2. What is meat?
Structure of muscle
Composition of muscle
“Green meat”
Aging methods
Understanding basic cuts
Bone structure
Parameters for meat selection
Cooking meats
Doneness
Storage of meats
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3. Meat is muscle tissue.
It is the flesh of domestic & wild game
animals.
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4. Muscle fiber – long, thin muscle fibers
bound in bundles.
Connective tissue
• Meats are high in connective if they come from
muscles that are more exercised
• Older animals meat has higher connective tissue
• The types of connective tissue are
Collagen (white)
Elastin (yellow)
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6. Muscle composition gives meat its characteristic
appearance
Muscle tissue is approximately:
• 72% water
• 20% protein
• 7% fat
• 1% minerals
Marbling (fat) adds tenderness and flavor to meat
and is a principal factor in meat quality
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7. When animals are slaughtered, their
muscles are soft and flabby.
Within 6-24 hours, rigor mortis sets in,
causing the muscles to contract and stiffen.
Rigor mortis dissipates in 48 – 72 hours
while under refrigeration. All meats are
allowed to age or rest long enough for rigor
mortis to dissipate.
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8. Aging is done to bring out the texture and
flavor characteristic of the meat.
Wet Aging
• Smaller cuts enclosed in Cryovac® (plastic
vacuum packs)
Dry Aging
• Larger cuts of meat exposed to air in
controlled conditions. Can lose up to 20% of
weight during dry aging.
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9. Carcasses
The whole animal except
head, feet, entrails, and
hide (except pork, from
which only entrails and
head removed)
Partial Carcasses
• Sides
• Quarters
• Foresaddles
• Hindsaddles
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Primal or Wholesale Cuts
Fabricated Cuts - Smaller
cuts for roasts, steaks,
chops, cutlets, stewing
meat, and ground meat,
or to customer
specifications.
Portion-controlled Cuts
Cuts ready-to-cook,
processed to customer
specifications.
10. Forequarter
• Chuck
• Brisket
• Shank
• Rib
• Plate
Hindquarter
• Full Loin
• Short loin
• Sirloin
• Flank
• Round
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11. Organ Meats/Offal
• Items such as heart, kidney, tongue, tripe,
and oxtail are in this category
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12. 1. Identifying meat cuts
2. Boning and cutting meats
3. Carving cooked meats
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15. 1. Consider employee skills: Do you have a person
that can break down meats into needed cuts?
2. Menu: Can you use the bones, meat, and
trimmings in something else?
3. Storage: Do you have ample refrigeration and
freezer space?
4. Cost: Considering labor costs and trim usage, is it
overall less expensive to buy larger or more
ready-to-use cuts of meat?
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16. Specifications are important to a
food service operation - they fully
describe the item in exact detail:
1. Item name
2. Grade
3. Weight range
4. State of refrigeration
5. Fat limitations
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18. High heat toughens and shrinks proteins
and results in high moisture loss.
Broiling is very fast which is why #1 is
not contrary.
Roasts cooked at lower temperatures
have better yields.
Because liquid and steam are better
conductors than air, moist heat
penetrates quickly.
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19. Remember that connective tissue is
highest in muscles that are frequently
used.
Long, slow cooking tenderizes collagen.
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20. Rib and Loin Cuts
• Very tender, used for roasts, steaks, and chops
Leg or Round
• Less tender and cooked by braising
Chuck or Shoulder
• Tougher; generally braised
Shanks, Breast, Brisket, and Flank
• Less tender; cooked by moist heat
Ground Meat, Cubed Steaks, and Stew Meat
• From any primal cut; cooked by dry or moist heat
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23. The purpose of searing at high heat is to
create desirable flavor and color by
browning all sides.
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24. Some sources say to cook from frozen to
avoid “drip loss.”
Most meats are thawed first and then
prepared.
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25. The internal temperature will continue to
rise after meat is removed from the source
of heat
Because the exterior is hotter than inside,
it will conduct heat to the inside.
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26. Dry heat - the meat is done
when the proteins have
reached the desired degree of
coagulation
• Red meat (beef and lamb)
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
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Meat Rare Medium Well Done
Beef 130oF(54oC) 140-145oF(60-63oC) 160oF(71oC)
Lamb 130oF(54oC) 145oF(63oC) 160oF(71oC)
Veal -- 145-150oF(63-66oC) 160oF(71oC)
Pork -- -- 165-170oF(74-77oC)
29. Meat is done when
tissues are broken
down enough for the
meat to be palatable.
Most of the time the
meat is well done.
• Low heat, no higher
than simmering, is
essential to avoid
toughening protein in
moist-cooked meat
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30. Meat products are highly perishable and
potentially hazardous, so temperature control
is highly essential.
Fresh meats should be stored at 32° to 36° F.
Frozen meats should be stored at 0° to 20° F
and well wrapped to prevent freezer burn.
Use as quickly as possible.
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