O u t W i t h J o e

Posted By DaTechGuy on June 2, 2012

I was at Romano’s Market Saturday and Josh was telling me that yet another expose has been driving business to the butcher shop:

An exposé by station WCVB in Boston reveals that the steaks we buy in supermarkets and restaurants aren’t necessarily all they’re cracked up to be. Which is not to say they aren’t “cracked up.”

According to cattle rancher Nigel Tudor, the expensive “fillet steaks” sold in many American food stores are actually made up of scraps of beef held together by the enzymetransglutaminase. Known in the industry as “meat glue,” this white powder is derived from the clotting agents in pigs’ and cows’ blood.

Now since you supposedly can’t taste the difference why worry? Oh I don’t know maybe this:

The U.S. federal government has ruled that meat glue is “generally recognized as safe,” but not all health experts are in agreement. Steve Steingart, of the Allegheny County Health Department in Pennsylvania, told WCVB that glued meat could pose a health risk if smaller pieces of meat that have been contaminated end up in the center of a steak served rare.

If you’ve see the words “formed” or “reformed” on a package at the store, you know it’s been “glued” but no such labeling is required at restaurants.

I’m reminded of the story my mother told me concerning the first restaurant the family opened. They kept an experienced waitress from the previous owner and was shocked to see her refilling beer bottles at closing to sell to patrons who have had a few late at night. On her way out permanently that night she turned to my mother remarking they would lose a lot of money.

Now consider, you are a restauranteur, all your costs are up, you are struggling to stay afloat and you have a product that allows you to turn stew meat into an filet that you can sell at a competitive price but tastes exactly the same as the expensive one and is completely legal and according to the government safe? What do you THINK they are going to do?

And as this video shows it’s not just steaks:

Hmmm those chicken nuggets and strips are looking a whole lot less appetizing aren’t they?

As I see it unless you want to raise your own meat or go vegetarian your choices are to cook all your food well done or go to Romano’s and watch Mike or his sons cut the stuff fresh.

I think that’s an easy choice.

Update: A thought: Would a restaurant even consider this type of thing if it wasn’t for the Obama Economy?

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: datechguy, meat blue, resturants, steaks