Meat Cookery Lamb/Beef/Veal/Pork (Line Diagrams of Meat Cuts)

 

Meats are generally divided into two categories:

1.  White Meat: Veal, Pork and Poultry.

2.  Red Meat: Beef, Mutton,

Lamb Composition

The tenderness of meat depends upon the age, feeding of the animals, hanging and preparation of killing of the animal. The fat present in the muscle structure has an effect on the tenderness and texture of the meat. Skeletal muscles are made up of the fibres which are composed of the proteins MYOSIN (insoluble in water but are soluble in salty solutions) and ALBUMIN (soluble in both the solution). The fibres are grouped together in parallel lines and are surrounded by the sheaths of heavier connective tissues.

There are two kinds of connective tissues.

1.  COLLAGEN / WHITE CONNECTIVE TISSUE: Insoluble in nature but converted to gelatine by moist heat.

2.  ELASTIN/ YELLOW CONNECTIVE TISSUE: Insoluble and should be discarded in the earlier stages.

In most of the cases, young flesh is sweeter and tenderer. Longer the meat is hung; stronger is its flavour owing to some chemical changes. Meat should always be hung at 2 to 5 ° C after the animal is dead, to develop the acids which tenderise the flesh and makes Rigor Mortis disappear, thus making the flesh tender and suitable for consumption.

Meat comprises of three parts:

1.  Lean or flesh part: It is composed of microscopic fibres which are tube like and tapering at the ends and vary in size. These fibres are held together by the CONNECTIVE TISSUES. Fats, blood cells and nerves are found in the connective tissue. Individual fibre is made up of outer walls and the cell contents. Muscles are composed of bundles of microscopic fibre and each bundle is enclosed in a sheath of connective tissue which extends beyond the muscle to form a tendon and ligament. Tendon hold muscles to bony framework.

2.  Fatty Tissue: fat globules lie embedded in a network of connective tissues. The distribution of the fatty tissue is inter and intra- muscular under the skin.

3.  Bones: long shafts of the bones are composed of compact bony tissue. A center canal is filled with yellow marrow. Contain red marrow which has get blood cells.

Meat flavour depends upon

1.  Age, Sex, Species and Degree of maturity when eaten.

2.  Fat content: Fat should be evenly distributed throughout the body (pork and mutton are selected on the fat content)

3.  Amount of sugar in the meat: Because it caramelises during cooking and improves flavour and colour.

4.  MARBLINGS: It is the fat which is dispersed between the meat and the fibres of connective tissue. It helps the meat to remain moist when dry methods are applied. Meat having small amount of connective tissues should be cooked by dry methods and long cuts which require longer cooking time should be stewed or braised.

 FACTORS TO MAKE MEAT TENDER

1.  MOIST HEAT: With application of moist heat, white connective tissue changes to gelatin and yellow remain unaffected.

2.  TENDERIZERS: Raw papaya (papain, enzyme which make meats tender and is present in papaya), vinegar, tomatoes , curds, lemon and tamarind.

3.  RIPENING / AGEING: By hanging the meat in cool conditions 2-5° C to improve colour, flavour and tenderness.

4.  MECHANICAL POUNDING AND GRINDING: This is done to break down the connective tissue. This process tears the connective tissue and thereby tenderizes it and makes it easy for cooking. 

As a guide when ordering, allow approximately 100g (4oz) meat off the bone per portion, and 150g (6 oz) on the bone per portion. It must be clearly approximate. They must vary according to the quality of the meat and also for the purpose for which the meat is being butchered. For example, a chef will often cut differently from a shop butcher, i.e. a chef frequently needs to consider the presentation of the particular joint whilst the butcher is more often concerned with economical cutting. We have given sample orders of dissection for each carcass. In general, bones need to be removed only when preparing joints, so as to facilitate carving. The bones are used for stock and the excess fat can be rendered down for second-class dripping.

     2.5 JOINTS, USES AND WEIGHTS:

Joint	Uses	Lamb kg (lb)	Mutton kg (lb)
Whole carcass		16 (32)	25 (50)
(1) shoulder (two)	Roasting, stewing	3 (6)	4 ½ (9)
(2) log (two)	Roasting (mutton boiled)	3 ½ (7)	5 ½ (11)
(3) breast (two)	Roasting, stewing	1 ½ (3)	2 ½ (5)
(4) middle neck	Stewing	2 (4)	3 (6)
(5) scrag end	Stewing, broth	½ (1)	1 (2)
(6) best-end rack (two)	Roasting, grilling, frying	2 (4)	3 (6)
(7) saddle	Roasting, grilling, frying	3 ½ (7)	5 ½ (11)
Kidneys	Grilling, sauté
Heart	Braising
Liver	Frying
Sweetbreads	Braising, frying
Tongue	Braising, boiling

    QUALITY OF LAMB:

    (SHEEP UNDER 1 YEAR OLD) AND MUTTON

·         A good quality animal should be compact and evenly fleshed.

·         The lean flesh should be firm, of a pleasing dull red colour and of a fine texture

                or grain.

·         There should be an even distribution of surface fat, which should be hard, brittle

                and flaky in structure and a clear white colour.

·         In a young animal the bones should be pink and porous, so that, when cut, a

                degree of blood is shown in their structure. As age progresses the bones become

                hard, dense, white and inclined to splinter when chopped.

    ORDER OF DISSECTION OF A CARCASS:

·         Remove the shoulders.

·         Remove the breasts.

·         Remove the middle neck and scrag.

·         Remove the legs.

·         Divide the saddle from the best-end.

    PREPARATION OF JOINTS AND CUTS:

                Shoulder

·         Roasting Clean and trim the knucklebone so as to leave approximately 3cm

                (1½ inch) of clean bone.

·         Boning Remove he blade bone and upper arm bone (see Fig 9.2), tie with string.

                The shoulder may be stuffed (page 221) before tying.

·         Cutting for stews Bone out, cut into even 25-50 g (1-2 oz) pieces.

·         Roasting Remove the pelvic or aitchbone. Trim the knuckle cleaning 3 cm (1 ½ 

                inch) of bone. Trim off excess fat and tie with string if necessary.

                Breasts

·         Remove excess fat and skin.

·         Roasting Bone, stuff and roll, tie with string.

·         Stewing Cut into even 25-50 g (1-2 oz) pieces.

                Middle Neck

·         Stewing Remove excess fat, excess bone and the gristle. Cut into even 50g (2

                oz)  pieces. This joint, when correctly butchered,, can give good uncovered

                second-class cutlets.

                Scrag-end

·         Stewing - This can be chopped down the centre.

                Braising: as for roasting;

                Stewing: cut into dice or steaks as required.

·         Silverside Remove the thigh bone. This joint is usually kept whole and pickled

                in brine prior to boning.

Ÿ   Thick flank as for topside.

Ÿ   Rump Bone-out. Cut off the first outside slice for pies and puddings. Cut into

                approximately 1½ cm ) (³/₄ inch) slices for steaks. The point steak, considered

                the tenderest, is cut from the pointed end of the slice.

 Beef/Veal

Forequarter of Beef

Dissection of the forequarter

Ÿ   Remove the shank.

Ÿ   Divide in half down the centre.

Ÿ   Take off the fore ribs.

Ÿ   Divide into joints.

Joints, uses and weights of forequarter

Joint	Uses	Approximate Weight
		(kg)	(lb)
(10) fore rib	Roasting & braising	8	16
(11) middle rib	Roasting & braising	10	20
(12) chuck rub	Slewing & braising	15	30
(13) sticking piece	Stewing and sausages	9	18
(14) plate	Stewing and sausages	10	20
(15) brisket	Pickled in brine and boiled, pressed beef	19	38
(16) leg of mutton cut	Braising & slewing	11	22
(17) shank	Consommé, beef tea	6	12
	Total weight	88	176

 

Hindquarter of beef

Dissection of the hindquarter

Ÿ   Remove the fillet.

Ÿ   Remove the thin flank.

Ÿ   Divide the loin and rump from the leg (topside, silverside, thick flank and shine)

Ÿ   Remove the fillet.

Ÿ   Divide rump from the sirloin.

Ÿ   Remove the wing ribs.

Ÿ   Remove the shin.

Ÿ   Bone-out the aitchbone.

Ÿ   Divide the leg into the three remaining joints(silverside, topside and thick flank)

Joints, uses and weights of hindquarter

Joint	Uses	Approximate Weight
		(kg)	(lb)
(1) shine	Consommé, beef tea, stewing	7	14
(2) topside	Braising, stewing, second-class roasting	10	20
(3) silverside	Pickled in brine then boiled	14	28
(4) thick flank	Braising and stewing	12	24
(5) rump	Grilling and frying as steaks, braised in the piece	10	20
(6) sirloin	Roasting, grilling and frying in steaks	9	18
(7) wing ribs	Roasting, grilling and frying in steaks	5	10
(8) thin flank	Stewing, boiling, sausages	10	20
(9) fillet	Roasting, grilling and frying in steaks	3	6
Fat and kidney		10	20
	Total weight	90	180

    Preparation of joints and cuts of hindquarter

Ÿ   Shine Bone-out, remove excess sinew. Cut or chop as required.

Ÿ   Topside.

                Roasting: remove excess fat, cut into joints and tie with string;

Beef is obtained from good quality carcasses.

                Weighing around 100kg (200lb). This quality of veal is required for first-class cookery and is produced from calves slaughtered at between 12-24 weeks.

    Butchery

Knuckle Leg Loin

Best-end Shoulder Neck-end

Scrag Breast

  Joints, uses and weights

Joint	Uses	(kg)	(lb)
(1)           Knuckle	Osso buco, sauté, stock	2	4
(2)           Leg	Roasting, braising, escalopes,  sauté	5	10
(3)           Loin	Roasting, frying, grilling	3½	7
(4)           best-end	Roasting, frying, grilling	3	6
(5)           shoulder	Braising, slowing	5	10
(6)           neck-end	Slowing, sauté	2½	5
(7)           scrag	Stewing stock	1½	3
(8)           breast	Stewing, roasting	2½	5
(9)           kidneys	Stewing (pies and puddings), sauté	-	-
(10)       liver	Frying	-	-
(11)       sweetbreads	Braising, frying	-	-
(12)       head	Boiling, soup	4	8
(13)       brains	Boiling, frying	-	-
(14)       bones	Used for stock	-	-

Joints of leg

Average weight of English or Dutch milk-fed veal calve is 18kg (36 lb).

Cuts (English)	Weight	Proportion of leg	Uses
Cushion or nut	2.75 kg (5½ lb)	15%	Escalopes, roasting, braising, sauté
Undercushion or under nut	3 kg (6 lb)	17%	Escalopes, roasting, braising, sauté
Thick flank	2.75 kg (5 lb)	14%	Escalopes, roasting, braising, sauté
Knuckle (whole)	2.75 kg (5 lb)	14%	Osso buco, sauté
Bones (thigh and aitch)	2.75 kg (5 lb)	14%	Stock, jus-lie, sauces
Usable trimmings	2 kg (4 lb)	11%	Pies, stewing
Skin and fat	2.75 kg (5½ lb)	15%

    Corresponding joints in beef

Ÿ   Cushion                 =             topside

Ÿ   Under cushion       =             silver side

Ÿ   Thick flank           =             thick flank

  Dissection of a leg of veal

Ÿ  Remove the knuckle by dividing the knee joint (A)and cut through the meat away from the cushion-line A-B.

Ÿ  Remove aitch bone (C) at thick end of the leg separating it at the ball and socket joint.

Ÿ  Remove all the outside skin and fat thus exposing the natural seams. It will now be seen that the thigh bone divides the meat into two thirds and one-third (thick flank).

Ÿ  Stand the leg on the thick flank with point D uppermost. Divide the cushion from the under cushion, following the natural seam, using the hand and the point of a knife. Having reached the thigh bone, remove it completely.

Ÿ  When the boned leg falls open, the three joints can easily be seen joined only by membrane. Separate and trim the cushion removing the loose flap of meat.

Butchery

                Cuts, uses and weights

Joint	Uses	Approximate Weight
		(kg)	(lb)
(1) leg	roasting and boiling	5	10
(2) loin	roasting, frying, grilling	6	12
(3) spare rib	roasting, pies	1½	3
(4) belly	Picking, boiling, stuffed, rolled and roasted	2	4
(5) shoulder	roasting, sausages, pies	3	6
(6) head (whole)	brawn	4	8
(7) trotters	grilling, boiling
Kidneys	sauté, grilling
Live	frying, pate

When 5-6 weeks old a piglet is known as a sucking or suckling pig. The weight is then between 5-10 kg (10-20 lb).

Order of dissection

Ÿ   Remove the head..	Ÿ   Remove the shoulder.
Ÿ   Remove the trotters	Ÿ   Remove the spare ribs.
Ÿ   Remove the leg.	Ÿ   Divide the loin from the belly.

Preparation of joints and cuts

   Leg

Ÿ   Roasting Remove the pelvic or aitch bone, trim and score the rind neatly; that is, with a sharp pointed knife, make a series of 3mm ( ¹/₈  inch) deep incisions approximately 2cm (1 inch) apart all over the skin of the joint. Trim and clean the knuckle bone.

Ÿ   Boiling it is usual to pickle the joint either by rubbing dry salt and saltpetre into the meat or by soaking in a brine solution (page 242). Then remove the pelvic bone, trim and secure with string if necessary.

    

Loin

Ÿ   Roasting (on the bone) - Saw down the chine bone in order to facilitate carving; trim the excess fat and sinew and score the rind in the direction that the joint will be carved. Season and secure with string.

Ÿ   Roasting (boned-out) – Remove the fillets and bone-out carefully. Trim off the excess fat and sinew, score the rind and neaten the flap, season, replace the filet mignon, roll up and secure the string. This joint is sometimes stuffed (page 283)

Ÿ   Grilling or frying chops – Remove the skin, excess fat and sinew, then cut and saw or chop through the loin in approximately 1 cm (½ inch) slices; remove the excess bone and trim neatly.

   

Spare rib

Ÿ   Roasting - Remove the excess fat, bone and sinew and trim neatly.

  Pies - Remove the excess fat

Chateaubriand - the Chateaubriand is a double fillet steak cut from the head of the fillet, i.e. the thickest end which passes through the sirloin into the rump. It is 3- 10 cm(1.5 - 4") thick. Average weight is 300 - 1000gm. 2-4 portions from a fillet. It is more frequently grilled and is sent to the table with an accompanying portion of grilled prime suet. Club steak - Slice cut from a wing rib.

Rigor mortis: after the animals are killed, the muscles become stiff and hard. This is due to the clotting of the MYOSIN (a protein present in meat) which is converted to lactic acid. This condition is called RIGORMORTIS and has its importance in food production because of the fact that the meats are not cooked while they are in the state of Rigor Mortis. When the meats are held for certain time duration at a temperature of 2 to 5° C for 12 to 24 for hours, the Rigor Mortis disappears making the meat tenderer. 

Pork

The flesh of a pig is called pork. Most of the pork meat comes from animals not more than a year old. It generally has more fat than other meats. A sucking pig is about 5 to 6 weeks old. First quality joints of pig are the leg and loin of pork.

Order of dissection

• Remove the head.
• Remove the trotters.
• Remove the legs
• Remove the shoulders.
• Remove the spare ribs.
• Divide the loin from the belly.

Ham

Ham is taken from the hind leg of the pig, preserved by curing or pickling in brine (salted solution), then dried and smoked. Ham is prepared from flesh pork meat.

 Butchery

Cuts, uses and weights

Joint	Uses	Approximate Weight
		(kg)	(lb)
(1) Head	Boiling	3 ½
(2) Trotters	Boiled, fried	200gm
(3) leg	Roasted, boiled, braised	4 ½
(4) shoulder	Boiled, roasted	3
(5) spare ribs	Stewing, Braising	1 ¼
(6) loin	Roasted, braised, poeled	5 ¼
Belly	Boiling, braising	1 ¾