Cathy aka Nrpeace of HCW got back to me about the way Target & Sutton & Dodge package their beef. I am mentioning this again because of the new $3/1 peelie and my recollection of how people think they are getting such a great deal on beef without considering the health consequences. Keep in mind that beef is packaged with nitrates and pumped full of saline to make it appear fresh. Cathy emailed me an article on nitrate/carbon monoxide packaging
HERE. Did you know that they way Target packages their Sutton & Dodge beef is banned in Japan and Europe?! Pretty misleading to pump nitrates into food to make it appear fresh. GROSS!!!
Thanks Cathy aka Nrpeace. Pic thanks to the New York Times.
16 comments:
This is why I do NOT buy meat from Target or WalMart!!! If they dont cut it there I will NOT buy it Gross!!!!!!!!
The Sutton and Dodge T-Bones are amazing! Give them a try. They are super tender and amazing flavor!
The reason it is illegal in other countries is STRICTLY because it could be held longer than is safe. Believe me, Target has strict regulations and definitely would rather throw out meat then keep it longer!!! We have much stricter food regulations that say when meat must be thrown out, Japan and other countries do not. It doesn't say anywhere that adding carbon monoxide is harmful. And again,if you thoroughly read that article, you are worse off eating many natural vegetables than the amount of nitrates put into meat. Doesn't say anything about "health consequences" per say.
The carbon monoxide is used to make the meat look pink. I used to work at the Coroner's Office and if a person dies of carbon monoxide they are bright red. The tissue mistakes CO for O2 and that's what makes it LOOK fresh.
mmmmm. I love Target tri-tip! Seriously delicious. I guess I like nitrates and CO. Give me more. :)
I happen to work in the meat department at target... Our beef is Steakhouse quality, not Choice select, or any of that crap. We have strict expiration dates on our meat that clearly state that color of the meat is not a good indication of the quality of it. Although now on sale, our department had Beef Tenderloin going for 15 dollars a pound. We sold a 143 dollar piece of meat the first day we got this seasonal item... That's how good it is.
The term steakhouse quality means nothing. I can't believe the target is allowed to sell beef without marking it with one of the USDA grades.
I've purchased the Petite Sirloin Steaks quite a few times. They have always been tender and delicous. They do have US inspections sticker on them. How do you know where other stores get their meats???
I have worked for target in there meat department and we do take very serious regulation laws into effect. I for one would buy all there meat for how tender and nicely trimmed up the meat is. However, I do know they do fill the meat with some sort of dye to make the meat appear more fresh and good looking which is understandable since many company's/meat farms and factory's do do this. I would recommend everyone who hasn't tried there meat to do so.
Did this lady even read the article that she linked to? She would rather have botulism?
Let's skip the questionable practices on the packaging. Sometimes I cave for convenience or a deal. However, the "Stew Meat" I bought and just went to use is NOT stew meat. IT IS CUTTINGS AND SCRAPS. PEA SIZED. THIS IS NOT OKAY. I will be making a phone call or two... and spreading the Gospel of Nope.
Very strange to find so many "Anonymous" posts supporting -and in some cases raving-- about how great Target beef is. The person who claimed to work in "there beef department" is lying on two counts. First, Targets that stock groceries do NOT have "beef departments." The beef is cut and packaged at a central facility and shipped to stores. Second, Target beef is not "steakhouse quality." Target advertizes its beef as "USDA Choice." I am sitting here looking at a Target ad as I type this. Regardless, my thanks to the "Workin' the Deals" blog for posting this information about how Target beef is processed. No "Sutton & Dodge" for me.
The only reason I found this thread is due to the fact that we bought some Target Steaks and DAMN they were GOOD. So I googled Sutton and Dodge. Then, the bad news......they inject it with chemicals yikes. Like potassium Lactate? Beef broth? Salt? Oh My God I have kidney failure and Potassium builds up in my system, is this going to kill me? I don't know, but it's some of the best tasting beef I've ever had. Tender and flavorful.
Sutton and Dodge meat never looks right. It's always glossy and slimy looking. I have tried it a number of times and have never been satisfied with the flavor or tenderness. No more.
I too work for Target in the Meat & Seafood department and take the food safety & handling regulations very seriously!! I throw out meat that looks "bad" even if the expiration date has not been met. I use our "coupon" program excessively for meat, chicken, pork, seafood that is within 1 or 2 days of expiring.
I also daily do thru the floor coolers looking thru the lunch meat/pre-packaged for products within about 3-5 days of the expiration date and throw it out. I would consider myself to be an aggressive meat quality retail person. YOUR health and experience is very important to me - I take PRIDE in delivering a good product.
I also stock & ROTATE the products from back to front. I DO NOT fill by stuffing newer products in from of older products hoping we will "sell through" fast enough. This process may be slower... but it has greatly reduced our left over / expiring meats, need to use the coupon program, throwing out of expired product and greatly reduced our once HUGE shipments of meat, chicken, pork and lunch meats.
Too bad ALL retail establishments would not seriously and honestly take this approach. I do regardless if it takes me longer.
Here is a "hint", watch the expiration dates on products that interest you. As the date approaches 1 or 2 days out, it should get marked down. This happens throughout the week, and especially on my shifts.
My target has butchers... so not sure about the poster who said they don't. Very often, I'll get a whole chicken cut up for soup. But whatever. Reality check here- most prepackaged meats are putting in some sort of enhancer. Trader Joes, Target, any vacuum sealed meat at your favorite grocer. Haven't died yet. If you understand what you're buying and love it, I say- continue to buy it! I always use the "smell" test. You can definitely tell if the meat is good or not when you open the pkg. I've had great steak, cut by a butcher where the blood ran out and it looked bad. Now.. it wasn't as juicy- but the flavor was still very good. Other times, the steak looked perfectly fine (again, butcher) and it smelled bad. That's a return/toss. I do tend to buy vacuum sealed meats when I know they are going in the freezer. Because they won't get freezer burn. To each their own!
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