Pink Slime – A Celebration of Reading

Well, pink slime has gone viral and perhaps is experiencing a little push-back, but we recognize that few people will eat in a restaurant that advertises “We Proudly Serve Pink Slime” but will they know they are eating pink slime if no one tells them?

It seems that recipes are being tested by food establishments that are using transglutaminase to create unusual or misleading new cuts of meat.

Transglutaminase is an enzyme made by the fermentation of bacteria which is added to meat pieces to make them stick together. The result is that a pile of cheap stew meat can be glued together and formed into a filet minion: add a little Sauce Bernaise and a couple of mushroom caps and you’ll gladly pay big bucks for that succulent steak. True, it isn’t going to be as tender as the tenderloin but think of all the extra chewing time you will get to justify spending $30 on $2 worth of meat. Do you know if you’re eating meat glue?

The Green Prophet has several articles on meat glue: try this one to start and don’t forget the related links.

Continue reading “Meat Glue and Other Delights” →

I learned a new word, “ammonium hydroxide-treated beef scraps blended with bovine connective tissue;” well, more of a term than just a word. I understand it is also called “soylent pink” and is currently going under the name “pink slime.” This stuff is scarier than the drug addled offspring of Snooki and El Rushbo starring in an upcoming Tim Burton movie. But what is it?

First, it is not meat. It is scraps of animals from around the world that didn’t make the cut at Mighty Dog which are then blended with yummy connective tissue and melted down in a bath of ammonia (ruled by the USDA as a processing agent so you won’t find it on the label of ingredients). You might wonder what they do with this pink slop. Actually, they add it to real hamburger as an extender. That way you get bigger patties and save the Hamburger Helper for Sunday dinner (why do I have a picture of Randy Quaid in my head now?). I know you’re imagining the worst, but continue eating that Big Mac. Although offered to the likes of Wendy’s, Taco Bell and MacDonald’s, they all refused to taint their quality meat products with the stuff (remember the movie, The Stuff?). I know you were surprised that Taco Bell didn’t jump at the opportunity but we have to admire a food vendor that uses a dog to advertise its tacos; however, the list is very short and one begins to wonder about Hardy’s and Burger King.

Now just when the average consumer was feeling uneasy about this, the latest horror from the Big-Food and Chemical Industry, the Feds intervene in the guise of the USDA and buy up 7 million pounds of pink slime for distribution in the school lunch programs around the country. But don’t worry, your kid can eat that hamburger at the school cafeteria and be totally unaware of it consisting of a significant amount of agent pink: it’s totally undetectable outside of the laboratory.

I think the food-services at the schools should just be open and honest and spread the pink stuff right on the Wonder Bread. Could it be any worse than a Deviled Ham sandwich with P&P? Come to think of it, I don’t recall any discussion of how pink slime tastes. Like so many foods, they could just add a high percentage of sugar and even Mikey will eat it.

I’ll wait until I can get my ammonium hydroxide-treated beef scraps blended with bovine connective tissue in pill form. I figure I take so many now, what’s one more.