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Meat On this page you can learn all about Meat from different animals, how to choose meat when buying, how to store meat when you've got it home, how to cook meat and how to carve meat. You will also find links to detailed information on Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork and Game meat. You can find out about poultry here and about fish here.
Meat is a major supplier of nutrients including protein, some of the B vitamins and iron. Meat doesn't have to be the most expensive item in a dish either since price varies according to the type of meat cut and depending on location the season of the year (fresh meat only). You pay most for those parts of the animal which are the least exercised and therefore tender enough to roast, fry or grill. Tougher cuts, which have more muscle, are cheaper and need long, gentle, moist cooking to soften them. Nutritionally there is nothing to choose between the tender meat and tough meat cuts and the flavour of both will be equally good if cooked correctly.
For easy to make beef and steak recipes see our free classic beef and steak recipe page. You can buy good-quality beef, lamb and pork meat at any time of the year from Butchers or from Supermarkets. Most butchers and supermarkets sell both fresh and frozen meat and it is worth searching out a good local butcher who is prepared to offer a wide choice of cuts. Remember your butcher is an expert on meat and take advantage of this. A friendly butcher (either in a butchers shop or at the meat counter in a supermarket) can take away a lot of preparation problems by being prepared to bone, chop or mince to a particular degree of fineness for you. Frozen meat is nearly always pre-prepared. These days many butchers and supermarkets offer organically sourced meat (from animals that have not been fed steroids or other growth or flavour enhancing additives). A butcher will sometimes sell meat that has been frozen and that he has thawed, so establish this when you purchase; do not refreeze this meat unless you cook it first. When you get it home if it still contains ice crystals allow it to thaw thoroughly at room temperature before cooking. Trying to thaw it quickly by pouring hot water over it or putting it straight into a hot oven will lead to significant flavour loss and could lead to growth of bacteria that can cause illness.. Do not worry about the colour of meat. Bright red meat does not automatically indicate good quality. The colour of cut lean beef displayed in butchers' shops or supermarkets will, for example, vary from bright red to dark brown. Exposure to atmosphere makes meat develop a brownish-red shade. Calculating Meat Quantities Per Person Although servings vary according to personal taste as a guide allow the following per person;
Storing Meat Fresh meat should be stored in a cool place; the best place is just below the frozen food storage compartment in the refrigerator. Although this low temperature means that uncooked meat can be stored for 3-5 days, a refrigerator should not be used as a place for the long-term storage of meat. When no refrigerator is available, store meat in a cool, well ventilated place, loosely wrapped. It must be used within 2 days. See itscooking.com guide How to use your fridge & freezer for more detailed information. Fresh minced raw meat, sausages and offal are especially perishable and should be used within a day of being purchased if you are not going to freeze them. Cooked meats should be wrapped in cling film or tin foil to prevent drying out before they are put into your refrigerator. Cooking Meat The oven should be preheated to I80°C (350°F) mark 4. This low temperature will produce succulent tender meat with less shrinkage. The traditional, high temperature cooking is only suitable for top quality meat. First weigh the joint as it is to be cooked (i.e. on the bone or boned and rolled or stuffed as appropriate), then place in a shallow roasting tin, preferably on a grid. Cook for the times shown below: Roasting at 180°C (350°F) Gas Mark 4
The term "boiling" is a misleading description since meat should not be boiled but gently simmered. Boiling produces tough and tasteless meat. For this type of cooking the meat should be covered with liquid in a pan with a well-fitting lid so that evaporation is kept to a minimum. Vegetables and herbs added to the cooking liquid will produce excellent stock for soup. Meat for boiling is often salted and should first be soaked in cold water for several hours or overnight to remove the excess salt. See itscooking.com guide to Health Eating. Once ready to cook change the water before bringing it slowly to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Large salted joints should be cooked for 25 minutes per 450 g (1Ib) plus an extra 30 minutes. Small joints should be cooked for a minimum of 1½ hours. Calculate the cooking time from the moment the water reaches the boil. With vacuum packed meat, follow the instructions given. Pressure cooking will cut the time needed to "boil" meat by about two thirds, and less liquid is also required. Follow the pressure cooker manufacturer's instructions for exact times and quantities. Grilling is a very quick and healthy method of cooking all types of meat. Its best used for good quality meat as grilling can toughen inferior cuts as the the muscle fibres cannot be broken down. An electric grill should be pre-heated, gas grills do not require pre-heating. Meat for grilling can be improved by being marinated for a couple of hours. See the itscooking.com guide to Healthy Frying. This is a combination of steaming, roasting and stewing. The meat is cooked in a saucepan or casserole dish on top of a bed of vegetables, with enough water to keep it moist. This results in a good flavour and texture that otherwise would be touch and flavourless. This is a long slow method of cooking meat in a simmering liquid. . This method is very suitable for tougher cuts of meat and because all the liquid is served none of the flavour is lost. Use a good quality saucepan or casserole dish with a tightly fitting lid. Keep the temperature below boiling (the ideal liquid temperature should be 96°C [205°F]) as boiling can cause meat to become tougher. You need;
Place your cooked meat on the deep rim plate for 15 minutes prior to carving to allow the meat to relax and the juices to settle out (these can then be added to your gravy if required). Transfer the meat to the cutting board and ensure the board will not slip. Before starting to carve, loosen the meat from any exposed bones. Remove all or most of the crackling from Pork. You should then cut across the grain of the meat to shorten the muscle fibres, this makes it easier to chew. Normally this means cutting at right angles to any bone. For information on specific meats see
our links to detailed information on
Beef,
Veal,
Lamb,
Pork
and Game. Food Links : Contents : Celebrity Chefs : Cook Books : Food Types : How to Guides : Basics : |
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