COOKING WITH MEAT METHODS

Tisa Keller

Grilling

Grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above or below. There are various ways to grill a piece of beef. Some examples are gridironing, charcoal kettle-grilling, grill-baking/braising. All methods usually involve a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly.

RoastingFor roasting, the food may be placed on a rack, in a roasting pan or, to ensure even application of heat, may be rotated on a spit or rotisserie. There are several plans for roasting meat: low-temperature cooking, high-temperature cooking, and a combination of both. Each method can be suitable, depending on the food and the tastes of the people. In general, in either case, the meat is removed from heat before it has finished cooking and left to sit for a few minutes, while the inside cooks further from the residual heat content, known as carry over cooking. The objective in any case is to retain as much moisture as possible, while providing the texture and color

Braising Braising relies on heat, time, and moisture to break down the tough connective tissue that binds together the muscle fibers collectively called meat, making it an ideal way to cook tougher, more affordable cuts. Many classic braised dishes are highly evolved methods of cooking tough and otherwise unpalatable foods. Both pressure cooking and slow cooking (e.g., crockpots) are forms of braising.

Sautéing

Sautéing is a method of cooking food, that uses a small amount of oil or fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. a sauté, all the ingredients are heated at once, and cooked quickly. To facilitate this, the ingredients are rapidly moved around in the pan, either by the use of a utensil, or by repeatedly jerking the pan itself. A sauté pan must be large enough to hold all of the food in one layer, so steam can escape, which keeps the ingredients from stewing. Only enough fat to lightly coat the bottom of the pan is needed for sautéing; too much fat will cause the food to fry rather than just to slide. The food is spread across the hot fat in the pan, and left to brown, turning or tossing frequently for even cooking.

StewingA stewing is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow moist heat method. Cuts having a certain amount of marbling and gelatinous connective tissue give moist, juicy stews, while lean meat may easily become dry. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables, meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, wine, stock, and beer are also common. Seasoning and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature (simmered, not boiled), allowing flavors to mingle.

Tenderizing Meat

In cooking, tenderizing is breaking down collagens in meat to make it more palatable.

Marinating in Acid

In meats, the acid causes the tissue to break down, which allows more moisture to be absorbed and results in a juicier end product;[2] however, too much acid can be detrimental to the end product. A good marinade has a balance of acid, oil, and spice. If raw marinated meat is frozen, the marinade can break down the surface and turn the outer layer mushy. It is commonly used to flavor foods and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat. The process may last seconds or days. Different marinades are used in different cuisines.

Enzyme Tenderizers

This enzyme breaks down muscle in meat. The two most often used meat tenderizing enzymes are Papain and Bromelain. Both are derived from plant sources. These are the papaya fruit and the pineapple plant. To use it, just add a tablespoon or two of the fruit puree into every cup of marinade. The tenderizing effect will depend on how much fruit puree you add and how long you let it soak, but can let meat sit in a fruit pureed infused marinade for up to a week without any negative effects on the texture of the meat.

Pounding

Use the flat side of a meat mallet for pounding, and the bumpy side for tenderizing. Pound the meat, moving evenly across the muscle and concentrating on the thicker portions. If you pound too hard you can easily break through the meat, so don’t do this if you’re mad at someone. Flip the meat to be sure you’ve done an even job.

Grinding

 KitchenAid Meat Grinder Atachment comes with two different grinding plates: one about 3/8ths of an inch, and the other 1/4-inch. Use a plain beef chuck which you can cut into 1-inch cubes before chilling in the freezer along with the rest of the grinder and running through the grinder.

Scoring

Slice ¼-inch deep gashes against the grain of the beef, parallel to each other and about ¾-inch apart.

Slice the beef using the same method, but in the opposite direction, so that the knife marks form a diagonal pattern on the surface of the meat.

Repeat the process on the other side of the piece of beef.