a question about "pink" salt

[MinneSmoka]

I have a question that someone hear will likely have an answer for. Last November I passed thru a small town and stopped in the local small grocery to check out their butcher shop. They had "country style" ribs, bone included but lots of meat, on sale for 89 cents a pound so I snatched up about 10 pounds for a nice meal with friends.
After getting home while cleaning them up for a rub-down I noticed bright pink staining on some of the fat and bone that was in certain areas. I figured it was curing salt (pink salt) and tasting a very small piece proved to be salty like a cure. I cut out all I could since I figured it would likely either be too salty and/or at that amount in those locations it may not be wise to eat.

I speculate the butcher made a solution of cure and applied it to the cuts to push shelf life? The pink areas I found could have been from someone spilling cure on that area.

My question; Is using pink salt cure an accepted practice for "fresh" cuts of meat?

I'm sure I have one or more things bass-ackwards, set me straight, I'm here to learn. And oh yeh, they turned out great. The Kosher salt/caraway rub on the ribs was great accompanied with numerous, small shots of Akvavit. me hungry now.

VK

[Papa Tom]

First no it is not OK to add any substance to fresh meat without listing ingredients on the package even if bought in bulk.
Next I would doubt very much if it was pink salt as that would be very noticeable in the cooked meat as it would have the cured (ham) appearance and texture. Pink salt in itself does not impart a pink appearance as there is not much dye in the salt one would never describe it as "bright" pink it is pale.
Just a guess I'd say that maybe the pink was ink from packer stamping on the meat. Can't say why it would taste salty.

[tntbbq]

I cook a lot of country styles, my guess is that it was just a little blood. Never seen anything like that.

[Gator]

+1

[MinneSmoka]

Definitely NOT blood. Processed enough deer and cuts of beef / pork / poultry to know. It looked like it could have been something (dye or pink salt) spilled accidentally on little localized areas and had sat long enough to really stain a small areas.

Thanks for the replies.
Cheers,
VK

[FR8 Train]

This thread made me think of an article I just read about a pink slime (think it was amonia laced) that they use to kill bacteria on less than desireable meat. McDonalds used to use it, and the article I read said that they use it in school cafeteria meat. Pretty nasty stuff. Wonder if it may be what you are seeing.