MEAT

Meat is the flesh of animals used for food. Its constituents are Water: 75%, Proteins 19%, Fats 2 to 5%, Misc. soluble proteins 2to 5%. Meat has four parts
1.Muscles,2.Fat, 3.Connective tissue, 4.Bones.

Muscles: Muscles are bundles of fibers held together by sheaths of connective tissue. These bundles vary in length and thickness and contribute to its grain and texture.

Connective tissue: The white connective tissue is largely composed of the protein collagen which is water soluble in the presence of heat. Moist heat converts this tissue to gelatin which is more tender and palatable. Dry heat generally makes it tougher. The quantity of connective tissue is related to the activity of the particular muscle and the age of the animal. The tissues dissolved during boiling include the Endomysium: between the walls of the muscle fibres,Perimysium: that envelope bundles of muscle fibres, and Epimysium: the sheath or connective tissue surrounding the muscle. Elastin is not easily soluble in water.

Fat: All meat contains some degree of fat in and around the cells and in between and over the muscles.The total fat in a carcass will vary from 5 to 30%. Fat can be related to flavour, tender ness, and juiciness, especially when it occurs as marbling or intra muscular deposits.

Water: The water present in meats is inversely proportional to the fat percentage. The texture of meat will change with the change in water fat ratio from a wet, flabby, soft to a velvety, firm and dry texture.

Organic extractives : Organic or nitrogenous extractives form about 2% of meat. They are present in proportion to the connective tissue and contribute to the flavour of meat.

Pigments contribute to the colour of lean and fat but are not important nutrients.The red colour is mostly due to the presence of Myoglobin and is proportional to the age of the animal. A piece of meat when freshly cut will appear very dark but when exposed to oxygen will become bright red. This is called the Bloom.

Rigor Mortis: It is the chemical and physical changes that take place in an animal after slaughter. The general stiffening phenomenon that occurs in the animal carcass a short time after death as a result of metabolic changes is called Rigor mortis.

Once the animal is dead the muscles do not get the normal nutrients that is required for functioning and therefore become stiff and remain contracted. As time passes the action of anaerobic pathogens release lactic acid which makes the muscles softer and develop flavour.

Meat from an animal that is just killed is usually tough and tasteless. Beef, mutton, venison and game birds become more tender and flavourful by the process of ripening, hanging, aging or maturing. Pork veal and lamb however should not be aged.

CARCASS QUALITY.

The quality of a carcass is determined by three factors.

Confirmation: It has to do with the shape, form and profile of the carcass. It is closely related to breed. Top confirmation is described as short, blocky, compact, short shanked, plump in the round, smooth hips, thick and fleshy ribs and loin area smooth neck and shoulders. Good confirmation yields better quantity of valuable cuts. Meat bone ratio makes confirmation significant.

Finish: Finish relates to the quality and distribution of surface fats. Finish is an indicator of the quality of the meat.

Quality. The factors involved in quality are the maturity of the animal, the colour, the texture and firmness of the lean and the presence of intramuscular fats. The muscle is evaluated from the point of view of texture, firmness and colour. Texture is the firmness of the grain of any muscle or the size of the bundles.It will vary from velvety light to coarse.Firmness is an indication of the type and quality of feed the animal has had. Better fed animals have more firm meat. The colour will vary from light cherry to deep red. Youthful animals have a light colour.Marbling is the intramuscular distribution of fats. It is the best known and most sought after quality factor in meat.Fats biggest single contribution is to the flavour of meat.

Classification of meat according to age and sex.

BEEF
Bull calf : male upto one year.
Yearling : over one year.
Bull : adult male.
Cow heifer : young female after calving.
Cow : adult female.

VEAL
Veal : best at 2.5-3 months old.
Baby beef : 12 to 18 months.
slink veal : still born calf.

LAMB
Lamb : up to 7 months.
ewe lamb. : from birth to weaning.

PIGS
Boar : Entire male
Hog : Castrated young
Stores : young weaned pigs.
Suckling pig: unweaned about 6 to 8 weeks old.

MEAT QUALITY

Beef:
The lean meat should be bright red with small amount of marbling.The fat should be firm, brittle in texture, creamy white in colour.

Veal:
Flesh should be pale pink in colour and firm.The cut surface should be moist. Bones white porous and soft. Fat should be white and firm.

Pork: Lean flesh should be pale pink and firm. Fat should be white, firm and smooth. Bones should be small and white. Skin or rind should be smooth.

Mutton: Should be compact and evenly fleshed. Lean should be firm and of even red colour.Even distribution of surface fats.Bones soft pink and porous.

BEEF JOINTING

CUTS USES

1 Shank Clarification, beef tea, stews.
2 Topside Braising, stewing, second class roast.
3 Silverside Boiling, stewing,and pickled.
4 Thick flank Braising and stewing.
5 Rump Grilling , frying.
6 Sirloin Roasting grilling, frying.
7 Wing rib First class roast, grilling and frying.
8 Thin flank Stewing, boiling,mincing,sausages.
9 Fillet Roasting,grilling and frying.
10 Fore rib Good roast, grilling and frying.
11 Middle rib Roasting and braising.
12 Chuck rib Stewing, braising, mincing.
13 Sticking piece Stewing, mincing, sausages.
14 Brisket Boiling,brined and boiled pressed beef.
15 Plate Stewing,boiling, mincing, sausages.
16 Leg of mutton Braising whole, steaks,stewing.
17 Shin Clarification,beef tea, second class mince.

CUTS OF VEAL

1 Scrag end : Stewing and stocks.
2 Neck end : Braising stewing and stocks.
3 Best end : Pot roasting, roasting, Braising and frying.
4 Loin : Pot roasting, roasting, braising and frying.
5 Chump or rump : Braising roasting and grilling.
6 Leg : Pot roasting, roasting, braising and frying.
7. Breast : Stewing, roasting.
8 Shoulder : Roasting braising ,stewing.
9 Knuckle. : Stock,Minced, Osso Bucco.

CUTS OF LAMB

1 Scrag end : stewing broth
2 Middle neck : stewing
3 Best end : Roasting, grilling, frying.
4. Saddle : Roasting grilling and frying.
5 Legs : Roasting
6 Breast : Roasting, Stewing
7 Shoulders : Roasting
8 Chump chops :

CUTS OF PORK

1 Head : Brawn, whole, decorated for buffets.
2 Spare rib : Roasting and pies.
3 Loin : Roasting,frying and grilling.
4 Leg : Roasting ,boiling ,ham.
5 Shoulder : Roasting sausages and pies.
6. Belly : Boiling and braising.
7 Trotter : Grilling, broiling, brawn.

PROCESSED, SMOKED AND VARIETY MEATS.

The curing process is basically the addition of salt to retard bacterial action and promote preservation.The cure may be applied to the surface {dry curing} or injected into the product,(Vascular curing).Curing is done at a temp of 30-40 F.
Corning is a variation of the curing process which includes salt, sugar, baking soda, nitrates and nitrites.It is usually applied to beef. Salt inhibits the development of bacteria and reduces the water content.Sugar is used to counteract the hardening effect and improve the flavour.The nitrates and nitrites give corned meat its characteristic pink colour.

SMOKING;

Smoking is done in addition to curing. Ham and bacon are first cured and then smoked.The product is placed in a airtight smoke house with the simultaneous application of heat and smoke. Smoking gives the product its characteristic flavour and colour.hardwood logs or sawdust can be used for smoking. Smoking retards fat oxidation.The reduction of water and smoke deposits retard bacterial effect.

Ham:

Ham is the hind leg of a side of pork . Dry cured by rubbing in of salt by hand or wet cured in brine. Most ham is smoked and hung to dry.

Bacon:

Means the side of pork partly boned, salted and cured and smoked.The term may apply to pork belly treated similarly. Green bacon refers to unsmoked bacon.

Sausages:

The term is associated with fresh ground pork items. The process consists of grinding and blending meats,seasoning it, stuffing, and shaping or moulding it, adding preservatives and sometimes smoking. Three natural casings are used, the hogbun for liver sausages,small intestines of the hog for variety sausages, and sheep intestines for breakfast sausages.Synthetic casings may also be used. Some sausages are precooked others require cooking.

VARIETY MEATS OR OFFAL

The term offal literally means " off fall", that portion of the carcass that fell off during dressing.The term variety meats is more apt for using in a menu.The spread of nutrition awareness has made variety meats more desirable. Liver, tongue, sweetbreads, heart, kidney, brain, tripe, oxtail fall in this classification.

Liver:

Generally prepared be pan broiling, or frying.The liver of younger animals is delicately flavoured and more valued.Pork liver is used in Pates and institutional catering.Lamb liver is marginal item.

Sweetbreads:

The thymus gland is located in the area of the neck and heart. As the animal matures the sweetbreads disappears.It is the most delicate of variety meats and is found in beef lamb and veal.They can be sauteed, braised or fried. The outer membrane can be removed after cooking.

Kidneys:

Veal, beef and pork kidneys are used. Best prepared by braising, panfrying, sauteeing or broiling.Also in pot pies and steak and kidney pies.

Brains:

A European delicacy usually sauteed, creamed, breaded, in salads or pan broiled. The membrane needs to be removed.

Heart:

Least desirable and cheapest of variety meats. Hearts of veal, beef, lamb or pork are used.Usually braised.

Tongue :

Beef and veal tongues are desirable. They are tough and cooked with moist heat. Processed tongues have enhanced flavour. Pickled tongues contain large quantity of salt.

Tripe:

The first and second stomachs of beef are marketed as tripe.They are washed, soaked in lime water and scraped to remove their inside wall. Honey comb tripe is most desirable.Mostly used in sausages, requires considerable cooking.

Ox tails.:

There is considerable meat in ox tail which is rich in flavour, specially used in soups and braising.

Marrow: used in savouries and sauces.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF STEAK

Entrecote :Term applied to a steak cut from the sirloin of the beef also known as sirloin steak.

Minute steak : Cut from the sirloin and flattened out.

Point steak :Cut from the point end of the rump.

Porterhouse steak:A double thickness T-bone steak.

Rump steak :A steak cut from rump of beef.

T Bone steak :Cut through the loin of the beef including fillet and bone which gives a characteristic T shape.

Tournedos :Cut from the thinner part of the fillet of beef.

Chateaubriand:Also known as double fillet steak.

Chateaubriand

Fillet mignon:Cut from the tail end of the fillet of beef.
Fillet steak: Taken from the tenderloin Wt:180 gms.
Tartar steak :Raw tenderloin chopped ,garnished with chopped onions,herbs,pickle ,capers and raw egg yolk.