A Bloody Steak

[Hue]

I came across this statementt in a "how to" cook a steak on a gas grill,

".... Then flip with tongs, not a fork. Don't poke any holes in your steaks at this stage because the liquids inside are under pressure from the high heat and you can lose valuable juices. By the way, those juices are myoglobin, a protein liquid found in the muscles, and they are not blood. Blood is drained during slaughter. Tell that to your squeamish teenagers."
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/s...

It sure looks like blood!!!

[paulj]

Myoglobin is related to hemoglobin, which is the chemical that makes blood red. Myoglobin changes color as it is heated, which is why color is one indicator of how well-done beef is. Note that a common criteria for properly cooked chicken and hamburger is that the juices run clear - i.e. about 165deg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myoglobin
http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/11526/is-until-juices-run-clear-a-valid-test-for-poultry-doneness-why-or-why-not

Which raises the question - why is beef darker than pork or chicken? Apparently it is the myoglobin concentration.

"The main determinant of the nutritional definition of the color of meat is the concentration of myoglobin. The white meat of chicken has under 0.05%; pork and veal have 0.1-0.3%; young beef has 0.4-1.0%; and old beef has 1.5-2.0%.[3]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_meat

[Karl S]

OK, blood tastes very different from meat juice.

[RGC1982]

How would you know? (does this mean you can't be in sunlight?)

[paulj]

I've had various styles of blood sausage, Mexican, Korean, French. I've also bought a cube of cooked blood from an Asian grocery. I haven't yet bought a tub of frozen blood, which could be used to make my own sausage, or flavor a soup or stew. From what I've read the frozen blood is treated with salt or something to prevent coagulation, though you may still have to break up gelled clumps. In all these forms blood is quite dark, almost black (hence the name black pudding).

[tastesgoodwhatisit]

Yeah, I've eaten blood in forms ranging from blood sausage to chunks of cooked blood on a plate, and it's a totally different colour, texture and flavour.

One big difference is that while I will eat rare steak I will only eat blood fully cooked, for the parasite risk.

[mucho gordo]

There is also a Philippino dish made with blood, and served with a hot chili pepper on top, that is quite good. I don't recall the name of the dish.

[paulj]

I found at Youtube video of a dish like that - pork and onions sauteed, then blood and vinegar added to make sauce.

There's also a video of an Ecuadorian family making Caldo de salchichas, sausage soup, with freshly stuffed blood sausage.

[mucho gordo]

Sounds like that may be the one. Did it give a name?

[paulj]

'blood stew' turns up 'dinuguan'

[mucho gordo]

Yep, that's the one. It's delicious if fixed right. Thanks for finding it, paul.

[joonjoon]

Mmm bloody steak.

[paulj]

Why, because it is red? Does it coagulate like blood?

[Hue]

Roger that...! It's red, liquid and came from a piece of meat!!

You can patronize me all you want, but I would bet a huge majority of folks think that it is blood!

[chefj]

They may also be wrong.

[MGZ]

Even if it is blood, why would it matter?

[mucho gordo]

Mrs G is one of the misguided and you can't convince her otherwise.