Meat Cookery

Prepared by: Jason O. Molina, RND, MAEM

Definition

Meat Meat refers to the muscle of animals used as food. Includes glands and organs of these animals as tongue, heart, kidney and so on.

Nutritional Importance

Protein is HBV Contains B1 and B2 vitamins Rich in Fe and P Vitamin A Low intake is related to malnutrition in Asia, Africa and Latin America High intake of meat in US is unhealthy as it was once thought before (moderation is a better alternative)

Consumption of Meat
Philippines: Pork is more popular than beef and carabeef combined. Carabeef- more popular than beef besides the ban on 7 year old and below for males and 11 year old and below for females which is second to pork. Chevon is also common Dog Meat as pulutan

Consumption of Meat
3 Animals Commonly Domesticated for Meat:
Ox- veal and beef 2. Sheep for lamb and mutton 3. Pig for pork Africa- gazelle and zebra North America- buffalo meat Australia- Kangaroo Alaska- Polar bears and whales
1.

Structure and Composition of Meat

Structure and Composition of Meat

Lean Tissue- consists of one or more muscles; each is made up of bundles of muscle fibers; contain lesser amount of connective tissue and fat; about 18% protein Muscle Fibers- are the basic structural units of lean meat that make up the fasciculi (muscle bundles) Sarcolemma- is the membranous sheathe enclosing each individual muscle fiber

Structure and Composition of Meat

Sarcoplasm-contains the vitamins, enzymes, myoglobin and part of the protein. Perimysium- connective tissue enveloping each individual muscle bundle Endomysium- very delicate tissue found between muscle fiber Epimysium- connective tissue surrounding the entire muscle fiber

Structure and Composition of Meat

Embedded in the matrix of muscle fibers are thinner substances called myofibrils or fibrillae seen under the microscope as longitudinal striations in alternating dark and light bands Myofibrillar proteins- are the muscles (myosin, actin and tropomyosin) Myosin- the principal myofibrillar protein Myofibrils- are made up of alternating rows of myofilament running parallel to the axis of the muscle fiber, the thick filaments containing myosin and the thin ones contain actin

Structure and Composition of Meat

When muscle contracts, the actin forms a complex with myosin forming actomyosin ( a myofibrillar protein formed by the union of actin and its degradation to actin and myosin during muscle contraction catalyzed by ATP, Ca and Mg. Connective Tissues- surrounds the fibers and unite the 4 categories of protein in connective tissues: collagen (most important), elastin, reticulin and ground substance.

Structure of Composition of Meat

Collagen- arranged in parallel fashion; flexible; does not stretch; found in tendons which attached muscle to bones; white; disintegrates water thus is softened in cooking; changes to gelatin during cooking

Changes in Meat After Slaughter

Immediately after death- muscle is pliant, soft gel-like, extensive and sticky - Decrease in pH from 7-7.2 to pH 5.5 due to the formation of lactic acid anaerobically from glycogen Few minutes to 1 hour after- rigor mortis occurs; muscle shortens, become rigid, inflexible, becomes tough meat - should not be cooked at this time -Allow rigor to pass before cooking - Chilling retards rigor and promotes tenderness but not should be chilled too quickly or severe muscle contraction called coldshortening may occur

Changes in Meat After Slaughter

After a few days, if held at temperature above freezing (aging), there is gradual tenderization. Rigidity of actin and myosin weakens. Coagulation of muscle protein due to accumulation of acid and subsequent syneresis, meat softens (best time to cook)

Changes in Meat after Slaughter

Dark cutting beef (very dark, sticky beef) develops if final pH of 6.6 is reached during the aging period as the carcass passes through the rigor mortis 5.1-5.4(low pH) during rigor mortis- pale-soft and exudative pork (PSE)- light colored, mushy with considerable drip loss during cooking

Changes in Meat After Slaughter

After rigor- bacterial and enzymatic deterioration occur leading to spoilage Condition of the slaughter The health of the animal prior to slaughter Temperature and relative humidity condition of Storage The pH or acidity of the meat (pHrate of spoilage)

pH and Meat Properties

Final pH Type of decrease 6.0-6.5 Slow,gradual 5.7-6.0 Slow gradual 5.3-5.7 Gradual 5.3-5.6 Rapid 5.0 Rapid 5.1-5.4 then Rapid up to 5.3-5.6 Meat Property Dark meat Slightly D. meat Normal color N-S Dark D-P exudative P & Exudative

Meat Cuts

Carcass- the slaughtered animal and is prepared in the market into manageable sizes Split first longitudinally down the center the right and left sides Fore and hind quarters Futher cut into wholesale and primal cuts

Major Cuts of Beef

Pork Cuts

Venison

Qualities Desired in Meat

Tenderness, Juiciness and Flavorful Tenderness More elastin less tender; quality and distribution of muscle fibers; marbled meats are tender; aging (holding at temperatures 10-3.3C, 70% humidity for 3-6 weeks, increases tenderness Juiciness Aging (WHC); Marbling increases intramuscular fat improving juiciness; Specie (beef is more prone to loss of juiciness than pork; Age-older are less juicy; compact muscles are less juicy; decline in pH causes less juiciness

Qualities Desired in Meat

Method of Storage Quick Freezing retains fluids, resulting in minimal losses of juices in thawing. Improper thawing results in loss of juices Freezer burn (wrap it!) Methods of Cooking; cutting into smaller pieces, dry heat cooking and heating repeatedly

Qualities Desired in Meat

Age: older is Flavorful Exercise: tough meats are more flavorful Ripening Feed: the more varied the feed, the more distinctive the color

Tenderizing Meat

Proteolytic Enzymes: bromelin, papain Marinades- acid can cause greater solubility Mechanical means- pounding and grinding Cooking- observed moderately low cooking Freezing- crystals separate fiber Ripening or aging - Dry aging is accomplished with careful temperature and humidity and air flow monitoring (Ultraviolet is sometimes used to control microbial growth) - Fast Aging- holding the meat at higher temperatures for shorter time (use UV light controls bacteria) - Vacuum pack aging- meat cuts are vacuum packed prior to aging at controlled temperature. Use of Salts

Pounding

Changes in Meat
In Meat Protein: 1. Coagulation 2. Decrease in length of fiber- shrinkage 3. Excessive heat makes meat tough, stringy and rubbery Changes in Fats 1. Fat melts and escapes out of the meat, causing shrinkage and reduction in volume 2. Loss of moisture causing shrinkage, reduction in volume and weight 3. Changes in connective tissues: heat+collagen=gelatin 4. Long cooking develops more flavor

Methods of Cooking

Dry Heat- tender cuts Moist Heat- tough cuts

Market Forms
1.

2.

3. 4. 5.

Fresh Meat Chilled Meat- 1-3C for 24 hours just above freezing Frozen meat internal temeperature of -2C Cured Meats Processed Meats

Meat Color

Fresh Meat- myoglobin Curing- is the process of mixing meat with saltpeter or Potassium nitrate, Salt and sugar Nitrite- is produced by oxidation of K nitrate reacts with the myoglobin to form Nitrosomyoglobin which remains pink even after cooking Metmyoglobin- brownish red color upon too long exposure of myoglobin to fluorescent or incandescent light.

Problems in Meat Cookery

Warmed over Flavor (WOF)

Lasang papel

Additional Information

Venison- deer Game- wild animals Variety Meats- the edible parts of an animal are its muscles and its muscle tissue and certain internal organs Sweet Breads- the thymus glands of lambs and calves Chitterlings- the intestine of the hogs Beef- meat of full grown cattle Veal- meat of calves (young cattle)

Additional Info

Calf- cattle, 4-8 weeks of age Cow- mature female that borne a calf, older tha 5 years Stag- male, castrated when mature Steer- male, castrated when young Heifer- female that borne a calf, less than a 5 years Bull- mature male, not castrated when mature Lamb- young sheep up to 1 year Mutton- adult sheep/ mature Pork- flesh of swine or hog Usually 4-6 months Chevon_ goat meat Offal- Internal organs

Thank You!