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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Know the carcasses

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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 !

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

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

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

Doneness? u Interior temperature the best approach: –Beef: v Rare: –130 F v Medium – F v Well done –160 F

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

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

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

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”

 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

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

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

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

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 weeks v Sent to market upwards of 450 lbs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 F –Separate by type v Fresh below cooked –Unless you have proper facilities, use quickly (2-4 days)

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