Meat and poultry

Question 1

What happens during cooking with meat protein?

Answer 1

Heat activates enzyme naturally present in the meat. These enzymes degrade the muscle proteins until they are denatured and inactivated by higher cooking temperatures

Question 2

Commercial tenderizers require ____ to be activated

Answer 2

Heat

Question 3

What happens to meat protein when cooked at low temperature during a long period of time

Answer 3

More protein degradation. Protein chains unfold,denature, fragment and shorten, causing meat to shrink and to toughen.

Water is lost-> muscle dehydration-> decreased juiciness and toughening of the meat

Question 4

What is collagen?

Answer 4

Triple-stranded coils , the main structural protein in connective tissue.

• It surrounds muscle fibers , binding them into bundles,
• surrounds the whole muscles
• makes up ligaments and tendons

Question 5

More mature the animal , the more ____ it has

Answer 5

Connective tissue

Question 6

What happens to collagen during cooking

Answer 6

At 39C, collagen coils begin to unwind

At 65, denatures, loses its strength and shrinks to approximately a quarter of its original length.

With sufficient heat, moisture and time, collagen is hydrolyzed to form gelatin. Elastin (the other form of collagen) does not soften during cooking

Question 7

Dry heat cooking methods for meat include

Answer 7

Grilling and broiling , roasting, deep fat, pan or stir fry

Question 8

Dry heat method is the most suitable for

Answer 8

Tender cuts of meat where a minimal amount of connective tissue. Can be used for less tender cuts if the cooking temperatures are kept low for a prolong period of time, or thin sliced.

Question 9

The intent of the dry cooking method

Answer 9

Heat food gently enough and for long enough to allow connective tissues to slowly break down

Question 10

What is the Maillard reaction

Answer 10

The reaction of sugars and proteins that happens during grilling and broiling

Question 11

What are some pros and cons for roasting at high temperatures and what should be done to achieve the best result

Answer 11

High temperatures -> browning, but can overcook and dry
To have the browning and the juicieness, slow-roast the meat to about 11 C below the desired temperature , then turn the oven up 260C for a quick surface browning

Question 12

Moist heat cooking method includes

Answer 12

Pan- and oven-braising, simmering, poaching, stewing, steaming, pressure cooking

Question 13

Poaching is ideal for

Answer 13

Delicate seafood or chicken

Question 14

Braising and stewing is best for___ and why

Answer 14

Tough pieces of red meat or dark meat poultry , because they are long, slow methods, connective tissue can melt into soluble collagen through the moist from the liquid ( water, broth, wine) and prolong active time of enzymes

Question 15

How can be the meat made more juicy for the mist heat cooking?

Answer 15

Letting large pieces of meat rest for 15 minutes prior to cutting after the cooking time

Question 16

What is the temperature range for poaching/boiling and what you need to remember about

Answer 16

Be careful about the timing and to cook at a temperature below simmering , because
Protein begins to lose moisture over 100 F ( 38C) and significantly between 150 and 160 F (66 -71C)

Question 17

Steaming is the perfect method for, the time needed

Answer 17

Boneless chicken breast or fish ,

Chicken in 7 minutes, the meat will be juicy and tender

Question 18

What is the difference between stewing and braising

Answer 18

Braising- a big piece, seared, then cooked, tightly covered in a liquid that comes halfway or less up the side of meat

Stewing-small pieces, seared,cooked while covered or nearly covered with liquid

Question 19

The least tender parts of the animal come from

Answer 19

The front ( shoulder, parts of ribs, legs)

Question 20

Medium tender cuts include

Answer 20

From the hip and chuck( collar) areas

Question 21

The most tender cuts come from

Answer 21

The least exercised muscles of the back

Question 22

Physical methods of tenderizing

Answer 22

Pounding

Slicing and carving

Question 23

Explain pounding

Answer 23

Flattening with a meat pounder. As the even thickness achieved, cooked faster and evenly. Must be placed between two sheets to avoid tearing

Question 24

Explain slicing and carving

Answer 24

Slicing across the grain ( perpendicular to meat fibers), easy to chew, cooks into tender and flat slices

Question 25

Chemical tenderizers

Answer 25

Enzymes

Acid and marinades

Question 26

What are the enzymes that tenderize the meat and how they work

Answer 26

Proteases that break down collagen and muscle fiber

Work only when in direct contact with meat( if not injected, only the surface will be tenderized)

Question 27

What enzymes come from food

Answer 27

Papain and chymopapain ( papaya)
Ficin( figs)
Bromelain ( pineapple)
Zingibain ( ginger)

Question 28

How the acids function

Answer 28

They uncoil the protein, the protein reach each other , forming a loose mesh , trapping the water -> juicy, tender tissue.

Question 29

What happens if the marinade is too acidic

Answer 29

The protein bonds tighten , water squeezed out, the tissues toughen

Question 30

Common acidic foods used as marinade

Answer 30

Wine, fruit juice, buttermilk, milk, yogurt, vinaigrette

Question 31

Why chefs believe that dairy is the best for tenderizing and science justification

Answer 31

Dairy is not so acidic as other marinades, will not toughen the meat

Calcium in dairy may activate enzymes in meat that break sown proteins

Question 32

Dry marinades or rubs are used for ___. Usually ___ is used for it by____ before cooking

Answer 32

Flavor, mixture of herbs and spices , rubbing on the meat

Question 33

Should we use liquid marinades for cooking?What should we do with it

Answer 33

No. Boil it for several minutes before using will kill the bacteria from the meat

Question 34

Three keys to great marinades

Answer 34

1) Oil- emulsifier, sticking to the meat, meat cooks more evenly
2) acid- tenderize hard connective tissue, but excess an cook the meat, less than 10 h
3) salt and proteases- myosin ( dissolves in salty liquid)will help to retain the moisture, soy sauce have proteases

Question 35

Flavor change in the meat is caused by

Answer 35

Enzymatic and bacterial action, oxidation of fat anf fat-like molecules

Question 36

Properly dry-aged meat will develop

Answer 36

Beefy, nutty , almost cheese-like aromas

Question 37

What is deglazing?

Answer 37

A technique when the wine or the stock is used to dissolve cooked particles remaining in the bottom. Often it is used as a base for a sauce

Question 38

Tannis from red wine ca cause in ___. Can be overcome by ___

Answer 38

Astringent flavor, cooking with protein-high foods

Question 39

Three types of ground meats

Answer 39

• Hamburger
• Sausage( ground meat to which enough salt has been added to dissolve myosin, that binds the meat together
• Meat loaf or meat balls( ground meat+bread crumbs, eggs, dairy to make a tender product)