This isn’t meant to be an “achktually”, just a bit of trivia on the process of how we prepare meat.
And why, their hyperbole is actually even dumber than you think once you know the process.
After we kill an animal, it is left to hang for a couple of days depending on temperature. And it is so oxygen can interact and the meat starts to break down a bit, it decays. It’s slowly rotting. And there’s a fine balance between decay and bacteria growth. Simplified. The closer you are to that line, and the longer it can hang, the more tender it will be.
E.g. wild game is suggested to hang for at least 40 “day temperature”. So if the average temperature is 5 degrees Celcius, it needs to hang for 8 days. 5*8=40. If the average temperature is lower, it hangs for longer. It’s generally believed you need at least 2 degrees for the decay process to happen the way we want to. And if you start to reach 10 degrees, you have a much higher risk of bacteria growth. (These are in the context of average temperatures, hanging outdoors)
I don’t know the ins and outs of beef or pork, but the principle is the same. And today, I would assume all slaughter-houses have large stable rooms where the temperature and airflow is controlled down to the decimals.
So… I’d say yeah, the sight of a cut of meat, prepared in a highly controlled decay process. Is incredibly savory. Because you know it’s gonna be tender as hell!
This isn’t meant to be an “achktually”, just a bit of trivia on the process of how we prepare meat.
And why, their hyperbole is actually even dumber than you think once you know the process.
After we kill an animal, it is left to hang for a couple of days depending on temperature. And it is so oxygen can interact and the meat starts to break down a bit, it decays. It’s slowly rotting. And there’s a fine balance between decay and bacteria growth. Simplified. The closer you are to that line, and the longer it can hang, the more tender it will be.
E.g. wild game is suggested to hang for at least 40 “day temperature”. So if the average temperature is 5 degrees Celcius, it needs to hang for 8 days. 5*8=40. If the average temperature is lower, it hangs for longer. It’s generally believed you need at least 2 degrees for the decay process to happen the way we want to. And if you start to reach 10 degrees, you have a much higher risk of bacteria growth. (These are in the context of average temperatures, hanging outdoors)
I don’t know the ins and outs of beef or pork, but the principle is the same. And today, I would assume all slaughter-houses have large stable rooms where the temperature and airflow is controlled down to the decimals.
So… I’d say yeah, the sight of a cut of meat, prepared in a highly controlled decay process. Is incredibly savory. Because you know it’s gonna be tender as hell!