Chapter 13: Meat, Poultry, and Fish

Question 1

Describe the nutritional value of meat

Answer 1

> high in protein
contains minerals iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper
contains vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B12
contributes cholesterol and saturated fat to diet (so choose lean meats to limit cholesterol and fat)

Question 2

Define meat

Answer 2

Meat is edible tissue from cow, lamb, pig, and game.

Question 3

describe determining the sanitation of meat

Answer 3

> Inspection of meat sold throughout interstate commerce is required by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
inspection includes evaluation of health and condition of animal before slaughter and of sanitary environment at packing plant
circular purple stamp placed on each animal carcass that passes inspection
inspection seal not intended to indicate quality of meat; it simply indicates that at time of processing meat was fit for consumption
inspection evaluates sanitation

Question 4

Describe determining quality of meat

Answer 4

> grading evaluates quality
maturity of animal, texture of muscle, appearance or color of flesh, and quantity of marbling determine grade
marbling refers to flecks or thin strips of white fat throughout meat (this fat contributes to meat’s juiciness and flavor)
potentially, more marbling meat has the higher its grade
grading of meat is not required by law, but is common practice
grading helps consumer know quality of meat being purchased
grade will be marked in shield shaped emblem
Prime - highest grade of meat (it contains most marbling and is typically sold only to fine restaurants)
choice - grade of meat most often found at grocery store (has slightly less marbling than prime)
select - grade of meat also found at market, but it has even less marbling than choice
other grades: standard, commercial, utility, cutter, and canner (these grades would not be available as retail cuts, but are used for processed meat products)

Question 5

Describe beef

Answer 5

> comes from cows
beef flesh should be cooked to 145 degrees (medium-rare) or higher in order to ensure food safety
ground-beef products must be cooked to internal temperature of 160 degrees or higher

Question 6

Describe veal

Answer 6

> comes from calves (baby cows that are 1 to 3 months in age)
should have light pink flesh with white fat
is very lean so must be cooked at low temperatures or with moist heat to prevent it from drying out
cook veal to no more than medium doneness (160 degrees), or it will dry out

Question 7

describe game

Answer 7

> can refer to many animals but some of more common are caribou, deer, rabbit, and squirrel
provides high quality protein with little fat
wild game sometimes has unusual, strong taste many people don’t like
to cover “gamy flavor” try marinating meat
farm-raised game has milder “less gamy” flavor and is more tender than wild game
when roasting venison (deer meat) serve immediately after cooking
if cooked venison allowed to stand for any length of time, fat will congeal and will become less appetizing

Question 8

describe lamb

Answer 8

> lamb is meat than comes from young sheep about 6 to 8 months old
flesh should be reddish pink in color with velvety texture and have white fat
for best results, cook to no more than medium doneness (160 degrees)

Question 9

describe mutton

Answer 9

> comes from sheep that are at least 1 year old
will be darker in color when raw and stronger in flavor when cooked than lamb
don’t remove fell (paper like covering) found on larger cuts of lamb and mutton (it helps meat retain moisture during cooking)
remove fell once meat cooked

Question 10

Describe pork

Answer 10

> is flesh of swine
flesh should be pink with white fat
must be cooked to 160 degrees or medium doneness
if precooked, only needs to be heated to 140 degrees

Question 11

Describe ham

Answer 11

> often cured and smoked producing salty, smoky flavor

Question 12

Describe turkey meat

Answer 12

> sometimes cured and smoked to give it ham-like flavor
lower in fat than traditional ham
option for those eating only kosher foods

Question 13

Describe when an animal is sent to market

Answer 13

> is split down spine and divided into basic parts (cow for examples is divided into chuck, rib, loin, sirloin, round, shank, brisket, plate, and flank)
larger cuts are called wholesale or primal cuts
wholesale cuts divided into smaller portions called retail or subprimal cuts
these retail cuts are meat cuts available at grocery store such as roast, steak, and chops
some of large wholesale cuts considered as “lazy muscles” because they had less use as animal moved about (in cow, lazy muscles are rib, loin, and sirloin. these are tender cuts of meat)
other wholesale cuts are less tender cuts of meat because muscles that comprise their makeup were worked more frequently thus making tissue stronger and tougher
nutritional value and flavor don’t vary between tender and less tender cuts of meat
if cooked correctly, should be tender piece of meat regardless of cut

Question 14

Describe the 2 major differences between tender and less tender cuts

Answer 14

> tender cuts more expensive than less tender cuts
tender cuts require different cooking method
“degree of tenderness dictates whether dry heat cooking or moist heat cooking should be used”

Question 15

Describe meat labeling

Answer 15

> provides necessary consumer info such as name of animal (beef, veal, pork, lamb, etc.), wholesale cut (location on animal), retail cut (type of meat cut such as roast or steak), price per pound, weight of meat, total price for package, and sell-by-date

Question 16

Describe purchasing meat

Answer 16

> evaluate freshness (should be correct color for type of animal, never brown or gray)
always check sale-by-date
buy only packages that are well sealed and avoid any that leak (should be little liquid in package)
package should be cold
place each meat package in plastic bag before adding to shopping cart containing other foods (if raw meat liquids leak onto foods that will not be cooked, cross-contamination could cause food-borne illness)
should not be 1st thing you select at store (select meats toward end of shopping trip and put in fridge as soon as possible)
if you live more than 30 minutes from grocery store, it is advisable to take cooler in which to store your meats and other perishable during trip home

Question 17

Describe estimating how much meat to buy and how much it will cost

Answer 17

> average serving of meat should be between 2 and 3 ounces
servings of meat are based on weight of meat after it has cooked
fat and moisture lost when cooking meat
meat shrinks when cooked
when buying meat, account for this shrinkage
inedible portions like bone and connective tissue (gristle) shouldn’t be eaten meaning they affect number of servings that cut of meat will yield
Meat Purchasing Chart used to calculate how much meat to purchase based on amount of bone and connective tissue meat contains
to evaluate actual cost of each serving of meat divide cost for 1 lb. of meat by # of servings it will yield
cost per serving will differ from unit cost of meat

Question 18

Give Meat Purchasing Chart

Answer 18

Meat Type Weight Servings per per serving pound
>boneless cuts >1/4 - 1/3 lb. >3 - 4
(ground beef,
boneless chops,
loin, etc.)
>small amount >1/3 - 1/2 lb. >2 - 3
of bone (pot
roast, T-bone
steak)
>very bony cuts >1/2 - 3/4 lb. >1 1/3 - 2
(ribs, shanks)

Question 19

If beef package says, “93% lean”, what does that mean?

Answer 19

> 93% of beef is lean
7% is fat, filler, or added water
meat will lose approximately 7% of its weight when cooked
ratio of meat/fat content is 93/7

Question 20

describe storing meat

Answer 20

> place meat in coldest part, bottom, of fridge or keep frozen at 0 degrees or lower
can be safely used or frozen as long as 2 days after sell-by-date
package in moisture-proof, vapor-proof freezer wrap or freezer bags for maximum storage
eliminate as much air from packaging as possible to prevent freezer burn and rapid decay
label freezer packages with name and weight of cut of meat so that it is easily identifiable
include date that meat was frozen

Question 21

describe thawing meat

Answer 21

> safest way is in fridge
put meat in bag or shallow pan and place in bottom (coldest part) of fridge to thaw
is unsafe to thaw meat at room temperature because outside portions of meat will thaw first and be at an ideal temperature for rapid bacterial growth
is necessary to plan ahead and calculate defrosting time
if meat stored in fridge prior to freezing, then use as soon as thawed
if frozen immediately after purchase, then it is safe to follow guidelines under fridge section of meat storage chart
meat that is frozen on or after sell-by-date should be cooked immediately after thawed
doesn’t have typical shelf-life of fresh meat

Question 22

Describe handling meat

Answer 22

> wash hands with soap and water before handling raw meat
disinfect utensils and surfaces with warm soapy water or food-safe disinfectant cleaner after they have come in contact with raw meat
use paper towels or disposable wipes to clean up raw meat messes, and then promptly dispose of them
if using dishcloth to clean up raw meat juices, place it with dirty laundry immediately after use
don’t use dishcloths contaminated with raw meat for washing dishes, wiping hands, or cleaning up other messes
don’t use same utensils or dishes for raw meats and cooked meats
avoid cross-contamination when handling raw meat
meat must be kept below 40 degrees or above 140 degrees to avoid bacteria growth
don’t allow meat to sit out at room temperature for very long whether raw or cooked
don’t allow partially cooked meat to stand at dangerous temperature
transfer partially cooked meat immediately to preheated oven or grill, or place it in fridge

Question 23

Describe seasoning meats

Answer 23

> Marinating meat can add flavor and help tenderize meat
don’t marinate meat longer than 24 hours or its texture will deteriorate
wet or dry seasonings can be used as rub for meat
meat should be moistened with water or oil, then rub applied, by hand, directly to outside of meat
salting meat can add flavor
salting smaller cuts of meat prior to cooking can dehydrate meat, so salt after cooking
seasoning mixtures can be purchased or made at home
simply sprinkle seasoning over meat before or after cooking
using herbs or spices provides great flavor as well as limiting salt

Question 24

list dry heat methods

Answer 24

> tender cuts of meat are cooked using one of following dry heat techniques: roasting, broiling, pan-broiling, microwave cooking, grilling, frying techniques, pan-frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying

Question 25

Describe roasting

Answer 25

> large cut of meat is cooked in oven; no liquid or fat added
salt and season meat before cooking for maximum flavor
place meat on rack in roasting pan
place meat fat side up, so that melting fat will baste meat as it cooks
place meat thermometer in thickest part of meat not resting it against bone or in fat
cooking time based on weight of meat
remove meat from oven when thermometer registers temperature 5 degrees lower than desired temperature
place foil tent over meat and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes (it will continue to cook as it stands; generally internal temperature will increase by 5 degrees)

Question 26

describe broiling

Answer 26

> meat is cooked directly under broiling element of oven
heat source is about 2 to 5 in. above meat
this method best for cuts of meat no more than 1 1/2in thick
thicker cuts will be overcooked on outside before center of meat is done
place oven rack so that top of meat will be two to 5 inches from heat source, and turn on broiler (line bottom of broiler pan with foil for easy clean up)
place meat on top of broiler pan and place it under preheated broiler element of oven
don’t add liquid or fat
cook meat for half suggested time; then turn it over
using tongs to turn meat will help preserve its juiciness
finish cooking and check for desire doneness
season meat just before serving

Question 27

describe pan-broiling

Answer 27

> meat is cooked on stove
no liquid or fat is added
use this method for meats that are not more than 1in. thick
preheat very lightly greased heavy skillet at medium heat for about 5 minutes
add meat and cook
turn meat occasionally as needed
don’t cover
drain off fat and liquid as it accumulates
cook to desired doneness

Question 28

describe microwave cooking

Answer 28

> meat is cooked using special microwave techniques
is considered dry heat cooking method as it applies to meat
cook on high power for thin or small cuts of meat (such as bacon slices, sausage, patties, meatballs, and hamburger patties)
for roasts and large cuts of meat, use lower power setting (30%-50%) otherwise outside of meat will cook more quickly than inside
cover meat loosely with waxed paper or paper towel
rotate pan and turn meat over at least once during cooking
of edges of meat begin to cook too quickly, cover them with small piece of foil and secure it with toothpick
don’t let foil come into contact with sides or bottom of microwave oven
use cooking chart for approximate times and realize that microwave ovens cook at various speeds based on their wattage
when cooking hot dogs, or sausages in casings (bratwurst, kielbasa, etc.) pierce them so that steam can escape

Question 29

describe grilling

Answer 29

> similar to broiling
outdoor version of oven broiling
heat source is below rather than above food
more relaxed method of cooking, but still requires some know-how in order to be successful
long handled grilling tools make job easier and safer
wire brush for cleaning grill and heavy duty gloves

Question 30

Describe charcoal grill

Answer 30

> gives food distinct flavor that is flavored by many above that of gas grill
more time consuming
mister bottle is used with charcoal grill for keeping flare-ups under control
skewers used for kabobs
flat metal skewers must be soaked for at least 30 minutes so that they don’t catch on fire during cooking
grill basket for cooking tender foods like fish filets easier to manage
charcoal or charcoal briquettes must be pre-lit about 45 minutes before cooking
burn hotter than gas grills and will give foods a seared, crusted outside texture that most gas grills cannot produce
properly heated when coals are ashen gray, or at night, they will appear as glowing red color
fairly even color throughout coals indicates even heat and will result in more even cooking
rotisseries attachment often used when grilling whole poultry or large roasts

Question 31

Describe gas grill

Answer 31

> convenient and preferred for its quick preheat, temperature control, and easy clean up
uses stone briquettes and is fueled by propane tank or butane canister
only requires 5 to 10 min. to preheat