Y2.U6.1 Meat
Meat
• Meat refers to beef, veal, lamb, mutton
and pork
Meat Grades
• Meat inspection is mandatory in the U.S.
• The Food Safety and Inspection Service, a
division of USDA, inspects to ensure the
meat is wholesome and the processing
facilities and equipment meet food safety
standards
• Products that pass inspection receive a
food safety stamp
Meat Grades
• Once inspected, processors may
voluntarily pay a fee to USDA to have the
meat graded for quality
– Quality Grade
– Yield Grade
USDA Quality Grade Stamps
Quality Grades
• Prime
– Highest quality for beef, veal and lamb
– Found only in fine restaurants, hotels and
markets
– Much marbling and a cover of firm fat
– Marbling enhances flavor and juiciness
Quality Grades
• Choice
– Also a high grade
– Found in restaurants and supermarkets
– Tender, juicy, flavorful, but less marbling than
prime
Quality Grades
• Select
– A lower grade for beef
– Suitable for restaurant and home use
depending on desired final product
– Can be tender and juicy if cooked properly
– Often processed, ground or canned
Quality Grades
• Good
– Comparable to select for beef but is used only
for veal and lamb
• Lower Grades for Beef
– Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and
Canner
Quality Grades
• Lower Grades for Lamb
– Utility and Cull
• Lower Grades for Veal
– Standard and Utility
USDA Quality Grade Factors
Maturity
 Firmness
Marbling
 Color
 Texture
USDA Quality Grades
Prime
Choice
Select
Yield Grade
• Yield Grade
– Measures the proportion of edible or useable
meat after it has been trimmed of bones or fat
– Lower grades are used for ground beef and
other processed products
– Lowest grades for canning
Y
ield Grade and Expected
Yield (Cutability)
52.3-50.0%
50.0-47.4%
47.4%-45.4%
% Yield
>52.3%
Yield Grades
<45.4%
Y
ield Grade Factors
Fat
thickness
measurement
3/4 length of
Longissimus
Dorsi
Ribeye Area
Measurement
Beef Cuts
• Physical Composition
– Muscle tissue consists of about 75% water,
20% protein and 5% fat
– Muscle tissue is made up of a network of
muscle fibers bound together in bundles
(Brown/hose)
– Each of the fibers is surrounded by
connective tissue
Beef Cuts
• Physical Composition
– Amount of connective tissue increases as the
animal ages, and with the amount of use
(exercise)
– Connective tissue makes the meat tougher
and more flavorful
Processing
• Hung and aged between 48 – 72 hours
– Allow muscles to relax, lengthen muscles for
tenderness
• Veal
– Butchered between 1 day and 14-15 weeks
• Cut into Primal sections then Fabricated
into retail cuts
T
he Four Major Primals
Rib
Loin
Chuck
Chuck
Round
Rib
Loin
Round
B
eef “Thin Meats”
Flank
Brisket
Foreshank
Short
Plate
Beef
Beef
Retail
• Porterhouse
– NY Strip (short loin) &
Tenderloin
• T-bone
– NY Strip & less Tenderloin
• Delmonico
– Rib-eye, (boneless?,
chuck?)
Tenderloin/loin cuts
• Medallions: Small round pieces molded by
wrapping in cheese cloth
•
•
•
•
Noisettes: Small round portion of meat
Scallops: Thin boneless cuts, lightly pounded
Emincé: Thin strips of meat used for sautéing
Butterfly: cut lengthwise, nearly in half, so it
opens out and lies flat
Offal
• Organ meat from hogs, cattle, sheep
• Includes:
– Sweetbreads (thymus glands)
– Liver
– Kidney
– Tripe (muscular stomach lining)
– Heart
– Brain
Veal Primal Cut
Lamb Primal Cut
Pork
Connective Tissue
• Collagen breaks down during long, slow,
moist-heat cooking
• Elastin (silverskin) does not break down
and needs to be removed
Elastin
Tenderizing
• Mechanical
– Pounding
– Scoring
– Grinding
• Chemical
– Marinades
• Uses an acid which denatures and unwinds long
protein chains
Cuts/Method
• Beef
– Steaks: dry heat (broil, grill)
– Rib Roast: dry heat (roast)
– Short ribs: combination (braise)
– Top round: dry heat (roast) or combination
(braise)
– Brisket: Moist heat (simmer)
Cuts/Method
• Veal
– Foreshank: combination (braise)
– Hotel Rack: dry heat (grill, broil, roast)
– Loin Chop: dry heat (grill, broil) w/oil (sauté)
– Hindshank: Moist heat (simmer) or
combination (braise)
– Tenderloin: dry heat (grill, broil, roast) w/oil
(sauté)
Cuts/Method
• Lamb
– Lamb Rack: dry heat (grill, broil, roast) w/oil
(sauté)
– Loin Chops: dry heat (grill, broil) w/oil (sauté)
– Leg of Lamb: dry heat (grill, broil, roast)
– Breast: combination (braise)
Cuts/Method
• Pork
– Spare Ribs: combination (steam, then grill)
– Loin: dry heat (roast) or combination (braise)
– Tenderloin: dry heat (grill, broil, roast) w/oil
(sauté)
– Loin Chop: dry heat (broil, grill) or
combination (braise)
– Fresh Ham: dry heat (roast)
Doneness
•
•
•
•
•
Rare: 125°F.
Medium Rare: 130°F.
Medium: 135°F.
Medium Well: 145°F.
Well: ≥160°F.
• USDA Minimum:
145°F.