TIL my old man's trick for keeping beef from oxidizing is actually backed by science

So last week I was breaking down a whole ribeye primal at the shop in Portland and noticed the meat on my board was turning gray way faster than usual. My dad who ran a butcher shop for 40 years always told me to flip the steaks onto a fresh paper every 5 minutes and I never really questioned why. Turns out he was right because moisture pooling under the meat speeds up oxidation like crazy. I switched to his method during a busy Saturday rush and the display case stayed bright red for an extra 2 hours easy. Anyone else have a simple trick like that from an old timer that actually makes a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

evan_stone21d ago

Ha, that's wild. My buddy who works at a meat counter in Seattle told me he learned something similar from an old timer there. The guy swore by patting the steaks dry with a paper towel and then leaving them exposed in the fridge for like an hour before wrapping them up. Said it kept the color from going dark overnight. My buddy thought it was just some old habit but then he tested it side by side and the dry ones stayed bright red for almost a full day longer.

emeryfox21d ago

Wait, he actually tested it side by side and kept track of the results? That's kinda crazy that something so simple could make that big of a difference. I would have just assumed the old timer was full of it honestly.