However, lamb meat has a unique smell compared to other meats, and some people may not be fond of it. Actually, the cause of the smell is the grass the sheep eats. Grass contains “chlorophyll” which is an organic compound of “phytol” which produces the distinctive odor.
When you open the meat and a strong odor escapes, let the meat sit for a minute and see if the smell is still there. If it is, the meat is bad. If it disappears, what you smelled is the combination of oxygen and myoglobin escaping.
However, if the lamb has a sulphuric smell, like rotten eggs, then that's not okay. Lamb should smell, well, lamby; fresh and grassy, almost gamey, a distinct herby kind of aroma mixed with the usual smell of 'meat'. If it smells like anything else, you should be cautious.
Specifically, the meat will change to a darker red colour while in the packaging due to the lack of exposure to oxygen. The meat will also sweat while in the packaging and this can result in an unpleasant smell when you first open the packaging (this is not an indication of the freshness of the meat).
Bad meat will have a sour smell, almost like spoiled milk. It will also turn from its red color to a murky brown shade. If any of the meat in your refrigerator has a strange smell or color, it's best to throw it away rather than take your chances.
During storage and shipping, meats can release gas in the vacuum-sealed bag which may produce a strong and sometimes adverse sulfur smell. If this happens to occur, simply remove the meat from the bag when you are ready to cook, rinse and allow it to air out until the smell has dissipated.
Vacuum packaging inhibits destructive bacterial growth and also allows the natural tenderisation or ageing process to continue. This allows you to keep your Dorper Lamb in the fridge for up to three weeks. After this time, the meat must be used or frozen.
Spoiled meat has a strong smell that still has an odor reminiscent of steak but with undertones of ammonia. Some steaks may also have an egg-like smell. If your steak is past its expiration date and has an off-putting smell, it's likely not safe to eat.
It sounds like they are crawling with Pseudomonas bacteria hence the fishy smell. These aren't harmful in themselves but produce some horrible by products which make the meat taste off. However, there could be some nasty bugs in there which could make her ill.
Take lamb home immediately and refrigerate it at 40 °F or below. Use ground lamb or stew meat within 1 to 2 days; lamb chops, roasts, and steaks within 3 to 5 days or freeze at 0 °F or below. If kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely. It is safe to freeze lamb in its original packaging or repackage it.
Never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok, as it could make you very ill.
Definitions of gamey. adjective. (used of the smell of meat) smelling spoiled or tainted. synonyms: gamy, high ill-smelling, malodorous, malodourous, stinky, unpleasant-smelling. having an unpleasant smell.
The liver shouldn't smell strongly or look overly slimy - if you get any whiff of ammonia, the liver may be off and shouldn't be eaten.
If it begins to brown, the simple reason is that it has been exposed to oxygen. However, there are other explanations as to why raw meat may turn brown, such as its temperature, any exposure to light and microbial growth. Sometimes the meat may be greyish-brown inside, but not due to spoilage.
You can safely store larger cuts of meat in the fridge for 3 to 5 days after getting them home and before cooking or freezing.
Myth 4: If It Smells OK, Then It's OK to Eat.
This is definitely not always true. Spoilage bacteria, yeasts and moulds are the usual culprits for making food smell off or go slimy and these may not make you sick, although it is always advisable not to consume spoiled food.
This may be the first thing you notice if your beef has gone bad, even before you open the fridge. Spoiled beef will develop a scent to it similar to ammonia or sulfur. In short, it won't smell good. Occasionally ground beef will develop a light smell if it's been in airtight packaging, and that's alright.
If your meat smells rancid, it most likely is. Spoiled red meat has a distinct, pungent ammonia scent. Throw your meat away if it has a bad odor, especially if the meat's expiration date has passed.
Refrigeration: Packaged whole cuts of fresh lamb may be refrigerated in their original wrapping in the coldest part of the refrigerator up to four or five days after purchase. Ground lamb can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days; cooked lamb is at its best refrigerated no longer than four days.
If meat has passed it's use by date then don't eat it. You also shouldn't consume meat that got a grey or geen tinge to it, or a bad smell - that's a sign that it's likely to have gone off.
In vacuum-packaged meat, psychrotrophic facultative anaerobic and anaerobic bacteria can grow and cause different types of spoilage (56).
Texture – In addition to an unpleasant scent, spoiled meats can be sticky or slimy to the touch. Color – Rotten meats will also undergo a slight change in color.