Meat and offal

Roasted Fore-rib of beef:

It is considered a prime cut of meat which is tender in its protein structure.

Tender joints are best heated quickly and just to the point that their natural juices begin to release.

Roasting is one of the fastest methods to achieve this and develops natural flavour.

Braised oxtail:

Because boiling is best applied to meats that have a firmer or tougher texture so that the prolonged effect of a wet, direct heat will slowly tenderise the meat.

Generally meat that has a significant amount of connective tissue will use the process of boiling/poaching/braising/stewing/simmering to the best advantage and can produce excellent flavours.

Remove the skin

- Saw/cleave off the breast part leaving thin part of the best end twice the length of the eye of the meat

- Remove the sinew from underneath the fat at the back

- Remove the tip of the blade bone

- Bare the cutlet bones to a depth of 2cm

- Clean between the cutlet bones

- Score the fat in a criss-cross fashion

Higher quality commodities usually yield a greater number of portions than those of lower quality (e.g. low quality stewing beef often requires more trimming)

- A standard recipe or procedure should always be followed to ensure the correct techniques are used to create the correct amount of portions

- Menu compliance

The aging of meat is a complex series of chemical processes that alter fats and proteins, develops flavour compounds and tenderises the meat.

If you cooked the meat of a freshly slaughtered animal it would be tough and flavourless, practically inedible, because muscles tighten after slaughter and do not begin to relax for 24 hours.

Beef should be aged for at least 10 days and up to 42 days. The European law states that the beef should not be aged longer than 21 days. (this excludes 1 week on the carcass)

Dry Ageing: This takes place in the refrigerator at 1°-2°c. The meat is hung to allow the air to circulate around the meat. T-bone and prime ribs are good examples of beef which are hung.

Wet Ageing: This takes place in vacuum pouches but has the disadvantages of producing a lower flavour and increased expense of storage.

Heart

Heart is currently not as popular as it once was in the West which makes now is a good time to take advantage of the relatively low prices.  To prepare,  rinse it in cold water, then cut out any blood vessels and connective tissue.

Beef heart  should be cooked slowly using moist heat.  As it is quite large, it is sometimes  sold sliced as well as  whole.   

Lamb heart is best lightly sautéed or grilled it until it's medium rare.  Be careful not to over cook as it becomes very tough.  Alternatively they can be cooked slowly using moist heat. 

Pork heart is best cooked using moist heat Veal heart is best lightly sautéed or grilled it until it's medium rare.  I.e. careful not to over cook as it becomes very tough.  Alternatively they can be cooked slowly using moist heat. 

Kidney

Whilst more popular than other offal, kidney's are still relatively cheap in comparison to many other prime protein sources.

Beef kidneys are quite tough so they need to be cooked slowly using moist heat, such as braising or stewing.  To prepare, cut off the outer membrane, then cut them in half lengthways and remove  and discard the central fatty core.  Because they have a very strong flavour, they should be soaked in water which has lemon juice or a little vinegar added for about an hour. 

Lamb kidneys are prized for their tenderness and are therefore best cooked quickly using dry heat such as grilling or sautéing both whole, halved or sliced.  They quickly become very tough so care should be taken not to over cook them.  To prepare, peel off the outer membrane and snip out the little white core if desired.

Pork kidneys are quite tough so they need to be cooked slowly using moist heat, such as braising or stewing.  To prepare, cut off the outer membrane, then cut them in half lengthways and remove  and discard the central fatty core.  Because they have a very strong flavour, they should be soaked in water which has lemon juice or a little vinegar added for about an hour. 

Veal kidneys are the most highly prized of all.  They are very tender and suitable to be cooked using dry heat such as grilling or sautéing.  Don't overcook as they quickly become very tough.   To prepare, peel off the outer membrane

Sweetbreads are the soft and delicious glands of calves and lambs.  Considered by many to be a gourmet ingredient they are usually much more expensive than other types of offal.  They should be eaten as fresh as possible so if you aren't going to eat them the day of purchase, freeze them immediately. Brains and sweetbreads can be used interchangeably in most recipes

Tongue is obtained from beef, calves, lamb and pigs. It may seem surprising, but one cooked tongue is lean and meaty and are a favorite for use in sandwiches, salads and even casseroles.  To prepare  - boil in water for about 20 minutes, then plunge into cold water, allow to cool enough to handle. Then peel off the skin and trim off any gristle and fat.  It can then be pressed or immediately cut  into thin slices and served it hot or cold.   Different tongues can be used interchangeably in recipes though their cooking times vary according to their size

Tripe is the term given to the stomachs of various animals, but most recipes that call for it intend for you to use beef tripe.  Of a cows four stomachs,  the first three are used to obtain various types of tripe. Smooth tripe comes from the first stomach;  honeycomb tripe is obtained from the second; leaf tripe comes from the third. 

Before it is sold, tripe is thoroughly washed and  usually bleached and because it is extremely tough and requires lengthy periods of slow cooking to tenderize it is also often sold partially cooked.

Tripe

Honeycomb tripe

Smooth tripe

Leaf tripe

Tongue

Liver

Pig liver has a very strong flavour and is generally not as popular as other livers. It is however, excellent when used in pates.

Sweetbreads

Liver

Calf liver is the most highly regarded and has a soft melt-in-the-mouth texture when cooked properly. Generally sold quite thinly sliced, there is little preparation needed other than to wash and dry it, and it only takes a couple of minutes on each side to cook.

Lamb liver is almost as tender as calves liver, but slightly stronger in flavour and is therefore excellent for grilling and sautéing. To prepare - wash and dry. Coat lightly with seasoned flour when frying.

Liver

Meat and Offal

Liver

Liver is an excellent source of iron and Vitamin A. Although most livers are relatively cheap, calves liver is quite expensive. 

Beef  liver should not be confused with calves liver as it is much tougher and more strongly flavoured.  When grilling or sautéing, care should be taken not to over cook it and it's best when served  a little pink in the middle .   To prepare - slice and remove any large blood vessels.

Why is freezing great for preservation?

Offal deteriorates quickly

Will slow deteriorating at -18˚C

Immobilizes the liquid water into solid ice crystals, which lengthens storage

When defrosted correctly it can leave the meat relatively unchanged.

- Freezing of meat and offal can be undertaken quickly and efficiently in comparison to other preservation methods

- Economical compared to other methods

- Accessible

Freezing

Offal

Kidney

Kidneys

Offal

Brains  

Considered a delicacy in some cultures, it's very important that brains be eaten as fresh as possible, so either cook or freeze them the day you buy them.   Brains and sweetbreads can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

END

Offal on a beef carcass

Heart

Brains

The internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal.

Examples include:

Oxtail

Liver

Kidney

Tongue

Tripe

Heart

Suet

Pork cuts

Loin

The loin runs across most of the back of the pig.  This is where many bone-in chops come from as well as  joints which can be bone in or boned which is sometimes stuffed and rolled. It is also cured into bacon and bacon rashers which ranges from lean to streaky. Most of the cuts are all mid-priced although larger roasting joints from this area are more expensive

Pork cuts

Leg

The leg is considered to be the premium pork joint. Roasting joints from the leg are very lean which makes it a more expensive cut of pork. Steaks and diced meat from the leg are also often sold and are suitable for grilling or stir-frying. This part is also cured into ham, gammon roasting joints, gammon steak and the highest quality bacon.

Pork cuts

Feet/Trotters

Possibly the cheapest cut, it has fallen out of favour over the past 30 years in any countries although some high class restaurants are bringing it back to their menus.  Suitable for slow moist cooking.

Pork cuts

Shoulder

Although shoulder is a relatively cheap cut, it is suitable for  roasting. It has a rich flavour and is often sold cut into cubes for casseroles and kebabs, minced or made into sausages

Ribs

Because there is a lot of bone in the ribs area, this cut is relatively cheap cut to buy. This is the area where spare ribs come from. These have some meat, but not enough to be classed as chops, however they are excellent roasted or barbecued. When sold as a joint it can be treated like a rack of lamb and is suitable for roasting

Pork cuts

Collar or Neck End

Collar can be cut into chops, steaks, diced pork and mince. It's slightly fatty and doesn't dry out easily making it suitable for longer periods of cooking. It is also cured for bacon boiling joints. One of the economical cuts of pork/bacon.

Muscle

Belly of pork contains a relatively high proportion of  to buy.  This is the area from where bacon rashers are obtained from. As a joint it is ideal for longer cooking such as casseroles although smaller cuts are ideal for barbecuing and the larger joints for slow roasting. Often sold boned it can also be stuffed and rolled.

Pork cuts

Chump is usually sold  in the form of chops and steaks, although you can buy small joints of this cut. Suitable for frying, grilling and roasting, it's medium priced cut of pork.

Most of the meat that eat is the muscle of the animal. The fat is usually trimmed, to lower the saturated fat . We always cut the meat against the grain, so as to ensure that the muscle fibres are cut, ensuring the meat is easier to cut by the customer.

Some muscles do more work, making the fibres thicker and requiring them to be cooked longer. Hard-working muscles are more flavoursome, so leg and neck muscles would have more flavour.

Fat

If you completely remove all traces of fat from meat it is almost impossible to detect the true characteristics of the type of meat that is been eaten. The flavour is in the fat and even in our culture of almost zero fat consumption we still need a vestige of fat to add flavour, succulence and necessary nutrition.

Meat ageing

Head

In many countries in the west, the head is looked down upon and very rarely used except for the making of brawn types of recipes. However as it's very cheap, it shouldn't be overlooked especially in the making of stocks and soups.

Pork cuts

Freezing –

Cheap

Doesn’t affect meat quality

Can be frozen down 1 portion at a time for easier access

Stops deterioration of meat

Stops bacterial growth

Preservation techniques

Meat!

There have been few societies in history that haven’t recorded meat in their diet. In relative terms, vegetarianism is a recent phenomena. Historically meat, a rich source of high-quality protein, has been an important factor in the nutritional requirements of man.

Beef cuts

Issue stencil

Can you place the cuts at the correct positions

Freezing

Chilling

Vacuum packing

Curing/salting

Drying

Smoking

Canning

Cooking Methods

Stages of preparing a lamb best end of lamb for roasting

Preservation techniques

Factors in relation to portion control to be considered when preparing meat

- Calculation to allow for trimming loss when preparing meat is essential when meat has been bought by weight

- Maintain a consistent portion weight of meat that depends on the cut and type of meat used

- Ensure that each prepared portion is visually equal to others

- The use of the correct tools and equipment (sharp knives and weighing scales for example) is important to maintain accurate portion control

Quality points

There are three types of connective tissue in meat:

Collagen: which converts to gelatine when it is cooked for a long period of time.

Elastin

Reticulin

Both elastin and reticulin remain tough no matter how long they are cooked

Quality points

Pork

Pale pink flesh with a fine texture

Skin should be free of bristle and not wet tot the touch

There should be a covering of fat that is not excessive

The bones should be small and pink

There should not be excessive connective tissue

Beef :

- Deep red/purple colour to the meat.

- Meat should have a fine, grained texture.

- Almost dry to the touch.

- Fat on the outside should feel firm.

- Fat should be creamy white in colour.

- Should have a soft waxy texture.

- Good aroma (not rancid).

- Deep red/purple colour to the meat.

Quality points

Veal:

The fat is white , pleasant to smell and with a faint hint of milk. The subcutaneous fat should only have thickness around the rump. It should not be dry and greasy.

The muscles should not feel sticky to the touch, this is a sign of poor storage.

The flesh is very lean and a very pale pink colour, except when a rose colour is specifically ordered. There should be no marbling as the animal should not have had long enough life to produce intramuscular fat.

Connective tissue

Lamb:

The flesh should be a dull red colour with a close grain

The fat should be evenly distributed, dry to the touch and flaky in texture. The amount of fat is determined by the age and the feeding of the animal.

Lamb bones should be porous and have a small degree of blood present.

Bacon

The lean muscle should be pink, firm and not sticky to the touch

The fat should be white and not excessive

The rind must be free from wrinkles and not sticky

The bacon in general should not feel wet or sticky to the touch

Quality of beef

The lean meat should be bright red, with small flecks of white fat (Marbled)

The fat should be firm, brittle in texture, creamy-white in colour and odourless. Older animals and dairy breeds have fat that is usually a deeper-yellow colour.

There are 3 main types of fat in meat:

Subcutaneous: the fat that is under the skin and surrounds the muscle

Intramuscular: the fat that is in between muscles

Intermuscular : the fat that inside the muscle (marbling)

Fat types in meat

Salting

Salting, especially of meat, is an ancient preservation technique. The salt draws out moisture and creates an environment inhospitable to bacteria. If in cold weather (so that the meat does not spoil while the salt has time to take effect), salted meat can last for years.

Today, salting is still used with bacon and other pork and beef products- e.g. Dried beef, corned beef and pastrami. These products are soaked in a 10% salt water brine for several weeks.

- Higher quality commodities usually yield a greater number of portions than those of lower quality (e.g. low quality stewing beef often requires more trimming)

- A standard recipe or procedure should always be followed to ensure the correct techniques are used to create the correct amount of portions

- Menu compliance

Factors to be considered: