MEAT

Nutrients in Meat Excellent source of PROTEIN Major source of: – Iron – Zinc – Phosphorous – Thiamin – Riboflavin – Niacin – Vitamin B6 and B12

Nutrients in Meat Cont. Always choose lean meats when possible. On a 2,000 calorie diet a person needs 5 ½ ounces per day. 2 – 3 ounces of cooked meat is about the size of your palm.

Make-Up of Meat Meat is the edible muscle of animals, typically cattle, sheep, and pigs. Meat contains muscle, connective tissue, and fat. The tissue of a muscle is made of long, thin cells, sometimes called muscle fibers. These fibers are bound into bundles with thin sheets of protein material, known as connective tissue.

Make-Up of Meat Cont. Connective tissue not only holds the fibers together but also anchors muscle to bone. There are 2 main types of connective tissue, they are; – Collagen: the thin white, transparent tissue found in tendons, between muscle cells, and between muscles. When cooked in moist heat, collagen softens and turns into gelatin.

Make-Up of Meat Cont. – Elastin: This is very tough, elastic, and yellowish and is found in ligaments and blood vessel walls. It cannot be softened by heat and is therefore usually cut away before cooking. To tenderize it must be pounded, cut, or grinded. – Marbling: small white flecks of fat, may appear within the muscle tissue – The lengthwise direction of muscle is called the grain. If you cut meat across the grain you break the muscle fibers. Always, cut along the grain!

Identifying Meat Cuts The four most common types of meat sold in the Unites States are beef, veal, lamb, and pork. A cut is a specific, edible part of meat, such as a steak, chop, or roast. Meat is first divided up into large wholesale cuts, also called primal cuts, which are sold to retail stores.

Identifying Meat Cuts Cont. The retailer divides wholesale cuts into retail cuts, which are the smaller cuts you find for sale. Example: one wholesale cut of beef is chuck, which is from the shoulder area.

Inspection and Grading The Federal Meat Inspection Act requires all meat shipped across state lines be inspected. Meats that pass the federal inspection standards are marked with a round, purple stamp. You would probably not see it on retail cuts. The USDA may also grade meat. This is a voluntary program available to the meat industry.

Inspection and Grading Cont. Meat is graded based on standards: – Amount of marbling – Age of the animal – Texture – Appearance of Meat

Inspection and Grading Cont.

Prime: The highest and most expensive. The meat is well marbled, tender, and flavorful. Choice: As the most common grade sold in supermarkets, choice beef has less marbling than prime but is still tender and flavorful. Select: This grade contains the least amount of marbling and is the least expensive. It is sometimes sold as a store brand.

What adds to Meat Tenderness More movements in an animals muscle gets less tender meat. Marbling Fat in marbling melts during cooking, releasing juice and flavor. As fat melts, it penetrates muscle tissue and helps separate muscle fibers. Bone shapes, which are nearly identical in beef, veal, and lamb, give clues about where meat comes from and how tender they are.

What adds to Meat Tenderness Less tender meats can be tenderized before cooking by one of several methods. Mechanical methods : grinding, pounding, and cutting, tenderized meat by breaking down elastin. Example: you can break them down into ground beef and add fat to it to make hamburgers. Marinating : using acid ‘s such as: tomatoes, sour cream, yogurt, vinegar, and lemon juice. Commercial meat tenderizer : contain 3 papaya enzymes that break down muscle fibers.

Tender cuts vs. Non-tender Cuts Tender Sirloin Loin or Short Loin Rib Leg, Round, or Ham – only in lamb, pork, and beef are they tender. Non-Tender Shoulder, chuck, or Blade Arm Flank Short Plate Brisket

Ground Meat Made from less tender cuts of meat, along with trimmings. Most Used Meat : about 45% of beef production Types of ground beef differ mainly in the fat content and cannot contain more than 30%!

Types of Ground Beef Regular – contains the most fat, least expensive, and shrinks during cooking Ground Chuck – contains 15 to 20% fat, usually used for burgers Ground Round/Sirloin – least fat, but most expensive Ground meat labeled “lean” must have less than 10g of fat, 4.5g of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of sodium, per 3 ½ oz serving.

Ground Meat Can buy prepackaged or have it made to order. You can purchase ground lamb, pork, and veal as well. A combination of equal parts of beef, pork, and veal works well with meatloaf. When ground meat is exposed to air, oxygen causes it to turn red. The interior of the ground beef usually does not get a lot of air giving it that bluish color.

Variety Meats Edible organs and extremities of beef, veal, lamb and pork. Used extensively in Europe and other parts of the world. Andouille: French sausage made with chitterlings (pig intestines) Tripe: stomach lining of cattle. The Cajun version is spicy and usually made of pork shoulder. Major ingredient in jambalaya and gumbo.

Types of Variety Meats Liver Kidney Pig’s Feet Brains Heart Tongue Oxtails Sweetbreads (thymus glands) pancreas of animal Because variety meats are highly perishable they must be used within 24 hours.

Processed Meats Meats that have been changed by various methods to add flavor and help preserve them. 35% of the meat used in the US are processed About 75% of all processed meat is pork and the remainder is beef. Processed meats include: ham, bacon, sausage, and cold cuts (processed slices of meat and poultry).

3 Methods of Processed Meat Curing : can be pickle-cured or dry cured. Pickling-Curing: involves soaking meat is a solution of salt, sugar, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, ascorbic acid, and water or pumping the solution into the meat. Dry-Curing: no water is added to the mixture. The mixture is rubbed onto the surface of the meat.

3 Methods of Processed Meat Cont. Smoking: Originally, smoking meat meant exposing it to wood smoke to preserve and flavor it. Today, only liquid smoke is used for flavoring. Cooking: Many processed meat are cooked, providing a ready-to-eat product. Pasteurization increases the shelf life of meat.

Convenience Forms of Meat Canned – beef stew, spaghetti and meatballs Frozen Entrees Ready-to-Cook Meats Convenience Foods cost much more than the same foods prepared from scratch at home or may be of a poorer quality.

Storing Meat All meat must be refrigerated or frozen. The chart below shows the length of time meat should be stored: FoodRefrigerator Storage 40°F Freezer Storage 0°F Uncooked beef, lamb, pork, or veal chops; steaks; roast 3 – 5 Days 4 – 12 Months Ground Meat1 - Days3 – 4 Months Cooked Meats/Leftovers 3 – 4 Days 2 – 3 Months

Storing Meat Cont. FoodRefrigerator Storage 40°FFreezer Storage 0°F Hot Dogs, opened1 Week1 – 2 Months Lunch Meats, opened3 – 5 Days1 – 2 Months Hot Dogs, lunch meats, unopened 2 Weeks1 – 2 Months Bacon7 Days1 Month Smoked Sausage7 Days1 – 2 Months Hard Sausage (Pepperoni)2 – 3 Weeks1 – 2 Months Ham, canned, unopened6 – 9 MonthsDo Not Store Here Ham, fully cooked, whole7 Days1 – 2 Months Ham, fully cooked, half or slices 3 – 5 Days1 – 2 Months

Storing Meat Cont. Must be kept in plastic bags to prevent dripping onto other foods. Variety Meats should be used within one day or ground meat within two days. Other fresh meats keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Cooking Meat When properly cooked, meat becomes more firm, fat melts, and connective tissues soften. As a result, the meat is tender, juicy, and flavorful. Because protein is sensitive to heat, cooking times and temperatures must be carefully controlled. Lengthy cooking at high temperatures can cause meat to shrink significantly, whether you use dry or moist heat methods.

Cooking Meat Cont. By doing this to meat it can become tough and dry and may be difficult to cut and digest. Heat does not destroy nutrients in meat; however, water soluble vitamins, such as B vitamins, may be lost in the meat juices or cooking liquid.

Preparation Before cooking meat, rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Remove fat before cooking as it is easier when meat is cold or frozen. Thaw frozen meat before cooking to save time and preserve quality. If you cook frozen meat you must increase cooking time by 50%. The tenderness of meat determines the cooking method. Example: steak, chops, and roasts = dry heat methods; short ribs, shoulder chops = moist heat methods.

Marinating Need at least one acidic ingredient. Do not marinate for more than 24 hours. Works best on thin cuts of meat. Do not use for basting as marinates can pick up contaminates from raw meat. You may use them if they have boiled first for one minute.

Doneness The point at which meat has cooked enough to make it flavorful and safe to eat. Since doneness is hard to judge visually, using a meat thermometer is the safest method. Make sure the thermometer is not touching the bone or resting in the fat. 3 basic stages: medium, medium rare, and well done. Cooking times depend on the cooking method and cut of meat. Cooking time in recipes is just a guide. Check meats for doneness 10 minutes before the end of the expected cooking time.

Doneness Cont. Food°F Ground Meat and Meat Mixtures Beef, pork, veal, lamb160 Fresh beef, veal, lamb Medium rare Medium Well Done Fresh Pork Medium Well Done Ham Fresh (raw) To reheat precooked ham Leftovers and Casseroles165

Cooking Meats Broiling: steaks, chops, ham slices, liver, bacon, ground beef, and other tender cuts. Grilling: tender cuts Roasting: large tender cuts such as: loin, rib, and leg roasts. Frying: chops, hamburgers, ham slices, bacon, liver, and other thin pieces of tender meats. Pan-Broiling: fast and convenient way to cook tender cuts of meat that are too thin to broil.

Cooking Meat Cont. Braising: cook large less tender cuts of meat, such as pot roast and Swiss steak. Pressure-Cooking: large, less tender cuts Slow-Cooking: ideal to use less tender cuts of meat. Microwaving: cuts of uniform size.