Week 13 Meat and Meat Alternatives

This week we talked about meat and a few meat alternatives. Meat is a great source of protein, iron and zinc. There are more factors that affect the tenderness of meat than there are with poultry and fish. The age of the animal and the cut of meat are two factors to consider when purchasing meat. When it comes to cooking, you need to think about the temperature, time, and method of cooking. You can use dry heat methods for cuts that are tender to begin with, like grilling filet. For less tender cuts, like brisket, cooking at a low temperature for a longer time and with added moisture will make the final product tender. Aside from thinking about tenderness, there several important things to remember when cooking meat. Use oil to fry instead of margarine or butter because oil has a higher smoke point. Use tongs to handle the meat to prevent the loss of juices. When broiling, do not use foil or the fat could ignite. The fat needs to drain away from the meat. It is also important to know what the minimum internal temperature needs to be for the desired level of doneness. You also need to take carry-over cooking into consideration so you don't overcook the meat. This week we tried a variety of dishes with meat and some alternatives. We also had lamb, pork tenderloin and flank steak. This is the last blog post that you will have an opportunity to comment on! So make sure you do so before next week. We will be having our buffet next week, so come hungry!