UNDERSTANDING MEATS
AND GAME
CHAPTER 15
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
THE DEFINITION OF MEAT
• Meat
– Muscle tissue
– The flesh of domestic animals and of wild game
animals.
– The largest expense item of a food-service operation.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
COMPOSITION
• Water: 75%
• Protein (essential nutrient): 20%
• Fat: 5% of muscle tissue, and as much as 30% of the
beef carcass
• Carbohydrate: very small amount
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
COMPOSITION (CONT’D)
Water
– A high percentage of water in muscle tissue explains
the challenge of shrinkage during cooking
– Excessive moisture loss during cooking:
– Dry meat
– Loss of product weight
– Loss of product profit
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
COMPOSITION (CONT’D)
Protein
• Muscle tissue becomes firmer and loses moisture as it
coagulates.
• Doneness is related to the desired degree of muscle
protein coagulation.
• Excessive coagulation results in toughening of the
proteins and moisture loss.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
COMPOSITION (CONT’D)
Fat
• Deposited throughout tissue as marbling, which
separates muscle fibers and makes them easier to chew.
• Surface fat retains moisture during cooking.
• A certain amount of fat is therefore desirable for:
– Juiciness
– Tenderness
– Flavor
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
COMPOSITION (CONT’D)
Carbohydrate
• Meat contains almost insignificant amount of
carbohydrates.
• The small amount that is present is necessary for the
Maillard Reaction to occur, resulting in flavor and
browning in meats.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
STRUCTURE
Muscle Fibers
• Determine the meat’s texture or grain.
– Fine-grained meat: small muscle fibers bound in small
bundles
– Coarse-textured meat: large muscle fibers
Connective Tissue
• Binds muscle fibers together in bundles.
– Collagen: broken down by heat, acids, enzymes, and
tenderizers
– Elastin: must be physically removed or broken down
mechanically
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
INSPECTION AND GRADING
Inspection
• Guarantee of wholesomeness indicated
by a
round stamp.
• All meat produced for public consumption
must be inspected by the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA).
• Inspections ensure:
– Products are processed under strict sanitary guidelines.
– Products are wholesome and fit for human consumption.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
INSPECTION AND GRADING (CONT’D)
Quality Grading
• Quality designation indicated by a shield stamp.
• Based on:
– Texture
– Firmness
– Color of lean meat
– Age or maturity
– Marbling
• Not required by Canadian law; some packers use private
grading system.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
INSPECTION AND GRADING (CONT’D)
Quality Grading
Beef
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Prime
AAA
AA
A
B1 to B4
D1 to D4
Veal
A 1 to A 4
B 1 to B 4
C 1 to C 2
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE, AND
BASIC QUALITY FACTORS
AGING
Wet Aging
• Smaller cuts of meat are
enclosed in Cryovac® air
and moisture proof
packaging.
• Protects from bacteria
and mold
• Prevents weight loss from
drying
Dry Aging
• Larger cuts of meat are
exposed to air in
controlled conditions.
• Can lose up to 20% of
weight
• More expensive than wet
aging
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CUTS
AVAILABLE FORMS
Carcasses
– The whole animal except head, feet, entrails, and
hide
• Exception: Pork, for which only entrails and head
are removed
– Breaking down a carcass
• Sides
• Quarters
• Foresaddles
• Hindsaddles
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CUTS
AVAILABLE FORMS (CONT’D)
Primal or Wholesale Cuts
• Primary divisions of quarters, foresaddles, hindsaddles,
and carcasses:
– Small enough to manage in food-service kitchens
– Large enough to allow variety of cuts for different
uses or needs
– Easier to utilize completely than quarters or halves
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CUTS
AVAILABLE FORMS (CONT’D)
Fabricated Cuts
• Primal cuts fabricated into smaller cuts.
– Roasts, steaks, chops, cutlets, stewing meat, and
ground meat (or to customer specification)
• Portion-controlled cuts
– Cuts ready-to-cook; processed according to customer
specifications
• Organ meats (offal)
• Tripe, oxtail, heart, tongue, and kidney
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CUTS
AVAILABLE FORMS (CONT’D)
Basic Cuts for Beef
Forequarter
•
•
•
•
•
Chuck
Brisket
Shank
Rib
Short Plate
•
•
•
•
•
Hindquarter
Full Loin
Short loin
Sirloin
Flank
Round
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CUTS
AVAILABLE FORMS (CONT’D)
Basic Cuts for Beef
• Understanding bone structure is essential to:
– Identifying meat cuts.
– Boning and cutting.
– Carving cooked meats
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CUTS
SELECTING MEATS FOR YOUR OPERATION
Specifications
• Indicate the following specifications when ordering meat
– Item name
– Grade
– Weight range
– State of refrigeration
– Fat limitations, or average thickness of surface fat
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CUTS
FABRICATING MEAT
• The illustrations in this chapter demonstrate important
procedures for fabricating meat.
• Silverskin: a thin layer or membrane of connective
tissue that often covers the surface of a muscle.
– Not always necessary to remove for braised meats
– Should be removed from roasts, sautés, and grills of
tender meats
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
• Principles of Low-Heat Cooking
– High heat toughens and shrinks proteins, resulting in
excessive moisture loss.
– Roasts cooked at lower temperatures have better
yields.
– Moist heat penetrates quickly because liquid and
steam are better conductors than air.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Breaking Down Connective Tissue
• Rib and loin cuts
– Always the most tender cuts
– Used mostly for steaks and chops
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d)
• Leg or round
– Beef: Most suitable for braising.
– Veal, lamb, and pork: These meats are from younger
animals and are therefore tender enough to roast.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d)
• Chuck or shoulder
– Beef: Most suitable for braising.
– Veal, lamb, and pork: These meats are most often
braised but are young enough to roast or cut into
chops for broiling.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d)
• Shanks, breast, brisket, and flank
– Beef: Can be broiled if cooked rare and sliced thin
(London broil)
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Breaking Down Connective Tissue (cont’d)
• Shanks, breast, brisket, and flank (cont’d)
– Veal, lamb, and pork: These meats are most often braised.
– Shanks are especially suitable for braising due to their
high collagen content that is converted to gelatin, giving
body to braising liquids and good eating qualities to the
meat.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Other Factors Influencing Choice of Cooking Method
• Fat content
– Barding: Tying slices of fat over the surface of meat
to protect them while roasting
– Larding: Inserting strips of fat with a larding needle
into meets low in marbling
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Other Factors Influencing Choice of Cooking Method
(cont’d)
• Tenderness is not the only goal of cooking
– Other goals:
• Develop flavor
• Prevent excessive shrinkage
• Develop appearance
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Searing and “Sealing”
• Searing meats at high heat creates:
– Desirable flavor
– Color by browning all sides
• Blanching meats in boiling water leads to:
– Some protein coagulation
– Not as much protein is carried out of meat with lost
moisture
• “Sealing” does not seal in juices, as meat has no pores
to seal. Rather, it is has an open network of fibers.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
TENDERNESS AND APPROPRIATE COOKING METHODS
(CONT’D)
Cooking Frozen Meats
• Meats cooked from the frozen state lose no moisture
through defrosting, but lose more moisture during
cooking.
– Cooking frozen meats complicates the cooking
process; adjustments in procedure are required.
– Cooking frozen meats requires more energy.
– … Therefore, most meats are thawed first and then
prepared.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
DONENESS
Dry-Heat Cooking
• Rare: Brown surface, thin
layer of gray, red interior
• Medium: Thick layer of
gray, pink interior
• Well done: Gray
throughout
– White meat (veal and
pork)
– From pink to gray-pink
to off-white
• Touch
– Rare: Feels soft; gives
to pressure
– Medium: Feels
moderately firm;
springs back readily
when pressed
– Well done: Feels firm;
does not give to
pressure
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
DONENESS
Moist-Heat Cooking
• Doneness is indicated by tenderness, not by
temperature.
– Most of the time the meat is well done.
– Low temperatures, no higher than simmering, are
essential to avoid toughening protein in moist-cooked
meat
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
DONENESS (CONT’D)
• Juiciness
– Three main factors determine the perception of
juiciness:
• Internal fat
• Gelatin
• Protein coagulation
• Carryover Cooking
– Internal temperature continues rising after meat is
removed from oven
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
COOKING VARIETY MEATS
• Variety meats include the
organs, glands, and other
meats that don’t form a
part of the dressed
carcass of the animal.
– Liver
– Kidneys
– Sweetbreads
– Brains
– Heart
– Tongue
– Oxtails
– Tripe
• Other variety meats
include intestines, caul,
and feet.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
GAME AND SPECIALTY MEATS
• Game is used to refer to poultry and meat animals
normally found in the wild.
– Venison
• Marinating widely used for flavor and tenderness
• Low in fat
– Boar
– Buffalo or American bison
– Rabbit
– Hare
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
STORAGE OF MEATS
Fresh Meats
• Should be stored at 32ºF (0ºC) to 36ºF (2ºC).
• Allow for proper air circulation.
• Do not open vacuum packaged meats until ready to use.
• Keep meats separate in the cooler and avoid crosscontamination.
• Use as quickly as possible; fresh meats keep well for
only two to four days.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
COOKING AND HANDLING MEATS
STORAGE METHODS (CONT’D)
Frozen Meats
• Should be stored at 0ºF (–18ºC) or colder.
• Wrap frozen meats well to prevent freezer burn.
• Recommended shelf life for meats at 0ºF (–18ºC).
– Beef, veal and lamb: 6 months
– Pork: 4 months (pork fat turns rancid easily in the
freezer)
• Defrost carefully in the refrigerator.
• Do not refreeze thawed meats.
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.