MEAT Grade 12 STRUCTURE CONNECTIVE TISSUE Muscle is

MEAT Grade 12

STRUCTURE: CONNECTIVE TISSUE • Muscle is surrounded by connective tissue = attaches the fibres

2 TYPES CONNECTIVE TISSUE • Collagen - white - White - Non-elastic - Moist heat = turns into gelatine • Elastin- yellow - Elastic - Very tough and remains inedible - Only mechanical action can tenderise

SARCOPLASM • NOT MEAT BLOOD • All blood drained with slaughtering • Juices left = sarcoplasm • Sarcoplasm full of flavour and nutrients • Semi-fluid gel like consistency

HOW TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF SARCOPLASM • Never immerse meat in water • Do not salt meat before cooking • Pack, freeze and thaw meat properly • Do not cook meat at too high temperatures or for too long

QUALITY OF MEAT FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE QUALITY: • Before slaughtering • During slaughtering • After slaughtering • Cooking process

FEEDING

AGE

MUSCLE ACTIVITY

MUSCLE ACTIVITY

TREATMENT OF ANIMAL

SUMMARY: BEFORE SLAUGHTERING • • Feeding Age Muscle Activity Relationship of muscle fibre to connective tissue • Marbling • Treatment

DURING SLAUGHTERING The animal’s brain should not be damaged – enables heart and lungs to continue functioning for as long as possible.

AFTER SLAUGHTERING • • • Cold shrinkage Electrical stimulation Rigor Mortis Ripening/Ageing (Wet and Dry) Cooking process

RIPENING OF MEAT: DRY

GOOD QUALITY MEAT • Always buy the best quality meat available!! • The better quality raw product = the better quality cooked product • Better quality meat will last longer • The fineness of the grain = texture = indication of the cut and tenderness

Characteristics of Good quality meat: BEEF & VEAL LAMB & MUTTON PORK Colour of meat Bright red/cherry red Older: Dark plum-red Bright pink colour Mutton: darker Greyish pink Older: darker Texture of meat Smooth, firm and not dry Smooth, fine, firm to the touch Firm when pressed Evenly and firmly distributed Evenly distributed across carcass White or cream colour Older: oily appearance Fat Bones Smell Surface red and porous Red and porous Older: white and harder Mutton: less red and harder Fresh smell Red and porous Fresh smell

GRADING OF MEAT • SAMIC = South African Meat Industry Company • Grade classification of meat = regulated way of indicating the quality of meat to the consumer • Pork = not roller marked as pork is considered soft meat • Goat = roller marked in orange taking in account the age (AAA, ABAB, BBB, CCC)

GRADING OF MEAT • Meat is graded according to: 1. Age of the animal 2. Quantity of fat 3. Shape and size of the carcass • The approved grading is stamped onto the carcass with coloured vegetable ink (harmless) • The quantity of visible fat is indicated with 000 (no fat) to 666 (extra fat)

Grade Classification of meat: AGE TENDERNESS MARK FAT COLOUR A Most tender AAA 000 -666 Purple 1 -2 TEETH AB Tender ABAB 000 -666 Green 3 -6 TEETH B Less Tender BBB 222 Lean fat 333 Medium 555 Very 666 Extra Brown MORE THAN 6 TEETH C Least tender CCC 444 fat 555 very fat 666 extra fat Red/Pink 0 TEETH CLASS

STORAGE OF MEAT Vacuum packing - Package airtight Moisture proof Odourless and colourless Keeps 2 weeks in fridge

STORAGE OF MEAT Vacuum packing - Package strong not to be punctured by bones - Enzyme action continue but bacteria cant multiply

STORAGE OF MEAT Refrigerator - Pack and seal airtight 4 °C 1 - 4 days Store in drip tray

STORAGE OF MEAT Freezer - Pack and seal airtight and label - - 12 °C - Nutritional value, appearance and taste not affected - Freeze quickly and only ONCE

STORAGE OF MEAT Freezer burn Dehydrated exposed Surface of meat caused by sublimation

SARCOPLASM Meat juices – a loss of sarcoplasm can result in a very dry and compact product

LOSS OF SARCOPLASM NEVER WASH MEAT/IMMERSE IN WATER - most of the nutrients and flavoursome components easily dissolved in water

LOSS OF SARCOPLASM MEAT MUST NOT BE SALTED - salt extracts the meat juices from the meat

LOSS OF SARCOPLASM MEAT MUST NOT BE OVERCOOKED - as long as heat is applied, meat juice will be released, leaving the final product dry and compact

PREPARATION METHODS 1. Trimming 2. Stuffing 3. Marinating 4. Barding 5. Larding 6. Binding 7. Carving 8. Boning 9. Tenderising 10. Enhancing moisture and flavour

TRIMMING

TRIMMING * Neatens the meat * Use a very sharp knife * Remove excess fat * Remove sinewy membranes

STUFFING

STUFFING * Used for boned joints * Ingredients: - breadcrumbs, cooked rice and soft cheese adds moisture * Eggs added for binding

ADVANTAGES OF STUFFING • Stretches the number of serving portions • Enhances the appearance • Enhances the flavour • Create variety of interesting dishes

MARINATING

BARDING

LARDING

BASTING

COOKING MEAT DRY COOKING MOIST COOKING METHODS

EFFECT OF HEAT ON MEAT • Fat melt = coat muscle fibres • Protein denaturates and coagulates • Flesh becomes firmer • Connective tissue shrinks, softens and melts • Collagen transforms to gelatine • Elastin (yellow connective tissue) not affected by moist heat

The Cooking Process Heat influences both the muscle fibre and connective tissue - In opposite ways! Muscle fibres become tougher and Harder Connective tissue becomes softer

DRY HEAT VS MOIST HEAT DRY HEAT Tough meat cuts – usually forequarter Tender cuts – usually hindquarters White connective tissue (collagen) = change to gelatine Meat has little connective tissue Muscle fibre = tougher Muscle fibres should just coagulate Slower Faster Retain juices Outside seared and juices stay inside

Degree of Doneness of Meat Degree of Doneness Colour Touch Internal Temperatur e Meat juice Rare – Au Bleu Browned surface – red inside Soft – gives to pressure 54 °C Red droplets on surface Medium Rare Saignant Browned surface – red-pink inside Moderately soft 60° C Reddish pink Medium Well – A point Thick layer of gray with pink inside Moderately firm and resilient 65 °C Pink Well done – Bien cuit Grey throughout Firm – does not give way to pressure 77 °C Clear

MEAT CUTS: BEEF

THE BEEF CARCASS

Hind Quarter Fore Quarter

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Gammon

Guard of Honor

Standing Rib Roast

Brawn

Caul

Lamb Noisette

Saddle of Lamb

Saratoga Chop

PORTION SIZES VS

SERVING SIZE PERSON 120 g off the bone 150 -200 g on the bone

ACCOMPANIMENTS TYPE OF MEAT SAUCES ACCOMPANIMENTS Roast mutton and lamb Mint sauce Mint jelly Fondant Potatoes Noisette potatoes Beef Roast Horseradish sauce Gravy – jus Yorkshire pudding

ACCOMPANIMENTS TYPE OF MEAT Beef Steaks Pork SAUCES ACCOMPANIMENTS Bearnaise sauce Maitre d’hotel butter Fried onions Jacket Potatoes Straw potatoes Apple Sauce Onion, leeks Apple rings/halves

HERBS TO USE WITH BEEF Thyme Coriander Rosemary Marjoram Bay leave Basil Sage

HERBS TO USE WITH LAMB/MUTTON Mint Oregano Rosemary Basil Thyme

HERBS TO USE WITH PORK Sage Dill Tarragon Thyme Basil Marjoram Fennel