Preserving meat

[a_real_man]

I'm wondering how to correctly handle meats and fish. I get the impression that there are times when you want your meat exposed to air, but it's not clear to me when.

1. If the meat comes enclosed in a sealed plastic container, is it fine to store it in the refrigerator until I am ready to eat it or should I poke holes in the container to allow it to come into contact with air?
2. Is refrigerator air any different from normal-temperature air when it comes to meat preservation?
3. If the fish or meat smells because it got exposed to a lot of heat, say from sitting in a car, do you throw it away, or try to salvage it somehow, by fermenting it or airing it?
4. What's the optimal way to store a meat/fish?

[Iguana]

See my photos here:
http://www.rawpaleodietforum.com/general-discussion/hanging-meat-in-your-fridge/msg118738/#msg118738

Fish should be eaten fresh er else fillets of some species such as mackerel or sardines can be dried at ambiant temperature in a dehydrator. Beware of dehydrated tuna, it is dangerous if it tastes hot. I wouldn't dry it anyway.

[a_real_man]

Thanks, Iguana. Correct me if I'm wrong: meat ought to be hung in the refrigerator, exposed to the air. Fish should be eaten fresh or dehydrated.

[TylerDurden]

I used to buy my raw meats in vacuum-packed form. This preserves the raw meat for longer in the fridge but encourages the growth of anaerobic bacteria in the meat. I generally made it a rule to always fully open the raw meats to the air within the  fridge after  5 days max, if not before. Leaving it for as much as 7-10 days usually meant the raw meat in question had developed a toxic taste due to the anaerobic bacteria so that I would vomit if I ate it. I had no such problems with  raw meats exposed to oxygen once I got used to the latter, but I got the impression that I would never get used to the taste of raw, aged meats left unexposed to the air, by contrast.

I would still eat raw meat left in the hot sun for ages. The enzymes would be affected a bit perhaps, but it would not be like cooked food per se.

Freezing meat lowers the taste once  thawed  a bit among other things, but is essential for those who don't have large rooms where they can chill the meats at between 2 to 4 degrees Celsius.

Oh, and "fridge air" is no different from normal air!