Butchery Techniques & Classifications of Meat

Butchery Techniques: The Anatomy of Meat

What is Meat?

• Meat is the flesh of any edible animal.

• Composed of chemical substances and elements with a high moisture content (65-70%).

• Remaining percentage includes sugars, acids, proteins, fats, and extracts.

• Construction: Thin, thread-like fibres, with connective tissue (thin membrane).

• Bundles of fibres form "gristle" (thicker tissue).

• Connective tissue is tough.

Understanding Connective Tissue

• Important for cooks to know which meats are high or low in connective tissue.

• Essential for knowing how to tenderize tough meats.

• Muscles that are more exercised (e.g., legs) have more connective tissue.

• Meat from older animals has more connective tissue.

• Veal (young) < young steer < old bull/cow (tougher).

• Proper cooking techniques can tenderize meat with high connective tissue.

Two Types of Connective Tissue

1. Collagen (white):

   • Moist heat turns collagen into gelatin and water.

   • Low temperature, long cooking time is most effective.

   • Acid helps dissolve collagen (marinades, tomatoes, lime, vinegar, papaya, wine).

   • Enzymes break down connective tissue as meat ages.

     • Inactive at freezing temperatures.

     • Slow-acting under refrigeration.

     • Active at room temperature.

     • Destroyed by heat above 140°F (60°C).

   • Tenderizers (e.g., papain from papaya).

     • Added by cook or injected before slaughter.

     • Excessive exposure can make meat mushy.

2. Elastin (yellow):

   • Old animals have higher proportion of elastin.

   • Elastin is not broken down by cooking.

   • Tenderizing methods:

     • Removing elastin (tendons).

     • Mechanically breaking up fibres (pounding, cubing, grinding).

     • Slicing cooked meat thinly against the grain.

Meat Purchasing

• Meat cost comprises 40-50% of total food cost.

• Purchase options:

  • On the Hoof: Animal purchased alive.

  • In the Carcass: Whole slaughtered animal.

  • By the Side: Half of the carcass.

  • By the Quarter: Front or hind quarter of carcass.

  • Wholesale Cuts (Primal Cuts): Chuck, Brisket, Fore shank, Ribs, Short loins, Plate, Flank, Sirloin, Rounds.

  • Retail Cuts: Secondary cuts, ready-to-serve portions.

  • Prefabricated Cuts: Cleaned, deboned, portion-ready wholesale cuts.

Factors Influencing Purchase Method

1. Delivery service.

2. Storage and breakdown facilities (walk-in freezer/refrigerator).

3. Labor cost (high for efficient carcass breakdown).

4. Ability to utilize all edible meat parts.

• Inefficiency leads to waste and higher serving cost.

Carcass Meat

• Requires increased storage and breakdown facilities.

• High labor costs for efficient processing.

• Problem of waste disposal (bones, fat).

• Demands efficient management to avoid high inventories.

• Menu must utilize all parts quickly.

• Appropriate equipment (saws, grinders).

• Inferior cuts should not substitute luxury cuts.

• Potential steaks should not be sacrificed for ground beef or stew.

Wholesale Cuts

• Further breakdown needed for steaks, chops, roasts.

• Requires precision cutting to eliminate waste and control portion cost.

• Rigid specifications for weight, quality, and trim.

Prefabricated Cuts

• Maximum control.

• Lightens management load.

• Wider variety of cuts can be purchased and stored ready-to-use.

• Can carry large inventory with limited storage and low deterioration risk.

• Purchased according to quality, size, trim to meet institutional needs.

• Eliminates waste, establishes serving cost, ensures equal portions.

• Each portion is cut, trimmed, ready to cook.

• No trimming waste to be absorbed in the cost.

• Cuts are individually wrapped and packaged.

• No refuse to soil preparation area.

• Less refrigeration space needed.

• Less equipment required (electrical saws and grinders).

• No high-priced personnel needed.

• Cost of each portion is known when planning the menu.

Classes and Grades of Meat

• Meat is classified by age, sex, and graded by quality.

• Bovine animals: beef, calves, veal.

• Ovine animals: sheep, yearling, lamb.

Classes of Beef

• Steer, Heifer, Cow, Stag, Bull.

Steer

• Young castrated male.

• Marketed at 2-3 years.

• Superior conformation, finish, quality.

• Weight: 400-650 lbs; Side weight 200-400 lbs.

• Grain-fed.

• Graded: Prime, Choice.

Heifer

• Young female that has not borne a calf.

• Marketed at 2.5 years.

• Compact animal.

• Second in quality to Steer.

Cow

• Female that has borne calves.

• 8-10 years.

• Uneven fat distribution (yellow).

• Graded: Commercial, Utility, Cutter, Canner.

Stag

• Male castrated after sexual maturity.

• Poor quality meat.

Bull

• Sexually mature, uncastrated male.

• 5-8 years.

• High lean-to-fat ratio, dark flesh.

• Poor finish, conformation, quality.

• Graded: low.

• Used for sausage, dried beef, jerky.

Classes for Ovine

• Ewe (female sheep), Wether (castrated male), Ram (uncastrated male).

• Divided into Sheep, Yearling, and Lamb.

Lamb Terminology

• Lamb: Flesh of immature ovine.

• Mutton: Flesh of mature ovine.

• Yearling: Flesh of lamb 12-20 months old.

• Fell: Thin, paper-like covering on lamb carcass.

• English Lamb Chops: Two-inch thick cuts from un-split loin.

• Frenched: Meat/fat removed from rib bone end (crown roast ribs, leg bone).

• Cull: Poorest grade of lamb.

• Crown Roast: Prepared from un-split rack.

• Riblets: Rectangular strips with rib bone from breast.

• Hotel Rack: Un-split rib section of carcass.

• Mock Duck: Shoulder/shank cuts shaped like a duck and roasted.

• Hot House Lamb: Lamb produced under artificial conditions (Jan-Mar), graded Choice/Good.

• Double Lamb Chops: One rib chop equal to two ribs chops.

Pork Classes

• Barrow, Gilt, Sow, Stag, Boar.

Pork Definitions

• Borrow: Male hog castrated when young.

• Gilt: Immature female hog.

• Sow: Female hog.

• Stag: Male hog castrated after sexually mature.

• Boar: Mature male hog (uncastrated).

Pork Terminology

• Chitterlings: Hog intestines, emptied and rinsed before frying.

• Canadian Bacon: Trimmed, pressed, smoked pork loin (4-6 lbs), baked, sautéed, or broiled.

• Cottage Ham: Smoked boneless meat from Boston Butt blade section, boiled or steamed (1.5 - 4 lbs).

• Head Cheese: Jellied, spiced, pressed meat from hog's head, used as luncheon meat.

• Loin Backs: Rib bones removed from loin, used in place of spare ribs.

• Salt Pork: Fat back cured in salt.

• Fresh Ham: Un-smoked ham from hind leg.

• Suckling Pig: Young pig (4-6 weeks, 20-35 lbs dressed) roasted whole for ornamental purposes.

• Curing: Salting to retard bacteria and preserve meat.

• Virginia Ham: Salt-cured for 7 weeks, rubbed with molasses/brown sugar/salt peter/pepper, cured for two more weeks, hung for 30 days to a year, not smoked, must be scrubbed/soaked before cooking.

• Prosciutto ham: Italian, dry, hard, ready-to-eat, thinly sliced for hors d'oeuvres/appetizers.

Grades of Meat

• Graded by government standards based on conformation, finish, and quality.

Grading Factors

1. Conformation: General structure, shape, meat-to-bone ratio, breeding.

   • Top conformation: Short, blocky carcass; short-shanked; plump rounds; smooth hips; thickly fleshed loin/rib; short neck/smooth shoulders.

2. Finish: Thickness, colour, fat amount to lean (marbling).

   • Fat distribution (pelvic, kidneys, flank).

   • Feathering between ribs.

   • Covering fat is less important because it is often removed.

   • Excessive inner fat increases cost and decreases yield.

   • Buyer must accept presence of some fat for flavor.

   • Fat colour indicates quality. Often fat sold at retail isn't desirable.

3. Quality: Most important to customer; appearance, eating qualities, flavor, tenderness, juiciness.

   • Animal maturity, colour, texture, firmness of lean meat, marbling.

   • Bones indicate youthful animal evaluated based on colour, porosity, and softness.

   • Texture is evaluated by the bundling of the fibre process.

   • Marbling is well known factor of quality for tenderness.

   • Marbling found in some older animals indicates tenderness.

U.S. Meat Grades

• Beef: Prime, Choice, Good, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, Canner.

• Pork: U.S. #1, U.S. #2, U.S. #3, Cull.

• Veal: Prime, Choice, Good, Commercial, Utility, Cull.

• Lamb: Prime, Choice, Good, Commercial, Utility, Cull.

• Mutton: Prime, Choice, Good, Commercial, Utility, Cull.

• Poultry: A, B, C.

• Egg Sizes: Jumbo, Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small, Pewee.

• Egg Grades: AA, A, B, C.

U.S. Beef Grades (for food service)

U.S. Prime

• Best beef, from prized steers/heifers.

• Only 4% of U.S. beef is graded prime.

• High fat content (wasteful).

• Used in expensive commercial establishments.

U.S. Choice

• Most popular, abundant.

• Good fat covering and marbling.

• Preferred because of less waste.

U.S. Good

• Economical beef, cooked with care.

• From grass-fed steers/heifers or corn-fed cows.

• Soft, yellow fat.

• Slight marbling.

U.S. Standard

• Between Good and Commercial.

• From young steers, heifers, cows.

• Poor conformation, little fat.

• Mostly in retail outlets.

U.S. Commercial

• Mostly from older cows.

• Tough meat, needs lengthy cooking or tenderizer.

• Poor conformation, fair but yellow fat.

U.S. Utility

• From stags, bulls, older cows.

• Seldom used in commercial kitchens, needs long cooking/tenderizer.

• Retail stores carry as block beef.

U.S. Cutter and Canner

• Inferior, tough beef from bulls/stags.

• Used in canned meat products.

• Dark red/light brown, soft, watery flesh.

Beef Terminology

• Grain-fed Beef: Cattle grain-fed for 90 days to a year (U.S. Prime/Choice), marketed in April/May.

• Grass-fed Beef: Cattle raised on grass, marketed in fall (U.S. Good/Standard).

• Baby Beef: Cattle less than 18 months (400-550 lbs), tender but lacks flavor.

• Calf Carcasses and Beef dressed Veal: Animals too large for veal, not eligible for carcass beef (150-375 lbs).

• Branded Beef: Beef with trade mark/name, graders enhance to indicate their own grades, sometimes placed on already graded product.

• Aging: Holding meat at 34-36°F to develop tenderness/flavor.

  • Requires thick fat covering to prevent shrinkage/discoloration.

  • High grades of beef/lamb/mutton can withstand aging.

  • Aging does not improve pork and veal.

  • Only loins and ribs of beef are usually aged.

Characteristics of Good Meat

Primal or Wholesale Cuts

• Beef: Chuck, Rib, Short Loin/Full Loin, Sirloin, Round, Flank, Brisket, Short Plate, Shank.

• Veal: Neck, Shoulder, Hotel Rack, Loin (Trimmed), Sirloin, Leg (Sirloin off), Breast, Flank, Shank, Leg (Sirloin on).

• Pork: Shoulder, Boston Butt, Loin, Ham, Fat Back, Bacon Side (Belly), Spareribs, Hock, Foot.

• Lamb: Shoulder, Hotel Rack, Loin , Leg, Sirloin, Leg (Sirloin off), Breast, Flank

Beef Primal Cuts

• Chuck

• Brisket

• Shank

• Ribs

• Plate

• Flank

• Loin

• Sirloin

• Round

Secondary Cuts of a Side of Beef

• Rib: Prime Rib Roast, Short Ribs, Rib Steak, Rib Eye Steak or Roast, Delmonico Steak

• Short Loin: Tenderloin (Filet Mignon, Chateaubriand), Club or Wing, T-Bone, Porterhouse, Tenderloin, Strip Loin- New York Steak

• Chuck: Pot Roasts, Boneless Chuck Roast, Blade Steak, Ground Beef, Stew Meat

• Brisket: Fresh Brisket - Moist heat, Corn Beef, Stew Meat, Ground Beef

• Fore-shank: Shank Cross Cut, Stew Meat, Ground Beef

• Plate: Short Ribs, Skirt Steak, Stew Meat, Ground Beef, Boiling Beef

• Flank: Flank Steak, Flank Steak Rolls, Stew Meat, Ground Beef

• Round: Top Round - Oven Roasts, Bottom Round- Pot Roast, Sirloin Tip , Eye of the round Roast, Ground Beef, Stew Meat

What Cuts of Beef To Use for What Cooking Method

• Shoulder, arm, blade, and 7-bone cuts of Chuck are great for braising.

• Short Ribs do well with slow cooking (braising) to impart fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

• Rib cuts and Ribeye Roasts (bone-in or boneless) do well roasted.

• Filet cuts and Tenderloin filets pan sear very well since they are already tender.

• Sirloin provides several easy to prep cuts that can be roasted or broiled, but the Sirloin Bavette should be cooked using a slow cooking method like braising.

• Round cuts like the Top Round Steak are perfect for kabobs.

• Stew meat can come from a number of cuts across the carcass (Chuck, Round, Flank) and should only ever be simmered or braised.

• Ground beef and ground beef patties are one of the most versatile products, being great prepared using pan-frying, broiling, or even roasting (meat loaf).

Veal Primal Cuts

• Chuck

• Breast

• Foreshank

• Ribs

• Plate

• Loin

• Sirloin

• Round

Secondary Cuts of a Side of Veal

• Veal Stew

• Ground Veal

• Veal Sirloin

• Steaks

• Kidney Chops

• Loin Chops

• Loin Roast

• Rib Roast

• Rib Chops

• Shoulder Chops.

Retail Cuts for Veal Explained.

Veal retail cuts - the Rump Roast are great for Roast and Braise recipes, with the Rold Veal version usually best when roasted only, for the Veal Round roasts you can employ Roast or Braise processes, while the retail locations commonly offer the Frenched versions fo the Veal Rib Chops (Roast). The Retail locations carry Veal Sirloin and stews as well.

Lamb Primal Cuts

• Shoulder

• Neck

• Foreshank

• Ribs

• Plate

• Loin

• Sirloin

• Round

Secondary Cuts of a Side of Lamb

• English Chops

• Loin

• Rib

• Breast

• Shank

Pork Terminology

*Barrow, Gilt, Sow, Stag, and Boar are the key terms to note. Sows and gilts are raised to produce and nurse piglets, whereas barrows are castrated males raised for meat production, and boars are intact breeding males.

*Retail Cuts: Retail Pork cuts have a variety of applications that range from retail locations to cooking, with hams often basted and roasters. Roasts are prepped for braising while ribs and pork cutlets, tenderloins, and chops benefit greatly from stir-frying and the Maillard reaction.

Poultry and Game

*The term poultry refers to all domestic edible birds that are placed on the market for human consumption. The term fowl, which is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to poultry, refers to full-grown hens. Game birds are wild birds that are hunted for sport and for their fine edible meat.

*Types of poultry include: Turkey, Chicken, Cornish Hens, Geese, Ducks, Baby Turkeys, Young Hens, and Old Hens

Key Terms of Fish

*Key Terms: Fish preparation can employ a number of different tools, processes, and nomenclature, so here are just a few to consider:

Classification, Evisceration, Paupiette, Colbert, Fabrication, Plié, Crustaceans, Farci, Quality Points, Darne, Filleting, Skinning, Filleting , Délice , Galette , Suprême, Demi-darne, Goujon, Tartare, En-colère, Medusa , tournedos, En-lorgnette, Mignon , troncon.

*The following types of equipment are appropriate given the proper task: Fish Grid, Fish Kettle, Whole Fish Grid, Fish Terrine Mold, Scaler

*Key elements of Fish Quality are based on the color of the filets and gills, the texture of the meat and integrity of its scales as related to human perception. When testing seafood the general trend is that it shouldn't be overly ammonia-scented, the slime should be minimal, flesh firm, and scales secured. For example 1-2 day fresh seafood may have bright gills and slime with bulging black pupils. As the age increases past 12 days the fish may have flat, cloudy, swollen gills and eyes followed by fleshy yellow skin.

Yield Calulations of Seafood and Stock.

*Weight loss from scaling is 2 percent. Weight loss skinning is 11 to 13 percent. Weight loss from gutting is 13 to 16 percent
*Table 10-2 Fish Yield Chart shows a number of popular fish from around the world and percentages from fillets with skin removed include, but are not limited to:

• Turbot and John Dory which range from (30-35%) with the greatest yields coming from Salmon and Tuna with Tuna often producing 69% and Salmon producing 71%.

Boning Round Fish.

**Gut the fish through the stomach as described on the previous page.Slit the fish on either side of the backbone, cutting the flesh away from the bone until it is completely detached. With a heavy pair of scissors, snip the backbone once at the head and once at the tail and then Lift out the bone.