Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the term for the flesh of cattle, sheep, and pigs?
What is the term for the flesh of cattle, sheep, and pigs?
What is the main difference between beef and pork?
What is the main difference between beef and pork?
What is the purpose of a boning knife?
What is the purpose of a boning knife?
What is the term for the meat of mature sheep?
What is the term for the meat of mature sheep?
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What is the term for the large sections of beef?
What is the term for the large sections of beef?
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What is the primary function of a cleaver in meat preparation?
What is the primary function of a cleaver in meat preparation?
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What percentage of muscle tissue is composed of water?
What percentage of muscle tissue is composed of water?
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What is the primary source of flavor in meat?
What is the primary source of flavor in meat?
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What type of connective tissue is broken down by long, slow cooking with liquid?
What type of connective tissue is broken down by long, slow cooking with liquid?
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What type of meat is typically slaughtered at one year or less of age to ensure tender cuts?
What type of meat is typically slaughtered at one year or less of age to ensure tender cuts?
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Study Notes
Meat Types and Composition
- Meat is the flesh of cattle (beef and veal), sheep (lamb), and pigs (pork).
- Meat comprises water, protein, fat, and various amounts of minerals and vitamins.
Beef
- Beef is divided into large sections called primal cuts, which are then broken down into individual steak and retail cuts.
- A "side" of beef is one side of the beef carcass that is split through the backbone, halved into forequarter and hindquarter sections.
Pork
- Pork is derived from pigs and is classified as red meat.
- It is less fatty than beef.
Sheep
- Sheep meat is also known as mutton (meat of mature sheep) or lamb (immature sheep) and is classified as red meat.
- It is a staple food in some parts of the world and is consumed in many regions.
Types of Knives and their Uses
- French knife or chef's knife: for general purpose chopping, slicing, and dicing.
- Utility knife: for carving roast chicken and duck.
- Boning knife: for boning raw meats and poultry.
- Slicer: for carving and slicing cooked meats.
- Butcher knife: for cutting, sectioning, and trimming raw meats in the butcher shop.
- Scimitar or steak knife: for accurate cutting of steaks.
- Cleaver: for cutting through bones.
Composition of Meat
- Water: 70% of muscle tissue.
- Protein: 20% of muscle tissue, coagulates when heated, and becomes firmer and loses moisture.
- Fat: 5% of muscle tissue, contributes to juiciness, tenderness, and flavor.
- Carbohydrates: play a necessary part in the Maillard reaction, which occurs when meats are browned by roasting, broiling, or sautéing.
Structure of Meat
- Muscle fibers: lean meat is composed of long, thin muscle fibers bound together in bundles, determining texture or grain.
- Connective tissue: network of proteins that bind muscle fibers together, tough, and high in connective tissue if muscles are more exercised.
Types of Connective Tissue
- Collagen: white connective tissue that dissolves or breaks down by long, slow cooking with liquid, and acid helps dissolve collagen.
- Elastin: yellow connective tissue that is not broken down in cooking, and tenderizing can be accomplished only by removing elastin.
Different Kinds of Meat and its Source
- Pork: meat from domesticated pigs, typically high in fat, commonly slaughtered one year or less of age.
- Beef: meat from cattle over one year old.
- Lamb: meat from domesticated sheep, its texture is a direct result of what it consumes and the age at which it is slaughtered.
- Carabeef: meat from carabao.
- Chevon: meat from deer/goat.
- Veal: flesh of a young calf, 4-5 months old, considered by some to be the finest meat.
Basic Preparation Methods of Meat
- Washing: generally, the only occasion is when visible impurities are present.
- Trimming: removing excess fat and connective tissue.
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Description
Test your knowledge of meat, including its composition and different cuts. Learn about beef primal cuts, retail cuts, and how a 'side' of beef is divided. Take this quiz to become a meat expert!
