3. Meats u Usually the most expensive of all food items v 30-70% of food cost v 20-40% of operating cost

4. u Make-up: –75% water, 20% protein, 5% fat –Shrinkage and deterioration v Humidity v Temperature

5. Animal Fat u 5% of animal tissue u 30% of carcass? u Bred and raised leaner u Some fat is desirable...

6. Fat is not all bad! u Juiciness –Marbling v “Juiciness” when eating u Tenderness v Muscle fibers separated by fat u Surface Fat v Protects during cooking u Flavor v The “Beefy” flavor is fat soluble

7. Meats 3 u Connective Tissue is Tough to Eat! –Collagen and elastin –Old versus young –Use of muscle –Marbling

8. ROT for Cooking u Much collagen? –Long, slow, moist cooking. v Collagen dissolves into gelatin and water u Much elastin? –Remove –Mechanically tenderize v Grind, cube, slice very thin, pound, –Break up the fibers!

9. Meats: Inspections and Grading u Authorized by Agricultural Marketing Act u The Wholesome Meat Act –All meat must be inspected –Grading is voluntary v Quality v Yield

10. The Seal of Approval? Circular u The Circular Inspection Stamp –Wholesome and Fit for Human Consumption u The Shield shaped Grading stamp –A Quality Designation v Clearly specified

11. Quality u Beef –Prime –Choice –Select –Standard –Commercial –Utility –Cutter Canner u Veal and Lamb –Prime –Choice –Good v and more

12. Quality u Proprietary Quality Grade? –Caveat Emptor! v Know your supplier –You can none-the-less specify USDA grade

13. Yield u Ratio of fat to meat –1 is highest yield v Beef 1-5 v Pork 1-4 v Lamb/Mutton 1-5 v Veal is not yield graded –Naturally lean

14. Aged Meat? u Green Meat –Myosin and Actin v Stiff and inelastic

15. Aged Meat? u Tenderize: –Natural –High temperature –Enzymatic –Vacuum aging –Electrical stimulation u Tenderize: –Dry aging v May lose up to 20% of moisture content –Wet aging v Less initial moisture loss –Greater cooking loss

16. Aged Meat u Slightly changed flavor profile u If meat smells (or tastes) spoiled, it probably is

17. Meat Cuts 7 u Four forms: –Carcass –Partial carcass –Primal cut –Fabricated cuts (pre-fabs) v IMPS or NAMPS

18. Bone Structure u Important to know: –Help identify a cut of meat –Help minimize loss when de-boning –Help you avoid messy carving/carving loss

19. Know the carcasses

20. Cooking Meats 8 u Low temp if possible u ID-the connective tissue/cut –ROT for cooking methods: v Moist heat – Larger or tougher cuts v Dry heat –Smaller or tender cuts

21. Rib and Loin Cuts u The most tender (on any animal) u Beef and Lamb –Often served rare to medium: roast, broil or grill. u Veal and Pork –Generally eaten (more) well done: as above, but also braised on occasion.

22. Leg or Round u Beef (round) –Typically less tender braise –Roasting OK for Prime or Choice v Marbling v Long cooking time - beef’s own moisture helps tenderize

23. Leg or Round u Veal, Lamb or Pork (leg) –More tender than beef v Younger!! Excellent for roasting

24. Chuck or Shoulder u Beef Braise u Veal, Lamb and Pork Braise or Roast v NB: The shoulder may be tender, but will have multidirectional muscle tissue

25. Shanks, Breasts, Briskets and Flank u Usually not tender even on young animals –Shanks are high in collagen: excellent for braising –Beef flank, if carefully cut across the grain, can be broiled: London Broil

26. u Mechanically tenderized meats, such as cubed or ground, can be cooked by dry or moist heat u Searing and blanching?... does not seal in the juices !

27. Do not cook meats when frozen u Does not retain or increase moisture –Same or slightly increased (delayed) u Complicates the cooking process –Timing –Surface dry and done - center frozen u Waste of energy and time

28. Doneness? u Dry heat vs. Moist heat u Carry-over cooking u Critical for product quality

29. Doneness? u Color Change –Red Meats v “Blue” –Barely seen the heat, cold and “blue” center v “Rare” –Browned surface, thin grey layer, red interior, slightly warm. v “Medium” –Browned surface, more grey, pink center. v “Well Done” –Grey throughout

30. Doneness? u Interior temperature the best approach: –Beef: v Rare: –130 F v Medium –140-145 F v Well done –160 F

31. Doneness for White Meats? u Pork: –Cooked well done: 160-170 F v Must pass 137 F throughout for minimum 10 seconds to avoid trichinosis! v Play it safe and hit 150 -155 F (FDA) u Veal –Generally cooked well done –Hues of pink increasingly accepted in the most tender cuts

32. Doneness by Touch? u Takes much experience! –Small steaks/chops v Touch the raw product first! –Rare: Firmer, but still soft and pliable –Medium: Firmer, springs back –Well done: Firm, does not yield to pressure

33. Dry Heat Meat Cookery u Seasoning –If you season just prior to roasting v Only fractions of an inch will be seasoned v Browning will be retarded –3 choices: v Season several hours/days in advance v Season after roasting v Do not season, but have a well seasoned sauce

34. u Roast fat side up u Basting only needed for lean meats –Baste with fat, not stock –Bard (cover with fat) or lard u Broil, grill, pan broil –browning and internal doneness –ROT: the shorter the cook time (the rarer the interior), the higher the temperature –brush with oil if necessary, avoid the “oil dip”

35.  Saut é and Pan Fry –Only tender cuts! –The smaller or thinner the piece the higher the heat –ROT for sauté: v Hot pan v Do not overcrowd v Flip only as needed –Deglazing

36. Moist Heat Cookery u Simmering –Fresh meats, start with boiling liquid –Cured or smoked meats, start with cold liquid u Braising u Stewing

37. Meats “elsewhere” u Grain fed versus “double duty cow” u Horsemeat u Goat –Increasingly found in US

38. Veal u Formula (milk) fed –Farming conditions? u Free-range u Color of flesh is indicator –Milk fed v White (pork-like) –Grain fed v Reddish flesh

39. Veal u Two general types: –“Special Fed” (85% of market) –“Bob Veal” (15% of market) u Special Fed (a.k.a. milk- or formula-fed): v Removed from the cow within 3 days v Fed a nutritionally balanced soy or milk based diet until 16-18 weeks v Sent to market upwards of 450 lbs.

40. Veal u Bob Veal v Very young calves v No more than three weeks old v Usually no more than 150 lbs.

41. Lamb and Mutton u Lamb –Most 6 (3) months to 1 year –Less than 3 months: Milk lamb –I year: yearling v Thereafter it is mutton u Lamb versus Mutton –Tenderness, cooking methods, doneness, flavor

42. Variety meats (offal) u Two categories –Glandular meats v Liver, kidney, sweetbread, brains –Muscle meats v Heart, tongue, oxtails, and tripe

43. Glandular u Liver –Easy to prepare v Remove outer skin and tough membranes v Cut on the bias v Cook carefully and to order –Slightly pink or it will be dry –Calf liver the most tender and prized –Beef also OK –Pork mostly used in pate and sausage

44. Glandular u Kidneys –Lamb and Veal best v Dry heat –Beef OK v Moist heat –May need blanching or milk marinades –Split in half –Remove any white fatty tissue and veins

45. Glandular u Sweetbreads v (Thymus glands of young cattle) –Soak –Blanch and refresh in ice water –Remove membrane –Press? –Braise or Sauté

46. Glandular u Brains –Low priority in the US –Delicacy elsewhere v “Mad Cow Disease”....

47. Muscular u Heart (Veal or Beef) –Tough v Casseroles and forcemeat preparations u Beef (veal) Tongue –Fresh, cured or smoked v Braised: Entrée or as “deli meat” u Oxtail –Very high gelatin and good flavor v Excellent for soups and stews v Cut between joints

48. Receiving and Storing Meats u Fresh –Check upon arrival –If not vacuum packed do not wrap tightly v Molds and “off” flavors may develop –Store at 32-36 F –Separate by type v Fresh below cooked –Unless you have proper facilities, use quickly (2-4 days)

49. Receiving and Storing Meats u Frozen –Check upon arrival: Receive frozen! –Store at 0 F or colder v Lean meats max 6 months v Fattier meats (pork) max 4 months –Never refreeze