How to Detect Spoiled Lamb Meat

In the sagebrush and grassland plains of southeast Idaho and extending north into the Pioneer Mountains, native Peruvians are trusted to care for thousands of sheep that feed on an ecosystem rich in biological diversity, all on thousands of acres of organic grassland. American lamb that is totally grass fed and not finished with grain is gaining popularity in the United States and is in competition for American taste buds. While Australian and New Zealand lamb are more popular, the fewer "food miles" that the lamb travels results in less spoiled lamb showing up in the grocery store meat case.

Four of the five senses come into play when determining if the lamb in your grocery cart or refrigerator has turned bad. It looks gray, it smells like rotten eggs, it's slimy to the touch and it tastes foul. Unlike many other countries where shoppers only buy for the next day or so, Americans tend to shop for the next week or month and leave the food in the refrigerator or freezer. This leads to spoilage and is where your senses come into play.

If the color of your lamb is starting to fade from a rich red to dull red, it doesn't necessarily mean the meat is spoiled, but it is heading there. The brownish-red color change is the effect of oxygen hitting the surface of the meat. This pigment change takes time to evolve but be sure the meat you select in the store is a dark cherry-red color. Adapt the European style of meat shopping – buy for the next two days and then shop again.

You open your refrigerator, and the unmistakable smell of rotting eggs hits you in the nose. Don't throw out your eggs; instead, check your meat drawer. A package of lamb shoulder has been sitting in the cool refrigerated air for five days, which is three days too long, and the lamb smells like eggs. What is happening is that the fat of the lamb is mixing with the red liquid often thought of as blood, but it's actually a protein found in the muscles of the meat called myoglobin.

When the myoglobin is exposed to oxygen, the breakdown occurs, and the meat gets a smelly odor. Your package of lamb should show light-red runoff, which means the meat is fresh. Lamb left in the meat case and on the top of the selection of meat available has more of a chance to be exposed to oxygen. Dig deep for fresher meat.

The trick to testing if your lamb is fresh or not is to push your finger through the wrapping. If the meat holds its form, it's fresh. If it's possible, scrape the meat with your fingernail. If the nail retains a shiny film, the lamb is going off.

Many cooks drench lamb in marinades to offset the strong taste of the meat. Those seasonings and jams not only add to the taste but also camouflage any spoilage that may affect its taste. Your taste buds are smart, and they easily detect a taste that isn't right. The smell of your meat should match the taste.

Check the fat surrounding the meat. If it's a clear white, the meat is good. If the fat is turning yellow, it means the meat is old.

When in doubt, throw it out. Avoid food poisoning or a nasty meal by being discerning when purchasing meat. If the meat is on sale because it is approaching its "sell by" date, buy it but use it that day.

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.