Pulled my beef roast out of the slow cooker and saw these weird white stringy things poking out of the meat. They look like little worms or parasites. Is the meat infested?

pale strands—and also what makes the meat so tender.

The reason it can look concerning is purely visual. The strands are thin, light-colored, and irregular, which can resemble something unfamiliar. But there are clear differences between this and anything harmful. These collagen strands are soft, slippery, and blend into the meat. They don’t have structure,continue reading …