So, I'm preparing some chicken for my lunch today and I started to wonder...

Why is white meat white, and dark meat dark? What makes it one color or another? I'm sure there is some reasonable explanation - like tissue type/composition or muscle type, but I don't have such an explanation.

Tan lines....that's why the breasts are white

ROFL!
Seriously, I think it's related to the function of the meat: muscles need more blood and are darker. Useless meat (e.g. fat) is bright.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a981204b.html

daaaaahahaha! tan lines.

edit - i like white meat

Well that makes me wonder why does pork turn white when cooked? It starts out red... Couldn't find the answer on starightdope.com, but I did find this question.

Wow, answered my question. I'm satisfied

So, I guess that can explain why dark meat tastes different and has a different texture (and it is ohh so tasty)

The pork bit is interesting too - but perhaps one of the bigger color changes I've see (and to my surprise) was raw tuna vs cooked tuna. Raw tuna tastes good too!

I should have based my answer on facts...
What I told is crap.

daaaaahahaha! tan lines.

Yeah, that was a good one.

I always liked the old joke, "What's the difference between a gerbil and a hamster? There's more dark meat on a hamster." Reading the Straight Dope article, there might even be some truth in that one.

I should have based my answer on facts...
What I told is crap.

D'oh. Just goes to show that you can butter about anything up to look like its valid. I learned how to do that in High school, and I perfected that in College.

Speaking of tuna... is the stuff in the can cooked or raw? I've just never known which one it is, but I'm assuming cooked since it's darker than my favorite way of preparing tuna... Maguro!

OMG, that manatee article had me laughing out loud: "I'm up for a luau. My only question is: what wine do I serve?"

I've got images of "The Freshman" stuck in my head now.

D'oh. Just goes to show that you can butter about anything up to look like its valid. I learned how to do that in High school, and I perfected that in College.

Heck, yeah. My entire philosophy is based around that. 90 percent of the FAQ is BS and no one ever notices.

Pork doesn't start out red. Pork chops start out kinda pinkish. The basic reason is the same for light/dark chicken meat. Ham and bacon, for example, are always red whereas pork chops are usually whitish. According to an amateur pig farmer friend of mine (I am in North Carolina, for God's sake), pork chops are also whiter because the pork industry dictates leeching some blood from pork chops to facilitate it being ``the other white meat''. But I don't know how much truth there is to that.

I'm fairly confident that the contents of a Tuna Can are cooked. It doesn't taste as good as raw, so by some form of thinking, it must be cooked. Its usually lighter too, except there are some darker pieces mixed in there... I wonder what that is about...

I've had pork before that wasnt white/light. Maybe it was the marinade. Maybe... it wasn't actually pork, maybe it was a small furried critter that happened upon a car ti... Oh anyway...

What about the other Other white meat?

Dammit... all that wasted time reading and I thought those were facts!

Its usually lighter too, except there are some darker pieces mixed in there

Those are the chunks of dolphin.

Those are the chunks of dolphin.

ROFLMAO

Those are the chunks of dolphin

Reminds of a Southpark scene that went something like this:

Stan (or Kyle): Dude, dolphins are smart and friendly.
Cartman: Yeah and they're mighty tasty on rye bread with some mayonaise...

Everyone here has almost definitely seen this before, as it tends to appear all over the internet. Yet, I still find it to be entertaining It's the Dark Sucker Theory.

Those are the chunks of dolphin

OMG I laughed so hard my sides hurt.

Maybe some protein-rich, dolphin-fortified tuna salad will help...
It might alarm some of you that I'm a member of PETA...

People Eating Tasty Animals. I apologize if this offends anyone, but I could not resist...

I think it's time to give up meat.

You gonna eat that? I'll take yours if you're giving it up.

-Zeke

*passes Zeke her tuna/dolphin sandwich*

Enjoy

Find a Legal Seafood and try their Tuna Sashimi appetizer. Peppered Tuna Steak that's seen a glimpse of the grill before being sliced thin and served on a salad bed with plenty of wasabi - It's pretty amazing.

/me goes to find something to wipe the puddle of drool off the floor.

Those are the chunks of dolphin

AAAAAAAAAHAHAH. OH MAN. I haven't laughed that hard in a while... my sides hurt. What the hell is this shit leaking out of my eyes! Ahhh!!

Hmmm, we have an L.S.F. downtown (as opposed to illegal?). I might have to give that place a try. I've seen that prepared before, where the tuna is barely seared for a few moments, but still retains that raw color in the middle <Homer simpson-esque drooling noises and gurgles>

Mmmm. Nice thick tuna steak from Sainsbury's, very very hot frying pan, sear for maybe 30-45s on each side, stays that translucent red rawness in the middle, squeeze of fresh lime juice, little heap of chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves on top, heaven.

Peter

A: You gonna eat that?

Q: What did Mike Tyson say to Vincent Van Gogh?

tanstaafl.

Ouch.

-Zeke

In reply to:

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pork chops to facilitate it being ``the other white meat''

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I always referred to cats as being the other white meat... guess I was wrong.

I always referred to cats as being the other white meat... guess I was wrong.

I always referred to cops as the other white meat.