Goal for today: list nutritional benefits

of meat/poultry, label parts of a chicken,

distinguish between light and dark meat
characteristics

Warm-up: Besides
chicken, what kinds
of poultry have you
tried?
Meat & Poultry
 Meat
&PoultryNutrition
• Found in the
protein group

• U.S. Dietary
Guidelines
recommend we
consume 5-6 ounces
of protein per day
 Meat & Poultry
Nutrition
• What we eat are the muscles of animals
• Meat and poultry are excellent nutrient sources of:
– Protein (builds and repairs body tissue, makes you feel
fuller longer)

– Iron (helps carry oxygen to body tissues through blood,

helps produce energy)

– B vitamins (support metabolism, maintain healthy skin and

muscle tone, enhance immune system function, promote
cell growth)
 Types of Poultry

• Chicken

• Turkey

• Duck

• Cornish
Hen
 More Types of Poultry

• Goose
• Pheasant

• Quail
• Squab
(young
pigeon)
 Poultry Nutrition &
Flavor
• Dark meat is higher
in fat
• Removing the skin
greatly reduces fat
content
• Dark meat is more
strongly flavored
• Light meat is mildly
flavored
Dark vs. Light Meat
 Parts of the Chicken
• Wing & Breast =
White Meat

• Leg (Drumstick &

Thigh) = Dark Meat

• Backs & Necks used

for soups and stocks
Cuts of Poultry
 USDA Poultry Grades
• Grade A
– The highest quality and the only grade that is
likely to be seen at the retail level
• Grades B and C
– Usually used in further-processed products where
the poultry is cut up, chopped, or ground

Look for the the USDA grade shield on any

poultry you purchase:
 Cooking Methods
Dry Cooking Methods Moist Cooking Methods
Grilling Stewing
Broiling Braising
Roasting Slow-Cooking
Stir-frying
Pan-Frying
Shallow or Deep Frying

For all types of meat and poultry:

– use dry cooking methods for more tender cuts
– use moist cooking methods for less tender cuts
Purchasing & Storage
Tips
• Look for clean, intact packaging
• Be sure meat/poultry is
adequately cold or completely
frozen
• Fresh meat and poultry are
extremely perishable.
– Use within 3 days, freeze for
longer storage
– Defrost overnight in fridge, not
on the counter (turkeys will take
several days to defrost)
2/24/20
Obj: SWBAT classify wholesale
and retail cuts of beef as tender or
tough, list applications, apply the
braising cooking technique, given
a recipe.

Warm-up: List all the

sources of protein you
ate over the last 2
days (meat, dairy,
eggs, beans, nuts).
Estimate what % was
meat. Surprised?
 3 Most Common
Sources of Meat in US
• Sheep

• Pigs/Swine

• Cows
 Sheep
• Lamb: The meat of sheep 1 year old or younger
– Tender with mild flavor

• Mutton:The meat from mature sheep

– Has a more intense flavor

Lamb Chops
 Pork
• The fresh meat of domestic swine (pigs)
• Ham is a pork product that has been cured
(salted) or smoked

• Eating pork is forbidden according to dietary laws

of both the Jewish and Islamic faiths

Pork Loin Smoked Ham

 Beef
• The meat of older, domestic cattle
• Eating beef is considered forbidden in both
the Hindu and Buddhist faiths

• Marbling refers to the distribution of fat

throughout a piece of meat.

Filet Mignon
 Veal

• Veal: meat of calves (young cows)~6-7 months

old
• Considered a delicacy due to its tender texture,
excellent flavor, higher price than beef
• Most famous use is Wiener Schnitzel

• Consumption is controversial: fear of Crating

(restricted movement), but banned in EU and not
practiced in US since early 2000’s
 Wholesale Beef Cuts

• Area of Locomotion: tougher meat near the

hard-working leg and neck muscles
• Area of Support: tender meat neat the back
and belly from little-used muscled
USDA Beef Grades
• U.S. Prime: “Prime is Fiiine!”
– Highest in quality, higher fat content, well distributed
marbling
– Found in high-end restaurant menus
• U.S. Choice: “Choose Choice”
– High quality, lower fat content, less distributed marbling
– Found in moderate restaurants and grocery stores
• U.S. Select: “Reject Select”
-- Acceptable quality, but is less juicy and tender due to
leanness
-- Lowest grade commonly sold at grocery stores
Retail Beef Cuts
 Checking Beef for
Doneness
Doneness Temperature Description
Rare 125°F Red center, juicy
Medium Rare 135°F Dark pink, juicy
Medium 145°F Pink center, gray-brown
toward surface
Medium Well 155°F Thin line of pink, firm
Well Done 165°F Gray-brown throughout,
tough, dry
• Medium = foodsafe for single cuts, Med-well for
ground beef
• Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate
way to check for doneness....
 Beef Doneness
…..but, most cooks use their palms to tell
doneness.
• Compare the feel of center of steak to the
feel of your palm near your thumb
– Relaxed, open palm = rare
– Thumb and pinkie touching = well done