The article states that these horrendous, disgusting infractions of health regulations have been documented out for at least the previous year, but given their severity, I’d imagine it’s always been this way at Boar’s Head production facilities.
I’m going to cook my deli meats from now on, no matter where they come from.
“Premium” meats. People always forget about the quotes. Well here’s a news flash. If you like your meat processed and sliced for sandwiches you are already eating garbage meat. Don’t be surprised of a little rat feces or bugs.
A new thing we’re trying is buying the whole turkey breast and slicing it ourselves. In my area Costco sells a well sized piece. I slice up a bit in container for immediate use and take the remaining slices and vacuum seal them. Has worked well so far. I’m sure there is still some risk here with contamination but seems less?
Farmers trick: Brush it with olive oil.
You’ll notice many packaged rumps and rounds come with a small bit of oil on them. This is done to starve oxygen from getting on it and slowing down bacteria.
If you cut a chunk off, use a basting brush with some olive oil to cover the surface. it’ll last longer. Sprinkling salt also helps, but that alters the taste.
Just started using a ‘sous-vide’ machine to cook frozen, boneless chicken breasts, then slice them. Going to try it with that turkey as well. The machine has no bells and whistles (no app or anything) and was $80 on Amazon.
The chicken comes out really moist. You can throw dry-rub in the ziploc bag to add flavors. Had tried different cooking methods but the result this way has been the best.
Price comes to a fraction of store-cooked or deli meat. Helps the budget if you have a teenager doing school sports.
God I wish I had the kitchen space for one! Been begging the wife to let me get a smoker. Being able to smoke a ham or turkey breast and then turn it into cold cuts would be awesome.
We may be talking about different things. The sous-vide thing is like a slightly larger immersion hand-mixer. Doesn’t take much space. It comes with a clip so it hangs off the side of a large kitchen pot full of water and plugs into power. There are fancier models that come with their own big plastic tubs and apps. But the basic one works on any container (besides, I just saw one of the popular brands looking to charge a subscription fee for using their app. Screw that!)
The temperature stays fairly tepid and constant since the device has its own heating element and a little internal propeller to move the water around. The food goes into freezer ziploc bags with the air squeezed out. Afterward, you can sear it in a pan or broiler but if slicing, there’s no need.
Now that you mention smoking, I’m wondering what it’ll be like to add a few drops of liquid smoke…
My bad, I was under the impression that you had gotten a slicer and were sous videing and slicing the meat with a deli slicer! I thought you meant the slicer was $80.
I remember seeing a while back a small, collapsible meat slicer that folds into a box shape. Just googled it. Made by SuperHandy, but no longer for sale on Amazon. May be available elsewhere. One place had it listed for 75 british pounds (around $100). FWIW, saw a used one on EBay for $65.
If you do get one, stay away from Traeger. They were sold to some Chinese company years ago and are extremely overpriced garbage now.
Costco meats always seem like the worst. I like costco, but I would never buy meat from them.
I only am throwing in my 2 cents because of the subject. They have had far too many recalls for my liking.