Meat and Meat Alternatives

1. Nutrition Excellent source of: Protein Iron Zinc Meat and Meat Alternatives

2. Meat and Meat Alternatives • Effects during cooking/heating • Flavor develops • Moisture lost • Protein • Denatured, fragmented, and shortened • Connective tissue • Collagen turns into gelatin w/ time, temp, moist • Fat • Melts and increases perception of juiciness

3. Goal of cooking Tender, juicy product Tenderness influenced by: Animal Age: veal vs. beef Cut: more exercised is less tender Cooking method Temperature Time Dry vs. moist methods Meat and Meat Alternatives

4. Dry vs. moist cooking methods Dry Used for tender cuts Collagen not hydrolyzed Cooked without added water Moist Used for less tender cuts Hydrolyzes collagen to gelatin Covered when cooked Water is added (steam generated) Meat and Meat Alternatives

5. Meat and Meat Alternatives • Cooking precautions • Use oil, not margarine • Avoid smokepoint (produces acrolein) • Use tongs • Avoid piercing (results in juice loss) • Never broil on foil • Fat needs to drain • Could ignite • Keep 4 inches from heat

6. Doneness depends on cooking method Dry heat Rare @140°F Medium @ 150°F Well Done @ 160-165°F Moist heat “Done” when CT is broken down Palatability is achieved “Well done” almost always Meat and Meat Alternatives

7. Meat and Meat Alternatives • Carry over cooking • Internal temp. continues to rise after meat is removed from heat source • Cook until temp. is 10-15°below desired temp.