Tips on Buying Fresh Meats in India

Meats are widely consumed as a source of animal protein. Living in India will teach you the buying etiquettes of fresh meat as well as processed meat products. Chicken, fish, and mutton are widely available all across India in major grocery stores,

local food markets, and supermarkets. However, buying pork or beef would surely test your skills as well as your luck. You will not find beef meat in many parts of India mainly due to religious beliefs. However, fresh beef meat and related products can be readily purchased from a local market in Goa and Kerala.

Pork is another exception but still, access to fresh pork is restricted. So, where dining in an Indian restaurant may fetch you a pork steak.

Here are a few tips and tricks that should help you buy all sorts of fresh meat in India.

Know the Custom:

Before going for meat shopping ask your Indian colleagues and friends about the “meat buying custom” especially for beef and pork. If the custom suggests open buying of fresh meats, shop around. It is safe to shop through a reputable online meat shop if beef or pork is not available in your vicinity.

Look for Freshness:

You will come across a tempting “meat sale” every now and then in India. However, it is best to look for a low cost yet fresh meat especially in areas where beef and pork are forbidden. Check the colour of beef. If it is red and smells good, it is ok to go. In any case, never ever purchase a low cost yet rancid smelling meat as it would trigger food-poisoning.

Look for Reputable Brands:

Such as Meat Products of India or any other local meat brand. All sorts of meat should be frozen, wrapped and branded. Do NOT buy fresh meat from the butcher if it has flies on it. While shopping for meat in a grocery store, prefer buying reputable brands rather than a non-branded pork, beef, chicken or mutton.

TIPs:
It is best to buy meat at the end of your shopping day and refrigerate it as quickly as possible. India is a city of sunny days and on an average, meat bought earlier and left unattended, can become rotten very quickly.