If Red Meat Juices Aren't Blood, What Are They?

If you consider yourself even a little bit squeamish, the kitchen can sometimes feel like a daunting place. , chunky milk from the forgotten back corner of the fridge, and especially raw meats. The fear of biting into pink chicken is real and valid, but many people also fear the dreaded "juices" that spill out when you open a pack of raw red meat.

Though it may look like a scene from an R-rated horror movie, that red "juice" at the bottom of your steak or pork container isn't blood, it's myoglobin – or, more specifically, a combination of myoglobin and water. Myoglobin, similar to hemoglobin, is a protein found inside human and animal bodies that helps supply oxygen to the muscles. Unlike hemoglobin, which is mainly transported around the body by blood cells, myoglobin is found mainly in worked muscles and gives meat its signature red or pink color.



This is why meat from larger, more muscular animals, like pigs and cows, is much darker than poultry or fish and releases more of this intimidating pink liquid. The truth about red meat juices and myoglobin Most cuts of meat that we find on store shelves are mainly made up of animal muscle. After all, animal fat has a squishy, unappetizing texture, and often come from tender, unworked muscles.

Animal muscle is mostly composed of water mixed with proteins, which gradually gets released as the meat breaks down. This explains why reddish pink "juice" ends up in the packaging when meat is left to sit. These juices are harmless and typically evaporate once cooked.

So, if there is no blood left in raw meat, where does it all go? During the processing procedure, slaughterhouses remove all blood from the animal before it is butchered. The blood collected from slaughterhouses has many uses and is often added to pet or farm animal feed. Plasma can also be collected for medical research, while hemoglobin can be used as a supplement to treat anemia.

Animal blood usage in human foods, such as blood sausage or black pudding, is widespread in European cultures. (You'll often find a side of blood pudding served with or a Scottish fry up.) If you're creeped out handling juicy raw meat, remember that what you're seeing isn't blood — it's actually myoglobin and water doing its best to make your steak look fancy.

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