What is meat?

Meat = the edible portions of mammals.

Contains muscle, fat, bone, connective tissue, and water.

• Meat contains proteins, B vitamins, iron and zinc.
• Ways to limit fat:
• choose lean cuts
• use cooking methods which allow fat to drip away &/or do not add fat
• skim excess fat from cooked meats, trim excess fat from uncooked meats

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• Beef = mature cattle over 12 months of age
• bright, cherry red in color with creamy, white fat
• Veal = young beef that are less than 3 months of age
• little fat, tender, & light pink in color
• Pork = meat of swine
• can be fresh cured or smoked
• Ham is from pork leg
• Bacon is smoked pork belly
• Lamb = meat of sheep less than one year old
• pinkish-red in color with white fat
• Mutton = sheep over 2 years of age

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(cleaned intestines)

(Thymus glands)

Also: heart, tripe(stomach lining), etc.

Inspection & Grading of Meat

• All meat that crosses state lines must be federally inspected.
• A round, purple stamp on wholesale cuts of meat indicate meat is wholesome.

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Quality Grading of Meat

• Quality grades for beef are based on marbling, maturity, texture, & appearance.

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• Marbling = flecks of fat throughout the lean
• Higher quality grades go to cuts with more marbling & fine muscle texture.

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Prime grade is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels.

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Choice grade is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime.

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Select grade is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades.

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Choice & select grades are most commonly sold in retail stores.

Standard & Utility grades are lower grades that either do not have a grade marking or are used in ground beef or processed products.

Grades of Beef

Meat Labeling

Meat names on labels follow a 3-part format:

1st = kind of meat (beef, pork, lamb)

2nd = wholesale cut (chuck, round, sirloin, etc)

3rd = retail cut (shoulder roast, tip steak, short ribs, etc)

The label also lists the net weight, price per pound, & price you pay.

How much should I buy?

Amount to purchase depends on several factors:

• The number of people you will serve
• The amount of bone in the meat
• Do you want leftovers?

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Amount to buy = Amount of meat per serving X Number of people being served

Principles of Cooking Meat

Cooking meat: 1. destroys harmful bacteria that may be present in meat

2. improves meat’s flavor

3. makes meat easier to digest

4. makes some meat more tender

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Connective tissue holds together fibers in the muscle tissues and contains 2 proteins:

–Elastin – very tough, cooking can’t soften

–Collagen – tough, but cooking can soften & tenderize

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Breaking down connective tissue:

•Mechanically: pounding, grinding

•Chemically: commercial meat tenderizers (contain enzymes that break down collagen proteins), marinating (soaking meat in a solution that contains an acid, such as vinegar or citrus juices)

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During cooking, heat coagulates (thickens) the proteins in muscle fibers & softens collagen.

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Low temperatures & careful timing is important when cooking meats.

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Cooking meats at too high a temperature or for too long a time will make them tough & dry.

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Dry Heat Cooking Methods: (for tender cuts)

Roasting:

Place meat, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Season meat. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the muscle without having the tip touching bone or fat. Roast meat in a slow oven,uncovered, until it reaches the desired degree of doneness.

Allowing a roast to stand for 10-15 minutes after taking it from the oven makes it easier to carve & allows juices to be absorbed.

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Dry Heat Cooking Methods: (for tender cuts)

Broiling:

Broiling is done under direct heat. Place meat on a cold broiler pan. Adjust the broiler rack to the desired distance from the heat source. Broil the top side of meat until it is brown. Turn the meat and broil the second side until brown. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature and evaluate the degree of doneness.

Grilling:

Meat is cooked above direct or indirect heat. Place meat on clean, preheated grill grates. Cook to desired doneness, turning halfway through cooking time.

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Dry Heat Cooking Methods: (for tender cuts)

Panbroiling:

Place meat in a heavy, preheated skillet or griddle. Do not cover or add fat. Cook meat slowly, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. Pour off fat that accumulates.

Panfrying, Sauteing, or Deep-frying:

Cook meat in preheated fat. Cook uncovered at a moderate temperature, turning occasionally until done. If the temperature is too high, the fat will smoke. If the temperature is too low, meat will soak up fat.

Stir-fry:

Cook thinly sliced meat in a small amount of oil over high heat stirring constantly.

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Moist Heat Cooking Methods: (for less-tender cuts)

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Braising:

Brown meat in a small amount of fat. Add a small amount of liquid, cover pan and cook slowly at a gentle simmer until tender.

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Cooking in Liquid: (sometimes called simmering or stewing)

Cover meat entirely with water or stock. Season cooking liquid. Cover and simmer until meat is tender.

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Microwaving Meat:

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Tender, boneless cuts of a uniform shape cook best in the microwave.

Arrange meat in a circle if possible.

Pierce the skin on meat products like sausage to allow steam to escape.

Cover meat with a lid or wax paper to hold in steam and keep meat moist.

Rotate, turn or rearrange meat during cooking to help them microwave more evenly.

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