Have you ever bit into a pork rib and been hit with an unpleasant, funky smell that lingered long after your bite? What about when you ate a piece of pulled pork and were hit with a smell that made you think of a boys’ locker room? Or when you ate a piece of bacon and were hit with a smell that reminded you of a barnyard?
Then you, my friend, have felt the offensive effect of boar taint. And ain’t nobody got time for that.
There are two naturally occurring compounds that cause pig taint: androstenone, a pheromone that gives urine and sweat their smell, and skatole, which is made in the liver and large intestine and gives feces their foul smell. These two compounds can accumulate in the fat of male pigs who have not been castrated. When heated up, these compounds become more volatile, so you’re more likely to detect them in cooked pork.
Approximately 27.5 percent of the population is susceptible to boar taint, though sensitivity levels vary, and women are more likely to get it than men. I guess it works the same way asparagus pee does – not everyone has it, but most do. And if you do have the sensitivity eating pork can, on occasion, be an unpleasant experience.
When we talk about females, the old trick of asking your butcher for a female pig won’t work this time. For example, a sow’s overactive adrenal gland can cause it to make androstenone, and skatole can affect both men and women. This means that picking a she-pig is not a guarantee, even though taint is only likely to happen in 1% to 2% of females.
It’s not certain that all boars will get taint, but up to 50% of them are likely to do so if nothing is done. Even if the odds are even, the eating quality is the most important thing when raising these animals only for food, so the industry is very careful about how it handles this problem.
The savory smell of bacon sizzling or a pork roast in the oven usually makes our mouths water. But sometimes, pork can give off an unpleasant odor when cooking that makes you wrinkle your nose. Where does this bad smell come from? Let’s explore the reasons behind pork’s funky odor and what you can do to prevent it.
What Causes the Bad Smell in Pork?
A few things could be responsible for pork emitting a foul smell when cooked
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Spoilage – Pork past its prime that has started to go bad can give off a sour, acidic stench when heated. This is a clear sign the meat has spoiled and should be discarded.
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Improper Handling – Pork that wasn’t properly stored at temperatures below 40°F may have bacteria growth that causes off-putting odors
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Boar Taint – In uncastrated male pigs, compounds like androstenone and skatole can cause boar taint, which smells unpleasant when cooking.
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Processing Methods – Some packaged pork may have a faint ammonia-like smell from the solutions used to treat it. This isn’t dangerous but smells fishy.
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Seasonings or Sauces – Ingredients like onions, garlic or spicy marinades added to pork can sometimes cause funky aromas.
Understanding these key causes can help you pinpoint why your pork smells off and fix it for your next meal.
Spoiled Pork
Easily the most common reason for foul pork smell is meat that has spoiled from improper storage. Fresh pork has virtually no odor. But over time, bacteria growth causes the release of smelly chemical compounds.
Signs that pork has spoiled include:
- Distinct sour, rancid or ammonia-like smell
- Slimy or sticky texture
- Dull or grey coloring
- Mold growth
Pork lasts just 2-4 days in the fridge before bacteria render it dangerous to eat. Always rely on your sense of smell – if repulsed, don’t risk tasting it. Toss it!
Improper Handling
Even if still within its use-by date, pork that wasn’t stored properly can start to spoil and smell bad when cooking. Pork must be kept below 40°F to prevent bacteria overgrowth leading to spoilage.
Red flags of mishandled pork include:
- Being left out too long at room temperature
- Stored above 40°F for an extended period
- Cross-contamination from other spoiled meats
Proper cold storage and using pork within a few days minimizes the chance of a stench when you go to cook it.
Boar Taint
Now for a funky pork smell you may not have heard of before – boar taint. This effect is found in uncastrated male pigs once they reach puberty. Boar taint is caused by high levels of compounds like androstenone and skatole in their tissue.
When pork containing these compounds is cooked, it releases an unpleasant musky, urine-like or fecal odor. Approximately 20% of non-castrated male pigs have boar taint.
While not a sign of spoiled meat, boar taint can make pork unpalatable. Choosing female pigs or castrated males prevents this issue.
Processing Methods
In commercial pork production, various processing methods are used to treat and package the meat. Some of these can leave traces of chemical solutions that give pork a faint sour or ammonia-like smell, even when fresh.
While unappetizing, this smell doesn’t necessarily mean pork has spoiled. However, it never hurts to do a thorough sniff test for rancidity before cooking.
Seasonings and Sauces
Believe it or not, funky pork smells when cooking could come from what you season or sauce it with rather than the meat itself.
Onions, garlic, peppers, vinegar, tomatoes and spicy sauces can all introduce odors, especially when charred over high heat. The smell gets infused into the pork.
Experiment with milder seasonings like lemon, herbs and salt to prevent any off aromas.
How to Choose Fresh Pork
Picking fresh pork is key to avoiding bad smells later on. Here are tips for selecting pork that will cook up smelling delicious:
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Inspect Packaging – Avoid leaky, torn or puffed up packs as air exposure causes spoilage.
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Check Color – Pork should be pale pink. Gray, green or yellow hues are a bad sign.
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Evaluate Texture – Pork should be firm with a bit of springiness. Skip slimy, sticky pork.
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Give It a Whiff – Fresh pork has a mild, clean meat smell. Pass on sour, ammonia or sulfurous odors.
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Mind the Label – Only buy pork before its use-by date and cook within 2-4 days of purchasing.
Following these guidelines helps ensure your pork smells mouthwatering when cooking, not miserable.
Proper Pork Storage
Storing pork correctly is vital to prevent the growth of spoilage microbes that cause rancid smells. Follow these tips:
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Refrigerate below 40°F – Keep raw pork chilled at all times either in the fridge or freezer.
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Use within 2-4 days – Cook fresh pork within a few days of purchasing for best quality.
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Wrap securely – Tightly wrap cuts in plastic wrap or sealable bags to prevent air exposure.
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Freeze for longer storage – Pork can be frozen for 4-6 months if not cooking soon. Defrost safely in the fridge.
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Clean surfaces and hands – Prevent cross-contamination to avoid bacteria spread leading to spoilage odors.
Proper, low-temperature storage locks in pork’s freshness and flavor.
Safe Pork Handling
Careful handling when preparing pork also reduces the chance of foul smells emerging later on:
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Thaw frozen pork in the fridge – Don’t leave at room temperature to avoid bacteria growth.
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Marinate in the fridge – Cold temperatures discourage microbes during marinating.
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Cook thoroughly – Heat pork to 145°F internally to kill potentially harmful bacteria.
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Refrigerate leftovers promptly – Store cooked pork within 2 hours and eat within 3-4 days.
Following food safety basics when handling pork ensures you don’t end up with a stinky situation at dinnertime!
Tips to Prevent Foul Pork Smells When Cooking
If you seem plagued by unpleasant aromas when cooking pork, these tips can help:
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Buy fresh, high-quality pork – Choose optimal meat that hasn’t had time to spoil.
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Use marinades and seasonings – Onions, garlic and spices can mask or overpower off smells.
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Cook low and slow – Slow roasting or braising doesn’t heat proteins to a point of smelliness.
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Keep things clean – Scrub all prep surfaces, utensils and hands after handling pork.
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Ventilate your kitchen – Turn on exhaust fans and open windows to air out any stinky aromas.
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Troubleshoot – If smells persist, evaluate ingredients, storage methods or potential cross-contamination.
With a few minor adjustments to your cooking, you can get back to enjoying pork’s mouthwatering aroma instead of holding your nose.
When to Toss Pork
At the first whiff of a sour, rancid odor from your pork, it’s safest to throw it out. Cooking spoiled pork can intensify the nauseating smell and make you ill if consumed.
Likewise, toss pork if you notice these red flags:
- Grayish color
- Slime or stickiness
- Weird spotting or growths
- Significantly past its use-by date
Don’t risk it – pork is relatively affordable. A wasted meal is better than a case of food poisoning. Listen to your nose!
The Takeaway
The smell of cooking pork should make your mouth water, not trigger your gag reflex. By understanding what causes off aromas and following proper storage, handling and cooking techniques, you can avoid stinky situations. Trust your senses, prepare pork with care, and enjoy the savory smells pork should give off as it sizzles in the pan.
That barnyard stink can only be one of two things:
During my research, I came across some independent producers who said that customers might be mixing up boar taint with other taints, such as stress during slaughter, improper bleeding after slaughter, incorrect chilling procedures, or improper handling. Regrettably for anyone who read and believed those statements, they are complete ‘hogwash’, as confirmed by Dr. John McGlone, a professor of animal science at Texas Tech university. “They’re incorrect”, states Dr. According to McGlone, “stress at slaughter can change the color of meat and make it dry when you eat it because it can hold less water,” but none of these things could be mistaken for boar taint.
You can smell one of two things when pork smells funny: either the meat has started to go bad, or you smell boar taint. Trust me, you’ll know the difference. If it’s taint, the smell will only be unpleasant, and if it’s rotten the smell will be nauseating!.
And now for some animal science and industry nerdery! Here are the ways boar taint can be dealt with:
Do nothing at all. Many small holders and heritage breeders choose to do nothing to offset the risk of taint, relying on chance, luck and the genetics of their breeding boar. They may prefer not to castrate for humane reasons, or because they are biodynamic and will not use immuno-vaccines. Some of them even take teeny tiny biopsies from the live animal to check for taint (although logically by this stage, if the meat is tainted, that little piggy is a sausage waiting to happen). Anthony Kumnick of Greenvale Farm in Victoria, Australia raises heritage breed pigs (and produces highly-prized acorn fed pork), but disagrees with the idea of doing nothing at all, choosing instead to physically castrate males in his herd. “Heritage pigs grow nearly twice as slow as commercial pigs hence the likelihood of boar taint in the meat is higher. Not castrating is like Russian Roulette – you’re bound to get one that turns up with boar taint and that’s wasteful for your bottom line and more importantly, a waste of the animals life” he says.
Use a weight calculation. In countries like England and Australia, some producers will choose take a gamble. They don’t castrate the animals; instead, they kill them based on their weight, with the idea that an animal that weighs less than 220 pounds hasn’t reached puberty yet. Problem is, research (D’Souza et al. (2011) shows that there isn’t a real link between weight and the start of puberty. Because of this, lots of meat that smells bad still ends up in grocery stores. According to the American market, pork cuts should be at least a certain size. Also, it costs the same to raise and process a 300-pound animal as a 220-pound animal, so it doesn’t make financial sense to kill young animals.
Breed it out using genetics. It’s a nice and humane idea, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon. Though they are doing some work in Europe, it’s an extremely slow process.
Employ physical castration. There are parts of this text that will make many of you cross your knees: castration is the most common way to keep boar taint away in the United States. It is done in the pork, lamb, and beef industries. It’s a bit controversial because the procedure is done without anesthesia or pain relief. Some animal rights groups think it’s cruel, but other veterinary societies say it’s okay as long as the animal is less than two weeks old. But even this method is not foolproof. Dr. McGlone observes that some mammals are Cryptorchid (meaning they have hidden or undescended testicles). “In other words, the animal can be castrated on the outside but still be a male inside, and boar taint will happen,” explains Dr. McGlone.
Employ immunological castration. An injectable vaccine called Improvest or Improvac has been approved by the FDA and has been used for over ten years in some countries. From the manufacturers website: ‘Improvest is not a hormone or growth promotant. It’s not added to the feed or genetically modified. And, it is not chemical castration”. At the moment, this is thought to be the best way to stop taint, but it’s not the most popular. Why is that? “Some people are afraid of injectables in animals, even if it’s a vaccine,” says Dr. McGlone, “this biotechnology fear is not valid, true or warranted”. For producers, public fear is more important than animal welfare because if people don’t want to buy their product, they can’t make money.
Keep a clean environment. Skatole (the really gross one) is directly linked to how clean the animals’ house is where they are raised. The more dirty the facility, the more skatole is in the pork. If it gets really dirty, the skatole could even overpower the immuno-castration blockers. So keep it clean, y’all.
2MED | Day 35 | easy (How to) Remove bad smell from meat
FAQ
How to get rid of boar taint when cooking?
Is it OK to eat meat that smells a little?
How to tell if pork is undercooked?
Why does pork smell bad?
One of the most common reasons is that the meat has gone bad. Pork that has spoiled will often have a sour or acidic smell, which intensifies when exposed to heat. Another reason for the unpleasant smell could be boar taint. Boar taint is a natural compound found in male pigs that can cause an unpleasant odor in the meat.
What does spoiled pork smell like?
The most common scent associated with spoiled pork is a sour or ammonia-like odor. This odor is caused by spoilage microorganisms that multiply quickly, even if the meat is stored in the refrigerator. When the odor changes from the typical meat smell to sour and then downright objectionable, it’s a clear indication that the pork has gone bad.
Does bad pork taste bad?
Depending on why your pork is off, it may not taste bad at all. If there is a taste, it will probably be quite unpleasant and smell bad. In either case, it is not safe to consume. What Does Bad Pork Smell Like?
Why does pork smell like ammonia?
Lastly, some packaged pork may have a faint smell of ammonia due to the processing and packaging methods used. While this smell may seem sour, it’s not necessarily an indication that the meat has gone bad.