Understanding Meat

Hi guys ~ 🙋 this is the fourth chapter of Theory of Food *pheww~*
So today.. I will explain everything you need to know about meat *yeehaaaaaa~~ 😭

Lets get started.. shall we ?

What is meat ?
- Meat is tissue muscle.
- It is the flesh of domestic animals 🐄 and of wild game animals 🐗

Composition of Meat:
- 75% of water *who would've thought ?? 😲
- Consist of 20% of protein, an important nutrient
- FAT : 5% of muscle tissue and as much as 30% of carcass.
- Carbohydrate

Meats are cut based on:
1. Meats and bones structure of the meat.
2. Uses and appropriate cooking methods for various parts of meat.

*psstt~ marbling FAT adds tenderness and flavour to meat. Yummss~ 😋

Inspection of meat
- All meat produced for the public consumption must be inspected by the USDA.
- Inspection ensure products are processed under strict sanitary guidelines and are wholesome and fit for human consumption.

Yield: Is the amount of edible meat to bone and fat ratio.
Grading: Is voluntary and some purveyors and retailers develop their own labeling system to ensure their quality.

Green Meat
⟿ When animals are slaughtered, their meat are soft and flabby.
⟿ Within 6-24 hours rigor mortis sets in, causing the muscle to contract and stiffen.
⟿ Rigor mortis dissipates in 48-72 hours while under refrigeration.

*feeling sick la pulok while typing.. 😖

Aging Methods
*Aging is done to bring out the texture and flavour characteristic of the meat.
- Wet Aging: smaller cuts enclosed in plastic vacuum packs.
- Dry Aging: Larger cuts of meat exposed to air in controlled conditions. *can lose up 20% of weight during dry aging.

Dry Aging Method

Wet Aging Method

Understanding Basic cuts
➻ Carcasses - the whole animal except head, feet, entrails, and hide (except pork from which only head and entrils removed)
➻ Fabricated cuts: Primal cuts of meat are fabricated into smaller cuts for roasts, steaks, chops, cutlets, stewing meat, and ground meat or customer specification.
➻ Portion-controlled cuts: Cuts- ready to cook, processed to customer specification.

*So.. thats it guys !~ thats all you need to know about meat 😍