Contact FAQ Quality Assurance Food Safety Marketing

Where can I find Freirich fine meat products?
Where is the spice packet?
How do I cook my Corned Beef?
Why is there so much fat on your Corned Beef?
Why do Freirich fine meats taste so much better than other brands?
Why do we eat Corned Beef on St. Patrick's Day?
Why is it called "Corned" beef?
What is the proper way to store my Corned Beef?
What does the statement “Dry Oven” roasted mean?
Is the Freirich Smoked Porkette® fully cooked?
What is Sodium Nitrite?
What is Sodium Lactate?
What is Sodium Erythorbate?
What is Sodium Phosphate?
What are Natural Flavorings?
Are your products Gluten Free?
What is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)?
What is Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)?
Do your products contain Allergens?

Q: Where can I find Freirich fine meat products?

A: Freirich meats are sold in the finest supermarkets and delicatessens. You may contact our customer service representatives at 1-800-554-4788 for the store nearest you. You may also visit our “Where to Buy” page on this web site.

Q: Where is the spice packet?

A: Freirich Corned Beef does not require the addition of any spices. All the spices typically found in a spice packet have already been formulated into our meat. We do provide some retail stores with product containing a spice packet, but the packet is only there because of consumer expectation, not because it is needed. Common spices found in packets include: mustard seed, coriander, bay leaves, dill seed, and allspice.

Q: How do I cook my Corned Beef?

Corned Beef can be prepared in many ways. The recipe section of this web site offers detailed cooking instructions and recipes.

Q: Why is there so much fat on your Corned Beef?

A: Traditional Corned Beef is made from the whole brisket. The brisket is actually made up of several muscles connected by fatty tissue. It is also much fattier on one end (the point) than the other (the flat). We trim and portion the brisket to eliminate most of this fat, however, some fat will always remain. In general, our more economical Thick Cut is made from the point end and will contain more fat than our premium Thin Cut. Many consumers value some fat because of the extra flavor it imparts.

Q: Why do Freirich fine meats taste so much better than other brands?

A: The Freirich family has been making quality meats in the old world tradition since 1921. Many of our traditional family recipes have remained unchanged to this day. We use only the freshest and highest quality meats and ingredients, never compromising our quality for convenience an extra buck. All our meats are hand trimmed by experienced butchers according to our high standards. We never use fillers, soy extenders, or flavor enhancers like HVP or MSG in our quality Corned Beef and deli meats.

Q: Why do we eat Corned Beef on St. Patrick's Day?

A: Originally “Corned Beef and Cabbage” was a traditional dish served for Easter Sunday dinner in rural Ireland. The beef, which was salted or brined during winter to preserve it, could then be eaten after the long, meatless Lenten fast. Since the advent of refrigeration, the trend in Ireland is to eat fresh meats. Today this peasant dish is more popular in the United States than in Ireland. Irish-Americans and lots of other people eat it on St. Patrick's Day, Ireland's principal feast day, as a nostalgic reminder of their Irish heritage.

Q: Why is it called “Corned” beef?

A: Corning is a form of curing; it has nothing to do with corn. The name comes from Anglo-Saxon times before refrigeration. In those days, the meat was dry-cured in coarse "corns" of salt. Pellets of salt, some the size of kernels of corn, were rubbed into the beef to keep it from spoiling and to preserve it. Today brining, the use of salt water, has replaced the dry salt cure, but the name "corned beef" is still used, rather than "brined" or "pickled" beef. Commonly used spices that give corned beef its distinctive flavor are peppercorns and bay leaf. Of course, these spices may vary regionally.

Q: What is the proper way to store my Corned Beef?

A: Uncooked corned beef in a pouch with pickling juices which has a "sell-by" date or no date may be stored 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator, unopened. Products with a "use-by" date can be stored unopened in the refrigerator until that date. Drained and well wrapped, an uncooked corned beef brisket may be frozen for 1 month for best quality. It's recommended to drain the brine because salt encourages rancidity and texture changes. The flavor and texture will diminish with prolonged freezing, but the product is still safe. After cooking, corned beef may be refrigerated for about 3 to 4 days and frozen for about 2 to 3 months for best quality.

Q: What does the statement “Dry Oven” roasted mean?

A: Some companies that produce a lower quality Roast Beef cook their product in a plastic bag. Freirich still cooks its roast beef in the traditional fashion, slowly dry oven roasted like grandma would.

Q: Is the Freirich Smoked Porkette® fully cooked?

A: No. The Porkette is heated during the smoking process, but is not fully cooked. Please follow the safe handling instructions on the package and thoroughly cook the meat before eating.

Q: What is Sodium Nitrite?

A: Sodium Nitrite is an ingredient, approved by the USDA/FDA, which has long been used as a safe curing agent in the processing of certain meats. Sodium nitrite is an effective antimicrobial agent for certain pathogens, particularly Clostridium botulinum. In the event that cured meats are temperature abused, sodium nitrite provides a degree of protection by delaying outgrowth of spores. Nitrite also functions as an antioxidant in cured meat.

Q: What is Sodium Lactate?

A: Sodium Lactate is an ingredient approved by the USDA/FDA as an antimicrobial agent for Listeria, a potentially harmful bacteria sometimes present on fully cooked deli meats.

Q: What is Sodium Erythorbate?

A: Sodium Erythorbate is an ingredient approved by the USDA/FDA and used as a color fixative in preparing cured meats. Erythorbate is NOT earthworms. Perhaps the spelling or pronunciation has contributed to this urban myth.

Q: What is Sodium Phosphate?

A: Sodium Phosphate is an ingredient approved by the USDA/FDA and used to achieve natural moisture retention and flavor protection in processed meats. Phosphates can reduce oxidation, help retain marinade and cook juices, preserve color, and lend freeze/thaw stability.

Q: What are Natural Flavorings?

A: Ingredients such as ginger, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, celery powder, and garlic oil may be listed as Natural Flavorings. They may be designated as "natural flavors" because they are substances used chiefly for flavor. They do not make a nutritional contribution, are not derived from an animal species, and there are no health concerns linked to them. Freirich uses the term Natural Flavorings on its ingredient labels to protect the trade secrets that make Freirich meats so tasty.

Q: Are your products Gluten Free?

A: All Freirich Corned Beef and deli meats are Gluten Free. Some of our specialty flavored marinated meats may contain Gluten. We encourage you to check the specific ingredients listed on our labels or on this website, or you may contact our customer service representatives at 1-800-554-4788 for assistance.

Q: What is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)?

A: Lower quality meats will often be enhanced with MSG in an effort to restore the natural flavors lost due to inferior processing methods. The use of MSG as an approved ingredient has been controversial and is still debated. Opponents argue that MSG may be the cause of many health problems including; headaches, depression, heart irregularities, Alzheimer's, and even cancer. Freirich does not, has not, and never will use MSG in its quality meats.

Q: What is Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)?

A: According to the USDA and FDA, hydrolyzed protein is used to enhance flavor and contains MSG. When added this way, the labels are not required to list MSG as an ingredient. Many in the organic food industry believe this is a way for dangerous food additives to be hidden from public scrutiny.

Q: Do your products contain Allergens?

A: All our Freirich Corned Beef and deli meats are Allergen Free. Some of our specialty flavored marinated meats may contain allergens. We encourage you to check the specific ingredients listed on our labels or on this web site for the product and allergen of concern, or you may contact our customer service representatives at 1-800-554-4788 for assistance.