Dark and Light meat

Factual Questions
1

Cecil recently gave an explanation for dark and light meat in fowl. It involved exercise of muscles and myoglobin which aids in utilization of oxygen and darkens meat. This does not explain the pale color of pork and cougar (which I prefer to pork) compared to mutton or venison which are similar animals with darker meat. Any explanations for this lighter colored meat?

2

Um. No.

“The day after tomorrow is the third day of the rest of your life.” -George Carlin

3

Pork does include dark meat - think ham. It may also have to do with domesticated vs. wild. Domestictated pigs are generally not prone to heavy excercise. I have only eaten wild boar once, and I don’t know what cut I had, but it was definitely not white meat.

The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik

4

Sorry, doc – your answer is flawed. Ham is darker than fresh pork because of the curing process, not because it’s “dark meat.” Fresh (i.e., non-cured) ham is no darker than other cuts of pork.

The point isn’t necessarily that exercise makes meat darker, but that the LACK of it makes white meat white. That’s why (for example) duck breast isn’t white meat: ducks can and frequently do fly. Chickens can manage only to flutter along the ground for a few feet, and usually don’t do even that. So you were right in saying that exercise accounts for the difference between domesticated pork and wild boar meat, but (I think) for reasons other that the one you meant.

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Da Chef

5

does a double take
Duck Hunter, did I just hear you say you like to eat COUGAR meat?

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Da Chef

6

Thanks, Chef, you’re right. I was looking for an example and found one in a most unlikely place, my brain. Should have known better.

The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik

7

Chef Troy

I live in an area where cougars are quite numerous. In fact, a fair number are removed every year as they pose a threat to livestock or children. I generally get the opportunity to get the meat from a cougar once a year. As with most game meat, it tends to be lower in cholesterol than domesticated animals, and I can rest assured that it never received any growth hormones or other chemicals. The meat is very similar to pork, however it is not quite as tender. In a sweet and sour recipe, I would pressure cook the meat for about 20 minutes, then treat it like raw pork in the recipe. It is very good.

8

I’ll take your word for it. I like to think of myself as having an adventurous palate, but I admit to being prejudiced on the subject of felines as possible sources of protein. I could never look my two housecats in the eye again.

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Da Chef

9

I’ll take your word for it. I like to think of myself as having an adventurous palate, but I admit to being prejudiced on the subject of felines as possible sources of protein. I could never look my two housecats in the eye again.

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Da Chef