Wal-Mart meats and Q

3 times rcently my finished product has come out too salty for me and the family. 1st was ribeye steaks grilled, they were edible but not great. I thought I had been heavy handed with the garlic salt shaker.

Next was a slab of ribs 2 weeks later. Remembering the steaks I made sure I used a light touch with the salt shaker. After 6 hours of slow cooking they too were almost to salty to eat.

Last night - this morning I spent 12 hours doing a pork shoulder. It too was salty down to the bone. Again I had been easy with the salt.

i really doubt that Kingford's new formulation of briquette is making my meat salty.

The thread between all 3 of these meats is that they were purchased at Wal-Mart and had been "enhanced" with an 11% solution. They don't tell you what that solution is. I understand that it is sodium phosphate, but I don't know for sure.

I do know this much, I won't be buying anymore meat from them. I'll pay a bit more and goto Martin's, FoodLion or Costco.

MikeS.

Thanks for the alert. I've never heard of "enhanced" beef. I'll be on the lookout (even though HelMart around here doesn't sell food).

It's getting hard to find pork that's not enhanced. Hormel is pushing it big time (wouldn't have anything to do with selling salt water for $4+ per pound, would it?). IMO it is almost foolproof to cook, but after a while I want something that actually taste like pork and doesn't chew like a sponge. If I want brined, I'll brine it myself.

If there is an 11% solution, there is an 11% added weight to the purchase that is really just salt water. Wally Mart also has those nice deep bowls that are cryosealed with nitrogen to keep the meat fresh and pink for the eye appeal.

Not that there is anything to be worried about health wise, but the meat processors are able to sell meat with 11% of yuour cost just being salt water.

Find a good whole carcass butcher and make friends with him/her.


Read this article, and also google "enhanced meat solution"

http://www.kptm.com/news/primeassignment/2114432.html

quote:

Originally posted by zigfus

If there is an 11% solution, there is an 11% added weight to the purchase that is really just salt water. Wally Mart also has those nice deep bowls that are cryosealed with nitrogen to keep the meat fresh and pink for the eye appeal.

Not that there is anything to be worried about health wise, but the meat processors are able to sell meat with 11% of yuour cost just being salt water.

Zig nailed it. 11% salt soltuion is going to add a whole lot of saltiness to your meat. They say some people prefer it.
Also, don't be so sure about the health issue. It's not just salt they put in that "brine" solution.
If you knew what was in the beef and pork you buy in the big stores and how it is raised, you wouldn't eat it and I'd be able to make a profit selling my good clean pasture fed livestock.

quote:

Originally posted by WVHillbilly

I'd be able to make a profit selling my good clean pasture fed livestock.

I buy from local producers like yourself. To each his own, but you would never find that "enhanced" crap in my house.

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie

quote:

Originally posted by WVHillbilly

I'd be able to make a profit selling my good clean pasture fed livestock.

I buy from local producers like yourself. To each his own, but you would never find that "enhanced" crap in my house.

I cannot believe that anyone would buy meat from there to save a few dollars..............yuck!

quote:

Originally posted by Greymo

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie

quote:

Originally posted by WVHillbilly

I'd be able to make a profit selling my good clean pasture fed livestock.

I buy from local producers like yourself. To each his own, but you would never find that "enhanced" crap in my house.

I cannot believe that anyone would buy meat from there to save a few dollars..............yuck!

Unfortunately, there are those in our country who depend upon the low prices at Wal-Mart to maintain a decent lifestyle. With minimum wage at a little over $5 per hour, Wal-Mart meat looks pretty darn good to many folks (including those who work there).
I chastized my college educated daughter for shopping at Wal-Mart one day and then she told me what she makes in her state gov't job, what her expenses are, etc. and I began to have a different view of things.
Those who can should shop elsewhere, but don't condemn those who can't.

I have been buying "organic" beef lately.
Grass fed, no antibiotics, or hormones. It is sooooooo much tastier. I gladly pay the price for a fine tasting cut of beef!

quote:

Originally posted by WVHillbilly

quote:

Originally posted by Greymo

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie

quote:

Originally posted by WVHillbilly

I'd be able to make a profit selling my good clean pasture fed livestock.

I buy from local producers like yourself. To each his own, but you would never find that "enhanced" crap in my house.

I cannot believe that anyone would buy meat from there to save a few dollars..............yuck!

Unfortunately, there are those in our country who depend upon the low prices at Wal-Mart to maintain a decent lifestyle. With minimum wage at a little over $5 per hour, Wal-Mart meat looks pretty darn good to many folks (including those who work there).
I chastized my college educated daughter for shopping at Wal-Mart one day and then she told me what she makes in her state gov't job, what her expenses are, etc. and I began to have a different view of things.
Those who can should shop elsewhere, but don't condemn those who can't.

Hillbilly; it is really difficult to live on a tight budget....I have been there and done that (for more years that I want to think about) but I never have and never will buy low-grade meat. I would rather eat a wonderful quality bean and rice dish!

I never buy fresh meats and/or produce from Walmart via two past kitchen fiascos attributed to same. Lesson learned.

I bought an "enhanced" pork butt at Wal-Mart for my first attempt at making sausage. The texture, when ground (and boy, did I have a hard time getting it through the grinder)--was slimy, and my sausage was horrible. Thank goodness the pork was cheap, because I ended up throwing out the whole batch, it was irredeemable. Next time I'll order pork from my local butcher. Wal-Mart's meat is generally horrible. Whole chickens are cheap, though, and unenhanced. I stock up on them whenever I go.

And it's always true ... You get what you pay for

Wal-Mart promises you the lowest prices always, but that comes at a price. Wal-Mart is also going to find the cheapest beef and produce to guarantee that lowest price. You get what you pay for.

Sam's does not sell enhanced pork or beef. Most of the BBQ competition teams and caterers buy their meats there. The chickens are enhanced.

John

Thanks Zigfus, that article did hit it on the head. I'll continue to do my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart because of the prices. There is a big difference on a lot of the items. I won't be buying anymore beef or pork there though. I'll double check the chicken but I've grilled chicken 3 times recently from there and it was fine. Perdue brand which is supposed to be hormone free.

MikeS.

quote:

Originally posted by John A

Sam's does not sell enhanced pork or beef. Most of the BBQ competition teams and caterers buy their meats there. The chickens are enhanced.

John

Sorry John, but that's not true. Pretty much all vacumn packed pork ribs are injected with a solution including the ones from Sams. I sometimes pick up the three packs of ribs from Sam's when my wife drags me there when she shops for mega quantities of stuff.
And yes, the Tyson chickens they seel there are also injected. I'd rather pay 20 cents per pound more any day and buy the Purdues or uninjected Tysons at Krogers.

The Mayor and I have discussed several times about Walmart adding a solution to their meat. I really do not understand why they do that?

They plainly note on their label that it is added. There has to be a reason they do that besides just adding weight.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

The Mayor and I have discussed several times about Walmart adding a solution to their meat. I really do not understand why they do that?

They plainly note on their label that it is added. There has to be a reason they do that besides just adding weight.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

It's a brine solution that the general public thinks enhances the flavor and moisture content of the meat.
Good preparation and cooking does it better.

Hi WVH,
Most of the comp teams in the Florida BBQ Association buy their meats from Sam's because they are not injected. I wonder if it's a regional thing, I imagine the brine is injected by the suppliers.

John

Roossy90,
We small and unprofitable farmers VERY much appreciate you buying meat that has by cared for and not hormoned. I do it as a hobby but friends down the road struggle to do it as a living. We do it as a coop but the profits go to them.

I quit doing it as a profit center when some PETA types released and as a result killed quite a few animals. I now work w/ my friends and neighbors to get them away from tobacco as a crop and into mushrooms, free range animals and whatever else results a great return. You can't have a 200 acre field of corn and compete w/ a guy in Nebraska w/ a 2,000 acre field, or a guy in Canada w/ a 20,000 acre field.

Wally World salts their meat for two reasons...
1)you're paying meat prices for salt water.
2)got one heck of a better shelf life in a 10% salt solutin.

Think global...buy local.

And I'm a Republican. I shall now step off the soap box. Buy local...it's better food and you help your neighbor.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

The Mayor and I have discussed several times about Walmart adding a solution to their meat. I really do not understand why they do that?

They plainly note on their label that it is added. There has to be a reason they do that besides just adding weight.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

8 lb's or so to a gallon of water X's the avg. $ per lb. of the meat. X's how many gallons of water per day bought inside said meat = a lot. Plus it has a longer shelf life and it keeps the color longer. They're right about the enhancemnt part. I think preservatives taste so much better when attached to a piece of meat.

quote:

Originally posted by V960


Think global...buy local.

Nope. Think local, buy local. If everyone focused on their friends and neighbors, and worried about doing right by those people, instead of trying to stick their nose in everybody else's life, I believe we'd all be better off.
I buy from local producers because 1) I think that's the way it should be, 2) I've gotten to know and become friends with many of the producers I buy from, 3) it keeps the money local and supports local business, 4) it's fresher and it's GOT to be healthier. I could probably think of more reasons, but I'll hand the soapbox to someone else...

If the same percentage of the American public bought from local producers as the percentage here at RF who claim to do so, the family farm would not be a nearly extinct.

quote:

Originally posted by WVHillbilly

If the same percentage of the American public bought from local producers as the percentage here at RF who claim to do so, the family farm would not be a nearly extinct.

And if the same percentage of the American public bought from local restaurants and businesses (instead of chains and large corporate stores), we'd have more of them, too.

I'm a realist, and chains aren't inherently "evil", but more and more I'm wishing they had never been created. As a younger man, I was fascinated with the Interstate Highway system, but I've come to think that may have been the worse thing that ever happened to America.

In all sincerety, the Sterns can look back on their lives and know they were instrumental in a "revolution" of sorts; back to the "roots" of America. There is something special here...

Ok, time for bed...[|)]

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie

quote:

Originally posted by WVHillbilly

If the same percentage of the American public bought from local producers as the percentage here at RF who claim to do so, the family farm would not be a nearly extinct.

And if the same percentage of the American public bought from local restaurants and businesses (instead of chains and large corporate stores), we'd have more of them, too.

I'm a realist, and chains aren't inherently "evil", but more and more I'm wishing they had never been created. As a younger man, I was fascinated with the Interstate Highway system, but I've come to think that may have been the worse thing that ever happened to America.

In all sincerety, the Sterns can look back on their lives and know they were instrumental in a "revolution" of sorts; back to the "roots" of America. There is something special here...

Ok, time for bed...[|)]

You're right Bushie. I wonder if American society will ever transform back into a culture of community. I believe it will take some sort of chronic national condition. . . whoops, that's a topic for some other forum.

I would like to buy local but there are no independent, locally owned, butcher shops nearby. There was one about ten years ago, business fell off when they got rather expensive so they went left. The closest things we have to real butchers are at Publix. They just ordered in some Tri Tip for me, no one else around here has it, and they are very good about providing other cuts, as I want them.

John

I never buy meat from Wal-Mart. When it comes to meat I get mine at the local meat market. Hean has never dissapointed us yet. They dont use solutions and the crap that the store bought stuff uses. I tried one thing from Wal-Mart and it was all gristle. I will stick with Heans.

Our Wal-Mart does not have a food section. Our local grocery store does, however. About a year ago I bought some pork chops, cooked them and thought they tasted like HAM and not fresh pork. AH HA! Yes, I read the lable and they had been injected. Since then we buy our meat at the local butcher store (got sweetbreads there last week, oh my stars, they were so good) or just good old Costco who really DOES carry restaurant quality meat without any additives.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Our Wal-Mart does not have a food section. Our local grocery store does, however.

Hmmm.. I hope so.

Both Ukrop's (local Richmond chain) and our local Food Lions have decent non-injected meat. Fortunately the injected stuff is labeled and therefore easy to avoid. I bought some ribeyes at Costco and was pretty impressed with them too.