Why waste food when we can preserve them for a longer time. To remind everyone, Eid-ul-Adha is approaching, and in this time our qurban meat stock will surely fill our refrigerator. But not many people prefer cooking it all at once.
Some prefer to keep it for a few days or even weeks and months, especially for the ‘asnaf’, as meat is considered valuable they can’t afford it due to high price. Most of them can only eat meat on Eid-ul-Adha.
Do you know that if the meat is not stored properly, it can only last 3-5 days. And will starts to smell and rot. But don’t worry, we’re here to share with you on how to keep your qurban meat stock fresh for much longer. This way, no more food will be wasted.
1# Freeze the meat
This method is quite common among many people. On the scientific view, by freezing the food, it can deactivate the chemical reactions occured in the food that can cause spoilage. It goes the same way as to meat. But still, we can’t just simply freeze the meat in a freezer.
To effectively store our meat, it’s best to divide the meat in to smaller portions and store it in a container or freezer bag. Try to remove as much air as possible from the container or bag to prevent the meat from going rancid.
Another suggestion is to wash the meat thoroughly before freezing it and avoid leaving it to open space as the bacteria can enter the meat causing it to spoil faster. Instead, immediately store it in a container after cleaning the meat and place it in a freezer.
2# Marinate the meat and store it
We often see supermarket or frozen food store apply this method. And it’s really capable of maintaining the meat for a longer period. The marinated ingredients is a kind of preservatives for food. Simple marination like sugar, salt, tumeric and onions is enough to preserve the meat longer.
For your information, the people generations before us used spices to preserve their food long before the invention of refrigerator. The preserve meat using salt to draw out moisture thus preventing the bacteria from breeding. This method is known as ‘dry curing’.
3# Smoking the meat
Another way is by smoking the meat. This is a different method that does not require the use of a refrigerator but uses the same concept as dry curing although it is separate from drying. Smoking adds flavour to the meat while providing a partial preservation effect. It is the first cooking method used by the people who was once lived in caves.
Trim the fat of the meat and then smoke it in a smoker. You can also flavour the meat by adding salt or spices before smoking it.
Through this method, not only that we can preserve the meat for a longer time but we can also enhanced its flavour.
Smoked meat can last 4-5days but to make it last even longer, make sure to refrigerate the smoked meat within 2 hours of removing it from the smoker.
4# Retort Technology
Last but not least, how about using retort technology to preserve your qurban meat? In retort techonology, the food is sterilize after it is packed in a sealed tight container, using steam or other heating method.
This method can ensure longer shelf life while maintaining its quality. This method is what being used by MyFundAction to preserve tons of qurban meat all these years. The meat is cooked and stored in a sealed tight pouch and undergoes retorting process.
As a result, it can be kept for a longer period of time, which is two years. In MyFundAction, it is called ‘Qurban Pack’ and this is a ready-to-eat food pouch.
This qurban pack is what we used to help those in need, whether they are struggling in their daily lives or a disaster victim, as it can be eaten at any time and in any place. It can really ease their burden.
Plus, it comes with a variety of tasty dishes for your to enjoy.
So, why not support and join MyFundAction’s campaign ‘Qurban Care For Ummah,’ QC4U, and perhaps with your help, more qurban packs can be produced while also help more people in need.
