Pork is a widely consumed meat, and cooking it is no less than a craft. Pork is widely cooked and grilled in different ways, but beginners don’t usually know how pork smells. For the same reason, beginners ask, “does pork shoulder have a smell?” In case you are smelling the meat and are concerned about the smell, we are sharing the information with you!
Does Pork Shoulder Have A Smell?
Yes, pork shoulder has a smell, but it’s different from the smell caused by bad pork. When you purchase the pork shoulder, the best way of checking the quality is the smell. Since we have mentioned that pork shoulder has a smell, it will be extremely mild when the meat cut is fresh. Generally, the smell can be defined as a mild whiff with metallic tones (it smells more like blood). In addition, fresh pork shoulder smells like raw fat and protein.
Keep in mind that the smell will be much different than chicken, but it will be mild. That being said, fresh pork shoulder must not have a strong aroma, so put faith in your nose and be mindful about the smell. On the other hand, if the pork shoulder has gone bad, the smell will be too pungent, and it won’t be pleasant at all. To illustrate, bad pork shoulder smells acidic, and it does impart a pungent smell. When you can smell the strong aroma, the pork shoulder has started rotting.
In simpler words, a bad pork shoulder has an acidic pungent smell while a fresh pork shoulder has a raw fat smell, and it’s always mild. In case the smell is off, there are chances that pork shoulder has gone through a bacterial infection, and it won’t go away even if you wash the meat. So, if you can smell such bad odors, you must throw them away. Keep in mind that if pork shoulder has been infested from pathogenic bacteria, it might not intensify the smell, but you should check other signs of bad meat, such as;
- Color – fresh pork shoulder tends to have whitish stands and pinkish color (it will have grey hints as well). On the other hand, when the pork shoulder starts rotting, it will turn into greenish or brownish colors. This is generally caused by molding, breakdown of protein, yeast, and freezer burns. So, if there are color changes, you know the meat isn’t safe to consume
- Feel – this is the second symptom you should check the pork shoulder is likely to be rotten. This is because fresh pork shoulder has a firm texture and moist configuration – you can check the firmness by squeezing meat in your hand. On the other hand, bad pork shoulder will be sticky and dry
The bottom line is that pork shoulder has a specific smell that tells if the pork shoulder is fresh or has gone bad. Generally, fresh meat will have a mild meaty and fatty smell, while rotten or bad meat will impart strong smells (unpleasant). To be sure, you can also check the color and feel of the meat!