Meat - LC Home Ec

Meat

is the flesh of an animal, typically a mammal or bird, consumed as food

Classification of meat

Carcass, poultry, game and offal

Examples of carcass meat

pig, cow, sheep

Definition and Examples of poultry meat

- domestic birds reared for meat and eggs
- chicken, turkey, goose, duck

Definition and Examples of Game

- wild birds and animals
- pheasant, rabbit, deer

Definition and Examples of Offal

- edible internal organs
- kidneys, liver, tongue

Structure of meat diagram

Meat is made up of...

Meat fibres, connective tissue and fat

Meat fibres contain...

- actin, myosin and globulin
- vitamins and minerals
- water
- extractives

Fibres vary in...

length and diameter (which affects tenderness)

Connective tissue

holds meat fibres together in bundles

Connective tissue contains the proteins...

elastin and collagen

Fat is present in 2 forms

visible and invisible

Visible fat

found under the skin of animals or around internal organs e.g. the rind on rashers

Invisible fat

Present in the flesh as globules dispersed between meat fibres and the connective tissues, e.g. fat dispersed throughout mince.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NUTRITIVE VALUE AND DIETETIC VALUE

Nutritive value: what nutrients are in the food (Type, Examples, Function)
Dietetic: WHO should eat this food, WHY, ADVANTAGES.

Dietetic value of meat (protein)

Meat is an excellent source of HBV protein that assists with growth and repair . This makes it a valuable food in the diets of children, teens and pregnant women

Dietetic value of meat (fat)

As carcass meat is high in saturated fat, it should be restricted in the diets of people with high cholesterol and those on calorie controlled diets. Poultry is a good alternative

Dietetic value of Meat (iron)

Meat is a good source of haem iron, which can reduce the risk of anemia

Dietetic value of Meat (variety)

Meat is available in a variety of types and forms to suit different tastes and add variety to the diet

Dietetic value of Meat (versatile)

Meat is a versatile food suited to many different cooking methods and flavour combos

Dietetic value of Meat (price)

Some cuts of meat are inexpensive, making meat an economical food. Processed meat products (burgers) are often cheaper than fresh meat

Dietetic value of Meat (carbs)

Meat lacks carbohydrates, so it should be combined with foods high in carbs to balance the diet

Causes of toughness

age, activity, cooking, slaughter

Causes of toughness: Age

older animals have tougher meat than younger animals because:
1. they have more/stronger connective tissue
2. their muscle fibres are longer and thicker

Causes of toughness: Activity

meat from active parts of the animal (the leg) are tougher because it develops longer muscle fibres and more connective tissue over time

Causes of toughness: treatment before and after slaughter

Before: animals should be rested, to enable glycogen build up in their muscles as after slaughter glycogen converts to lactic acid which tenderises meat
After: Beef should be hung for 14-21 days and lamb 7 days to ensure sufficient tenderising.

Causes of toughness: Incorrect method of cooking

tough cuts of meat require slow cooking methods to convert collagen in connective tissue to gelatine.

Methods of tenderising meat

MMMM: meat tenderisers, mechanical breakdown, marinating, slow and moist cooking methods

Meat tenderisers

contain proteolytic enzymes, e.g. papain from papayas, which break down meat fibres, making them more digestible.

Mechanical breakdown

e.g. pounding with a meat mallet, breaks fibres into shorter lengths, tenderising meat

Marinating

in a mixture of acid, salt, herbs, spices and fruit, breaks down fibres

Slow, moist cooking methods

e.g. stewing, convert collagen to gelatine, making meat fibres fall apart and become soft

Guidelines for buying meat

Clean hygienic shop, check use by on pre packaged meat, bird bia quality mark, correct colour for its type, no strong smell, no damage to packaging, flesh should be firm, buy at end of shopping trip, buy according to chose cooking method

Guidelines for storing meat

- store at 4 C, as room temp speeds up bacterial growth, increasing rate of spoilage
- minimise the amount of time meat is in storage
- If freezing fresh meat, freeze at -25 C on the day of purchase
- store on bottom shelf of fridge

Suitable methods of cooking meat

1. Roasting - leg of lamb

2. Barbecuing - filet steak

3. Frying - bacon slices

4. Boiling - joint of bacon

5. Grilling - lamb chops

6. Stewing - beef stewing pieces

7. Microwaving - minute steak

8. Braising - beef round roast

Guidelines for cooking carcass meat (3 guidelines)

• Choose appropriate cooking method suited to type and cut of the meat

• If baking or cooking, ensure the oven is preheated so it will cook meat until it reaches a sufficiently high temperature to ensure all pathogenic bacteria are killed

• Avoid overcooking - becomes tough and difficult to digest

Guidelines for preparing and cooking poultry

1. If frozen, thaw in fridge before cooking

2. Removes giblets (offal) - liver, heart, stomach, neck

1. Cook in a preheated oven until centre reaches approx 75 degrees - ensures all pathogenic bacteria are killed

2. Cool leftovers quickly to avoid bacterial growth. Cover and store in fridge and use within 2 days

Effects of cooking on meat (8 effects)

1. Protein coagulates - meat shrinks

2. Fat melts - adds flavour

3. Colour change - denaturation of myoglobin to haematin (Red to brown)

4. B group vitamins lost (not heat stable)

5. Bacteria destroyed

6. Flavour develops (extractive released)

7. Collagen converts to gelatine

8. Meat becomes tough, rubbery and difficult to digest if overcooked

Food processing definition

Involves taking raw ingredients and changing them (physically or chemically) into new products

Process of freezing meat

• Meat is deboned, some fat is removed

• Can be frozen by commercial methods (blast freezing) or home freezing

Effects of freezing meat

• No effect on colour, flavour, texture

• Microorganisms inactivated

• Some loss of B Group vitamins and extractive during drip loss when thawed

• Freezer burn may occur if packaging is damaged

• Rancidity of meat may occur if left in freezer for too long

Examples of freezing meat

pork, beef, lamb and poultry products

Blast freezing

• Most common method of commercial freezing

• Food subjected to a blast of cold air (-30 to -40 degrees) that circulates around food as it travels through a tunnel on a conveyor belt

• Takes approx 2 ½ hours

Process of vacuum packing meat

Meat is deboned then sealed in polythene packets with air removed

Effects of vacuum packing meat

• No effect on nutritional value, colour, flavour and texture

• Microorganisms inactivated Some

• Can be refrigerated for 3-4 weeks unopened. When opened it must be treated as fresh and used within 2-3 days

Examples of vacuum packing meat

Rashers and sausages

Process of curing meat

Meat is injected with a preserving solution (salt and potassium nitrate) and soaked in a brine solution for three to four days. It is then stored for 5-6 days to allow the flavour to develop. At this stage, meat may be soaked

Effects of curing meat

• Salt content is increased

• Colour and flavour are changed

• Microorganisms and enzymes are destroyed

Examples of curing meat

Bacon and ham

Process of drying meat

Moisture is removed. Can be completed by fluidised bed drying or accelerated freeze drying

Effects of drying meat

• Colour, flavour, texture are changed

• Loss of B group vitamins

• Microorganisms and enzymes are destroyed

Examples of drying meat

Beef jerky and meat in packet soups

Fluidised bed drying

• Food is subjected to a blast of hot air that circulates around, dehydrating it

• Food is continuously moved around so it does not stick together

• Takes 20-40 minutes to freeze

• Uses include drying fruit, veg and flat pieces of meat

A number of meat products are made by…

Processing the parts of animals that cannot be retailed as carcass meat

Most processed meat products are made from…

Minced meat, fillers, fat and additives

Processed meat products: fresh sausages

Made from raw meat, fat, water, fillers and flavourings in a casing usually made from synthetic collagen

Processed meat products: Cooked sausages

• E.g black and white pudding, frankfurters

• Made with similar ingredients to fresh sausages but some contain additional ingredients (oatmeal and pigs blood - black pudding)

Processed meat products: Dried sausages

• Salami and pepperoni

• Made from meat that is cured, minced, mixed with other ingredients and dried

Processed meat products: Beef burgers

Made from minced beef, beef fat, wheat flour, water and seasoning and moulded to a circle

Processed meat products: Meat extractives

• stock cubes and gravy

• Made form meat juice extractives and that are dried and mixed with corn flour, salt, yeast extract and flavour enhancers

Examples of meat products

• Fresh sausages

• Dried sausages

• Cooked sausages

• Beef burgers

• Meat extractives

• Late

• Cold cooked meat

• Gelatine

What does the Bord Bia Quality mark tell consumers?

Products are quality assured as they have been produced sustainably with the highest level of care and attention at primary production

How does a farmer achieve a bord bia quality mark

• Be a certified member of the Sustainable Bord Bia Assurance Scheme

• Provide customers with quality assured beef and lamb products

What are farms audited by Bord Bia to ensure?

• competence in herd-owner responsibilities

• High standards of animal welfare

• Accurate records of origin, sex, ages, breed, movement and vetinary treatments of all animals to ensure traceability

• Implementation of a pest control programme in farmyards that minimises impact on the environment

The department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine ensure that meat purchased is fresh, hygienic and free from disease by…?

• enforcing EU legislation regarding import of foods of animal origin from outside the EU

• Monitoring the use of antibiotics and growth promoters in animal production

• Ensuring the maintenance of abattoirs and meat processing factories

• Routine testing for TB and BSE in animals

• Ensuring the identification of livestock and traceability of meat