Cooking Meats
Learning the proper techniques for cooking meats is one of the most critical aspects of becoming a gourmet chef. There is more to it than just buying a chunk of beef, pork, lamb or veal from your butcher and throwing it in the oven until it looks done. Below is almost everything you need to know about cooking meats. Muscle Composition Muscle tissue gives meat its characteristic appearance; the amount of connective tissue determines the meat's tenderness. Muscle tissue is approximately 72 percent water, 20 percent protein, 7 percent fat and 1 percent minerals. A single muscle is composed of many bundles of muscle cells or fibers held together by connective tissue. The thickness of the cells, the size of the cell bundles and the connective tissues holding them together form the grain of the meat and determine the meat's texture. When the fiber bundles are small, the meat has a fine grain and texture. Grain also refers to the direction in which the muscle fibers travel. When an animal fattens, some of the water and proteins in the lean muscle tissue are replaced with fat, which appears as marbling. Marbling adds tenderness and flavor to meat, and is a principal factor in determining meat quality. Connective tissue forms the walls of the long muscle cells and binds them into bundles. It surrounds the muscle as a membrane and also appears as the tendons and ligaments that attach the muscles to the bone. Most connective tissue consists of either collagen or elastin. Collagen breaks down into gelatin and water when cooked using moist heat. Elastin, on the other hand, will not break down under normal cooking conditions. Because elastin remains stringy and tough, tendons and ligaments should be trimmed away before meat is cooked. Connective tissue develops primarily in the frequently used muscles. Therefore, when cooking meats, cuts of meat from the shoulder (also known as the chuck), which the animal uses constantly, tend to be tougher than those from the back (also known as the loin), which are used less frequently. As an animal ages, the collagen present within the muscles becomes more resistant to breaking down through moist-heat cooking. Therefore, the meat of an older animal tends to be tougher than that of a younger one. Generally, when cooking meats the tougher the meat, the more flavorful it is, however. Grading USDA grading provides a voluntary, uniform system by which producers, distributors and consumers can measure differences in the quality of meats and make price-quality comparisons.
USDA choice meats are the most commonly used grade in quality food service operations and retail markets. Choice meat is well marbled (but with less fat than Prime) and will produce a tender and juicy product. Although lacking the flavor and tenderness of the higher grades, beef graded USDA select or USDA standard, and lamb and veal graded USDA good, are also used in food service operations and retail outlets. The lower grades of beef, lamb and veal are usually used for processed, ground or manufactured items such as meat patties or canned meat products. Yield grades measure the amount of usable meat (as opposed to fat and bones) on a carcass and provide a uniform method of identifying cuttability differences among carcasses. Yield grades apply only to beef and lamb and appear in a shield similar to that used for the quality grade stamp. The shields are numbered from 1 to 5, with number 1 representing the greatest yield and number 5 the smallest. Aging Meats When animals are slaughtered, their muscles are soft and flabby. Within 6 to 24 hours, rigor mortis sets in, causing the muscles to contract and stiffen. Rigor mortis dissipates within 48 to 72 hours under refrigerated conditions. All meats should be allowed to rest, or age, long enough for rigor mortis to dissipate completely. Meats that have not been aged long enough for rigor mortis to dissipate or that have been frozen during this period are known as "green meats." They will be very tough and flavorless when cooked. Today, most proportioned or precut meats are packaged and shipped in vacuum-sealed plastic packages. Wet aging is the process of storing vacuum-packaged meats under refrigeration for up to six weeks. This allows natural enzymes and microorganisms time to break down connective tissue, which tenderizes and flavors the meat. As this chemical process takes place, the meat develops an unpleasant odor that is released when the package is opened; the odor dissipates in a few minutes. Dry aging is the process of storing fresh meats in an environment of controlled temperature, humidity and air flow for up to six weeks. This allows enzymes and microorganisms to break down connective tissues. Dry aging is actually the beginning of the natural decomposition process. Dry-aged meats can lose from 5 to 20 percent of their weight through moisture evaporation. They can also develop mold, which adds flavor but must be trimmed off later. Moisture loss combined with additional trimming can substantially increase the cost of dry-aged meats. Dry-aged meats are generally available only through smaller distributors and specialty butchers.
Storing Meats Meat products are highly perishable and potentially hazardous foods, so temperature control is the most important thing to remember when storing meats. Fresh meats should be stored at temperatures between 30 degrees F and 35 degrees F. Vacuum-packed meats should be left in their packaging until they are needed. Under proper refrigeration, vacuum-packed meats with unbroken seals have a shelf life of three to four weeks. If the seal is broken, shelf life is reduced to only a few days. Do not wrap meats tightly in plastic wrap, as this creates a good breeding ground for bacteria and will significantly shorten a meat's shelf life. Store meats on trays and away from other foods to prevent cross-contamination. When freezing meats, the faster the better. Slow freezing produces large ice crystals that tend to rupture the muscle tissues, allowing water and nutrients to drip out when the meat is thawed. Most commercially packaged meats are frozen by blast freezing, which quickly cools by blasting 40 degree F air across the meat. The ideal temperature for maintaining frozen meat is -50 degrees F. Frozen meat should not be maintained at any temperature warmer than 0 degrees F. Moisture and vaporproof packaging will help prevent freezer burn. The length of frozen storage life varies with the species and type of meat. As a general rule, properly handled meats can be frozen for six months. Frozen meats should be thawed at refrigerator temperatures, not at room temperature or in warm water. Did you know you could can meat?
Various Cooking Methods Broiling and Grilling The broiling or grilling process adds flavor; additional flavors are derived from seasonings. The broiler or grill should brown the meat, keeping the interior juicy. The grill should leave appetizing crosshatch marks on the meat's surface. To serve a good-quality broiled or grilled product, you must start with good-quality meat. Only the most tender cuts should be broiled or grilled, because direct heat does not tenderize. Fat adds flavor as the meat cooks, so the meat should be well marbled. Red meats should be cooked at sufficiently high temperatures to caramelize their surface, making them more attractive and flavorful. Best Steak Recipe
Roasting Properly roasted meats should be tender, juicy and evenly cooked to the appropriate degree of doneness. They should have a pleasant appearance when whole as well as when sliced and plated. Because roasting is a dry-heat cooking method and will not tenderize the finished product, meats that are to be roasted should be tender and well marbled. They are usually cut from the rib, loin or leg sections. Seasonings are especially important with smaller roasts and roasts with little or no fat covering. A large roast with heavy fat covering (steamship round or prime rib) does not benefit from being seasoned on the surface because the seasonings will not penetrate the fat layer, which is trimmed away before serving. A roast is sometimes cooked on a bed of mirepoix, or mirepoix is added to the roasting pan as the roast cooks. The mirepoix raises the roast off the bottom of the roasting pan, preventing the bottom from overcooking. This mirepoix, however, does not add any flavor to the roast. Rather, it combines with the drippings to add flavor to the jus, sauce or gravy that is made with them. Cooking Roast Beef Sauteing Sauteing is a dry-heat cooking method in which heat is conducted by a small amount of fat. Sauteed meats should be tender (a reflection of the quality of the raw product) and of good color (determined by proper cooking temperatures) and have a good overall flavor. Any accompanying sauce should be well seasoned and complement the meat without overpowering it. Use only tender meats of the highest quality in order to produce good results when sautéing. The cuts should be uniform in size and shape in order to promote even cooking. The sauces that almost always accompany sautéed meats provide much of the seasoning. The meat, however, can be marinated or simply seasoned with salt and pepper. If marinated, the meat must be patted dry before cooking to ensure proper browning. Some meats are dusted with flour before cooking to seal in juices and promote even browning. Pan-Frying Pan-frying uses more fat than sautéing to conduct heat. Pan-fried meats should be tender and of good color and have a good overall flavor. Meats to be pan-fried are usually breaded. In addition to providing flavor, breading seals the meat. The breading should be free from breaks, thus preventing the fat from coming into direct contact with the meat or collecting in a pocket formed between the meat and the breading. Pan-fried items should be golden in color, and the breading should not be soggy. As with other dry-heat cooking methods, tender meats of high quality should be used because the meat will not be tenderized by the cooking process. Meats that are pan-fried are often cut into cutlets or scallops. Pan-fried meats are usually seasoned lightly with salt and pepper either by applying them directly to the meat or by adding them to the flour and bread crumbs used in the breading procedure. Simmering Simmering is usually associated with specific tougher cuts of meat that need to be tenderized through long, slow, moist cooking. Quality simmered meats have good flavor and texture. The flavor is determined by the cooking liquid, the texture is a result of proper cooking temperatures and time. Meats such as fresh or corned beef brisket, and fresh or cured hams are often simmered. Beef briskets, pork butts and hams are often simmered whole. Simmering cured meats helps leach out some of the excess salt, making the finished dish more palatable. Moist-heat cooking methods generally use lower temperatures than dry-heat cooking methods. Meats are normally simmered at temperatures between 180 degrees F and 200 degrees F. Braising Braised meats are first browned and then cooked in a liquid that serves as a sauce for the meat. A well-prepared braised dish has the rich flavor of the meat in the sauce and the moisture and flavor of the sauce in the meat. It should be almost fork tender but not falling apart. The meat should have an attractive color from the initial browning and final glazing. Braising can be used for tender cuts or tougher cuts. Any meat to be braised should be well marbled with an ample fat content in order to produce a moist finished product. Braised meats are always browned before simmering. As a general rule, smaller cuts are floured before browning; larger cuts are not. Flouring seals the meat, promotes even browning and adds body to the sauce that accompanies the meat. The meat and the braising liquid are brought to a boil over direct heat. The temperature is then reduced below boiling, and the pot is covered. Cooking can be finished in the oven or on the stove top. Near the end of the cooking process, the lid may be removed from oven-braised meats. Finishing braised meats without a cover serves two purposes. First, the meat can be glazed by basting it often. Second, removing the lid allows the cooking liquid to reduce, thickening it and concentrating its flavors for use as a sauce. Stewing Stewing, like braising, is a combination cooking method. In many ways, the procedures for stewing are identical to those for braising, although stewing is usually associated with smaller or bite-sized pieces of meat. Stews, like braised meats, get much of their flavor from their cooking liquid. A stew's seasoning and overall flavor is a direct result of the quality of the cooking liquid and the vegetables, herbs, spices and other ingredients added during cooking. Stewed meats are done when they are fork tender. Test them by removing a piece of meat to a plate and cutting it with a fork. Stews are often complete meals in themselves, containing meat, vegetables and potatoes in one dish. Because meat may account for the largest portion of your food-cost dollar, it should be purchased carefully, stored properly and fabricated appropriately. When cooking meats, the various cuts and flavors of meat (beef, veal, lamb and pork) can be successfully broiled, grilled, roasted, sautéed, pan-fried, simmered, braised or stewed, provided you follow a few simple procedures and learn which cuts respond best to the various cooking methods. Hopefully you have absorbed most of the information about cooking meats above and have now taken yet another significant step toward becoming a gourmet cook.
Beef Cooking Times
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