Preparing Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Shellfish Section 19.5 Preparing Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Shellfish

Principles of Cooking Meat, Poultry, and Fish When cuts from animal foods cook, several changes occur in color, flavor, and texture. Color: The red color changes to brown. Flavors: Heat develops the flavors by creating chemical reactions within the cut. Texture: When heated, a cut loses fat and moisture. As a result, it shrinks…forming texture.

When properly cooked, meat is tender and flavorful and retains most of its nutrients. When overcooked, a cut will get mushy and loses its flavor.

Choosing a Cooking Method Tender cuts can be cooked using dry heat methods, such as broiling and roasting. Less tender cuts can be tenderized using cooking methods that involve moist heat, such as simmering, stewing, and braising.

Preparing to Cook For best results, thaw frozen raw meat, poultry, and fish before cooking. If the cut is not thawed, the cooking time will have to be increased by 50%. Before cooking meat, poultry, or fish, be sure the cut is clean. If you are cooking whole poultry, first remove the giblets and neck from the body and neck cavities. Rinse the cavities of whole poultry and whole fish several times.

Trimming Fat Before cooking meat and poultry, remove as much fat as possible. A boning knife is useful for trimming fat from meat.

Judging Doneness Doneness: Point at which food has cooked long enough so that it is both pleasurable and safe to eat. All cuts must be cooked long enough so they are safe to eat. If any part is not cooked, there is a risk of food-borne illness.

Texting Meat and Poultry for Doneness To be safe to eat, all meat and poultry should reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check for doneness by cutting the cut and checking the inside color. The juices running should run clear, with no pink color.

Trichinosis is an illness caused by a parasitic worm sometimes found in pork or wild game. It can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms.

Testing Fish for Doneness Fish is very tender and cooks in a short time. Begin checking for doneness about two or three minutes before the cooking time is up. Fish is done when its flesh turns opaque.

Baking Cooking Methods Roasting Broiling Poaching Microwaving

Roasting or Baking The roasting temperatures in a conventional oven should be at least 325 degrees Fahrenheit to keep harmful bacteria from growing.

Broiling By broiling tender cuts, you can prepare delicious main dishes in a short time.

Poaching Poaching involves simmering whole foods in a small amount of liquid. Fish is one of the foods most commonly poached.

Microwave Cooking All types of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish can be microwaved. Frozen raw meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish should be completely thawed before cooking in the microwave.

Microwaving Meat and Poultry Microwave ovens do not always cook evenly. A cooking bag can be used for whole poultry or pork roasts.

Microwaving Fish Allow 3-6 minutes per pound. Take care to avoid overcooking. Fish is tender and the microwave cooks quickly.

Other cooking methods Stewing Braising Stir-frying Pan-fried Usually involves cooking several foods together, such as meat and vegetables. Pan-fried Use as little fat as possible.