Things You Must Ask the Butcher

Fish

1. Skin: Fish skin is one of the primary indicators of the quality of fish, so one must check the skin of fish. It should be shiny like a metal and not dull. Avoid buying it if there are disoloured patches on the skin.

2. Gills: Once you are convinced that the skin is shiny, check the gills, which should be red and not dark brown.

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3. Eyes: Also Check the eyes: they should not be sunken

4. Smell: The fish should smell fresh like a cucumber, salt water or simply like clean water. No matter what, don’t buy a fish that doesn’t smell right because even cooking won’t improve it.

5. Other physical properties: Press skin and check it should not form a depression where pressed. If it does, the fish is not fresh.

Crab

1. Always ask for live crab: No matter what, frozen or crabs that have been stored for long would never taste like the fresh live crabs.

2. Claws: It should be big and firm. This is where the maximum meat is available.

3. Check belly: It should be closed and not open.

4. Smell: Like any other seafood, even crab should smell fresh.

5. Check water: Shake the crab; it shouldn’t be filled with water.

Lamb/mutton

1. Colour: The meat should be pinkish red. If it’s brown, it means it’s old. Even if the meat is pinkish red, it colour should not have faded.

2. Weight: The minimum weight of carcass should be approximately five-six kilos.

3. Firmness: The meat should be firm on the bone

4. Fat: Check to make sure there is white colored fat.

5. Carcass: Always insist on carcass that is hung from the hip. This makes sure that the meat remains soft even long after the kill.

6. Body parts: Make sure that you buy the body part that suits you recipe. Front leg for curry, hind leg for kebab and curry, chops etc.

Chicken

1. Breed: Make sure that the chicken that you are buying is a broiler – one that is specifically bred and raised for meat production.

2. Firmness and colour: The meat should be firm and pink. If the skin looks grey, stay away. The colour of fat should be white or cream, not yellow.

3. Weight: The idea weight of the broiler would be 800 grams to a kilo.

4. Check for syringe marks. Water is injected into chicken to add weight, so you must check for syringe marks if you want to pay-up for only what you get to eat, and not what the butcher wants you to pay up for.

5. Oversized birds: Don't buy oversize bird because their meat is hard.

Squid

1. Size: Buy medium sized squids.

2. Colour: The meat should be white in colour.

3. Smell: Like any other seafood, even squids should smell fresh. Any sort of bad odour indicates poor quality.

4. Pockets: They must be clean.

The tips have been shared by Chef Pirates of The Grill

From the October 2012 issue of FHM India.