The
way meat is cut or handled may affect the ease of preparation, taste, texture, or visual
appeal. The following are tips on how to cut some foods to achieve the best of
the things mentioned above. They require knives that are always maintained to
be very sharp. Sharp knives are much safer than dull ones since they require less pressure to cut.
MEATS
In
general, any meat should be cut, “across the grain”. This shortens the fibers
making the meat more tender to chew.
COOKED
meat should ALWAYS be rested for 10 or more minutes, depending on the size of
the meat. WHY? When the meat is heated all the cells contract, squeezing their liquid
out and away from the heat toward the center of the meat. If it were to be
sliced as soon as the cooking time is up, all the juices pooled in the middle would run out and be lost to the meat. Resting for several minutes allows the
“pooled juices" to redistribute throughout the meat making each slice juicier.
This
is especially true for chicken and other poultry, which already contain less
moisture prior to cooking.
To
cut thin slices from a larger piece of raw meat, for scallops, very thin slices
for stir fry, etc., place meat in the freezer for some time to "rest" (stiffen the fibers) before cooking, As said above for “resting” meat, how much time in the freezer
will vary depending on the size of the meat. DO NOT FREEZE THE MEAT. The meat should be firm, but NOT FROZEN. Never try to cut frozen meat!!
Fry and taste a piece of your meatloaf or meatball mixture before you cook them. This way, you can correct the seasonings, if necessary.
When making hamburgers, use your thumb to make a depression in the middle of them, so they don't "bubble up" upon cooking
