# Crafting > Food > Meat "Plastic causes meat to sweat, which is why professionals wrap it in paper. When it sweats, what's happening is the meat is pushing water out of itself, and nastiness is flushed out as well. People often confuse this purge with "blood", because it's red in appearance in the case of beef, but that is incorrect. Blood is fully drained from the animal when it is slaughtered. This is also why most recipes recommend rinsing meat in cold water, and then patting dry with a paper towel, because unless it's fresh, it's purging, and the purge doesn't taste good. Paper will slow this process, and protect your meat better than plastic."