CONCEPT 7: COOK TOUGH CUTS BEYOND WELL DONE

Question 1

Two factors that promote muscle fiber growth.

Answer 1

Age and exercise.

Question 2

Do muscle fiber shrink in diameter or length first? What temps does this occur?

Answer 2

First in diameter between 104 and 145 degrees and then in length above 145, expelling moisture as they contract.

Question 3

Rate of moisture loss in meat become significant at what temp?

Answer 3

140 degrees

Question 4

Predominant protein in connective tissue.

Answer 4

Collagen

Question 5

What does collagen look like?

Answer 5

Three protein chains tightly wound together in a triple-stranded helix; this makes it almost unchewable raw.

Question 6

What happens when collagen begins to relax?

Answer 6

At 140 degrees the triple helix unwinds to form gelatin, a single-stranded protein able to retain up to 10 times its weight in moisture.

Question 7

Ideal temp to hold tough cuts of meat.

Answer 7

160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Question 8

What does gelatin to to sauces of braised meats?

Answer 8

Add a thick richness.

Question 9

Conversion of collagen to gelatin.

Answer 9

Temperature and time dependent; the longer a meat is held at the ideal temp range the more collagen will break down.

Question 10

Beef and pork cuts with little collagen shouldn’t be cooked passed what temp?

Answer 10

Beef 130, pork 150

Question 11

Why should collagen rich cuts be cooked extensively?

Answer 11

Too difficult to eat when cooked rare or medium rare.

Question 12

Test kitchen: Oxtail and gelatin - 3 hours removing 1/4 C liquid every 30 minutes.

Answer 12

Every 30 minutes would yield a thicker liquid and the finally product had turned from liquid to a firm jelly when inverted on a plate.

Question 13

Is oxtail collagen rich?

Answer 13

Yes, almost obscenely collagen rich.

Question 14

Can collagen from meat thicken liquid?

Answer 14

Yes, the collagen in meat can produce enough gelatin to turn water into Jell-O.

Question 15

A tough pork butt should be roasted for how long?

Answer 15

AT LEAST 5 hours

Question 16

Crosshatch pattern

Answer 16

=II=II=II

Question 17

Two reasons bone-in pork roasts (Boston butt) are better than center cut loin for long roasting.

Answer 17

The bone acts as an insulator so meat surrounding it stays cooler. Bones have a large percentage of the meat’s connective tissue attached to them.

Question 18

Are bones a good conductor of heat?

Answer 18

No

Question 19

What helps a roast boast a bronze, baconlike crust?

Answer 19

Fat cap

Question 20

Why do high internal temperatures in roasts taste better than lean cuts of meat?

Answer 20

The heat encourages large amounts of intramuscular fat to melt, collagen breaks down into gelatin and the fat cap to render and crisp.

Question 21

How do you avoid juice and bits from burning on the bottom of a roast?

Answer 21

V-rack and small amount of water poured in the bottom.

Question 22

Classic accompaniments with pulled pork.

Answer 22

Dill pickle chips and coleslaw.

Question 23

Paprika’s origin

Answer 23

Hungary

Question 24

What’s more zesty, paprika or sweet paprika?

Answer 24

Sweet paprika

Question 25

Light brown sugar % of molasses.

Answer 25

3.5% by volume

Question 26

Dark brown sugar % of molasses.

Answer 26

6.5% by volume.

Question 27

Does brisket have a lot of intramuscular fat?

Answer 27

No, unlike other roasts it is relatively lean but still contains a lot of connective tissue; most of the fat is on the outside.

Question 28

Is brining a brisket a good idea?

Answer 28

Yes, because it (flat cut) contains less intramuscular than other roasts brining will keep it juicier after hours of cooking. Not need for the point cut.

Question 29

Describe brisket.

Answer 29

Cut from cow’s breast section, a whole brisket is boneless, coarse-grained cut composed of two smaller roasts.

Question 30

How many roasts in brisket?

Answer 30

The flat (or first) cut and the point (or second) cut.

Question 31

Describe picture of whole brisket.

Answer 31

The knobby point cut overlaps the rectangular flat cut.

Question 32

Is a flat cut (brisket) more heavily marbled than a point?

Answer 32

No, the point is more heavily marbled and the flat cut is lean and topped with a thick fat cap.

Question 33

What wood turns bitter during the long process of barbecuing?

Answer 33

Mesquite

Question 34

Name 3 types of fruitwoods.

Answer 34

Apple, cherry, peach.

Question 35

What is the pink layer below barbecued meat called?

Answer 35

Smoke ring

Question 36

Do smoke rings affect taste?

Answer 36

No

Question 37

What are smoke rings often mistaken for?

Answer 37

Underdone meat

Question 38

What external factors contribute to smoke rings?

Answer 38

When meat is cooked for long periods of time in a closed chamber at low temperatures.

Question 39

What happens to color when an iron atom in myoglobin binds to oxygen?

Answer 39

It turns a striking bright red.

Question 40

What happens to the iron atom in myoglobin and color of cooked meat?

Answer 40

The iron atom is oxidized and turns gray.

Question 41

Chemically, how are smoke rings created?

Answer 41

When iron atoms of the meat’s myoglobin bind to nitric oxide in the smoke, which dissolves in the moisture on the surface of the meat to create new compounds–similar to nitrates that keep deli meats pink.

Question 42

What should you add water in a pan when barbecuing?

Answer 42

Allow enough moisture to create a smoke ring.

Question 43

If iron atom: binds to Nitric Oxide

Answer 43

Pink

Question 44

If iron atom: binds to oxygen

Answer 44

Red

Question 45

If iron atom: Oxidizes

Answer 45

Gray

Question 46

Good accompaniments to braised brisket.

Answer 46

Egg noodles and mashed potatoes.

Question 47

How do you prolong freshness of bay leaves?

Answer 47

Store in the freezer

Question 48

Test Kitchen Experiment: Bay Leaf

Answer 48

Bay leaves, simmered in chicken stock, that were opened and placed back in the pantry for 3 months were significantly less herbaceous than new or frozen.