LESSON 1

Prepare and Cook

Meat
 MEAT IS A TER M FO R THE
FLESH O F C ATTLE (BEEF
A N D V EAL), SH EEP
(LA MB ), A ND PIG S (PO RK ).

MEAT MEAT C OMPR ISES WATER ,

PRO TEIN , FAT, A N D
VA R IOU S AMO U N TS O F
MIN ER A LS A N D V ITA MIN S.
 WATER
COMPOSITION OF PROTEI N
MEAT FAT
CARBOHYDRATES
WATER
70% O F M U S C LE TIS S U E

PROTEIN
20% O F M U S C LE TIS S U E
P R O TEIN C O A G U LATES WH EN
H EATED . IT B ECO M ES FIRMER AN D
LO S ES M O I S TU R E. WH EN PRO TEIN
C O A G U LATED TO TH E D ESIRED
D EG R EE, TH E M EAT IS SA ID TO BE
D O N E.
FAT
5% O F M U S C LE TIS S U E. TH E FAT IN
M EAT CO N TR IB U TES TO :

J U IC IN ES S - S U R FA CE FATS PROTECT
M EAT F RO M D RY IN G O UT D U RING
C O O K IN G
TEN D ER N ES S - M A R B LING SEPARATES
M U S C LE F I BER S M A K IN G MEAT
EA S I ER TO C H EW
F LAV O R - FAT IS TH E MA IN SO U RCE
O F F LAV O R IN M EAT
CARBOHYDRATES
IT P LAY S A N ECES S A RY PART IN
M A ILLA R D R EA C TI O N , WH ICH TAK ES
P LA C E WH EN M EATS A RE BRO WN ED .
WITH O U T C A R B O H Y DRATES,
D ES I RA B LE FLAV O R -A PPEA RAN CE OF
B RO WN ED M EATS WO ULD N O T BE
A CH IEV ED
 MUSCLE FI BERS
• FINE
• COURSE
STRUCTURE OF
MEAT CONNECTI VE
TISSUE
• COLLA GEN
• ELASTI N
MUSCLE FIBERS
LEA N M EAT IS CO M P O SED OF LON G,
TH I N M U S CLE F I BER S BOU N D
TO G ETH ER IN B U N D LES. THESE
D ETERM IN E TH E TEX TURE O R G RA IN
O F A P I EC E O F M EAT.

F IN E - G R A I N ED M EAT IS CO MPO SED

O F S M A LL F I BER S B O U N D IN SM ALL
F IB ERS
C O U R S E - TEX TU R ED MEAT H A S
LA R G E F IB ERS
CONNECTIVE
TISSUE
N ETWO RK O F P RO TEI NS TH AT BIND
M U S C LE F I BER S TO G ETH ER.
C O N N EC TIV E TI S S U ES A RE TO U GH .
M EATS A RE H IG H IN CO N NECTIVE
TIS S U E IF TH E M U S C LE A RE MO RE
EX ER CI S ED LI K E M EAT FROM LEGS
A N D M EAT C O M ES F R OM O LD ER
A N I M A LS .
CONNECTIVE
TISSUE
C O LLA G EN - W H ITE CO NN ECTIV E
TIS S U E, C A N BE BR EAK D OWN BY
LO N G A N D S LO W C O OK IN G WITH
LIQ U I D .

ELA S TIN - Y ELLO W CO N NECTIVE

TIS S U E TH AT CA N N O T BE BRO KEN
D O WN B Y CO O K I N G . A LSO THE
S ILV ER S K I N A N D LIG A MENTS
 WASHI NG
BASIC SKINNI NG
DICING
PREPARATIONS
TRIM M I NG
METHODS OF SLICING
MEAT SEASONI NG
COATI NG
WASHING
T H E O N LY O CCA S I O N I N WH I CH
Y O U WI L L H AV E TO WA S H T H E
ME AT I S WH E N I T CO ME I N TO
CO N TA CT WI T H BL O O D . A F T E R
WA S H I N G , D RY T H E F O O D
T H O RO U G H LY WI T H A BS O RBE N T
K I T CH E N PA P E R.
SKINNING
MOST OF THE MEAT YOU
DEALT W ITH HAS BEEN
ALR EADY SKINNED B Y
THE SUPPLIER
DICING
MEAT ARE DICED W HEN I T I S
CUT INTO CUBES FOR
VARIOUS TYPES OF
CASSEROLES, STEM S,
CURRIES, AND DI SHES AS
STEAK, KIDNEY PI E AND
PUDDING.
TRIMMING
• IM P RO V E TH E A PPEA RAN CE
O F TH E J O I NT
• LEAV E A S MU CH OF TH E
M EAT IN TA CT A S PO SSIBLE
• LEAV E A N EV EN TH ICK NESS
O F FAT
• R EM O V E A S M UCH
G RI S TLES A ND SIN EWS AS
P O S S IB LE
SLICING
IT IS TH E CU TTIN G O F
MEAT B Y D ETERMIN IN G
TH E D IR ECTIO N O F TH E
G RA IN (TH E MU SCLE
FIBER S), A ND CU T A CC RO SS
TH E G RA IN .
SEASONING
IT IS THE ADDITI ON O F SALT
AND W HITE OR BLACK
PEPPER TO IMPROVE THE
FLAVOR OF FOOD.
COATING
APPLYING FLOUR OR BREAD
CRUMBS TO THE MEAT TO
ADD TEXTURE WHEN
COOKED.