5 Ways to Distinguish Pork and Beef
Pig is one of the animals that is forbidden to eat because it is considered unclean. As a Muslim, we must be more careful when buying beef because it looks similar to pork. You need to know the visible physical differences between beef and pork so as not to be fooled. Apart from the color, the difference between the two can be seen from the texture. Pork has a softer texture and crumbles easily. In contrast to beef which is denser and tougher, for more detail, here are five ways to distinguish beef and pork.
- Color
Pork has a paler red color than beef, which is dark red and thick. The color of pork is more like chicken meat.
2. Fiber
Beef has dense visible fibers with clearly visible fiber lines. The fibers in beef also look coarser and tighter together. This is in contrast to pigs which have finer fibers and are less dense than each other.
3. Fat
The difference in fat is present in the level of elasticity. Pork has a thick but soft texture of fat which makes it more elastic. While beef fat is stiffer, thicker, and denser.
In addition, the pork fat will feel very wet and difficult to remove from the meat. While in beef, fat is slightly drier and fibrous.
4. Texture
Beef has a stiffer, denser texture than pork, which is mushy and stretches easily. Even by holding it, you should be able to feel the difference. The texture of the beef will feel very chewy, while the pork will feel more tender.
5. Scent
Aroma is one of the most powerful weapons to distinguish beef and pork. Pork comes with a distinctive fishy aroma, different from beef which is more rancid and concentrated.
