This chapter discusses meat, poultry, and game identification. It explains concepts like inspection, grading, and storage for various meats. It identifies cuts for beef, veal, pork, lamb and poultry. It discusses kosher meats and how they are slaughtered and prepared. Finally, it covers the grading systems for various meats like beef, veal, pork, lamb and poultry.

1. Chapter 6
Meat, Poultry, and Game Identification

2. Chapter 6 Objectives
 Explain basic meat concepts such as inspection,
grading, and storage of beef, veal, pork, lamb, and
poultry
 Explain the difference between meat inspection and
quality grading
 Identify a variety of cuts for each type of meat and
game
 Identify a variety of types of poultry and game birds
 Pair specific cuts of meat or poultry with the
appropriate cooking method(s)

3. Meat Basics
 Before purchasing one must consider:
 Intended use
 Storage capacity
 Available equipment for preparation
 Kitchen staff’s ability
 Price
 Check for wholesomeness and freshness of
meat upon arrival

4. Storage
 Keep meat, poultry, and game wrapped and
refrigerated
 Make sure to keep everything separate
 Vacuum-packed items

5. Inspection and Grading
 Government inspection of all meats is
mandatory
 Wholesomeness and free from disease
 Grading is not mandatory
 Carcass shape
 Meat to bone ratio
 Color
 Marbling

6. Market Forms
 Sides
 Quarters
 Saddles
 Primal cuts
 Subprimal cuts
 Food service, value added, HRI cuts

7. Kosher Meats
 Method of slaughter, bleeding, and fabrication
that follows religious dietary laws
 Shahat
 Veins and are arteries removed

8. Beef
 Steers and heifers
 Kobe, Limousin, Certified Angus
 Grades
 Prime
 Choice
 Select
 Standard
 Commercial
 Utility
 Cutter
 Canner

9. Veal
 Young calf, generally four to five months old
 Milk-fed / formula fed
 Should be selected based on color
 Grades
 Prime
 Choice
 Good Standard
 Utility
 Cull

10. Pork
 Domesticated pigs
 High fat content
 Grades
 1 2 3 4 and Utility (1 being the highest quality)

11. Lamb and Mutton
 Sheep
 Mutton is lamb older than sixteen months
 Grades
 Prime
 Choice
 Good
 Utility
 Cull

12. Venison and Game
 Free-roaming and domesticated wild animals
 Large game
 Venison includes: deer, moose, elk, and reindeer
 Buffalo and wild boar
 Small Game
 Rabbit

13. Poultry
 Domesticated birds
 Duck, goose, turkey, chicken, hen, pheasant,
quail, squab, guinea fowl, etc.
 Grades
 A
 B
 C