Meat

Logo

I always assumed that buying a cooked chicken was a more meat healthy option rather than packed processed or counter sliced meats but I read that chickens can be pumped with antibiotics, washed with bleach etc. I want to eat a fairly healthy diet and then die. Should I throw out the poor little chicken in my fridge?

Feisar

I think Irish red meat and wild fish are probably the healthiest options.

EmmetSpiceland

Meat isn’t unhealthy, in “moderation”. But you can’t expect to be getting high grade meat when you’re paying a couple of quid for it.

If you’re getting a whole chicken for peanuts you can assume it’s been “pumped” full of everything and has, probably, never seen the light of day. Not going to kill you to eat it but you could probably do without all the added chemicals floating around inside you.

It’s the same with chicken fillets and packet ham, that stuff is “comprised” of reclaimed meat and connective tissue. This is then whipped up into a “meat slurry” and with a bunch of additives, and emulsifiers, it’s made to look like “normal” meat.

You get what you pay for, really.

Feisar

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Meat isn’t unhealthy, in “moderation”. But you can’t expect to be getting high grade meat when you’re paying a couple of quid for it.

If you’re getting a whole chicken for peanuts you can assume it’s been “pumped” full of everything and has, probably, never seen the light of day. Not going to kill you to eat it but you could probably do without all the added chemicals floating around inside you.

It’s the same with chicken fillets and packet ham, that stuff is “comprised” of reclaimed meat and connective tissue. This is then whipped up into a “meat slurry” and with a bunch of additives, and emulsifiers, it’s made to look like “normal” meat.

You get what you pay for, really.

Exactly. A free range organic chicken would be circa €20.

silverharp

In Ireland lamb and beef are your best choices , pork and chicken I reckon are reared in the least natural way especially their diets. At least lamb and Beef are mostly "grass fed" as the yanks say

cj maxx

Chickens aren’t pumped full of anything. They’re bred to gain weight quickly and would probably die from heart attacks if not slaughtered at 6/7 weeks.
Don’t know about washing them in factories but I’m sure it’s probably ok.

corner of hells

Logo wrote: »

I always assumed that buying a cooked chicken was a more meat healthy option rather than packed processed or counter sliced meats but I read that chickens can be pumped with antibiotics, washed with bleach etc. I want to eat a fairly healthy diet and then die. Should I throw out the poor little chicken in my fridge?

Chicken, particularly chicken fillets, is "tumbled " in preparation. Its placed in large machine like tumble dryers filled with water. Sometimes water is further injected into the flesh.
The idea is to bulk up the meat with water.Its not illegal once its labelled.

I keep my own chickens and catch my own fish from a lake on my land.

Some of the above post is not true.

petronius

Particularly supermarket chicken fillets - i find are full of water that when you cook them they shrink.
I got chicken fillets from the butchers (a few bob more) and there was significant more in volumne and quality

to wave the irish flag - the difference between grain fed beef in the US/Canada than our grass fed beef and lamb is significant

Canis Lupus

Logo wrote: »

I always assumed that buying a cooked chicken was a more meat healthy option rather than packed processed or counter sliced meats but I read that chickens can be pumped with antibiotics, washed with bleach etc. I want to eat a fairly healthy diet and then die. Should I throw out the poor little chicken in my fridge?

Chlorine washed chicken is banned in the EU afaik.

Only one option if you want to know exactly is to raise it yourself.

I killed some chickens yesterday for the freezer

dxhound2005

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Meat isn’t unhealthy, in “moderation”. But you can’t expect to be getting high grade meat when you’re paying a couple of quid for it.

If you’re getting a whole chicken for peanuts you can assume it’s been “pumped” full of everything and has, probably, never seen the light of day. Not going to kill you to eat it but you could probably do without all the added chemicals floating around inside you.

It’s the same with chicken fillets and packet ham, that stuff is “comprised” of reclaimed meat and connective tissue. This is then whipped up into a “meat slurry” and with a bunch of additives, and emulsifiers, it’s made to look like “normal” meat.

You get what you pay for, really.

These ham people and probably others would dispute your information. And I cannot see how chicken fillets could be made from meat slurry.

https://shop.supervalu.ie/shopping/chilled-food-ham-brady-family-glazed-90-grams-/p-1531632001

biko

Buy from local farmers, or butchers that knows the source of the meat.

EmmetSpiceland

dxhound2005 wrote: »

These ham people and probably others would dispute your information. And I cannot see how chicken fillets could be made from meat slurry.

https://shop.supervalu.ie/shopping/chilled-food-ham-brady-family-glazed-90-grams-/p-1531632001

I’m sure they would.

And I’m sure they’d like to believe that their ham is cut from the pig in a little shed out the back by the, wise, old farmer and his 3 sons. Straight into the packet it goes and nothing but a pinch of salt to be added to help it “keep”.

None of it was “mechanically recovered” by spraying the carcass with high powered jets to remove all that “connective tissue”, then reformed together to make a nice lump that can be shaped into whatever looks good for the market. Maybe slap a layer of fat on the back of it to make it look a little more “natural”.

And, look, there’s nothing wrong with that when you’re selling it for a couple of quid. You get what you pay for but presenting it as some sort of “gold standard” prime cut is just nonsense. It’s the dregs of meat.

Yer man Boucher-Hayes did a show about how the chicken fillet, from the chicken fillet rolls, were made. Worth having a look to see the “tricks” of the trade laid bare.

Again, no issue with the product, itself, it’s dirt cheap for a reason and you can’t really argue with the taste on the “spicy” ones. Still, it’s not coming off the breast of a prize chook, that’s for sure.

CrankyHaus

When ham is sliced from a large ham right in front of you at the counter is that any guarantee that it was not mechanically recovered or overly processed?

McGinniesta

Just eat the damn chicken

EmmetSpiceland

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

.............
Yer man Boucher-Hayes did a show about how the chicken fillet, from the chicken fillet rolls, were made. Worth having a look to see the “tricks” of the trade laid bare............

Indeed, that however does not mean that every chicken fillet in every shop in the country is produced like that.

whiskeyman

CrankyHaus wrote: »

When ham is sliced from a large ham right in front of you at the counter is that any guarantee that it was not mechanically recovered or overly processed?

A large ham in front of you in many delis isn't necessarily straight from the animal.
Many of those joints are pre-prepared themselves and can be made from different cuts.

EmmetSpiceland

Augeo wrote: »

Indeed, that however does not mean that every chicken fillet in every shop in the country is produced like that.

No, it certainly does not. But if you’re getting it for 3 or 4 quid you’d have to imagine you’re not getting the “good stuff”.

CrankyHaus

whiskeyman wrote: »

A large ham in front of you in many delis isn't necessarily straight from the animal.
Many of those joints are pre-prepared themselves and can be made from different cuts.

So is there anything to look for to get good stuff, any mark or indicator of quality or lack thereof?

Logo

Logo wrote: »

I always assumed that buying a cooked chicken was a more meat healthy option rather than packed processed or counter sliced meats

I initially read that as you thinking that buying a cooked chicken is healthier than buying a chicken and the cooking it. Do you mean that it's healthier to buy a whole chicken rather than chicken pieces? Or are we getting into Billy Roll *shudder* territory?

Logo wrote: »

but I read that chickens can be pumped with antibiotics, washed with bleach etc.

The EU has very different standards than the US, so I'd double-check the country your source is from. But yeah there's no way an average consumer can make sure their meat hasn't been tampered with - your best bet is to buy from a butcher, be prepared to buy the more expensive stuff, and hope that the premium represents quality.

Whenever people start labelling stuff as as 'more healthy' or 'less healthy', I'm always very sceptical. We need to be way more specific if we actually want to be educated, or educate others. What's so healthy about buying a cooked chicken?

Church on Tuesday

Just buy off your local butcher, price difference often tends to be negligible in any event.

I wouldn't really be a fan of buying meat from supermarkets tbh unless I really have to and even then it would have to be free range.

IAMAMORON

In general the quality of meat in Ireland is extremely high. It is easy to pick holes in certain types but I don't think that you should spend too much time being fussy over price either. I think the bigger cities and supermarkets don't often get as good a quality as the country does, which makes sense. I often drive to Wicklow, Wexford or Kildare to get good meat off a country butcher. I never buy meat cuts in a supermarket, injected with water and tasteless.

I also think you should try to keep off meat for a couple of days a weak. It will not do you any harm.

dxhound2005

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

I’m sure they would.

And I’m sure they’d like to believe that their ham is cut from the pig in a little shed out the back by the, wise, old farmer and his 3 sons. Straight into the packet it goes and nothing but a pinch of salt to be added to help it “keep”.

None of it was “mechanically recovered” by spraying the carcass with high powered jets to remove all that “connective tissue”, then reformed together to make a nice lump that can be shaped into whatever looks good for the market. Maybe slap a layer of fat on the back of it to make it look a little more “natural”.

And, look, there’s nothing wrong with that when you’re selling it for a couple of quid. You get what you pay for but presenting it as some sort of “gold standard” prime cut is just nonsense. It’s the dregs of meat.

Yer man Boucher-Hayes did a show about how the chicken fillet, from the chicken fillet rolls, were made. Worth having a look to see the “tricks” of the trade laid bare.

Again, no issue with the product, itself, it’s dirt cheap for a reason and you can’t really argue with the taste on the “spicy” ones. Still, it’s not coming off the breast of a prize chook, that’s for sure.

That ham is not cheap. I bought four slices yesterday cut from a joint in Dunnes Stores, and it cost €4. It tastes much the same as the ham which is cut off the bone.

Thelonious Monk

I don't know how people eat Irish pork products given the horrible conditions the pigs are kept in. I don't miss it anyway.

petronius

The Boucher-Hayes programme was eye opening - wouldnt buy a chicken fillet roll after that!
Bits coming from Poland and Holland.

Meat from a butchers can be just so much better, and they can also give good advice on how to cook stuff.
A christmas or 2 ago, while talking to the butcher who had beef for his christmas dinner, convinced me to try beef for a new years meal and party, i am not a foodie, but I impressed my visitors who didnt believe i cooked it.

So just saying there are benefits in talking to your butcher, they can even cut it to suit you, and a good source of advice.

Ipso

Are the horse burgers still of good quality?

EmmetSpiceland

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

I’m sure they would.

And I’m sure they’d like to believe that their ham is cut from the pig in a little shed out the back by the, wise, old farmer and his 3 sons. Straight into the packet it goes and nothing but a pinch of salt to be added to help it “keep”.

None of it was “mechanically recovered” by spraying the carcass with high powered jets to remove all that “connective tissue”, then reformed together to make a nice lump that can be shaped into whatever looks good for the market. Maybe slap a layer of fat on the back of it to make it look a little more “natural”.

And, look, there’s nothing wrong with that when you’re selling it for a couple of quid. You get what you pay for but presenting it as some sort of “gold standard” prime cut is just nonsense. It’s the dregs of meat.

Yer man Boucher-Hayes did a show about how the chicken fillet, from the chicken fillet rolls, were made. Worth having a look to see the “tricks” of the trade laid bare.

Again, no issue with the product, itself, it’s dirt cheap for a reason and you can’t really argue with the taste on the “spicy” ones. Still, it’s not coming off the breast of a prize chook, that’s for sure.

You’re completely confusing two things there

That said, I prefer the taste of the breaded slurry one than the real one you buy in a supermarket or from a butcher.

screamer

Chickens here do have antibiotics administered, and because our chickens are vaccinated, salmonella is largely obliterated in our eggs. In US chickens are not vaccinated and chicken and eggs are washed in chlorine prior to packing.
Most commercially farmed animals have all sorts of vaccines to keep them healthy, so there’s really no way to avoid it

rainbowtrout

dxhound2005 wrote: »

These ham people and probably others would dispute your information. And I cannot see how chicken fillets could be made from meat slurry.

https://shop.supervalu.ie/shopping/chilled-food-ham-brady-family-glazed-90-grams-/p-1531632001

Not the chicken fillets that you buy raw to cook. Those are real chicken fillets. But the ones you get at the deli counter in a chicken fillet roll on the other hand......


https://lovin.ie/news/this-horrific-video-shows-what-actually-goes-into-chicken-fillet-rolls

s1ippy

Feisar wrote: »

Exactly. A free range organic chicken would be circa €20.

You'd easily get at least four to six big dinners and sandwiches out of that chicken though.

If you can afford it, buy large quantities of good quality meat in bulk orders from a local source, freeze it until needed and only eat the "recommended" amount per week. It's a very surprising amount. I thought it was meagre when I checked years ago, but you actually end up eating way nicer meals when meat isn't always the focal point of the meal.

https://www.neighbourfood.ie/

If you're in Cork, can't recommend this site highly enough! Saves us having to go to the butcher and very cost-effective if you can resist the temptation to buy everything they have.

Aongus Von Bismarck

There’s excellent food to be had in Ireland. Unfortunately most Irish people don’t seem to want to eat it. That explains the love for chicken fillet rolls, 15 piece fried breakfasts for 8 euro, deep frozen fish, and those prepacked sandwiches you find in service stations.

It’s no wonder obesity is such an issue in the country.

freshpopcorn

petronius wrote: »

The Boucher-Hayes programme was eye opening - wouldnt buy a chicken fillet roll after that!
Bits coming from Poland and Holland.

I was amazed at people didn't know all that stuff that about the Chicken fillet roll.
It was common knowledge to me.

Church on Tuesday

I never got the obsession with chicken fillet rolls in this country.

Church on Tuesday

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

I never got the obsession with chicken fillet rolls in this country.

The non pretentious food of the people. They’re wonderful.

Church on Tuesday

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

The non pretentious food of the people. They’re wonderful.

They are bland as fook IMO. And I love crappy food from time to time.

whisky_galore

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

The non pretentious food of the people. They’re wonderful.

Not a fan of the mechanically recovered reconstituted chicken sludge myself.

iamstop

I've been veggie for 20 years. People always tel me I look 5 to 8 years younger than I am. Besides never being a smoker I think being veggie is a big part of that.

EmmetSpiceland

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

They are bland as fook IMO. And I love crappy food from time to time.

The “spicy” one is what you’re after then.

whisky_galore

whisky_galore wrote: »

Not a fan of the mechanically recovered reconstituted chicken sludge myself.

I love it. Brutal getting one in some unknown place and then discovering they’ve breaded a tasteless real chicken fillet.

Church on Tuesday

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

The “spicy” one is what you’re after then.

I'll pass.

Thelonious Monk

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

I never got the obsession with chicken fillet rolls in this country.

They're awful, and cuisine de france bread is just awful awful

gogo

iamstop wrote: »

I've been veggie for 20 years. People always tel me I look 5 to 8 years younger than I am. Besides never being a smoker I think being veggie is a big part of that.

I’ve been a meat eater for 20 years. People always tell me I look 6-9 years younger than I am. I smoked quiet frequently when I was younger although I gave up a good few years ago but honestly feel that having a regular source of protein (from meat) and good genetics is a massive part of that.

Buford T. Justice XIX

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Meat isn’t unhealthy, in “moderation”. But you can’t expect to be getting high grade meat when you’re paying a couple of quid for it.

If you’re getting a whole chicken for peanuts you can assume it’s been “pumped” full of everything and has, probably, never seen the light of day. Not going to kill you to eat it but you could probably do without all the added chemicals floating around inside you.

It’s the same with chicken fillets and packet ham, that stuff is “comprised” of reclaimed meat and connective tissue. This is then whipped up into a “meat slurry” and with a bunch of additives, and emulsifiers, it’s made to look like “normal” meat.

You get what you pay for, really.

On the reclaimed meat, the greatest marketing sleight of hand ever was charging a premium price for pulled pork. I've seen posters rave about it on here a while back and they had trouble believing that it was reconstituted as meat after mechanical extraction from the carcass.

OP, if you wish to avoid lower quality meats, avoid anything that comes in a box and purchase from a quality butcher. There are still a good few left in the country that kill their own beef and lamb and there are a few that can source chicken and pork for you if those take your fancy.

The Craft Butchers of Ireland would be a good place to start looking.

https://www.craftbutchers.ie/

Buford T. Justice XIX

Buford T. Justice XIX wrote: »

On the reclaimed meat, the greatest marketing sleight of hand ever was charging a premium price for pulled pork. I've seen posters rave about it on here a while back and they had trouble believing that it was reconstituted as meat after mechanical extraction from the carcass.

OP, if you wish to avoid lower quality meats, avoid anything that comes in a box and purchase from a quality butcher. There are still a good few left in the country that kill their own beef and lamb and there are a few that can source chicken and pork for you if those take your fancy.

The Craft Butchers of Ireland would be a good place to start looking.

https://www.craftbutchers.ie/

Speaking of killing Buford, do you know anyone who could kill some pigs. Someone I know raises their own in your neck of the woods

MFPM

gogo wrote: »

I’ve been a meat eater for 20 years. People always tell me I look 6-9 years younger than I am. I smoked quiet frequently when I was younger although I gave up a good few years ago but honestly feel that having a regular source of protein (from meat) and good genetics is a massive part of that.

And one can get regular source of protein without ever eating meat...millions of people do.

Greyfox

MFPM wrote: »

And one can get regular source of protein without ever eating meat...millions of people do.

True, but meat is delicious.

whisky_galore

MFPM wrote: »

And one can get regular source of protein without ever eating meat...millions of people do.

And millions don't.

Church on Tuesday

MFPM wrote: »

And one can get regular source of protein without ever eating meat...millions of people do.

The whole thing about meat being bad for you is a nonsense.

Some people eat meat, some don't, neither side should expect a medal for it.

Feisar

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

Just buy off your local butcher, price difference often tends to be negligible in any event.

I wouldn't really be a fan of buying meat from supermarkets tbh unless I really have to and even then it would have to be free range.

Most butchers these days are little more than meat unpackers and displayers.

Church on Tuesday

Feisar wrote: »

Most butchers these days are little more than meat unpackers and displayers.

The good ones are not.

Capt'n Midnight

iamstop wrote: »

I've been veggie for 20 years. People always tel me I look 5 to 8 years younger than I am. Besides never being a smoker I think being veggie is a big part of that.

5 to 8 boring meatless years