Simmered or stewed meat is cooked completely submerged in liquid. The pan is covered, brought to simmering, not boiling, and cooked until the meat is tender. Fracassees are stews in which the meat is first browned in fat. Stews, unlike other simmered meats, are served in their own cooking liquid mixture, thickened or not, as desired, and usually contain vegetables added during the last hour of heating. Cured meats, such as corned beef or tongue and fresh beef brisket cuts, are commonly prepared by stewing. They are not browned first, and the cooking liquid, which has very little flavor, is usually discarded.

Braising Meat

Braising consists of simmering meat, covered, in a small amount of water or other liquid. It is ideal for less tender cuts such as beef chuck, round, and flank, because braising breaks down collagen and tenderizes the meat. Some smaller meat cuts such as round steaks, pork and veal chops, and organ meats are also good “braisers”. Read more »

Pan-Broiling and Frying Meat

Pan-Broiling. Very thin cuts of meat, less than 1/2 inch, can be pan-broiled to achieve a tasty outside crust without overcooking the meat. In this method, heat is applied directly through the hot surface of a heavy pan or flat grill. Thin, tender cuts of beef steaks, lamb chops, and ground-beef patties are perfect for pan-broiling. Read more »

Broiling and Grilling Meat

Smaller cuts of tender meat ranging from 1 to 3 inches in thickness can be broiled or grilled. High temperatures and short heating times will keep the meat tender. Broiling and grilling times are based primarily on the meat’s thickness and its distance from the heat. Read more »

Dry Heat Preparation of Meat

Tender cuts are usually prepared by one of the dry-heating methods: roasting (baking), broiling, grilling, pan-broiling, and frying. Read more »

Determining the Doneness of Meat

A number of changes occur in meat during cooking, and multitude of factors effect the cooking times of meats: the effects of carry-over cooking; differences in the type, size, and cut of meat; the presence of bones, which conduct heat faster than flesh, or of fat, which acts as an insulator; the actual oven temperature; the temperature of the meat before heating, and variations in the degree of doneness preferred by the preparer. Read more »

Flavor Changes

Natural compounds in meat yield that characteristic “meat” flavor, but other factors contribute to flavor as well, including protein coagulation, melting and breakdown of fats, organic acids, and nitrogen-containing compounds. Read more »

Tenderness and Juiciness

Cooking meats at the correct temperature for the right amount of time will maximize their tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Although heat makes meat more palatable, exposing it to high temperatures for too long will toughen, shrink, and harden meat because it shortens muscle fibers, denatures proteins, and causes it to dehydrate. Even with proper cooking, it is not unusual for a 4-ounce piece of meat to be cooked to 3 ounces. Read more »

Preparation of Meats

Whether meat is prepared by dry-heat methods or by any of the various moist-heat methods, it should first be wiped with a paper towel to remove any surface moisture. Leaving water on the meat or washing it will result in a faded color and the loss of some water-soluble nutrients and flavor compounds. Read more »

Mechanically Deboned Meat

The traces of meat left on the bones after butchering can be collected and sold as mechanically deboned meat. This is accomplished by grinding the remaining meat and bones together, and removing the bone by putting the mixture through a sieve. Read more »