Many people have the habit of blanching meat with boiling water before cooking, but is this correct?

To ensure delicious meals and food safety, homemakers are very concerned about choosing fresh, clean ingredients. Many people advise that when buying pork, it should be blanched in boiling water before preparation to remove harmful substances. Boiling water, at a high temperature, is said to help eliminate viruses and harmful bacteria. However, in reality, this practice does not effectively remove toxins and dirt from the meat and can even have negative effects on the health of the consumer.

Since the nutrients in meat are primarily protein and fat, and vitamins and amino acids are mainly located in the protein cells, blanching meat in water that has not been properly cleaned causes the outer fibers of the meat to contract. This prevents dirt from escaping, causing the dirt to be absorbed back into the meat.

How to properly clean meat?

To get fresh and delicious meat, when buying meat, first rinse it several times with clean water. Then, you can rub salt onto the meat or wash it with diluted salt water and rinse it again with clean water.

Additionally, you can soak meat or bones in rice water for about an hour. This method is very effective in removing dirt from the surface of bones, excess blood from the meat, and fat from the bones, while also reducing unpleasant odors, making the dish more flavorful.

Alternatively, you can place the bones or meat in a bowl of water mixed with a bit of white vinegar and soak for about 15 minutes. After that, rinse the meat clean and drain it before cooking. Vinegar helps soften the meat and remove excess blood.

Should you boil meat with hot or cold water?

Many people are accustomed to boiling meat with cold water, but others prefer to use hot water. So, which method is better for cooking meat and healthier?

Boiling meat with hot water will make it sweeter than boiling with cold water. This is because the meat retains its nutrients and is not overcooked. Boiling meat with cold water may not yield as tasty a piece of meat, but the resulting broth is sweet and rich, as the nutrients are released into the water, which can be used for making soups.

Therefore, depending on your needs, you can choose how to boil the meat. During cooking, if foam or scum appears, use a spoon to skim it off.

To make the meat more fragrant and avoid odors, you can add roasted onions or a little lemongrass while cooking.

Choosing fresh, clean, and safe pork

Color and smell of the meat

When buying pork, observe its color and smell. High-quality pork will have a light pink to deep red color and a fresh smell without any sour or spoiled odor. When you cut the meat lengthwise, the inside should be dry, the texture firm, and the skin should be soft. The fat should be white and translucent, with no strong oily smell. When boiled, the water should remain clear, with a large layer of fat floating on top and minimal foam.

Elasticity

Fresh pork has good elasticity. When you press your finger into the meat, it should leave a dent but not a mark when you remove your finger. If the meat is firm, with evenly distributed fibers, not mushy, and no leaking fluids, it is high-quality pork.

Fat and meat layers

Typically, high-quality pork will have a fat layer about 1.5–2 cm thick, with the fat and lean meat tightly adhered to each other. If the fat and skin layers are thick, it indicates that the pig was not subjected to growth-promoting treatments.