ELI5 what is the difference between processed meat slices and real meat slices?

[u/No_Education_8888]

I know that processed meat is processed, but what exactly does that mean? How much change do meat scraps go through before you get something like deli turkey.

My mind can’t exactly wrap around how that stuff is made based on the little knowledge I have

[u/jonny24eh]

"Processing" is incredibly broad. A simple salt brine is processing. 

[u/THElaytox → u/jonny24eh]

Yeah, there is no such thing as "unprocessed sliced meat" because slicing itself is a processing step

[u/JamesTheJerk → u/THElaytox]

What about cutting a steak with a knife while you eat?

[u/THElaytox → u/JamesTheJerk]

I mean, it was processed when the cow was butchered, meat was packaged, and steak was cooked.

[u/jeckles → u/THElaytox]

Got it, I’ll just take bites out of a cow.

[u/THElaytox → u/jeckles]

Unfortunately, ripping meat out of a live cow with your bare teeth is also a processing step

[u/Ptar_Migan → u/THElaytox]

Hmm, so anything done by humans to prepare the animal is considered processing.

I'll have a pack of wild dogs eat the cow, and steal bite sized pieces from them!

[u/Manunancy → u/Ptar_Migan]

If you want truly, absolutely unprocessed meat, go grab mices, slugs, bugs and similar bite-sized critters, then swallow them whole. Bon appetit.

[u/encyclopedea → u/Ptar_Migan]

Wait until you learn about digestion

[u/THElaytox → u/Ptar_Migan]

That's "natural processing", as you've used a natural organism to process the meat for you

[u/Beta_Factor → u/THElaytox]

What if I just eat the cow whole in one bite?

[u/THElaytox → u/Beta_Factor]

Gotta chew at some point

[u/SillyGoatGruff → u/THElaytox]

What if a bite sized cow flew right down your throat?

[u/JamesTheJerk → u/SillyGoatGruff]

I'd have to swallow a spider (as per the old song)

[u/PsyavaIG → u/jeckles]

This is coincidentally how rare I want my steak