PREPARATION OF MEAT SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS

Semi-finished meat products are cut across the muscle fibers, which reduces deformation of the pieces during heat treatment and makes them easier to chew.

At the same time, muscles with a simple structure (e.g., tenderloin) are cut at a 90° angle; muscles with a unipennate structure (e.g., thick and thin edges, etc.) are cut at a 45° angle; muscles with a more complex structure (e.g., shoulder muscles, triceps, lateral part of the thigh, etc.) are cut by changing the angle of the knife depending on the direction of the fibers.

Breading (Coating). Breading is used to reduce moisture loss and to create a nice crust on the surface of products during frying. Semi-finished meat products are coated with:

• Flour (e.g., meatballs, patties, etc.);
• Crushed breadcrumbs or grated stale wheat bread.

Food additives can be divided into two categories:

• Those that do not bind moisture by themselves but increase the water-binding capacity of meat/fish proteins (table salt, phosphates);
• Those that bind moisture well by themselves but do not affect the water-binding capacity of meat/fish proteins (flour, starch, dietary fibers, milk proteins, plant proteins, plant polysaccharides).

LARGE-PIECE SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS

Roast Beef – is made from tenderloin, thick, and thin edges. The pieces are cleaned of surface membranes, and the tenderloin is also cleaned of tendons. To ensure even cooking, the semi-finished product is shaped from two tenderloins by placing the head and tail together and tying them with kitchen twine. Sometimes the product is wrapped with a thin layer of fat to add juiciness. It is used for roasting.

• LARDED MEAT – (BOYITILGAN TO’LDIRILGAN GO’SHT) IS MADE FROM THE SAME CUTS USED FOR STEWING. BEFORE COOKING, THE MEAT IS LARDED ALONG THE FIBERS WITH LONG STRIPS OF CARROT, WHITE ROOTS, OR FAT USING A LARDING KNIFE.

PORTIONED SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS

BEEFSTEAK IS CUT AT A RIGHT ANGLE FROM THE THICKENED PART OF THE TENDERLOIN (THE HEAD) WITH A THICKNESS OF 2–3 CM AND IS LIGHTLY TENDERIZED.

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Fillet – is cut from the middle part of the tenderloin, 4–5 cm thick, and sometimes tied with kitchen twine to prevent deformation during cooking.

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Languet is cut at a sharp angle from the thin part of the tenderloin (the tail), two pieces per portion, with a thickness of 1–1.2 cm. The semi-finished product is lightly tenderized.

Entrecôte is a cut of meat taken from the part of the carcass between the ribs and the spine. The classic beef entrecôte is the thick edge between the 9th and 11th ribs. Many dishes are prepared from it by frying the piece in a pan or on a grill so that a browned crust forms on the surface, which helps retain the meat’s juiciness.

Rumpsteak – is cut from the thick and thin edges, as well as the upper and inner parts of the hip, 0.8–1 cm thick, tenderized, dipped in liaison (egg mixture), and coated in breadcrumbs.

Zrazy (cutlets) – are cut from the lateral and outer parts of the hip, 1–1.5 cm thick, tenderized, filled with minced meat in the center, rolled into a sausage shape, and tied with thread or kitchen twine.�For the filling, sautéed onions are combined with boiled chopped eggs or mushrooms, parsley, and breadcrumbs; salt and pepper are added and the mixture is thoroughly mixed.

SMALL-PIECE SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS

1. Beef Strogan off is cut from the tenderloin, thick and thin edges, and the upper and inner pieces of the hip section. From a large piece, slices are cut across the fibers, pounded, and cut into sticks 3–4 cm long, weighing 5–7 g.

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2. For pan-frying, the meat is cut from the thick and thin edges, and the upper and inner pieces of the hip section into pieces weighing 10–15 g.

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3. For shashlik, pieces are cut from the tenderloin weighing 30–40 g, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and skewered alternately with pieces of fat half as thick.

AZU IS CUT FROM THE SIDE AND OUTER PARTS OF THE HIP SECTION INTO STRIPS 3–4 CM LONG, WEIGHING 10–15 GRAMS.

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GOULASH IS PREPARED FROM THE MEAT OF THE SHOULDER AND SUB-SHOULDER PARTS CUT INTO PIECES WEIGHING 20–30 G. THE FAT CONTENT SHOULD NOT EXCEED 10%. BEFORE CUTTING THE SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCT, LARGE PIECES ARE NOT TRIMMED OF THE SURFACE MEMBRANE.

Meat is delivered to commercial enterprises in chilled and frozen form. For this reason, special attention is paid to assessing the quality of chilled and frozen meat. Here, the quality of the meat is determined using organoleptic, chemical, and bacteriological methods.

ACCORDING TO QUALITY, MEAT IS CLASSIFIED AS FRESH, DOUBTFUL, AND SPOILED.

Fresh meat

• The surface is dry, light pink; the cut is slightly moist but not sticky.
• Has a pleasant, specific smell without foreign odors.
• Firm and elastic; the indentation quickly returns to its original state.
• Fat has a normal color (beef — white to yellowish, lamb — white, pork — soft and light).
• Broth made from fresh meat is clear and aromatic.
• Frozen fresh meat is hard, pink-gray, and produces a natural smell when thawed.

Doubtful meat

• Surface is moist, slimy, and darkened.
• Not elastic; the indentation does not recover quickly.
• Has a sour or foreign smell.
• Fat turns gray and sticky.
• Broth is cloudy and odorless.

Not allowed for sale.

Spoiled meat

• Surface is very dry, gray or greenish, sometimes moldy and slimy.
• Cut is sticky, greenish or gray.
• Very weak consistency; indentation does not recover.
• Fat develops an unpleasant rancid smell.
• Broth is cloudy with an unpleasant odor and taste.

Prohibited from sale and consumption.

In most cases, the quality of meat is evaluated using a 25-point system. The following indicators are taken as the main criteria in point-based assessment:

Organoleptic indicators – 13 points

Volatile fatty acids content – 4 points

Reaction of meat broth with CuSO₄ solution – 4 points

Amino-ammonia content – 2 points

Bacterial contamination – 2 points

If some indicators differ from the established standards, a certain number of points is deducted from the maximum score. Then, the points obtained for each indicator are summed to determine the total score.

Meat that scores 21 to 25 points is considered fresh.

Meat scoring 10 to 20 points is classified as doubtful.

Meat that receives 9 points or less is considered spoiled (old).