Understanding Meats and Game Chapter 15

The Definition of Meat Meat Muscle tissue The flesh of domestic animals and of wild game animals. The largest expense item of a food-service operation.

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Water: 75% Protein (essential nutrient): 20% Fat: 5% of muscle tissue, and as much as 30% of the beef carcass Carbohydrate: very small amount

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Composition (cont’d) Water A high percentage of water in muscle tissue explains the challenge of shrinkage during cooking Excessive moisture loss during cooking: Dry meat Loss of product weight Loss of product profit

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Composition (cont’d) Protein Muscle tissue becomes firmer and loses moisture as it coagulates. Doneness is related to the desired degree of muscle protein coagulation. Excessive coagulation results in toughening of the proteins and moisture loss.

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Composition (cont’d) Fat Deposited throughout tissue as marbling, which separates muscle fibers and makes them easier to chew. Surface fat retains moisture during cooking. A certain amount of fat is therefore desirable for: Juiciness Tenderness Flavor

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Composition (cont’d) Carbohydrate Meat contains almost insignificant amount of carbohydrates. The small amount that is present is necessary for the Maillard Reaction to occur, resulting in flavor and browning in meats.

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Muscle Fibers Determine the meat’s texture or grain. Fine-grained meat: small muscle fibers bound in small bundles Coarse-textured meat: large muscle fibers Connective Tissue Binds muscle fibers together in bundles. Collagen: broken down by heat, acids, enzymes, and tenderizers Elastin: must be physically removed or broken down mechanically Meat from exercised muscles are high in connective tissue.

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Inspection and Grading Inspection Guarantee of wholesomeness indicated by a round stamp. All meat produced for public consumption must be inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Inspections ensure: Products are processed under strict sanitary guidelines. Products are wholesome and fit for human consumption.

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Inspection and Grading (cont’d) Quality Grading Quality designation indicated by a shield stamp. Based on: Texture Firmness Color of lean meat Age or maturity Marbling Not required by Canadian law; some packers use private grading system.

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Inspection and Grading (cont’d) Quality Grading Beef Veal Canada Prime Canada AAA Canada AA Canada A Canada B1 to B4 Canada D1 to D4 A 1 to A 4 B 1 to B 4 C 1 to C 2

Composition, Structure, and Basic Quality Factors Aging Wet Aging Dry Aging Smaller cuts of meat are enclosed in Cryovac® air and moisture proof packaging. Protects from bacteria and mold Prevents weight loss from drying Larger cuts of meat are exposed to air in controlled conditions. Can lose up to 20% of weight More expensive than wet aging

Understanding the Basic Cuts Available Forms Carcasses The whole animal except head, feet, entrails, and hide Exception: Pork, for which only entrails and head are removed Breaking down a carcass Sides Quarters Foresaddles Hindsaddles

Understanding the Basic Cuts Available Forms (cont’d) Primal or Wholesale Cuts Primary divisions of quarters, foresaddles, hindsaddles, and carcasses: Small enough to manage in food-service kitchens Large enough to allow variety of cuts for different uses or needs Easier to utilize completely than quarters or halves

Understanding the Basic Cuts Available Forms (cont’d) Fabricated Cuts Primal cuts fabricated into smaller cuts. Roasts, steaks, chops, cutlets, stewing meat, and ground meat (or to customer specification) Portion-controlled cuts Cuts ready-to-cook; processed according to customer specifications Organ meats (offal) Tripe, oxtail, heart, tongue, and kidney

Understanding the Basic Cuts Available Forms (cont’d) Basic Cuts for Beef Forequarter Hindquarter Chuck Brisket Shank Rib Short Plate Full Loin Short loin Sirloin Flank Round

Understanding the Basic Cuts Available Forms (cont’d) Basic Cuts for Beef Understanding bone structure is essential to: Identifying meat cuts. Boning and cutting. Carving cooked meats

Understanding the Basic Cuts Selecting Meats for Your Operation Specifications Indicate the following specifications when ordering meat Item name Grade Weight range State of refrigeration Fat limitations, or average thickness of surface fat

Understanding the Basic Cuts Fabricating Meat The illustrations in this chapter demonstrate important procedures for fabricating meat. Silverskin: a thin layer or membrane of connective tissue that often covers the surface of a muscle. Not always necessary to remove for braised meats Should be removed from roasts, sautés, and grills of tender meats

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods Principles of Low-Heat Cooking High heat toughens and shrinks proteins, resulting in excessive moisture loss. Roasts cooked at lower temperatures have better yields. Moist heat penetrates quickly because liquid and steam are better conductors than air.

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Breaking Down Connective Tissue Rib and loin cuts Always the most tender cuts Used mostly for steaks and chops

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d) Leg or round Beef: Most suitable for braising. Veal, lamb, and pork: These meats are from younger animals and are therefore tender enough to roast.

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d) Chuck or shoulder Beef: Most suitable for braising. Veal, lamb, and pork: These meats are most often braised but are young enough to roast or cut into chops for broiling.

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d) Shanks, breast, brisket, and flank Beef: Can be broiled if cooked rare and sliced thin (London broil)

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d) Shanks, breast, brisket, and flank (cont’d) Veal, lamb, and pork: These meats are most often braised. Shanks are especially suitable for braising due to their high collagen content that is converted to gelatin, giving body to braising liquids and good eating qualities to the meat.

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Other Factors Influencing Choice of Cooking Method Fat content Barding: Tying slices of fat over the surface of meat to protect them while roasting Larding: Inserting strips of fat with a larding needle into meets low in marbling

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Other Factors Influencing Choice of Cooking Method (cont’d) Tenderness is not the only goal of cooking Other goals: Develop flavor Prevent excessive shrinkage Develop appearance

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Searing and “Sealing” Searing meats at high heat creates: Desirable flavor Color by browning all sides Blanching meats in boiling water leads to: Some protein coagulation Not as much protein is carried out of meat with lost moisture “Sealing” does not seal in juices, as meat has no pores to seal. Rather, it is has an open network of fibers.

Cooking and Handling Meats Tenderness and Appropriate Cooking Methods (cont’d) Cooking Frozen Meats Meats cooked from the frozen state lose no moisture through defrosting, but lose more moisture during cooking. Cooking frozen meats complicates the cooking process; adjustments in procedure are required. Cooking frozen meats requires more energy. … Therefore, most meats are thawed first and then prepared.

Cooking and Handling Meats Doneness Dry-Heat Cooking Rare: Brown surface, thin layer of gray, red interior Medium: Thick layer of gray, pink interior Well done: Gray throughout White meat (veal and pork) From pink to gray-pink to off-white Touch Rare: Feels soft; gives to pressure Medium: Feels moderately firm; springs back readily when pressed Well done: Feels firm; does not give to pressure

Cooking and Handling Meats Doneness Moist-Heat Cooking Doneness is indicated by tenderness, not by temperature. Most of the time the meat is well done. Low temperatures, no higher than simmering, are essential to avoid toughening protein in moist-cooked meat

Cooking and Handling Meats Doneness (cont’d) Juiciness Three main factors determine the perception of juiciness: Internal fat Gelatin Protein coagulation Carryover Cooking Internal temperature continues rising after meat is removed from oven Internal temperature can raise by: Small cuts: 5°F (3°C) Large roasts: 25°F (14°C) Average roasts: 10° to 15°F (6° to 8°C)

Cooking and Handling Meats Cooking Variety Meats Variety meats include the organs, glands, and other meats that don’t form a part of the dressed carcass of the animal. Liver Kidneys Sweetbreads Brains Heart Tongue Oxtails Tripe Other variety meats include intestines, caul, and feet.

Cooking and Handling Meats Game and Specialty Meats Game is used to refer to poultry and meat animals normally found in the wild. Venison Marinating widely used for flavor and tenderness Low in fat Boar Buffalo or American bison Rabbit Hare

Cooking and Handling Meats Storage of Meats Fresh Meats Should be stored at 32ºF (0ºC) to 36ºF (2ºC). Allow for proper air circulation. Do not open vacuum packaged meats until ready to use. Keep meats separate in the cooler and avoid cross-contamination. Use as quickly as possible; fresh meats keep well for only two to four days.

Cooking and Handling Meats Storage Methods (cont’d) Frozen Meats Should be stored at 0ºF (–18ºC) or colder. Wrap frozen meats well to prevent freezer burn. Recommended shelf life for meats at 0ºF (–18ºC). Beef, veal and lamb: 6 months Pork: 4 months (pork fat turns rancid easily in the freezer) Defrost carefully in the refrigerator. Do not refreeze thawed meats.