This document provides information on various types of meats including beef, pork, lamb, and poultry. It discusses cuts of meat and where they come from on the animal. Specific cuts are identified as more or less tender. The aging and cutting process for beef is described. Methods of cooking meat based on tenderness are also summarized.

2. Beef from
cattle
Venison from deer;
other game incl. wild
boar, moose, and elk.
Veal from calves
Pork from hogs
Mutton from mature sheep
Lamb from
young sheep

3. Meats sold in the United
States are always inspected
by federal agents of the
Food & Drug Administration
(FDA)… from live animal to
the grocery store case.
Inspection stamps appear
on the meat itself, often in
the form of a edible, purple
vegetable dye. Both safety
and quality are determined.

4. After each animal
is slaughtered, the
carcass is cut into
halves or quarters
called primary
cuts. It is then
hung to age for
48 hours- 21 days.
The hanging
position lengthens
the fibers and
creates more
tenderness. If left
to age longer, the
meat becomes
darker and more
flavorful… but
more expensive.
The meat continues to be inspected
throughout this process.

5. After aging, the carcass is cut again…
this time into large wholesale cuts.
Grocery stores often buy these cuts,
and butchers cut them up as
customers place their orders.
Some call these second
cuts ‘primal’ cuts, as
well.

6. Fabrication is the cutting of wholesale
cuts into retail cuts of meat. The
customer or restaurant can order their
steaks cut ½, 1, or 2” thick OR get a 4,
5, or 20# roast… as they desire. Most
retail cuts are packaged and sold to
grocery stores for individual customer
purchasing.

7. Arm Brisket
Shank
Chuck Blade
Shoulder
Plate
Belly, Bacon
Spare or
short ribs
Flank
Hamburger
Rib Loin Sirloin
Round
Rump/Butt
Ham
Steaks and Roasts

8. Less tender top
round
Most tender
bottom or
eye of round
When cutting or purchasing
steaks (T-bones, rib, loin,
round, sirloin, etc.) the larger
section of meat at the top side
of the bone is less tender. The
smaller eye or bottom section is
the most tender.
Hamburger or ground beef is made by
grinding up less tender meat and
scraps of meat and fat. It is sold by
the percentage of lean meat to fat:
85/15 means 85% lean red meat and
15% fat per pound. The lower
percentage of fat means ‘healthier…
but less flavorful’.
A rib eye steak
is VERY
tender.

9. When the eye is left
whole and not cut
crosswise into steaks… it
is called the tenderloin.
This is the small but very
best cut of meat. It is also
the most expensive cut.
Before roasting trim
the tenderloin. The
silverskin, which is the
tough membrane that
surrounds the
tenderloin, and the fat
or gristle is cut away.

10. Tying a roast
with string
ensures even
cooking and
helps keep the
shape of the
meat.
Medallions or the
French term
Noisettes
(nwah-ZET) refers
to small, usually
round, boneless
and tender cuts of
meat.
The term butterfly
means to cut the piece
of meat lengthwise,
nearly in half, so it
opens out and lies flat.
This speeds the
cooking process.
This is a butterfly chop..
The term kosher is
meat or poultry that
has been slaughtered
to comply with
Jewish dietary laws.

11. Tongue
Chitterlings
(CHIT-lins)
(intestines)
Kidneys
Tripe
(stomach lining)
Variety or offal (OH-fel) meats are edible
animal organs…extremely high in nutrients,
but high in calories and cholesterol also.
Prices may be low if demand is low. For
some people, eating these foods is like an
episode of FEAR FACTOR!
Sweetbreads
(thymus glands)
Liver
Heart
Brains

12. Muscle fibers are long, thin
muscle cells. They are
thinnest (and most tender)
in parts of the animal that
get little exercise. They
thicken (and are less tender)
in older animals and parts
that get a lot of exercise.
The primal or wholesale meat cuts on
an animal are very large cuts of meat.
Can you rationalize which cuts
of this beef carcass are tender,
and which are less tender?

13. 1. COLLAGEN is a thin, white
connective issue that will soften in
moist-heat cooking methods.
2. ELASTIN is a yellow connective tissue
that will not soften. It must be pounded,
cut, or ground to make it chewable. This
might be done by pounding with a utensil
called a meat tenderizer.
The amount of
connective
tissue
increases as
an animal ages
and when the
animal gets a
lot of exercise.

14. If the butcher or
carver cuts the
meat WITH the
grain, the fibers
remain long in each
piece and difficult
to chew.
If you cut ACROSS the grain, however, the long fibers are
cut into short pieces. This makes them easier to chew.
Always carve across the grain for tenderness!
Suppose these arrows represent
long fibers in the meat running in a
horizontal direction…the grain.

15. VISIBLE FAT is found under the skin
of the animal, in the belly parts, and
surrounding the large muscle
portions. Cook meat “fat side up” to
allow the flavor to melt down through
the meat while cooking.
MARBLING is the white flecks or
streaks that appear within the
lean meat. Abundant marbling is
associated with tenderness.
TALLOW is a type of hard fat that
thickens and coats the mouth when
cooled. It is found primarily in venison,
mutton, and lamb.

16. 1. Braising
2. Cooking in liquid
(stewing)
3. Steaming
4. Using a lid/cover
1. Roasting (no lid and
and on a rack)
2. Frying
3. Grilling/broiling
4. Deep fat frying
Moist-heat cooking
methods soften
connective tissue
and less tender cuts
of meat. Use water,
broth, or tomato
juice for liquid, plus
a lid.

17. In addition to the utensil called a meat
tenderizer (a mechanical tool that is used
to pound meat and break up elastin
tissue), several forms of chemical meat
tenderizers are also used.
MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG) is an artificial
enzyme that comes in a powdered form and can be
sprinkled or rubbed on meat as a tenderizer.
PAPAIN is a natural enzyme found in fresh
pineapple, papayas, and tomatoes. Cooking meats
with these foods cause the meat to become more
tender.

18. A marinade is a liquid made from
oil, and acid such as vinegar or
wine, and herbs and spices. The
meat may be soaked in it prior to
cooking, as the acid breaks down
the collagen and adds flavor.
To bard meat means to tie a
layer of fat on top or around it
to moisten and flavor it while
cooking. Bacon is often used.
A spice rub or dry marinade
may be applied to the meat
before cooking to improve
appearance and flavor.

19. Searing meat means to quickly
brown it in a very hot skillet prior to
usual cooking methods. Searing,
although it does not seal in juices
as once believed, does improve
flavor and appearance.
Deglaze the pan after cooking the
meat by adding water or liquid, and
swirling it around to loosen the
food particles on the bottom. The
liquid becomes the jus (ZHEW). If
the jus is thickened with
cornstarch, it is called jus lié
(zhew-lee-AY). Jus thickened with
a roux is called pan gravy.

20. Charcuterie (sha-COO-tree)
is French for ‘cooked
flesh’, and refers to
specially prepared pork
products including
sausage, smoked ham,
bacon, pâté, and terrine.
Sausage is plain or
seasoned ground pork,
game, beef, veal, poultry,
fish, shellfish, and even
vegetables… usually
forced into a casing made
of animal intestines or
synthetic materials.
Sausages:
Bockwurst (BAHK-wurst ); white; veal
Cajun or milder French Andouille
(ann-DO-ee)
German pork bratwurst
Mexican or Spanish chorizo (chuh-REE-zoh)
Hot dogs or Weiners
Italian sausage with garlic and fennel
Polish kielbasa (keel-BAH-suh)
Knockwurst (NAK-vursht) with garlic
Pepperoni
Scrapple (sausage and cornmeal)
Vienna sausages (short, canned)

21. Forcemeat is a mixture of lean ground
meat and fat that is forced to combine, in
a food grinder. It is then forced through a
sieve to make a very smooth paste. It can
be made into a rich mixture called a pâté,
and baked in an earthenware mold called
a terrine. A pâté de campagne (pah-TAY
de kom-PAN-yuh) uses cured meat.
Foie gras (FWA-gra) is the liver from a
fattened goose or duck, and may be used in
a pâté. Mousseline (moose-us-LEEN) is a
delicately-flavored forcemeat made from
veal, poultry, or fish. When shaped into
dumplings and poached in a rich stock,
they are called quenelles (kuh-NEL).
Pâté en croûte (pah-TAY on kroot) is forcemeat wrapped in
dough. Galantine (gal-en-TEEN) is wrapped in chicken skin.
Pâté
Quenelles
Pâté en croûte

22. Processed
meats have
undergone
some sort of
additional
treatment to
either extend
shelf life or
create a
distinctive
flavor.
Drying and
salting meat:
Curing meat (with a
mixture of salt, nitrite,
ascorbic acid, etc):
ham is an example
Luncheon meats
Sausages, often smoked

23. This pork chop looks yummy,
but if cooked improperly
could be responsible for
illness and even death.
Trichinae worms are
parasites, living in the
muscle of hogs. When the
infected meat is eaten by
humans, the worm then
infects the human
muscles. Trichinosis is
accompanied by arthritis-
type symptoms.
e.Coli is a bacteria that
lives in the digestive
system of a healthy animal.
The bacteria may come in
contact with the meat. If the
meat is then undercooked
and eaten, the bacteria is
transferred to the human. It
can cause death.
Cooking meat until no pink remains
destroys both trichinae and e.coli.
Even slight overcooking, however,
may cause meat to be less-juicy and
less-tender.

24. Like meat, poultry is
inspected by the federal
government. The grades
are:
USDA A
USDA B
USDA C
Factors that determine
grade are the shape of the
carcass, ratio of meat to
bone, amount of feathers,
and number of cuts or
broken bones.
Fresh poultry has a short
shelf life, but can be frozen.
It should never be gray in
color or have a pasty feel,
and odor should be minimal.
Never store uncooked
stuffing in a raw bird. Cook
all poultry thoroughly.

25. Chicken and turkey have both white and dark
meat. White meat is leaner with a mild flavor.
Ducks and geese have only dark meat, which
is more flavorful but higher in fat. The part of
the bird getting more exercise is darker, such
as the legs and thighs of a chicken.
Free-range poultry is raised in large yards
where the bird can get more exercise, and
there is more dark meat.
Game birds that do more actual
“flying”, have more dark meat.
Wild game might include quail,
pheasant, wild turkey, ducks,
geese or turtledove. Domesticated
birds have far more white meat.

26. The method used for
cooking poultry depends on
the age of the bird. Young
birds can be cooked in dry
heat, such as grilling, frying,
and roasting.
Older birds and game birds are less tender,
and need to be cooked in moist heat. Use a
lid and add liquid or gravy during cooking.
Stewing, or boiling older birds is common.
Chicken is often
dredged in flour
before frying to
form a coating and
seal in juices.

27. Trussing a bird means the legs
and wings are tied to the bird’s
body, so the entire bird will
cook evenly and stay moist.
Deboning poultry means to separate
the meat from the bone and cut the
bird into pieces. Clean work
surfaces and equipment carefully to
avoid cross-contamination.
Chicken can be
purchased whole
to save money;
you cut it up
yourself OR you
can purchase it
already cut up
OR purchase just
the pieces you
want.

28. GIBLETS (JIB-lets)are
the edible poultry
organs, including the
liver, heart, and
gizzard (a digestive
organ).
The skin on the
poultry is high in
fat content. For that
reason, many
people remove the
skin before eating
the poultry.
In the picture to the
left, the chicken
breast has been
halved, boned, and
skinned.
Giblets and the neck are often packaged
separately in the cavity of the raw bird;
cooked, and used in the stuffing.

29. Cooking does not stop
immediately when food is
taken from the heat. This is
called carryover cooking,
and the larger the item the
more heat it will retain.
Poultry should be cooked
à point (ah PWAH), all the way
through but not overcooked.
Allow meat or poultry to rest
after removed from the oven.
This allows time for carryover
cooking and allows less juice to
be lost during carving.

30. Flat and round fin fish can be
divided into two categories by the
color of their flesh…
Light or white fish have a mild flavor,
tender texture, and low fat. They
include catfish, cod, flounder, haddock,
halibut, perch, pike, pollack (PŎL-luck),
pompano (POM-pa-nō), turbot
(TER-bet), red snapper, sole, trout, and
whitefish.
Darker fish flesh has a more pronounced flavor,
firm texture, and higher fat content. These
include bluefish, mackerel, salmon, swordfish,
and tuna.

31. CRUSTACEANS have long
bodies with jointed limbs
covered with shells,
including crab, crayfish,
lobster, and shrimp.
MOLLUSKS have soft bodies covered by at least one
shell, including clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, and
squid. Removing them from the shell is called
‘shucking’.

32. Purchase fresh fish by appearance
and a mild, fresh aroma. Eyes should
be clear and full; gills should have a
red or maroon color. Inspection is
not required, but generally Grade A
fish are for cooking; grades B and C
are for canning.
Live crab/lobster should be moving around; lobster tails
should curl under when picked up; clams, mussels, and
oysters should be tightly closed.
Oyster
in the
shell

33. FILET (fil-LAY) is a procedure to
remove bones or a piece of fish
“without bones”.
Scaling fish means to
remove the hard and inedible
scales from the skin.
To gut a fish, make a slit in
the belly OR cut off the head
and pull out the insides.
Click on this fish icon to see a demonstration
on Asian speed-cooking of snake & fish

34. Gently pull off heads. Pull off legs and then peel back shell OR peel
back shell and then remove any remaining legs.
Peel off shell and then
remove tail if desired.
Make a shallow slit down
the back to expose the
vein (digestive tract).
Pull out the intestine
with your knife,
fingers, or toothpick.
De-veining shrimp means
to remove the digestive
tract.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

35. Fish is very tender. It should be
cooked until it flakes easily and is
opaque in color. All cooking methods
can be used… grilling, frying, and
deep fat frying, boiling, steaming, etc.
Fish may be canned in oil for flavor, or
water to cut calories. It can be preserved by
pickling, smoking, curing or drying. Lox is
a fish that is smoked and cured, and
commonly served with bagels.
Fish can be cut into
goujonettes (goo-sha-NET)
or small strips OR paupiettes
(pō-peeEHT) thin rolled
fillets filled with stuffing.

36. En papillote
(en paw-pee-YOTE)
is a moist-heat
cooking method, well
suited for fish. The
fish, vegetables,
herbs, etc. are
encased in parchment
paper and baked, or
steamed in foil.
Seafood Newburg is lobster, crab, or
shrimp in a rich sauce made from butter,
cream, egg yolks, sherry, and seasonings.
Jambalaya
(jam-bo-LIE-ah) is
a Creole stew
made from rice or
pasta, shellfish,
and vegetables.