How do you know that your meat is fresh?

There are quite a few factors to keep in mind while picking out meat from the stores, which we often miss out on. However, these indicators have a direct bearing on the flavour of the dish. Hence, it is important to check the freshness of the meat while buying it. Here are some pointers to keep in mind while you do that.

The first one is colour. It is extremely crucial for the buyer to check the colour of the meat they are purchasing. For poultry meat, the meat should always be white or slightly pink. The buyer should also check for green tinges under the wings to keep an eye out for clots. In the case of red meats, the colour of the meat should be either red or slightly brownish in case it is vacuum packed.

The second thing to look out for is the smell, generally, poultry meat doesn’t have any smell, but in some cases, there may be a meaty smell. Red meat has a very typical type of smell. One should vary that the meat doesn’t smell pungent or funky.

Texture and appearance is the next thing to look out for. The texture should be firm and the muscle fibres should be clearly visible. Moreover, the meat should not appear translucent or watery when it’s being cut. In the case of red meat, the fat shouldn’t be yellow in colour as that indicates the age of the meat.

How do we keep our meats fresh at Tender Cuts?

We follow extremely high safety, hygiene, and meat handling standards at our back end to ensure that you get the freshest meat and seafood possible. We procure locally produced meat and daily fresh catch of fish only from our community of farmers and fishermen. We do not process our meats in a central unit, instead fresh stock from our vendors reaches directly to our stores after they have been inspected for TenderCuts quality standards. Our meats are always stored at 0 – 4 degrees Celsius and our cold chain logistics makes sure that this temperature is maintained throughout the process i.e. from procurement to delivery at the store near you. Moreover, all our stores are air-conditioned and sanitized every hour to maintain the highest level of hygiene possible. For last-mile delivery, we use gel packs and insulated delivery bags to keep the cold temperature maintained at all times.

Dos and Don’ts on how to keep your meat fresh.

Here are some points to keep in mind when handling your meat
– Ensure that your hands are clean and dry
– Make sure that you store the meat in the coldest part of the fridge
– Use your meat within 3 to 4 days of purchase       
– Use clean chopping boards and knives while cutting the meat


While there are multiple factors to consider when purchasing meat, one thing is for sure that when you buy your meat, it should be from a place you trust and know. We at Tender Cuts ensure that the meat that comes to your house is fresh, safe and delicious because we cut the way you love it!