This is bothering me

[shadowsaround]

I decided to grill a steak in addition to the 2 pieces of chicken I was grilling tonight. First off the steak didn't smell right to me. Smelled like sour milk? Kind of hard to describe the smell. I took a bite even with the smell to try to objectively pinpoint if it was the steak or just simply my unconscious mind bringing something from the past up and I just felt it wasn't a good idea to eat it. I decided to try another piece and I smelled it before i ate it. It didn't smell "bad" to me and I did eat that one piece but the rest of the steak had that weird smell to it so I decided not to eat the steak and I just ate the chicken. This has happened a lot lately. This has happened with a lot of different types of meat. It only happens with cow meat though as I don't have an issue with pork,chicken or buffalo meat. I have yet to try elk meat but I will soon. I can't understand this. Before the war I could eat half pound steaks as snacks. Now the smell just completely turns me off. FWIW I didn't smell any burning flesh or meat during the war to my recollection. I've seen goats slaughtered on the street but I don't recall anything that would set my sense of smell off enough to make me not want to eat cow meat like this. The meat that I have tried comes from Vitamin cottage and is pretty organic from the brief researches I have done on the ranches that the beef came from. Does anyone have any idea's? This is kind of getting to me. My mom says its something in my unconsciousness mind that's surfacing but I haven't found anything that would fit the picture so to speak. I'm at a loss.

 

[fabric]

Perhaps you can have someone else taste the meat next time it happens? That way you can get a second opinion and see if it is just you or if they notice something funny too. I got an organic grass fed steak one time that had a similar funny smell. I cooked it and took a bite and spit it back out immediately. It didn't taste gross but really 'off'. Couldn't eat it. Hasn't happened since but I'll always remember that taste n smell.

 

[pete02]

Perhaps you can have someone else taste the meat next time it happens? That way you can get a second opinion and see if it is just you or if they notice something funny too.

I agree. It sounds like the best way to figure out if its you or not. My mother has been recently complaining about the cold cuts she's been buying, saying that they smell horrible sometimes however she buys them at the local supermarket and even though its the better brand name God only knows where that meat comes from. I myself have been buying from a local farm and haven't had any problems with the meats so far.

 

[shadowsaround]

Thanks for the reply's. I didn't think it was me but I will have another check it out. This has been going on for at least 2-3 months if not longer. Strange in the very least.

 

[Mr.Anderson]

A second or even third opinion might be a good idea. Vitamin Cottage should be a reliable source of organic food, in my experience. Maybe ask VC if any one else has noticed this as well.

 

[tschai]

You might also want to make certain the meat is not exposed to "room" temperature for longer than 15-20 minutes, and that your fridge is keeping foods at correct temperature.

Since beef is aged it is more or less "decomposed" to a certain degree so leaving at room temp for extended period can cause it to go "off" (not sure about chicken-not sure that is "aged" but I have bought chicken at the super market and had to return it same day because it smelled really rank and meat counter guy said it was spoiled-ugh!)

Same goes for store-meat you buy from the cold cases-it may not have been handled properly anywhere down the line-and this is a real scarey thing-I have seen people put stuff in their shopping buggy (meat / dairy) walk around in the store and then put it back! Gross!

I also have had cold cuts ( pre packaged luncheon meats) that when opened smelled like a charnal house-real buzzard bait. You'd think with all the crap they put in those no respectable bacteria would take up residence...

My take is-if it smells funky don't take a chance with it, and toss it. Better safe than sorry ;)

 

[Mr.Anderson]

If the meat was spoiled to begin with VC might give you a refund or replace the product if you tell them about it, even without a receipt.

 

[Gertrudes]

Fwiw, I don't know if this would apply to the meat you've been buying, but it might be worth to take a look at these articles, there are good videos in there too:

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/228297-Meat-Glue-Or-How-to-Make-a-Filet-Mignon-out-of-Stew-Meat
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/228543-The-Meat-You-Should-Never-Ever-Eat-

They both talk about a new procedure in which scraps of meat coming from god knows where, are skilfully glued together using a meat glue, and are then sold as prime cuts. Scary is an understatement.

 

[shadowsaround]

The steak last night was pulled out of the freezer and thrown on the grill so I wouldn't think that it had a chance to spoil.

Mr Anderson, the meat doesn't exactly smell like its spoiled, more like a sour milk maybe even a medicine smell too it. At least those where the words that came to mind. I have noticed that it doesn't smell bad when it's raw. The smell usually comes up when I start cooking it.

Thanks Gertrudes, I did watch those video's and have kept that in mind. It may be the issue but I can't say for sure whether it is or not.

I will be calling VC to see if this has been an issue as well as getting some more opinions on it.

 

[3DStudent]

I let some beef and chicken unthaw on the counter for too long a few weeks ago and it had a weird smell. When I cooked it it didn't smell bad anymore. But it gave me diarrhea, so I know now not to let meat unthaw too long. It was a little lower than room temperature.

 

[theos]

You're rinsing the meat off well before you season and cook it, right? Sometimes my meat can be a bit funny smelling until I rinse and rub it a few times.

 

[shadowsaround]

You're rinsing the meat off well before you season and cook it, right? Sometimes my meat can be a bit funny smelling until I rinse and rub it a few times.

Actually no. I never thought of doing it that way. I have a bad problem with not wanting to touch any meat with my hands. I usually spear it with a knife or fork and slap it on the grill. I'll come up with something to correct that and see if it works.

 

[Meager1]

I have noticed that it doesn't smell bad when it's raw. The smell usually comes up when I start cooking it.

I bought some burger awhile ago and it looked and smelled fine.

I always do the smell test on burger for some reason. I was cooking it loose to add to a macaroni dish when suddenly the burger started popping like pop corn and actually flying right out of the pan!

The whole kitchen smelled like burning plastic, so I carried the pan out back and dumped the stuff out. Having to trust others to supply quality meat, really has me thinking that some of us who have the space and the grass should maybe start raising our own, and work out something like a "share" of the meat, to others who will contribute to the costs.
I have chickens and ducks, and now turkeys, how much more trouble could a beefer or two be!