Demystifying Bloody Deli Roast Beef: Is It Safe To Eat?

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You should stop calling your steak “bloody” because the juice on your plate isn’t what you think it is.

In all honesty, no one could blame you for this mistake. It’s only natural that you thought the pinkish-red liquid coming out of the meat was blood. Being around blood can be gross for some people, but the truth is that almost all of the blood is taken out of meat when it is processed, long before it gets to your plate.

As a sandwich lover, I frequently grab packages of sliced deli roast beef to assemble quick and easy lunches But upon opening the package, I’m often perplexed by the red and pink hues tinging the cold cuts “Is this undercooked?” I wonder. “Should I be wary of blood-tinged deli meats?”

Many home cooks share this uncertainty when it comes to the questionable appearance of pre-packaged roast beef. Before you turn up your nose at the sight of blood read on. I’ll cover the factors causing the red flags proper cooking temperatures, and how to differentiate safely prepared rare roast beef from undercooked.

Why Does My Deli Roast Beef Look Bloody?

Seeing red or pink juices on freshly sliced roast beef can seem unsettling. But there are a few reasons even properly cooked deli meats may exhibit this:

Natural Meat Pigments: The red color in raw beef comes mainly from myoglobin, a protein that supplies oxygen to muscles. It turns pink or brown when cured/cooked but traces can persist.
Thin Slicing Exposes More Surface Area: Deli machines cut roast beef very thin, between 1/16–1/8 inches, exposing more myoglobin and causing a bloody look even when thoroughly cooked.
Nitrites in Cured Meats: Many packaged luncheon meats contain sodium nitrite to inhibit bacteria growth and act as a preservative. It also lends a characteristic pink color.
Dehydration Through Air Exposure: Thin slices lose moisture quickly when exposed to air. This concentrates the red myoglobin pigment.

So in most cases, the red flags are purely cosmetic effects of processing and packaging—not signs of undercooking. But how can you confirm your deli roast beef is safely prepared?

Proper Cooking Temperatures Are Critical

While deli roast beef is pre-cooked, it still requires thorough heating to eliminate pathogens before eating. The USDA recommends bringing all beef products to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F. Temperatures of 130–140°F are considered medium rare to rare doneness.

To evaluate if your deli roast beef is fully cooked:

Check sell-by and packaging dates. Do not use beyond the recommended shelf life.
Look for a uniform pinkish-brown color throughout with no red centers, which may mean undercooking.
Heat thoroughly before eating, and use a food thermometer to confirm it reaches 140–145°F internally.

Following these precautions kills any potential bacteria and ensures food safety.

Differentiating Between Rare and Undercooked

Since properly cooked roast beef can remain pink, it can be tricky telling apart a safe rare roast from an undercooked one. Here are some visual cues:

Rare roast beef has a browned exterior with red juices. The center appears dark pink/red with some gray starting to form.
Medium rare roast beef will have less pronounced red juices and a balance of pink and gray inside.
Undercooked bloody roast beef will have a mushy texture and dark red interior when sliced with no browning or gray.
Check temperatures—rare roasts should reach 130–135°F internally, medium rare 140°F. Under 130°F may be unsafe.
Let roasts rest 10+ minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute. The color will appear more uniform.

With these guides and temperature checks, you can discern whether your roast is perfectly rare or requires more oven time before eating.

Achieving Juicy, Flavorful Deli Roast Beef

Now that you know why deli roast beef appears bloody and how to tell if it’s properly prepared, here are some tips for buying, storing, and serving it perfectly:

Selecting Your Roast Beef

Choose freshly sliced rather than pre-packaged for better texture and flavor.
Look for moist, reddish-pink roasts. Avoid brown or gray deli meats.
Check sell-by dates and use within 3-5 days.

Proper Storage

Keep refrigerated below 40°F until ready to eat.
Don’t open packaging until you’re ready to use.
Once opened, store in a sealed container or bag for no more than 3-5 days.

Cooking Methods

Allow refrigerated meat to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Heat to 165°F if pan-frying, 145°F if roasting or braising.
Let roasts rest at least 10 minutes before slicing to retain juices.

Sandwich and Meal Tips

Slice roast beef very thin, between 1/8 to 1/4 inches.
Layer on bread/rolls with cheese, greens, and condiments like mustard or au jus.
Use as a protein topping for salads, nachos, baked potatoes.
Pair with robust flavors like caramelized onions, garlic, mushrooms.

Following these simple buying, storing, cooking, and serving tips will help you achieve perfect roast beef—juicy, flavorsome, and ready to enjoy!

The Takeaway on Bloody Deli Roast Beef

While red or pink juices may imply undercooking, in most cases it’s simply the natural result of processing and packaging methods used for pre-packed lunch meats. As long as the deli roast beef reaches safe internal temperatures of 140–145°F before eating, any blood is purely aesthetic. Look for uniformly pink meat with no red centers, and take care to store, handle, and slice it correctly. With proper preparation, you can savor all the flavors of rare to medium-rare roast beef without the risks of raw meats.

So next time you see a bloody tinge on sliced deli roast beef, don’t be afraid to use it. With the guidance above, you can identify high-quality, properly prepared roast beef and serve it perfectly—juicy and delicious every time. No need to ditch a good sandwich just because it looks too rare!

is deli roast beef supposed to be bloody

What is the liquid coming out of steak?

Even the rarest and reddest of steaks is actually bloodless. Instead, what you’re looking at is a mix of water (about 75% of meat) and myoglobin, a protein found in muscle tissue. If you recognize that name, it’s likely because it sounds a bit like hemoglobin, the protein in blood that carries oxygen. That word comes up again, but myoglobin isn’t blood (honest!). Its job is to carry oxygen through muscle.

When iron in myoglobin is exposed to oxygen, it turns red, just like iron in hemoglobin. This makes myoglobin look like blood on your plate. That’s why muscle tissue is red. Because most mammals have a lot of myoglobin in their tissues, meat from mammals like beef, lamb, and pork is called “red meat.” On the other hand, “white meat” refers to meat from animals with little or no myoglobin, like most poultry or some sea life.

Animals that are killed when they are younger usually have less muscle tissue and myoglobin than animals that are killed when they are older. One reason for this is that cows are usually killed later than pigs. This is why the liquid that leaks from a steak is darker red and looks more like blood than the liquid that leaks from pork.

Over time, chemical changes can cause myoglobin to lose its red color. This is why meat that has been in the fridge or at the store for a few days will begin to turn brown. But this doesn’t always mean the meat is bad, so it’s better to use the smell test instead of the eye test in these situations.

Some meats, like hot dogs, aren’t what they seem to be because they are treated with nitric oxide, which keeps their pinkish-red color no matter what.

When it’s time to cook your steak, the heat will make the myoglobin darker, and the meat will dry out. That’s why a rare steak looks ‘bloody’ and a well-done steak takes on a grey colour.

Bloody Halloween Roast Beef (Reverse Seared Eye of Round)

FAQ

Why is my deli roast beef bloody?

But actually that red juice in your meat is not blood. Blood is removed during the slaughter process and afterwards very little blood remains in the muscle tissue. That red liquid is water mixed a protein called myoglobin. See as meat ages, the muscle tissue breaks down – and it doesn’t take long.

How can you tell if deli roast beef is still good?

If the product has a different color, smell, or texture (like a slimy or sticky film) than when you first purchased it, throw it out. Avoid tasting the deli meat to confirm, as it may contain dangerous pathogens that you cannot see, taste, or smell.

Is it normal for roast beef to be red?

Even at the higher end of endpoint cooking temperatures, some of the myoglobin is not heat denatured. At a high pigment concentration, the meat can appear red because a sufficient level of undenatured pigment remains.

Is roast beef supposed to be pink?

Beef roasts cooked to 160 ºF will generally have very little pinkness to the meat, and the juices will not be pink or red. If it is a rolled roast or one that has been mechanically tenderized make sure the internal temperature reaches at least 160 ºF.

Is roast beef bloody?

When an animal is slaughtered at the abattoir, all the blood is drained away. Is Roast Beef Supposed to Be Bloody? The meat contains a protein called myoglobin which is what adds a red color to the meat and its juices. Once it’s exposed to the air or heat, it turns brown. This is why well-cooked meat is not red inside.

What are the effects of only eating red meat?

Red meat has more saturated fat, which is one of the factors responsible for raising cholesterol levels. Consecutively increases the risk of suffering from heart disease, development of hypertension and a possible heart attack. There is already a study linking the consumption of red meat with damage to the health of the intestine, mainly with the development of a condition called diverticulitis, an inflammation.

Does Deli roast beef taste expensive?

Also, given that it’s thinly sliced, it’s more tolerable to tougher and cheaper cuts of meat. In fact, a good deli roast beef should be lean but still tender. This is where we have an opportunity to take a cheaper cut of meat and make it taste expensive.

Should Deli roast beef be lean?

In fact, a good deli roast beef should be lean but still tender. This is where we have an opportunity to take a cheaper cut of meat and make it taste expensive. Whenever I go to a sandwich shop, I prefer roast beef over turkey or ham for my protein because the flavors are just more intense.