What are the main signs of poor quality meat. Signs of benignity

The main criterion when buying meat is the degree of its freshness.

Good-quality chilled meat should have:

Characteristic color (beef - red, pork - white-pink, lamb - brownish-red, veal - pink with a grayish tinge);

The smell is pleasant, without extraneous shades (it is best to pierce the meat with a hot knife, then you can make sure that the decomposition process has not yet begun inside);

White or cream-colored fat (beef is hard, does not smear, but crumbles, pork is soft with a pinkish tint, mutton is dense and not yellow);

The consistency is dense (when pressed, the hole quickly levels out);

A thin crust on top of a pale pink or pale red color.

Benign frozen meat, when tapped, makes a clear sound, and feels solid to the touch. On the surface of the cuts, the meat is red in color with a grayish coating, which is given to it by ice crystals.

If you put your finger on the surface, a bright red spot should form. After the secondary freezing, the quality of the meat is much worse. Its color becomes cherry red, and when warmed with a finger, the color does not change. It must be remembered that when thawing frozen meat, it must not be immersed in warm water, otherwise all water-soluble salts and vitamins will be lost. In general, frozen meat is always worse than fresh, and even more so fresh. (Source: "idilbay.ru", "mydiet.ru").

Questions and answers.

1. What is "marbled" meat?

Meat with an equal amount of proteins and fats is considered the best in terms of taste and nutritional properties. The most tender and juicy is meat with intramuscular fat layers - the so-called "marble". It is thanks to these small fatty veins that the meat becomes juicy and aromatic when cooked.

2. Does eating meat get better?

Naturally, fatty meat contains more calories than lean meat. But still, they don't get better from this alone. Only an unbalanced combination of all foods or an exclusively one-sided diet can lead to weight gain.

3. What vitamins does it contain?

Meat contains a large amount of water-soluble B vitamins: thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, choline, as well as minerals (phosphorus, iron, sodium, etc.) They take care of shiny hair, smooth skin, beautiful nails and strengthen nervous system.

4. What diseases can not eat meat?

The absolute rejection of meat, fortunately, is necessary only for very few diseases. Some, such as chronic kidney disease, require a completely protein-free diet. In this case, you need to completely abandon the meat, as it contains a lot of protein.

5. Is Vegetarian Diet Unhealthy?

A vegan lifestyle, of course, is by no means unhealthy. However, a balanced diet is much easier to provide with meat. Vegetarian food is not recommended for children and young people.

6. Can salted meat be grilled?

Yes, but in moderation. Grilling loin, ham and similar meat products carried out at high temperatures. In this case, nitrosamines are formed - substances that have harmful effects on our body (for example, on the liver).

7. Which meat is healthier: white or red?

8. Can you protect yourself from Salmonella?

Frozen meat, especially poultry, should never be thawed directly in the package. it is better to leave it to slowly defrost right in the package. It is better to leave it to defrost in the refrigerator in a sieve that is placed in a bowl so that the water can drain. Hands, as well as all kitchen utensils that will touch the meat, should be thoroughly washed. The meat must be thoroughly fried, as high temperatures are detrimental to salmonella.

9. Can minced meat be frozen?

The materials used were "bt-lady.com.ua", "cook.zimins.net", "sheenson.ru", "club.osinka.ru".

Indicators of the freshness of chilled meat are its appearance, color, smell, color, texture. However, determining the freshness of chilled meat by these signs is not always sufficient, since, for example, completely unsuitable for food meat does not smell when frozen.

Test cooking of chilled meat reveals its staleness, the latter cannot always be detected only by external examination.

Piercing chilled meat with a heated knife it can also help determine its poor quality, as it happens, for example, that the smell of the outer layers is normal, and the process of decay has already begun in the thicker muscles. Insufficiently fresh chilled meat is not only tasteless, it can cause illness, and spoiled chilled meat can cause fatal poisoning.

In all cases where the freshness of meat raises even the slightest doubt, you need to seek help from a representative of the sanitary and food supervision or sanitary and food laboratory. The meat of animals affected by diseases that can be transmitted to humans (anthrax, glanders, tuberculosis, brucellosis, foot and mouth disease, smallpox, swine erysipelas, sheep tularemia) is not allowed to be eaten.

Steam meat. Cold meat. Chilled meat. Frozen meat.

After the slaughter of the animal, after 2-5 hours, a post-mortem ending occurs, as a result of which the meat becomes extremely tough. After about a day, due to a number of physico-chemical transformations caused by the action of enzymes, the meat begins to acquire a delicate texture, as well as its characteristic aroma and taste. The speed of this process, called the maturation of meat, depends on the ambient temperature. If the surface of the carcass is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the meat ripens at 0 C for 8-10 days, and at 17 C - 3 days; with this mode of maturation, the meat has the best organoleptic properties

chilled meat

Fresh chilled meat known to be excellent food product and best product for cooking meat dishes. chilled meat keeps all his beneficial features, and its shelf life is quite large - about 7 days.

Good quality chilled meat covered thin crust pale pink or pale red. When touching the surface, the hand remains dry. On the cuts, the meat does not stick to the fingers, the juice is transparent.

chilled meat, subjected to cooling in chambers to a temperature in the thickness of the muscles near the bone - from 0 to 4 ° C and covered with a drying crust.

For long-term protection of meat from spoilage and decomposition, it is frozen. Freezing creates conditions that prevent the vital activity of microorganisms. When stored in the refrigerator, frozen meat remains benign for several months. In order to preserve all the qualities of the meat as much as possible, chilled meat subjected to rapid freezing. This method of freezing is the most rational, since ice crystals formed from water and meat juice are small, do not deform tissue cells and do not violate its structure. Small crystals are more evenly distributed in the meat. When quick-frozen meat is thawed slowly, water and meat juice formed from melting ice are reabsorbed by the meat, and it retains the juiciness and good taste and aroma inherent in fresh meat. When slowly frozen, meat juice and water form large ice crystals that disrupt tissue structure. When thawed, the deformed cells lose their ability to reabsorb water and meat juice - the meat becomes flabby and tasteless.

Despite sanitary control and quality certificates, it is not possible to fully insure against the purchase fresh meat in the market or in the supermarket is not possible.

Fresh meat. Main features

To the touch, the surface of the meat should be dry, and the meat juice at the cut site must be transparent and not abundant, the meat should not stick to the fingers on the cuts.

The smell of meat should be natural and natural, without all sorts of impurities and extraneous unpleasant odors. Fat on fresh meat should crumble when pressed, not smeared.

The meat must be firm to the touch, and the pits from pressure with fingers, a fork or knife should quickly level out.

If you get wet with a napkin, it should not leave pronounced wet prints. If there are no abundant traces of blood on the napkin, then the meat is correctly and conscientiously bled.

Color

Fresh beef has the color of ripe raspberries, and the fat layers can be white, cream or yellow. The darkening of the meat and the shift of its color gamut towards a brown hue indicates the questionable freshness of the meat.

Veal should have a light pink color, and the fat layers must be white. If the meat has a darker color, then they are trying to sell you beef instead of veal, or the veal is stale.

The color of fresh pork is pink to rose red. Fat can be either white or cream in color, but its color must be uniform. As in the case of beef, the dark color of the meat should alert, since such pork is unlikely to be fresh.

Young lamb is always light red in color, with white layers of fat. The meat of old animals is dark red or reddish brown, while the fat is yellow. It is difficult to confuse lamb with other types of meat, since it has a specific, pronounced smell.

Fresh poultry meat may vary in color. In chickens and turkeys, it has a pale pink tint, while in geese and ducks, the color of the meat is red. The age of a bird is determined by the skin and fat: the softer and whiter the skin, and the lighter the fat, the younger the bird and vice versa.

Signs of spoiled meat

- Sour smell in the air;

- Sticky mucus on the surface of the meat;

- The meat is too wet on the surface and in the cuts;

- The juice on the cuts is cloudy;

- The deep part of the muscle fibers is brown-red or gray-red;

- Meat fibers are flabby;

- Fat and bone marrow lose their luster, stick and smear;

- The predominant color of the meat is gray.

Traces of masking stale meat

If the edges of a piece of meat are blurred, this indicates that the meat was soaked in vinegar in order to get rid of the stale smell and mucus on the surface.

If the fat on a piece of meat is colored pink, then the meat was soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate to give it a fresh look.

Delicious meat dishes and Bon appetit!

. Types of meat
. Signs of good quality meat
. Homemade ways to protect meat from spoilage
. Meat pretreatment
. Heat treatment meat
. Beef, offal, veal, pork, lamb - choice for dishes
. Poultry, game
. Heat treatment of poultry

Fresh, cooled, chilled and frozen meat

After the slaughter of the animal, after 2-5 hours, rigor mortis sets in, as a result of which the meat becomes extremely tough. After about a day, due to a number of physico-chemical transformations caused by the action of enzymes, the meat begins to acquire a delicate texture, as well as its characteristic aroma and taste. The speed of this process, called maturation of meat, depends on the ambient temperature. If the surface of the carcass is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the meat ripens at 0° for 8-10 days, and at 17° for 3 days; with this mode of maturation, the meat has the best organoleptic properties.

Steam - meat that has not cooled down and has not lost its animal warmth. Such meat is not used for food, the processes of rigor mortis make it tough, rough, it is poorly digested and has an unpleasant odor; when cooked, such meat gives an unflavored broth.

Chilled - meat that, after cutting the carcass, has undergone cooling in natural conditions for at least 6 hours and is covered with a drying crust from the surface.

Chilled - meat that has been cooled in chambers to a temperature in the thickness of the muscles near the bone from 0 to 4 ° and covered with a drying crust.

Ice cream is meat that, after cooling, has been frozen in special freezers or under natural conditions to a temperature in the thickness of the muscles near the bones not higher than -6 °.

Thawed (defrosted), that is, brought to a temperature in the thickness of the muscles near the bones to 0 °. If the necessary storage conditions are not observed, the meat deteriorates as a result of the action of microorganisms (rotting process). High temperature, humid air, lack of ventilation, accumulation of a large mass of fresh and warm parts of meat lead to the rapid multiplication of microbes.

Signs of good quality meat

Indicators of the freshness of meat are its appearance, color, smell, color, texture. However, determining the freshness of meat on these grounds is not always sufficient, since, for example, completely unfit for food meat does not smell when frozen.

Test cooking of meat reveals its staleness, the latter cannot always be detected only by external examination. Piercing meat with a heated knife can also help determine its poor quality, as it happens, for example, that the smell of the outer layers is normal, but the process of decay has already begun in the thickness of the muscles.

Insufficiently fresh meat is not only tasteless, it can cause illness, and spoiled meat can cause fatal poisoning.

In all cases where the freshness of meat raises even the slightest doubt, the culinary specialist is obliged to seek help from a representative of the sanitary and food supervision or to the sanitary and food laboratory.

The meat of animals affected by diseases that can be transmitted to humans (anthrax, glanders, tuberculosis, brucellosis, foot and mouth disease, smallpox, swine erysipelas and sheep tularemia) is not allowed.

At meat processing plants, the strictest veterinary and sanitary control is carried out both before and after the slaughter of the animal. On each carcass of small livestock and on each quarter of cattle there must be a veterinary control stamp.

Meat that is not branded should always inspire fear, and its use without examination by the veterinary and sanitary authorities is not allowed.

Signs of good quality cooled and chilled meat

Benign meat is covered with a thin crust of pale pink or pale red color. When touching the surface, the hand remains dry. On the cuts, the meat does not stick to the fingers, the juice is clear. The consistency of the meat is dense, the pits from finger pressure are quickly replenished, the color of the meat on the cut is red (cattle meat), whitish-pink (veal), brown-red (mutton) and pinkish-red (pork). Beef carcass fat is white, creamy or yellowish, hard, does not smear when crushed, but crumbles. Lamb fat white dense; porcine - soft pale pink or white. The smell of meat and fat is pleasant, without foreign odors. The bone marrow is yellow, shiny at the break, completely filling the entire space of the tubular bones. The tendons are elastic and dense. The surface of the joints is white and shiny.

in the best way definition of freshness, which is always available to the cook, is cooking a trial piece of meat. From completely benign meat, a transparent and fragrant broth is obtained, on the surface of which large “glitters” of fat float, and a decoction of stale meat is cloudy, on the surface of its small “glitters” of fat, the smell is unpleasant.

The signs of good quality of cooled and chilled meat are the same. The surface of both cooled and chilled meat should be covered with a dry crust of drying.

Meat that is suspicious of freshness has a weathered dark crust or its surface is moist, sticky, covered with mucus. On cuts, the meat also has a darker color and increased moisture. Meat juice is cloudy. The muscles are loose, the fossa from pressing with a finger is not replenished to the end or remains for a long time. Meat fat turns gray, loses its luster, sticks and smears. The bone marrow is the same as that of fresh meat, but has no sheen when broken. The tendons are somewhat softened; their color is dull white or grayish. The joints are covered with mucus.
The smell of meat is sour, musty, sometimes putrid on the outside; in the deeper layers, the putrefactive smell is sometimes absent.
Poor-quality meat has a sticky, moist, gray or greenish surface, sometimes covered with mold. On the cuts, the meat is darkened, gray or greenish. The tissues of the meat are flabby, the pits from finger pressure are not replenished, and at some stages of decomposition, the muscles are easily pierced with a finger. Slimy, grey, unpleasant greasy odor. The bone marrow is soft, spreading, gray in color. Joints and tendons are profusely covered with mucus. A clearly putrid smell is felt in the deep layers of the meat.

Signs of good quality frozen meat

Well-frozen meat is perfectly firm to the touch and makes a clear sound when tapped. On the surface and on the cuts, the meat is red in color with a grayish tint, which is given to the meat by small ice crystals. The color of frozen meat quickly changes even with slight heating: a bright red spot forms at the place where the finger is applied. Frozen meat does not have a specific meaty smell. Its freshness on this basis can be determined only after thawing. After thawing, fresh meat may have a slight smell of dampness. The tendons of frozen meat are white and shiny. The bone marrow completely lines the cavity of the tubular bones.

The quality and freshness of re-frozen meat can only be determined after it has been thawed. Meat that has been frozen once can be distinguished from meat that has been re-frozen by the color of its surface. Twice-frozen meat is dark red on the surface and cherry red when cut. When warmed with a finger, the color of the meat does not change. Muscles and bone marrow are red.

As already mentioned, meat perishable product. The first signs of stale meat are a slimy surface and a bad smell. To avoid spoilage, the meat should be stored in a refrigerator or in a cold room protected from flies, and, if possible, out of light, at a temperature of + 4 ° C, protected from flies. In addition, you can use home canning methods. The choice of method depends on the purpose, type and time of use of the meat.

home methods
protect meat from spoilage
(canning)

Application of dressing from vegetable oil and vegetables. Vegetables should be washed, peeled, rinsed, cut into circles, mixed with crushed seasonings and vegetable oil. Then knead with your hand to release the juice. Grate this dressing and cover the meat. Keep in a cold place at a temperature not exceeding +8 °C. This method is used for canning lamb, beef, horse meat and protects meat from spoilage for one day.

Storing meat in sour milk or vinegar dressing:
a) pour beef or veal with milk so that the meat is completely covered. Milk, being fermented, protects meat from spoilage for 2-3 days. This method speeds up the ripening process;
b) marinating beef, horse meat, venison, lamb and rabbit meat in vinegar dressing. To prepare the dressing, boil water with sliced ​​onions and seasonings, and then add vinegar. Pour the chilled dressing over the meat, placed in a clay bowl, and keep for 2-3 days in summer, in winter - up to 5 days.
During the marinating process, the meat softens.
You can also store meat for a short time in a napkin soaked in vinegar.

Highly good result gives a piece of meat smeared with ready-made mustard, cooked without salt and sugar, followed by wrapping in a cloth smeared with the same mustard and placed in a loosely closed plastic bag.

To preserve the meat for a longer period (8-20 days), it is subjected to salting. This method is applicable to veal, pork, beef (tenderloin, brisket, tongue).
For salting, it is necessary to prepare a brine from water, salt mixed with saltpeter (3-4 g / kg of meat), sugar and crushed seasonings. Combine half of the ingredients with water, rub the meat with the other half. Wash the meat before salting, squeeze out the water, dry it, remove the bones. Then rub half of the mixture of salt, saltpeter, sugar and spices into the meat from all sides, put in clay, enamelware or a wooden barrel, press the lid with a load. Keep meat for 2 days room temperature. Combine the rest of the mixture with cold boiled water. After 2 days, pour meat over it and take it to a cold place (4-8 ° C). In the process of salting, lasting 2-3 weeks, turn the meat every other day. During all this time, the meat should be covered with a lid with a load. Small pieces of meat, tongue, etc. are salted for 8-10 days.

Currently, home canning methods that do not always meet all sanitary requirements are rarely used.
Poultry is preserved in the same way.

PRE-TREATMENT OF MEAT

Preliminary processing of meat consists first of all in its careful washing. The meat should be washed quickly under running water, and the entire piece intended for processing is washed. You can not wash the meat after it has already been cut and cleaned of tendons and bones, since in this case the contamination is transferred from the surface into the meat, first by hand, and then with a stream of water.

Before washing, scrape off the most contaminated places with a knife, cut off the seal after washing. If the meat is washed in small pieces, especially after the bones have been removed, this causes a loss of juices, and thus a decrease in nutritional value. For the same reason, meat should not be soaked. During the soaking process, water-soluble proteins, minerals and B vitamins are transferred into the water. In french cuisine instead of washing, blanching of meat is used.

Washed meat should be dried. Remove excess fat, leaving a layer of 2-3 mm, which prevents excessive evaporation and helps preserve the juiciness of the meat. Then, carefully, so as not to damage the tissue, cut off the film, best with a sharp knife, without interrupting the movement, in one direction, holding the film with your left hand. Separate the bones from the pulp with a sharp knife, holding it directly to the bone. Cut the separated bones, which facilitates the penetration of nutrients into the broth.

Meat intended for frying and stewing should be chopped depending on the dish being prepared.
Grind meat by cutting or chopping.

Should be cut:
a) slices across the fibers; beat off the resulting portioned pieces with a chopper and mold, depending on the dish chosen for cooking;
b) in small pieces 3-4 cm in size.

The first method of cutting is used in the preparation of chops, cutlets, steaks, the second - in the preparation of goulash, paprikash, stew.

Minced meat is used in the preparation of minced meat dishes.

minced meat

Minced meat includes: meat, stale wheat bread at the rate of 25% of the weight of meat, milk or water, eggs, salt and seasonings. Thanks to bread, fried or baked minced meat retains its juiciness, since the juices released during heat treatment are retained in the pores of the bread. Eggs are a binder, for the same purpose, you can take boiled potatoes, semolina or potato flour, but the latter in a small amount, otherwise the minced meat turns out to be too hard.

Bread should be soaked in milk or water. Wash the meat, remove films and tendons, cut into pieces with a diameter of 4 cm and pass through a meat grinder. Squeeze out the bread, mix with minced meat and pass again through a meat grinder. Add whole eggs or whites, season to taste with salt and pepper. Minced meat should be lush, so you need to mix it thoroughly with a spoon or wet hands (if necessary, you can pour in water or milk). Well-mixed minced meat easily lags behind the walls of dishes and hands.

Chopped meat can be prepared from beef, veal, lamb, pork, horse meat. Second-class meat or trimmings are taken. You can cook minced meat from various kinds meat, combining them so that lean meat is supplemented with fatty meat, for example, add pork to horse meat and beef.

From minced meat you can cook:
1) cutlets,
2) meatballs,
3) meatballs,
4) zrazy,
5) roll (roast in Roman style).

To obtain these semi-finished products, it is necessary to lay the minced meat on a moistened board and with wet hands give it the shape of a thick roller, which is divided into equal parts. Then mold, rolling in crushed breadcrumbs or flour.

Items used in pretreatment meat:
1) hard wood board,
2) chopper for beating meat,
3) narrow pointed knives,
4) a billhook for cutting bones,
5) meat grinder,
6) a ceramic or enameled bowl for storing meat during processing.

COOKING MEAT

The meat is boiled in water or in a decoction of vegetables. If the meat is placed in boiling water, the top layer of proteins quickly coagulates, which prevents the substances that make up the meat from becoming liquid. If the meat is put in cold water, these substances in the predominant part pass into the broth. We are talking about soluble proteins, mineral salts and some other substances. Proteins that have passed into the broth coagulate under the influence of high temperature and form the so-called foam. The foam should not be skimmed off as it has nutritional value, and its removal reduces the nutritional value of the broth.

It should be remembered that basically the richness of the broth and the quality of boiled meat depend precisely on the ratio of the amount of meat and water, and not on the method of laying. Therefore, you should choose the right size dishes.

When cooked, about 35% of the liquid contained in raw meat goes into the broth, and for the most part in the first 15 minutes of boiling. That is, the broth becomes more in volume, and the meat is much less. Therefore, you should not strive to completely cover the meat at the beginning of cooking.

Cooking should be carried out under a tightly closed lid with a minimum boil - so that the steam floats "on the bulge". This boiling prevents the emulsification of fat and the appearance of a greasy taste in the broth. And under a tightly closed lid, the steam squeezes out the air and ensures the virtual absence of fat-oxidizing oxygen. In French cuisine, for greater compaction, after boiling, before the final closing of the lid, the edge of the pan is sometimes even greased. batter.

Cleaned and washed meat is placed in boiling slightly salted water with spices. Salt prevents meat juices from completely becoming liquid. The water should cover the meat. The pot must first be put on high heat, quickly brought to a boil, then cook the meat over low heat under the lid. When the foam disappears from the surface, add peeled vegetables and cook until fully cooked, salt at the end of cooking (10 minutes before the end).

Any addition of water during the cooking process is unacceptable, because it irreparably worsens the taste of both the broth and meat.

After cooking without opening the lid, the meat should be allowed to brew for 10 minutes. Then immediately put the finished meat out of the broth (so as not to get wet) and wrap it tightly in foil (for storage) or immediately serve it on the table, cut into portions and sprinkle with hot broth (it can also be mixed with a small amount butter) to keep it from drying out.

NOTE. If, when laying meat in water, add 1-2 full teaspoons of ready-made mustard (per 1 kg of meat), the meat will turn out softer, and the broth will acquire a piquant taste. The smell and taste of mustard will disappear after 40-50 minutes of cooking. The broth in this case, due to the presence of mustard powder, turns out to be somewhat cloudy, but can be clarified if desired.

MEAT IN SAUCE
Meat to be served with sauce should be boiled with the bone in a small amount of water. The meat should be put in boiling salted water and peeled vegetables should be added in the middle of cooking. Separate the finished meat from the bone and cut into portions. On the resulting broth, prepare the sauce (with flour dressing, with sour cream, etc.).

COOKING SMOKED MEAT
Smoked meat before cooking should be washed, then put in boiling water. The water should cover the meat. Counting from the secondary boil, the meat is cooked from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the piece. Water should be added as it evaporates.
The readiness of the meat is determined by a fork. Put the finished meat out of the broth after the final cooling.
For cooking meat, dishes made of durable material are used. Cast iron cookware with a lid is also suitable for this purpose.

FRYING MEAT

Frying does not last long in an open dish on the stove. Meat should be put on heated fat. When in contact with the bottom of the dish, a crust is formed of toasted proteins and caramelized starch (meat for roasting should be rolled in flour or crushed breadcrumbs). The crust protects the meat from loss of juices and from excessive impregnation with fat. In addition, the crust has good taste qualities. When a brown crust forms on one side, the meat should be turned over to the other side and fried so that the surface is evenly browned.

Do not place the meat too closely in the pan, as the steam released during frying makes it difficult for the formation of a golden crust on the entire surface of the meat; in addition, breading is damaged when the meat is turned over.

Meat intended for frying must be of high quality, tender, without films and tendons. The meat of the worst grades remains hard and fibrous after frying, and therefore it is recommended to cook fried minced meat from it.

The meat is fried in pieces cut across the grain. The thickness of the pieces depends on the type of dish and is determined detailed recipe. Portioned pieces are given a certain shape with a chopper (metal or wooden hammer in a metal frame), slightly moistened with water. In some cases, the meat must be flattened by hand and shaped with a knife (beef steak).

Before frying, prepared pieces of meat should be sprinkled with flour, rolled in crushed breadcrumbs, breaded or dipped in dough. Crackers must be pressed with a knife to the meat so that they do not crumble during frying and do not burn.

Breading is as follows: prepared products should be rolled on both sides in flour, then in loose eggs, then removed, dried, rolled in crushed breadcrumbs on both sides, press the crackers to the meat. Some raw meat products (for example, pork chops) or boiled meat (for example, ham, veal brisket, veal legs) should be dipped immediately before frying in a dough thicker than for pancakes. The dough covers the meat with a thin layer, forming a crispy crust during frying.

The meat should be placed on pre-heated, but not burnt fat. Fry over medium heat so that the meat is fried inside. For frying, lard or deep fat is most often recommended. The temperature of the fat must not decrease during the frying process, otherwise the meat will not brown and will be heavily saturated with fat. It is not recommended to bring the fat to too high a temperature, as this causes it to disintegrate and, in addition, the meat burns.

In a small amount of fat, breaded meat and meat should be fried in English, that is, with a browned crust, but undercooked inside (pale pink or red).

Variety fried foods, cooked with a small amount of fat, are the so-called saute, that is, meat that is first fried in very hot fat and, after the formation of a golden crust, is roasted on the edge of the stove or in the oven. Less commonly used is frying meat in a large amount of fat (beef lard), poured into a deep pan. This method of roasting meat is used in the preparation of dishes from boiled meat, which must be dipped in dough before frying (veal brisket, veal legs).

Utensils used when frying meat in a small amount of fat: a frying pan made of durable metal, a metal spatula, a heated dish; in a large amount of fat: a saucepan, a metal spatula, a heated dish for serving.

A few tips on how to cook juicy and tasty meat dishes

Tip one - it is very important to choose the right meat for a particular dish, especially if you want to fry or grill it. It is impossible to cook a decent steak (steak in Russian cuisine) from the pulp of the sternum or part of the leg.

For frying in a pan or grill, you can use only fillet (in Russian terminology - tenderloin), entrecote (thick edge) or thin edge.

The quality of the prepared dish also depends on the age of the animal: the younger the meat, the tastier it is.

The second tip is to marinate the meat before frying. The fastest and easy way- pepper and pour vegetable oil, after rubbing the meat with crushed garlic. Pre-salting is not recommended, as salt causes premature release of meat juice, which reduces the taste of meat. Therefore, you need to salt the meat at the very end of frying. This method of pickling is good for frying pork, lamb, veal ribs.

If the meat needs to be marinated, and there is little time for this, it is recommended next recipe marinade: Cut the meat into portions (usually 150-200 g), beat them off, put them in a bowl, sprinkle with chopped onions, caraway seeds, bay leaves, parsley root. Then pour vegetable oil mixed with lemon juice in proportion - 5 g of oil per juice of a third of a lemon, pepper and salt. Turn the meat periodically.

Tip #3: Don't turn the meat often when frying. Usually it is turned over to the other side only when the first side is almost ready.

Tip four - you must determine what kind of meat you want by the degree of roasting (strongly fried - well done, medium - medium, with blood - rare and derivatives of medium-rare or medium-well done). Only some beef dishes (roast beef or steak) can be semi-done, lamb, veal and pork are never cooked like that.

Tip five - the taste of portioned meats deteriorates during storage. Therefore, the meat must be fried shortly before serving it on the table.

How to cook schnitzels

Schnitzels are widespread in world cuisine. It is almost impossible to find such a restaurant, even an exclusive one, where you would not be offered this very simple dish. And restaurant goers often prefer schnitzel to all culinary delights. The Wiener Schnitzel is especially famous.

Schnitzel is usually prepared from various types of meat: chicken, turkey, veal. Chopped schnitzel is offered less frequently, and only occasionally can you be offered a vegetable schnitzel.

It is very important what kind of meat you eat. For schnitzels, veal is best - the flesh of the hind leg or fillet. And the bird has the chest part.

Schnitzels also differ in the way they are breaded.

Classic ways breading
- Parisian (the meat is rolled in flour, then in an egg and fried in hot oil)
- and Viennese (still the same, only after the egg, the meat is also rolled in breadcrumbs, to which sum-sum, dry herbs and other additives are added for taste and beauty).

You can also suggest the following methods of breading

1. Sprinkle the product with flour, dip in white sauce(a mixture of raw eggs with a tablespoon of butter), salt, breaded in breadcrumbs. Press down the breadcrumbs, then dip again into the sauce and bread again.

2. In olive oil add lemon juice, salt, pepper and beat with a fork. Dredge the meat in flour, moisten with the prepared mixture and coat again in flour.

3. Very unusual taste gives wetting of schnitzels before breading with a mixture of eggs and ready-made mustard.

STEWING MEAT

Basically, stewing consists of roasting and boiling. The meat intended for stewing is sprinkled with flour, fried in hot fat until golden brown. The fried meat, together with the fat remaining from frying, is transferred to a saucepan, poured with a small amount of broth or water, covered with a lid and stewed over low heat. During the stewing, the meat is turned over or the pan is shaken so that the meat does not burn. As the juice evaporates, add water. When the meat is ready, the sauce is filtered and seasoned or served in the sauce formed during the stew.

Stew meat can be of a lower grade, with tendons, as well as old animals.

The stewing process, which lasts for a long time, softens the muscle tissue, and the steam generated during stewing is retained under the lid, penetrates into the tissue and softens it. Simmer until the meat is soft. If the meat is stewed for too long, the fat melts, meat juices turn into sauce, the amount of meat decreases and the dish looks ugly.

Meat that has been stewed correctly retains its shape, and the sauce formed during stewing should be thick, as the films, when boiled, go into the sauce. The meat is stewed in a large piece weighing about 2 kg (stewed roast), portioned pieces (chops), small pieces (goulash, paprikash) and more large pieces(stew). You can also stew minced meat products.

Stew can be served in different ways, depending on the sauce:
1) in a natural sauce (sprinkle with flour and salt, fry in hot fat and pour a small amount of water);
2) in sour cream sauce(prepared as in paragraph 1, and seasoned with sour cream before serving);
3) in sauce with dressing (prepared as in paragraph 1; on the fat left over from frying, fry flour, dilute with broth or water, boil and combine with meat).

When extinguishing, the following items are used:
for frying: best of all - a cast-iron frying pan, as well as a metal spatula, fork;
for stewing: a saucepan corresponding to the size of a piece of meat, a sauce spoon.

MEAT BAKED AND BAKED

The meat for the roast should be first-class, without coarse membranes and sinews, and also not too fatty (too fatty causes great losses during cooking). The quality of the dish is also affected by the degree of maturation of the meat, and therefore it is often pre-marinated in vegetables or in a vinegar dressing. The meat must be baked for a certain time - a piece weighing 2 kg requires about 1.5 hours.

It is necessary to beat the meat with a chopper, salt, sprinkle with flour, brown on all sides in a frying pan with heated fat, transfer to a pan of the appropriate size, pour over the fat left over from frying, insert into the oven and bake, pouring over the fat and the resulting sauce, into which, according to as it evaporates, water must be added. The meat is ready when a fork slides easily into it and a clear, not too rich juice is released.

Meat in English (undercooked, pink or red inside) is fried in very hot fat or baked in a very hot oven so that it remains undercooked inside. Drizzle with sauce while cooking. Such dishes should be prepared from high-grade meat.

Meat can also be baked on the grill. Place the salted meat on a greased grate, rub the meat with fat and insert into the hot oven. Drizzle with the resulting sauce. The sauce drips onto a baking sheet placed on the wire rack. Boiled, fried, baked meat can be baked in different sauces (bechamel sauce, with horseradish, etc.). Bake should be on refractory dishes or in shallow pans. Put the prepared and chopped meat on a greased dish, pour over the sauce and sprinkle with grated rennet cheese (“Tilsitsky”, “Emmentalsky”) or sprinkle with butter and breadcrumbs. Insert into preheated oven and bake for a short time. When the sauce is browned on top, remove and serve immediately.

BEEF

The best varieties of beef are the meat of large, but young cattle. The most valuable is the meat of 20-month-old, well-fed animals. It differs in red color, juiciness. The fat on it is elastic, creamy-pink in color, there are much more muscles than bones, in contrast to the meat of old, poorly fed cattle. The meat of old animals can be distinguished by a dark red hue; fat with an abundance of films, yellowish, meat tissues are flabby. Beef fat is difficult to digest, and is rarely used for culinary purposes. Used as deep fryer.

Meatballs are made from bone fat.

The taste, juiciness and digestibility of beef depend on whether the meat is ripe. To speed up this process, the meat is marinated in vinegar dressing, dressing from vegetables and vegetable oil, or in milk. In addition to the quality of the meat, the method of preparation, which must correspond to the characteristics of the part of the carcass used, is of decisive importance for the softness, taste and juiciness of the dishes.

BY-PRODUCTS

The nutritional and culinary value of different types of offal is not the same. By-products are divided into four categories based on their nutritional value and industrial processing.

Liver cattle and calves has good nutritional qualities. It is rich in proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins. In some diseases associated with loss of blood or deterioration of its composition, doctors especially recommend the use of lightly boiled or fried (half-cooked) liver, which quickly restores and improves blood composition.

Veal liver has the highest culinary qualities. It is used for frying and making delicious pâtés.

Pork liver often has a slight aftertaste of bitterness. pork liver can be distinguished from beef not only in size, but also in the peculiar granular structure of its tissue.

The liver goes on sale processed - without bile ducts and gallbladder and freed from large blood vessels. Frozen liver comes in the form of blocks.

Languages veal and beef have a tender and pleasant taste. They are rich in protein and fat.

Brain is a delicacy product, they have delicate taste but are poorly digested. The brains to be processed must be intact, with an intact membrane and without the presence of blood.

kidneys used to prepare many second courses, as well as pickles. The best culinary qualities are veal and beef kidneys old animals. Kidneys must go to enterprises Catering whole, freed from the fatty membrane, ureters and external blood vessels.

Heart consists of dense muscle fibers and requires a very long heat treatment. It must first be boiled in two waters, and both broths should be drained, since they are unsuitable for food.

Udder you need to boil or stew for a very long time, as it contains a lot of connective tissue.

Lung does not have much nutritional value. It is used for making fillings.

meat and bone tails cattle produce good broths, almost indispensable in the preparation of brown broth.

Legs cattle and small livestock are used mainly for the preparation of jellies. best taste jellies are made from beef and pork feet. Veal legs are cooked boiled and fried in breadcrumbs.

Stomach use only after very thorough cleaning; boiled or stewed dishes are prepared from it.

BEEF SELECTION
FOR COOKING

BEEF FOR COOKING:
broth - bones;
broth and boiled meat - rump, butt, brisket, brisket, knuckle, flank;
meatballs - meat of the III grade.

BEEF FOR FRYING:
entrecote - thick and thin edge;
brizola - tenderloin;
steak - tenderloin, thick and thin edge;
langeta - tenderloin;
rump steak - tenderloin, rump, rump;
spreader - thick and thin edge;
beef stroganoff - tenderloin, butt, rump;
chopped cutlets - shoulder blade, thigh.

BEEF FOR BAKED DISHES:
baked meat - rump or rump:
roast beef in English - sirloin;
clippings in English - clipping;
roll - shoulder blade, thigh.

BEEF FOR STEWING:
goulash - shoulder blade, brisket, knuckle, neck, rump, thigh, rump;
roast - rump or rump, shoulder blade;
shtufata - rump or rump, shoulder blade;
roll - rump or rump, shoulder blade;
zraz chops - rump or rump, thigh, thick and thin edge;
zraz chopped - spatula.

BY-PRODUCTS:
boiled - tripe, tongue, salted tongue, heart;
fried - brains, liver;
stewed - kidneys, goulash from the heart.

VEAL

CUTTING VEAL CARCASE
AND THE USE OF ITS INDIVIDUAL PARTS

Veal has a pale pink color. There is often no fat on its surface, internal fat dense, pale pink color. The best meat the meat of 6-8-week-old calves is considered. Well-fed calves have fairly thick muscles. The meat of too young calves (up to 4 weeks) is watery, the muscles are poorly developed. Such meat is considered second-rate. Veal is tender, ripens quickly, but also spoils quickly, so you should remember the rules for storing it and how to preserve it.

SELECTION OF VEAL FOR COOKING

VEAL FOR BOILED DISHES
Soup broths: bones;
jelly: legs, head;
In the sauce: neck part, brisket, shoulder blade, first cutlet part.

VEAL FOR FRIED DISHES
Schnitzel, stack, brizol: back leg pulp;
Cutlets: the first cutlet part;
Fillet, medallion: hind leg pulp;
In the test: legs, brisket;
Chopped cutlets: shoulder blade, neck part.

VEAL FOR STEW
Chops: hind leg pulp;
Roast: shoulder blade, kidney part, hind leg pulp;
Paprikash: shoulder blade, brisket;
Roll: The pulp of the hind leg.

VEAL FOR BAKED DISHES
Roast: hind leg pulp; kidney part, knuckle;
Stuffed: brisket, kidney part;
Roll: The pulp of the hind leg.

VEAL FOR MINUTED MEAT
Shoulder blade, neck.

PORK

the best pork meat for culinary processing is considered the meat of animals weighing about 100 kg, grown for meat, not fat.

Pork meat is distinguished by tenderness, only in old animals the meat is hard and sinewy. Pork matures faster than beef.

Pork meat is cured with salting, for a short time with the same purpose you can fill it with milk. Preservation in vinegar dressing is not used, since pork meat with small fatty layers is tender.

SELECTION OF PORK FOR COOKING

PORK FOR COOKING
Ribs, shank, shoulder blade, legs, sideburns;
studen: legs; Bouillon: bones.

PORK FOR FRYING
Saute cutlets: loin;
Steak: ham;
Brizol: ham;
Medallion: loin;
Langet: back loin;
Breaded cutlets: loin;
Schnitzel: ham;
Chopped cutlets: spatula.

PORK FOR STEW
Goulash: shoulder;
Zrazy chops: loin, ham;
Roast stew: loin, shoulder blade, back loin, ham;
Chopped zrazy: shoulder blade;
Stewed ribs: ribs;
Brisket stew: brisket.

PORK FOR BAKED DISHES
Roast: ham, shoulder, loin, back loin;
Brisket: brisket;
Roman Roast: Shoulder;
Roll: ham.

PORK FOR SALT
Ham, loin, knuckle, shank, brisket,
Neck, tongue, back loin, ribs.

MUTTON

The most valuable is the meat of young (up to 18 months old) castrated rams or sheep unsuitable for breeding. Tasty is also the meat of well-fed sheep, not older than 3 years. It is distinguished by a light red tint, the fat is elastic and white. The meat of old, poorly fed sheep has a dark red tint, the fat is yellow. This meat is stringy, and therefore it is best eaten minced. Lamb fat is rarely used in cooking, as it has an unpleasant odor and, moreover, it is poorly digested.

Lamb meat ripens slowly, to speed up the ripening process, it is best to use dressing from vegetable oil and vegetables (up to 24 hours), marinade (2-3 days) or pour over meat sour milk. The seasonings that make up the vinegar dressing add flavor to the lamb meat, which is necessary due to its specific smell.

SELECTING LAMB FOR COOKING

LAMB FOR COOKING
Bouillon: bones;
Boiled meat: neck, brisket, shoulder blade.

LAMB FOR FRYING
Steak: back leg;
Cutlets chops with bone: loin;
Chopped cutlets: shoulder blade, neck part.

LAMB FOR STEW
Zrazy chops: back leg;
Goulash: shoulder;
Pilaf: brisket, shoulder blade;
Stew: brisket, shoulder blade;
Braised roast: neck part, back leg or kidney part.

LAMB FOR BAKED DISHES
Baked meat: back leg or kidney part.

BIRD

Since ancient times in Russia, poultry dishes have been considered tasty and healthy food. And this is not accidental: after all, tender and fragrant meat of chickens, turkeys, ducks, game has a high nutritional value. So, the edible part of a chicken carcass (and it makes up about 60% of its total mass) contains on average 13.5% proteins, 4.5% fats, 0.9% carbohydrates. Poultry meat is not deprived of vitamins and minerals. It has few connective tissue proteins elastin and collagen, and the fat is fusible, so it is well absorbed by the body and belongs to dietary products. For those who are prone to cardiovascular diseases, doctors recommend replacing pork, beef, lamb with chicken and fish. boiled chicken without skin can be included in the most stringent diets.

A large number of extractive substances determines the special taste of poultry broth. The meat of a young bird has less extractive substances than an adult one, therefore it is better to use an adult bird for making broths, but not an old one. From the old bird, the broths are cloudy, non-aromatic. It is used for boiling and stewing, and young - for frying.

Game feathered meat, unlike poultry, contains more protein and extractives, but less fat. It has a specific taste and aroma. Light bitterness and resinous smell are considered especially valuable. Game is mainly used for frying. This is due to the fact that the vertebral bones of game contain bitter substances, which turn into broth when cooked.

Farm poultry include chickens, chickens, ducks, ducklings, geese, turkeys, and guinea fowl. Feathered game is divided into steppe, swamp, forest and waterfowl. The steppe includes quail, gray and red partridges; to the marsh - snipes, great snipes, waders, woodcocks; to the forest - hazel grouse, black grouse, capercaillie, pheasants; to the waterfowl - ducks, geese. Game meat compared to poultry meat has a dark color and a denser texture.

Farm poultry goes on sale in a bat without a feather, in a semi-gutted, gutted form, with an enclosed set of offal. Game is sold uncleaned.

POULTRY COOKING

The carcasses of chickens, chickens and turkeys, tucked into a pocket or sewn into one or two threads, are placed in hot water. When cooking chickens, chickens and turkeys in one pot, put the turkeys first, then the chickens and last the chickens, cover the pot with a lid and heat to a boil. After boiling, the foam is removed from the broth, chopped roots and onions, salt are added and boiled at a very low boil.

As soon as the birds are ready, they are first removed from the boiler
- chickens that are boiled for 25-30 minutes,
- then chickens (45-60 min),
- then turkeys (1.5-2 hours).
Ducks are boiled for 1 hour, geese for 1-2 hours.

The readiness of the carcass is determined by puncturing the chef's needle into the thick part of the leg (the needle should pass freely).

Game for second courses is rarely boiled (usually boiled game is used in the manufacture of salads and other cold appetizers), but the process of cooking game is basically the same as cooking poultry.

BIRD MAINTENANCE

They mainly use products from cutlet and dumpling mass, chicken and game fillets, as well as chickens and pullets.

Products from the cutlet mass are placed in one row in a saucepan, the bottom of which is greased with oil, and the broth is poured so that it covers the products by 1/4-1/3 of their height. The dishes are covered with a lid and allowed to cook over low heat.

Chicken or game fillets are stewed in a saucepan, salted, sprinkled on the surface lemon juice so that the color of the meat is white, pour the broth so that it covers the fillet by 1/4-1/3 of the height, and simmer over low heat.

Chickens and pullets (hens) are placed in a dish at an angle of 45 ° to the bottom plane, chopped aromatic vegetables and onions are placed on the bottom of the dish and poured with broth and dry wine at 1/4-1/3 of the height of the bird. After that, the bird is salted, the dishes are covered with a lid and allowed to cook until tender.

The resulting broth is used to make sauces.

FRYING AND STEWING POULTRY

The carcasses of large poultry (turkeys, geese and ducks), tucked into a pocket or stitched with thread, are salted and laid back down on baking sheets. The surface of turkey carcasses is poured with melted bird fat, and if the bird is skinny, then melted lard, fat geese and ducks - with hot water and put in an oven.

The carcasses of chickens, chickens, hazel grouses, partridges, black grouses, capercaillie and pheasants are salted, put on a baking sheet or pan with fat (removed from poultry and melted or with lard), heated to a temperature of 150 ° (fat layer 3-5 cm), and , gradually turning, fry until a crispy crust forms over the entire surface of the carcass. For the formation of more roasted and beautiful crust carcasses smeared with sour cream. After frying, the carcasses are turned over on their backs, put in an oven and brought to readiness.

When frying poultry and game in the oven, it is necessary to periodically turn the carcasses over and pour over the fat and juice released from them.

Frying duration
- turkeys and geese 1.5-2 hours,
- chickens 45-60 min,
- chickens 25 - 30 min,
- ducks 50-60,
- hazel grouse and partridge 20-30,
- black grouse and pheasants 40-50,
- snipes and quails 8-10 min.

The readiness of poultry meat is determined by the juice released from the roasting carcasses when the thickest parts are pierced with a needle. If the juice is colorless and transparent, the bird is ready, if it is reddish cloudy, the bird is raw.

The finished carcasses of poultry and game are removed from the oven, the threads are removed, transferred to another dish, and the liquid remaining on the baking sheet is removed from the fat and prepared into a gravy (juice), which is poured over the bird when serving. Immediately before serving, poultry and game are cut into portions.

Roasted carcasses of turkeys, geese and ducks are cut in half in the longitudinal direction, then each half is divided into fillet and leg and chopped into the same number of pieces. Chickens are chopped into four, five, six or more parts, depending on the size of the carcasses and the norm of layouts. Fritillaries and partridges are served whole carcasses or cut into two parts along the sternum.

Black grouse and pheasants are cut into two or three parts in the longitudinal direction, and capercaillie into six to eight parts. Small game - woodcocks, quails, great snipes and snipes are served whole carcasses.

The main side dish for fried poultry and game is fried potatoes. Additionally, as a side dish, you can serve green salads, salads from red and white cabbage, pickled and pickled cucumbers, pickles, gherkins, squash, as well as pickled apples and pickled fruits and berries. Also served with goose and duck stewed cabbage and baked apples.

poultry and game for stews first they are fried with whole carcasses or chopped into pieces, and then stewed in sauce or broth, sometimes with the addition of tomato puree, vegetables, mushrooms, spices and spices.

BAKING POULTRY

Poultry and game meat, as well as products that are part of baked dishes, are boiled, poached, stewed or fried until cooked before baking.

Finished products, depending on the nature of the dish, are seasoned with sauce, placed in cupronickel dishes, frying pans, metal molds, in rolls, baskets or flounces baked from puff pastry or rich pastry, and then baked.

Roasting aims to quickly form a crispy crust over the entire surface of the baked dish; this requires a higher oven temperature, in the range of 300-350°. After the formation of a crispy crust, the dish is placed in an oven (150-200 °) to completely warm it up.

Dishes prepared for baking as semi-finished products can be stored for no more than 2 hours.

Ready-made baked foods should not be stored, as their appearance and taste deteriorate.

Meat maturation

Meat maturation - difficult process, during which nutritional properties meats become optimal.

Rigidity and moisture capacity of meat reach the best indicators after slaughter on the 5-7th day (at 0-4 degrees C), organoleptic properties - on the 10-14th day.

For meat that is sold for culinary purposes without pre-packing, the duration of maturation should be 10--14 days (at 0-4 degrees C). But it can be increased up to 20-30 days. After maturation, the meat becomes tender, juicy and well digestible. However, such a duration of the process is economically unprofitable, therefore, in most cases, the duration of meat aging (at 0–4 degrees C) should not exceed 5–6 days, otherwise, when it machining(boning, zhidovka) there will be large losses of meat juice.

If the meat is intended for freezing, then exposure for 24-48 hours is sufficient. If the enzymatic processes are suspended at the very beginning of production, an exposure for 5-6 days is recommended.

Signs of good quality meat

Indicators of meat freshness are smell, color, texture. But in some cases, these signs are not enough to determine the freshness of meat. So, for example, completely unsuitable frozen meat does not have an unpleasant odor.

The staleness can be detected during the test cooking of a piece of meat. Sometimes the meat is pierced with a heated knife, as it happens, for example, that the smell of the outer layer is normal, but the process of decomposition has already begun in the thickness of the muscles.

Benign cooled and chilled meat is covered with a thin crust of pale pink or pale red color. When touching the surface, the hand remains dry. On the cuts, the meat does not stick to the fingers. Its color is red (cattle meat), whitish-pink (veal), brown-red (lamb) and pinkish-red (pork), the juice is clear. The consistency of fresh meat is dense, the hole formed by pressing with a finger is quickly leveled.

Benign frozen meat is firm to the touch and makes a clear sound when tapped. On the surface and on the cuts, the meat is red in color with a grayish tint, which is given to the meat by small ice crystals. Even with slight heating (for example, if you put your finger on it), a bright red spot is formed.

Frozen meat does not have a specific meaty smell. By smell, you can determine its freshness only after it has thawed.

If the meat was frozen twice, then in terms of quality it is much lower. The color of twice-frozen meat is dark red on the surface, and cherry red on the cut. When warmed with a finger, the color of the meat does not change. Muscles and bone marrow should be red.

Frozen meat should be washed, put in a saucepan or bowl, covered and left for 2-3 hours so that it gradually thaws. Do not defrost meat in water or put it in a warm place, as this greatly deteriorates the quality of the meat.

Approximate composition (%) and caloric content (kcal) of 100 g of meat of some animals

Type and quality of meat					calories
Beef:
Mutton:
Veal
rabbit meat