Consumerist
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steak
Consumers Forgo Restaurants, Cook Fancy Steaks At Home
Americans love steak. Now, in a recession, we still love it, but we've shifted to buying and cooking delicious high-end steaks at home instead of eating them in restaurants, thanks to greater availability of fancy cuts of meat to consumers. More » -
profits over safety
Why E. Coli Still Makes Its Way Into Your Meat Supply
Before you bite into that juicy hamburger, you might want to better understand how the meat industry creates, tests (or doesn't test), then distributes ground beef. A detailed investigation by Michael Moss at the New York Times proves eating it is "still a gamble. Neither the system meant to make the meat safe, nor the meat itself, is what consumers have been led to believe." More » -
bacon
Shoplifter Shoves 3 Pounds Of Bacon In His Pants
In a case that makes a compelling argument for the use of anti-meat-shoplifting dogs, a man in Mary Esther, Florida was caught when grocery store personnel noticed that he was "looking suspicious." He looked suspicious because of the 48 ounces of bacon he had stuffed in his pants. More » -
practical
Police Dog Chooses More Delicious Of Two Crimes
A police dog who had lost the scent of an armed robbery suspect located a different crime instead reports Fox News in Boston. The dog led police into a Stop & Shop chasing a masked man who had robbed a nearby Shell station. The dog lost the trail, but did find a homeless man who had shoved a bunch of meat in his pants. More » -
locavores
Bring Out Your Pig, The Mobile Slaughterhouse Is Here!
A group of farmers in the Seattle area are testing out a new $300,000 "Mobile Meat Processing Unit"—a 45-foot stainless steel trailer that comes with its own USDA inspector and a butcher—in an attempt to see whether they can make a profit selling their meat locally instead of shipping livestock off to a feedlot "hundreds of miles away." More » -
hot beef infection
Another Month, Another Beef Recall
The summer of beef recalls continues, with the creatively named Beef Packers recalling 826,000 pounds of ground beef linked to salmonella illnesses in the western U.S. More » -
videos
Here's A Simple Tutorial On Expiration Dates
Howcast has produced a quick video tutorial covering the basics of expiration and sell by dates. If you have questions about eggs, meat, canned goods, or storing things in the freezer, check it out. More » -
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meat
9 Affordable Steaks And How To Grill Them
It's holiday weekend time, kids, and just because there's a nasty recession going on doesn't mean you have to skip the steaks. The Washington Post has put together this helpful printable PDF that will introduce you to some cheaper cuts of beef that can be quite tasty when given a little TLC. More » -
Is it safe to buy meat when the "sell by" date is about to expire? How safe is it to buy beef or fish at a reduced price because the "sell by" date is about to expire? What are signs of bad steak? Does browning around the edges indicate it's spoiled? [CR]
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food labeling
Obama Administration Asks Meat Industry To 'Voluntarily' Follow Stricter Labeling Guidelines
Earlier this week, U.S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told consumer groups that "he will ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow stricter guidelines for new package labels designed to specify a food's country of origin." If they don't comply, "the administration will write new rules." The request won't please meat packing companies, who often mix Mexican with U.S. beef before selling it.
"Vilsack calls for stricter food labels" [Associated Press]
(Photo: foxypar4) -
shrink ray
Shylockian Shrink Ray Extracts Pound Of Flesh From Tyson Frozen Chicken Wings
BUH-KAW! Tyson's five-pound bag of frozen chicken wings is now Tyson's four-pound bag of frozen chicken wings.
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frugality
Save Money By Being Your Own Butcher
CheapStingyBargains says that rather than relying on a butcher, it can be cheaper just to buy a whole piece of meat and cut it up yourself:
I’ve been in supermarkets where a couple of skinless, boneless chicken breasts cost MORE than a whole chicken. Wouldn’t it make sense to buy the whole bird, trim out the breasts (30 seconds, once you’ve done it a couple of times) and throw the rest away if it will cost less than buying two cutlets?...Does your family like nice boneless centercut porkchops? Buy a whole boneless pork loin and cut into 1″ slices. You can even wrap them in plastic film and freeze them for use later. By being your own butcher, you’ll enjoy great quality meat at probably two-thirds the price of anything you would buy pre-cut.
Makes sense to us, especially after seeing this investigation on how chicken is packed with extra water so they can charge you more. Just get a good set of knives and get slicing and dicing. You can also save by cutting and marinating your own meats, and making your own bacon.
Sharpen Knife, Slash Your Food Costs [Cheap Stingy Bargains] (Thanks to Marilyn!)
(Photo: seventime)
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moos from the swamp
Bush Administration To Meatpackers: Please Stop Testing For Mad Cow Disease
The USDA has appealed a district court decision that would allow meatpackers to conduct their own tests for mad cow disease, alleging that such testing would only create "false assurances." The original plaintiff, Creekstone Farms, wants to test all of its cattle for mad cow but the USDA has prevented it from buying the testing kits. More » -
recalls
Cow Abuse Meatpacking Boss Reluctantly Admits To Tainting The Food Supply
The president of a slaughterhouse at the heart of the largest meat recall denied under oath on Wednesday, but then changed his mind, that his company introduced sick cows into the food supply, says the NYT. More »
meat
New York, 5:31 AM
Mon Nov 9
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