How do I tell the freshness of raw chicken?
I just bought some fresh cut meat from the local market. I've cleaned it and put it for brining. The chicken is smelly and has a yellowish color. I also got a lot more fat than usual while cleaning it.
I know that storage affects chicken quality, but this is fresh cut meat. Could fresh cut chicken be bad? How do I tell the best quality chicken and what factors affect the quality?
Best Answer
The yellow color could be just a sign of what it was fed. According to the USDA:
THE COLOR OF POULTRY
- What is the usual color of raw poultry? Raw poultry can vary from a bluish-white to yellow. All of these colors are normal and are a direct result of breed, exercise, age, and/or diet. Younger poultry has less fat under the skin, which can cause the bluish cast, and the yellow skin could be a result of marigolds in the feed.
You could have an older chicken that had marigolds in what it was fed.
On the flip side, I was always taught that if any meat smells bad, it isn't good to eat. If it was my chicken in the kitchen, I would take it back to the store or just throw it out.
If you are still debating on if it is good to eat, you could always take it back to the store where you purchased it, or contact the USDA Poultry Hotline.
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Quick Answer about "How do I tell the freshness of raw chicken?"
Fresh raw chicken is usually a light pink color with white pieces of fat, has little to no odor, and is soft and moist. If your chicken is slimy, has a foul smell, or has changed to a yellow, green, or gray color, these are signs that your chicken has gone bad.Is it OK to cook chicken that smells a little?
Some good news: If you eat chicken that smells a little bit off, you're most likely going to be OK. Pathogenic bacteria like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli are your biggest risks with raw chicken, and cooking it to a proper 165 degrees Fahrenheit will render those harmless.Is raw chicken OK in the fridge for 5 days?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), raw chicken can be kept in your fridge approximately 1\u20132 days. The same applies to raw turkey and other poultry (1). Meanwhile, cooked chicken can last in the refrigerator approximately 3\u20134 days (1).How long is raw chicken good in the fridge?
Storing Chicken in the Fridge No need to stash it in the freezer \u2014 it's OK to store raw chicken (whole or in pieces) for 1\u20132 days in the fridge.What does old raw chicken smell like?
As for the smell\u2014spoiled chicken smells, well, bad. As in ammonia, or rotten eggs, or just plain pungent. Even fresh chicken smells like something, but it shouldn't smell funky. If yours does then it's probably spoiled.Fresh Chicken Should Always Be THIS Color | The Rachael Ray Show
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Answer 2
Some chickens are deliberately bred to have a yellowish colour. Apparently people associate it with free range or organic farming.
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