Meat is traditionally considered the center of a plate, the focus of the meal. Since it is such an integral part of the meal, it’s important to know how to properly cook the different cuts of meat and how to identify quality meat.

Cuts of meat are a combination of: – Muscle – Connective tissue – Fat – Sometimes bone

Meat Cuts Today Boneless cuts (beef, pork and lamb) – economical and suitable for quick and easy methods of cooking, e.g. grilling. Boned and rolled joints of meat – smaller joints to reduce cooking time and making it easier to carve. Lean and extra lean cuts – trimmed cuts of meat which are lower in fat.

Cubes of meat – sold cut into cubes, ready for making stews, kebabs and casseroles. Lean minced meat – meat is trimmed of fat and minced. Thin strips – meat is pre-cut into strips, suitable for quick cooking methods, e.g. stir- frying.

Muscle tissue constitutes the most important part of meat. Most meat cuts are skeletal muscle (which means it is connected to the bone and provides the animal structure and movement)

Water is the main ingredient in muscle tissue, comprising up to 75 percent. The loss of water during the cooking process is called shrinkage. Excessive shrinkage can cause a meat dish to be dry and tough

Protein is the second most abundant element in muscle tissue. Protein give cooked meats much of their texture, nutrients and flavor.

The structure of meat is made up of bundles of muscle fibers that contract to create movement. These muscles are made up of long threadlike cells. Groups of muscle cells are held together by connective tissue. Connective tissue is protein that bundles muscle tissue together and connects muscle strands of muscle to bones, joints and skin.

Strands of muscle tissue tend to run in the same direction giving each muscle a grain. The grain of a muscle is an important consideration when cutting raw meat or carving cooked meat. Cutting perpendicular to the grain shortens the muscle strands and creates a tender finished product.

The amount of connective tissue in a particular cut of meat is the most important factor in determining how tough that cut is. Active muscles have the most connective tissue. The age of an animal also influences the tenderness of meats because older animals have more developed connective tissue that younger animals.

There are two types of connective tissue that are important to chefs—elastin and collagen. Elastin is a flexible but tough connective tissue found in ligaments and around tendons. (Sometimes called silver skin) Should be removed before cooking. Collagen is the most prevalent connective tissue in meats. When collagen is cooked with moisture, it breaks down into tender rich gelatin. It does not need to be removed if cooked properly.

Fat provides the moisture, tenderness and flavor to meats. Two different types: – Subcutaneous fat- the fatty tissue that forms around the outside of muscles – Intramuscular fat- fat that is distributed within the muscle

Layers of fat that form around a muscles are often left intact because it can protect meat from drying out and during roasting and grilling the fat melts, essentially basting the meat as it cooks. Well-fed animals also develop streaks of fat within a muscle. This intramuscular fat is called marbling, which is a factor in meat grading.

In general, the more marbling a carcass has, the better its grade will be. Marbling makes certain cuts more tender, juicy and flavorful.

The texture of meat is greatly influenced by aging. Aging is the time meat is allowed to rest after slaughter. Enzymes in meat cause muscle tissue to relax and even break down connective tissue. Reputable meat processors always age meats under proper temperature conditions to avoid the development of food- borne pathogens.

Shortly after death, all carcasses pass through a state called rigor mortis. Rigor mortis is when muscle tissue temporarily becomes extremely hard and stiff. While meat is in this state, it is difficult to cut and extremely tough to eat. As time passes, the muscle tissue begins to relax and becomes usable.

The length of time required for a carcass to soften depends on the size of the animal (among other factors). The process can take as long as 48 hours. Besides aging to eliminate rigor mortis, some meats are aged to improve flavor and tenderness. Beef, lamb and certain game meats benefit from aging. Pork, veal and most poultry do not improve from aging and should be used as fresh as possible.

The traditional method for aging meat is done by hanging a carcass or large cut of meat in a low humidity refrigerator for as long as six weeks. During this time, the surface of the meat being aged becomes dry or moldy. When ready to use, the surface is trimmed of the unusable parts. The interior muscle is left tender and flavorful.

The disadvantage of the traditional dry aging method is the amount of loss from trimming and shrinkage. This loss can be as much as 20%. A large portion of meat packed today is packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic bags. Aging meat while still in these vacuum bags is known as wet aging. Today most meat is wet aged.

The inspection and grading of meat are two separate function performed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Inspection is mandatory and grading is voluntary.

All meat sold in the U.S. must be inspected. It is important to note that inspection is strictly an assurance of safety and wholesomeness and not an indication of quality. Inspections are performed on live animals before slaughter and also after slaughter to examine the animals’ organs to ensure that the animals are not ill or diseased. Inspectors also ensure that meat is handled, processed and stored under sanitary conditions. All meat sold must also be labelled correctly.

Areas of Inspection Facilities construction and operational sanitation. – Plants must be constructed to ensure easy and complete cleaning. All areas must not allow for any contamination in the meat processing practices. – Operational sanitation-specifications for water supply, drainage, waste disposal, lighting, ventilation, refrigeration, insect and rodent control.

Antemortem Inspection – Inspection of animals before slaughter, inspected in pens on the premises, on the day of slaughter, in motion and at rest. Postmortem Inspection – Inspection after slaughter of head, viscera and carcass. Inspection proceeds simultaneously with slaughter and dressing. – Causes for condemnation-diseases, bruising, abscesses, arthritis and floor contamination. – AQL-Acceptable Quality Level. Statistical sampling to determine cleanliness of all carcasses processed. – BSE=A neurological disease in cattle that is caused by a rogue prion and attacks the central nervous system. – Hoof and Mouth=A viral infection that is highly contagious. Last seen in the US in 1929 – Mold=Bacteria growth on meat – E. Coli=bacteria that is found in most mammals. A bad strand can cause severe sickness in humans and spreads through processing plant contamination and improperly cooked meat and other foods. – Salmonella=a bacteria that causes serious intestinal issues for humans.

Product Inspection – Reinspection privilege-to assure that a previously acceptable cut, carcass or product has not become sour, rancid, tainted, spoiled or adulterated. – Inspection of imported meat products-All meats are thoroughly inspected in the country of origin and representative samples are tested at the port of entry or cleanliness, labeling, water content, wholesomeness, net weight and fat percentage – Processed products inspection-Inspectors must be fully informed of recipes, manufacturing processes to prevent adulteration, false labeling and to assure sanitary handling. – Inspection of boneless manufacturing beef-samples of boneless meat boxes

Laboratory Determination and Assays Using certified Labs to determine – Fat no more than 30% in hotdogs – No more then 10% added water in bologna – No more then 120ppm nitrate in curing agents – Phosphates no more then.5% – Vegetable protein extenders no more than 3.5% – No mixed meat species – Chemical residue test to detect: hormones, insecticides and pesticides

Control and Restriction of Condemned Products Once inspectors condemn an animal, a carcass, a cut or a product, it must be identified as U.S. Condemned and held under lock and key or in suitably marked containers and disposed of by: – Rendering – for inedible fats, greases or oils – Tanked – made into animal feed or fertilizer – Incinerated – burned – Chemically Denatured – kerosene, diesel, green dye, carbolic acid – Frozen – held at -10 degrees for five days and sold as animal feed.

Marking, Labeling and Inspection Insignia Meat Labels for Prepared Meat Items – Name of product – Ingredients statement – Quantity of contents – Inspection legend – Firm’s name and address Special Markings – “Keep Frozen” – “Cereal Added” – “Artificially Colored” – “Artificial Smoke Flavor”

Grading is classifying products according to quality. Each classification of meat has its own set of grades and criteria for grading. Grading of meats is based on marbling, maturity and muscle conformation. Grading is voluntary and helps meatpackers market their products.

Active muscles (those that support the animal’s weight and are responsible for mobility) are found in the front legs and shoulders. These are tough meats. The muscles along the backs are considered tender meats.

After slaughter, meat carcasses are cut into large sections. These major divisions of the carcass are called primal cuts. Primal cuts are broken down further into subprimal cuts. Foodservice subprimals are often different from retail cuts sold in supermarkets and butcher shops.

The bovine family of animals includes cattle. The most commonly used cattle in beef production are steers (males castrated at a young age) and heifers (females that have not borne a calf). Primal cuts include the chuck, rib, loin, round, brisket, plate and flank.

Prime* Choice* Select* Standard Commercial Utility Cutter Canner *Grades most commonly used in foodservice

Veal is the term used for immature bovines. Most veal comes from male calves of dairy breeds. Many chefs prefer “special-fed” veal which has a light color and smooth velvety texture. Special- fed veal is produced from animals between 18 and 20 weeks old that are fed milk or milk based formula. Veal grading: prime, choice, good, standard, utility

Shoulder Rack Loin Leg shank/breast

Sheep under one year of age are categorized as lamb. The meat of fully mature sheep is called mutton. Mutton is darker, fattier, and has a stronger flavor than lamb. Not widely used in U.S. Grading: Prime, choice, good, utility

Shoulder Rack Loin Leg Shank/breast.

Pork process in the U.S. comes mostly from animals that are 7 to 12 months old. At this age, there is no discernible difference between the meat of male or female pigs. Unlike other meats, pork is often created and sold with its skin. Grades- No. 1, No. 1, No. 3, No. 4, Utility

Shoulder butt Picnic shoulder Loin Ham Belly

Edible internal parts of an animal – Brains – ears – feet (trotters) – hearts – intestines (chitterlings) – kidneys – liver – marrow – stomach (tripe) – sweet breads (thymus gland and pancreas) – tails

Choice and Variety To add extra choice and variety, pork can be cured and smoked. Bacon Bacon is produced by curing pork with salt or in a brine solution. After maturing it is sold as unsmoked bacon. It can also be smoked to give the bacon a darker colour and distinctive flavour. Gammon Gammon is the cured whole leg of pork. It is often cut into easy to cook slices and eaten hot as gammon steaks. It is also sold cooked and cold as ham. Some hams may be cured and cooked to a special recipe to give distinctive flavours, such as ‘honey roast’.