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

Make-up: 75% water, 20% protein, 5% fat Shrinkage and deterioration Humidity Temperature

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quality Beef Veal and Lamb Prime Choice Select Standard Commercial Utility Cutter Canner Veal and Lamb Prime Choice Good and more

Quality Proprietary Quality Grade? Caveat Emptor! Know your supplier You can none-the-less specify USDA grade

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

Aged Meat? Green Meat Myosin and Actin Stiff and inelastic

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

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

Meat Cuts7 Four forms: Carcass Partial carcass Primal cut Fabricated cuts (pre-fabs) IMPS or NAMPS

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

Know the carcasses

Cooking Meats8 Low temp if possible ID-the connective tissue/cut ROT for cooking methods: Moist heat Larger or tougher cuts Dry heat Smaller or tender cuts

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

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

Leg or Round Veal, Lamb or Pork (leg) More tender than beef Younger!! Excellent for roasting

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

Shanks, Breasts, Briskets and Flank 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

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

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

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

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

Doneness? Interior temperature the best approach: Beef: Rare: Medium Well done 160 F

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

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

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

Basting only needed for lean meats Roast fat side up Basting only needed for lean meats Baste with fat, not stock Bard (cover with fat) or lard 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”

Sauté and Pan Fry Only tender cuts! The smaller or thinner the piece the higher the heat ROT for sauté: Hot pan Do not overcrowd Flip only as needed Deglazing

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

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

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

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

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

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

Variety meats (offal) Two categories Glandular meats Muscle meats Liver, kidney, sweetbread, brains Muscle meats Heart, tongue, oxtails, and tripe

Glandular Liver Easy to prepare Calf liver the most tender and prized Remove outer skin and tough membranes Cut on the bias 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

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

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

Glandular Brains Low priority in the US Delicacy elsewhere “Mad Cow Disease” . . . .

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

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

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