Roast Beef

catlover28, Aug 7, 8:49am
I bought some today. The label said Roast beef but when i cooked it it turned out greyish in colour and tasted salty. Does that mean I got Silverside?
ferita, Aug 7, 9:30am
It was probably pumped full of "brine" to make it heavier.

They use machines that have big needles on them that inject brine and binders as well as any juices that have leeched out back into the meat. They then tumble it in a vacuum or pressure tumbler to push this brine further into the meat. Often repeating the process a few times.

They can literally add 50 to 80% weight to the meat.

I used to work in a meat factory and this is what we did every day.
ferita, Aug 7, 9:32am
You are better buying a natural cut of meat and roasting it yourself. That way you know it hasnt been pumped full of rubbish
catlover28, Aug 7, 9:48am
The cats wont even eat it! Its going! !
nfh1, Aug 7, 9:33pm
What would you call a 'natural cut of meat'? Would roast beef have brine injected?
uli, Aug 7, 9:41pm
Sounds like pickled or brined to me. How was it packaged? If in a complete enclosed piece of plastic than it was brined!

It could have been corned silverside - but if the label said "Roast beef" - then I would bring it back and complain. Roast beef is never brined and should be what ferita calls "a natural" piece of meat - as it comes from the animal - no further processing like brining.
ferita, Aug 7, 10:46pm
Fillet, rib-eye, standing rib, rolled rib, wing rib, sirloin, rump. All of these tender cuts except rolled rib (slow roast) can be roasted high and fast (200° C). Topside, bolar, chuck. These less tender cuts are more suitable for slow roasting (160° C) or pot-roasting.

Any cut that has been cut and not processed. You should ask your butcher if it has been injected or not. You would be suprised what meat is injected. If the meat is packed in a bag then it is often injected. Any meat that is pre sliced or marketed as tenderised is often injected.

This is what an injector looks like
http://www.cfs.com/showGroupEN? groupID=1&subGroupID=18&a
mp;site=EN&groupname=Marinating%20Equipment&subgroup
name=Injecting

When they inject it they inject it with a binder that allws them to fill the meat up with liquid. This is why cheap bacon is often very wet when you fry it, the liquid comes out.
ferita, Aug 7, 10:48pm
I should also mention that a lot of meat that says it has been marinated -- it has been injected.
nfh1, Aug 8, 12:29am
Thanks ferita - you live and learn!

I buy from a butcher who sells meat from their own station - meat is excellent. I had no idea this practice went on - naive I suppose.

I once bought some marinated steaks from the supermarket by mistake - they could have been pork, chicken, lamb as they had no taste or texture. Someone told me that they marinate the meat which is going part its sell by date - not sure how true that is but I would never buy it again.
uli, Jan 4, 1:56am
Unfortunately VERY true ... have been told that by several butchery apprentices from various supermarkets... Never buy anything in amarinade - it is from the last day (or even before) and beyond being re-packaged - showing "strings" - so is being "marinated" - which only means mixed with colouring, flavouring and preservative ...