spesmilitis
Master Don Juan
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I've been a vegetarian most of my life, so I don't know much about meat. What I like to know is about the types of meat cuts availible: cost, fat, protien, taste/quality.
Need idiots guide to meat
- Thread starter spesmilitis
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I'm not even sure where to begin. My two favorite sources of cheap, fairly lean protein are chicken breasts & ground beef. Beyond that there's a whole world of meat. The wikipedia is actually a pretty good guide if you're wondering about different cuts of beef, lamb, pork, etc. And that's to say nothing of fish & other poultry.
Vulpine
Master Don Juan
Ok, you want an idiots guide? Let me give you the logic behind meat. A rule of thumb, if you will.
The quality and taste of the meat of any particular animal is most often related to where the cut of meat comes from. Once you understand where the cut of meat comes from, you then understand the quality of meat. In general, the more the muscle is used, the tougher the meat.
For example, chicken legs versus chicken breasts. Chickens are kept in cages so they can't use their wings and exercise the breasts. The result is tender breast meat. However, chickens must stand, so in comparison the leg meat is tougher.
Veal is from baby cows kept in very small pens. They are kept in pens so that the muscles never get used, so virtually all the meat is very tender.
Otherwise, on pigs or cows, the two strips of back muscle are the most tender. In fact, those are the "tenderloins". I mean, when was the last time you saw a cow dead-lifting anything? Come on, those have to be some tender muscles.
Fish? Well, fish is fish. Some sushi freaks will insist there is a difference, but there isn't really much difference aside from the belly meat vs. everything else.
The quality and taste of the meat of any particular animal is most often related to where the cut of meat comes from. Once you understand where the cut of meat comes from, you then understand the quality of meat. In general, the more the muscle is used, the tougher the meat.
For example, chicken legs versus chicken breasts. Chickens are kept in cages so they can't use their wings and exercise the breasts. The result is tender breast meat. However, chickens must stand, so in comparison the leg meat is tougher.
Veal is from baby cows kept in very small pens. They are kept in pens so that the muscles never get used, so virtually all the meat is very tender.
Otherwise, on pigs or cows, the two strips of back muscle are the most tender. In fact, those are the "tenderloins". I mean, when was the last time you saw a cow dead-lifting anything? Come on, those have to be some tender muscles.
Fish? Well, fish is fish. Some sushi freaks will insist there is a difference, but there isn't really much difference aside from the belly meat vs. everything else.
I buy 1 lbs of Bottom Round from Kroger for around $4. I get two cuts of 1/2 lbs each in the pack, there's a ribbon of fat on one edge and maybe a wedge at the top I trim off/out.
I dust the cut with some kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder and then into a pan with some olive oil and crushed clove of garlic over medium heat.
3-4 minutes on each side, flip only once, then I plate it and let it rest while I deglaze the pan with some basalmic vinegar, throw in some paprika and reduce it over low heat. Pour the sauce on the meat and get my chow on.
On these cheaper cuts of beef, it helps to slice on the bias(45 degree angle) and across the grain of the flesh. Keeps the meat fibers short so you don't have to chew too much.
May not be for everyone, I like strong flavours, kinda stinks up my house too with all the vinegar and garlic. Ah well, I live alone
I dust the cut with some kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder and then into a pan with some olive oil and crushed clove of garlic over medium heat.
3-4 minutes on each side, flip only once, then I plate it and let it rest while I deglaze the pan with some basalmic vinegar, throw in some paprika and reduce it over low heat. Pour the sauce on the meat and get my chow on.
On these cheaper cuts of beef, it helps to slice on the bias(45 degree angle) and across the grain of the flesh. Keeps the meat fibers short so you don't have to chew too much.
May not be for everyone, I like strong flavours, kinda stinks up my house too with all the vinegar and garlic. Ah well, I live alone
Shrinking Meat
This one has not been asked or at least I can't find it.
We all know that 100 g of lean ground beef has about 20 g of protein
When I cook 100 g of beef on my George Foreman grill it shrinks down to about 60 g.
Do I still have 20 g of protein in said meat??:rockon:
This one has not been asked or at least I can't find it.
We all know that 100 g of lean ground beef has about 20 g of protein
When I cook 100 g of beef on my George Foreman grill it shrinks down to about 60 g.
Do I still have 20 g of protein in said meat??:rockon:
spesmilitis
Master Don Juan
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yah, all thats being removed is water, and maybe some fat/oil