Recently my customers have been coming to me and anxiously asking about this new phenomenon called pink slime.
What is it? Where does it come from? And how can we avoid it in our meat?
A product like this doesn't make me very proud of my meat brethren. Pink slime was developed by a company that is trying to maximize its profits by using lower-grade beef trimmings. These beef trimmings are more susceptible to bacteria and E coli; therefore, they treat them with a compound known as ammonium hydroxide in very small amounts. The reason they use this chemical is that it raises the PH value in the meat to create an environment that the bacteria and E coli cannot survive in, and ultimately eliminates them. During the process of production the beef gets spritzed with the ammonium hydroxide and then added to other higher grade ground beef as a filler. Because they are using lower-grade beef products, it brings down the cost of this type of ground meat. FDA has determined that this use of ammonium hydroxide is safe for the use in the production of meat and poultry products. It is also used as a direct food additive in baked goods, cheeses, chocolates, candy and puddings. This is just one more additive we don't need in our diet, but you as a consumer do have a choice.
This type of ground beef, according to ABC News, "is in 70 percent of all grocery stores in the United States."
I can only speak for myself, but most small processors I know do not use this method, as we care about the products we serve our customers. We grind hundreds of pounds of fresh ground beef daily, from quality cuts of beef, to make delicious ground chuck or ground round. We use no fillers. There are no chemicals or additives, it's just plain natural USDA choice beef. One of my favorite ways to let a new customer understand how good beef tastes is, just try our hamburger. You can taste the difference. I encourage you not to deny yourself that great burger because of some company's poor judgment in making a buck. Just purchase better and wiser. I'm always reminded of the old adage "The bitter taste of poor quality remains much longer than the sweet taste of a low price." You really do pay for what you get.
I know you will enjoy this simple recipe for an old-time favorite. If you are stressed for time but want this delicious dinner to serve your family, we offer them prepared and ready to bake.
MEATLOAF
1⁄2 pound ground chuck
1⁄4 pound ground country sausage, bulk
11⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 medium onion chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup breads crumbs (what works great is some seasoned garlic croutons, crushed)
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
Topping
3⁄4 cup ketchup or for a little kick try salsa
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the beef, sausage, egg, onion, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, make sure the sausage gets mixed well into mix. Place in a lightly greased 5x9-inch loaf pan.
In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
• David Theiss is the owner of Butler Meat Co. and longtime resident of Carson City.
