren't always visible, there have been some gains for the consumer as well - just compare the price of any organic/free range/non-hormone meat to what you get at a super, or frozen from Costco. That brine-plumped turkey is no doubt going to be cheaper than the natural one. Merely shifting to buying from a local storefront rather than a national chain storefront may not get you where you want to be, you have to ask to know where they source their meat - some small shops are opening up the same boxes of cryo-packed meat that the large supers do.

Your concern about the contribution of food science in disease development is a good one - the history of margarine bears that out and maybe also show's it's not always about the evil empire. You might find this article interesting as well, it looks at links between cancers and genetic mutations, environmental factors and heredity. No mention of karma, but some people will sub that for luck in the article - depends on your personal PoV.

http://www.bioquicknews.com/node/2088

Mayberry · January 2015

I'm less worried about the price, and more concerned with the health effects. While it may be immediately harmless, it's not a natural thing to put throught our digestive system. I still have no idea what it was. It would jiggle like underarm dpfat when you shook it, and was fully contained against the bone below the skin. I grew up slaughtering livestock, or at least being around it. While chickens are dirty animals, by nature, there is very low occurence of growths or tumors in them, unless they are exposed to methods to increase the growth or productivity. Large chain grocery chicken now has as much fat content as beef did 50 years ago. Chickens do not naturally have the yellow, thick fat we find in them today. That is from growing too large too fast. A local store, Stripling's General Store, in Watkinsville, GA, raises their own hogs on family farms in S GA. For beef and seafood, the get directly from Buckhead Beef. Certified angus beef and frsh, wild, gulf caught seafood trucked in a few times a week. For specialty meats, they use Snake River Farms. The get their chicken locally and won't accept a bird over 3 lbs...their natural size, and where the meat is most tender and bad fat content hasn't started to produce. I've been buying most meat from them, but from now on, everything will come from them.

Dobie · January 2015

If you think buying a 3 lb bird is healthier than a 5 lb bird beacuse its a more natural weight you're mistaken. The life cycle of farmed chickens is very short. Small bird about 4 weeks, large bird 10-12 days longer. They just harvest them sooner for the smaller size. Go organic free range if you want to be healthier.

Philly35 · January 2015

So what is the gelatin like substance found in chicken wings? I see that here all the time and have always wondered wtf it is?

Zmokin · January 2015

Philly35 said:

So what is the gelatin like substance found in chicken wings? I see that here all the time and have always wondered wtf it is?

While I'm not sure if what people are talking about is due to added stuff or not, gelatin is a natural byproduct of animals. In fact, extracting and concentrating gelatin is desired when making homemade stock. if your stock gels when chilled, it is from the gelatin that comes out of the bones and cartilage and fat and stuff. it is what adds a certain creaminess to clear soups. some people make chicken stock from chicken feet to get all of the gelatin goodness they can.
I tried chicken feet once and found it wasn't as good as my normal stock IMO. I use a lot of chicken bones in my stock. I'm canning some Ham stock as I type. It was a nice gel coming out of the fridge this AM.

Carolina Q · January 2015

Frankly, I have enough to worry about trying to control my sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol intake. I have to limit beef and pork products and eat a LOT of poultry. I've never noticed any weird stuff in grocery store chickens (or chicken parts) though I do have to read the sodium label. Some birds contain 400+mg of sodium per 4 oz serving. Others, 50 or less. I hate labels!

Still, I refuse to become a vegan.

Zmokin · January 2015

Carolina Q said:

Frankly, I have enough to worry about trying to control my sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol intake. I have to limit beef and pork products and eat a LOT of poultry. I've never noticed any weird stuff in grocery store chickens (or chicken parts) though I do have to read the sodium label. Some birds contain 400+mg of sodium per 4 oz serving. Others, 50 or less. I hate labels! Still, I refuse to become a vegan.

good for you. BTW, at some point in time all the food you eat came from a plant. Cows eat grass (or corn when fed corn), so cows are vegetarians and if you are what you eat, then I am a vegetarian because I eat vegetarians. Even chickens that eat bugs, well most bugs eat plants, so as long as you go back far enough in the food chain, all food energy consumed came from the sun. Plants convert sunlight into stored energy in sugars and it is the basis of the entire food chain on our planet. Eating animals is just eating plant food that has been additionally processed before you consumed it.

sumoconnell · January 2015

I'm eating healthier, most of the time. Want to extend the 'good years' without becoming a monk, whatever that balance is. On the other hand...

http://www.theonion.com/articles/world-death-rate-holding-steady-at-100-percent,1670/

Eggcelsior · January 2015

Zmokin said:

Philly35 said:

So what is the gelatin like substance found in chicken wings? I see that here all the time and have always wondered wtf it is?

While I'm not sure if what people are talking about is due to added stuff or not, gelatin is a natural byproduct of animals. In fact, extracting and concentrating gelatin is desired when making homemade stock. if your stock gels when chilled, it is from the gelatin that comes out of the bones and cartilage and fat and stuff. it is what adds a certain creaminess to clear soups. some people make chicken stock from chicken feet to get all of the gelatin goodness they can.
I tried chicken feet once and found it wasn't as good as my normal stock IMO. I use a lot of chicken bones in my stock. I'm canning some Ham stock as I type. It was a nice gel coming out of the fridge this AM.

Gelatin occurs when collagen is exposed to heat for a long enough time to convert it. There should be no gelatin in raw meat, unless you sprinkle Jello powder on it. Boiling bones(making stock) converts collagen-containing connective tissue like marrow into slippery, unctuous gelatin. Samoe thing happens during the process of making barbecued meat. All slow-cooked meat is actually really dried out. The melted connective tissue is what makes it seem "moist".

westernbbq · January 2015

I've also been reading a lot more about the chemical-infused meat products we buy. i used to buy things that were the absolute lowest cost because i am frugal. when it comes to spending money on the big green egg and its accessories, that's another matter...

But, I have begun shopping around in my area for more holistic type type of organic foods. in fact, i make my own red sauce now for pasta and for pizza on the egg using organic plum tomatoes which i blanch, peel and then crush. fresh, organic produce is everywhere in Phoenix.

As to the meats, Whole Foods, Sprouts and a few other local butchers have some decent offerings which i'll be doing a lot more experimentation with on the cooking side.

Chubbs · January 2015

Okay, who is going to post the squirrel thread?? @Mickey

Sammi · January 2015

This thread needs pictures! Come-on there has to be some good stuff out there. :-\"

theyolksonyou · January 2015

@Chubbs‌ you mean this beauty of a thread?

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/858629/bge-tree-rat-and-fancy-wine/p1

nolaegghead · January 2015

Did someone say "where be da pictures?!"

dmchicago · January 2015

Mayberry said:

Not to go completely hippie,

WTF do you have against "hippies"????

Signed: Class of 77 and consumer of Whole Foods type meats and poultry.

(and former pot smoker)

Fred19Flintstone · January 2015

This kind of thread reminds me of investigative journalism where they bring a black light to a nice hotel room so you can see hidden disgusting things. Call me an ostrich, but I don't want to know. The alternative is to never buy meat or sleep in hotels.

henapple · January 2015

henapple · January 2015

When the title said "gross things found in meat"...I thought my wife was on the forum.

Botch · January 2015

Anyone got a good "egged lettuce" recipe? :-S

stv8r · January 2015

damn @Nolaegghead was that necessary??
X_X

henapple · January 2015

Fred19Flintstone · January 2015

henapple said:

When the title said "gross things found in meat"...I thought my wife was on the forum.

No. I think that would be "Meat found in gross things" or "Gross meat found in things."

Skiddymarker · January 2015

Oregon disease. Not what was on your wings, but still quite common.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/104/oregon-disease-deep-pectoral-myopathy

UrbanForestTurnings · January 2015

cottonseed said:

Eat what you kill as much as you possibly can. (if you kill).

Been doing it for years.

And hunters get a bad rap

UrbanForestTurnings · January 2015

Fredflintstone. Get your head out of the sand or where ever it may be my friend and hunt or pick up road kill for a living like I do :-&

Chubbs · January 2015

theyolksonyou said:
@Chubbs‌ you mean this beauty of a thread?

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/858629/bge-tree-rat-and-fancy-wine/p1

Yep. That's the one. :-h

Sea2Ski · January 2015

What @NolaEgghead posted is a fear of mine. Pay good money for a large roast for an important meal. Go to slice table-side, and when the first slice falls, something is looks and is obviously very wrong.

I wonder if they can/do screen/x-ray for things like that?
I wonder if I would notice a difference when I put my thermometer in prior to cooking if I would notice a difference in resistance?!?

With doing as much fishing as I do, I have seen all kinds of things when cleaning fish. Tumors, worms in their flesh, parasites etc. Only once can I remember discarding a fish because of something gross. The rear half of a tuna loin was very dark and super mushy. Kind of like something rammed it, badly bruised it, and the muscle was rotting from the inside out. We ended up cutting it up and using it for chum on the next trip. At least it was not "wasted" via throwing it to the crabs, seagulls or worse yet, the trash.

nolaegghead · January 2015

As far as I know, I've never heard you can get tumors from eating tumors, or worms from eating cooked worms. Also, disease can be very, very tasty. For example, corn smut from the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis.

Gross things found in meat

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