Chapter III: Meat and Poultry

Chapter III: Meat and Poultry
39. Choose perfect cuts of red meat. Red meat such as beef, pork
and lamb should have a moist, red surface with no signs of drying or
surface film. The fat should be a creamy white color and should not be dry.
Look for even, well-cut meat that is free from sinew and excess fat. To
store your meat, it is best to loosely wrap it on a plate and put it in the
coldest part of your refrigerator so the air can circulate around it. Red
meat should be either cooked or frozen within 2-3 days or purchase.
40. Keep the breading on meats. If a recipe calls for coating meat
with breadcrumbs, refrigerate the breaded portions for an hour or even
overnight before cooking. This will help the breading cling when you cook
the meat instead of sticking to the bottom of the pan! Breaded meats can
even be frozen and pan-fried without defrosting. Be sure to increase the
cooking time slightly.
41.Freezing meat. When freezing red meat or poultry, wrap it very tightly
or seal it in a plastic bag to prevent air spoilage or freezer burn. Be sure not
to pile pieces on top of each other but do pack meat as flat as possible so it
freezes quickly, which will ensure its texture is not spoiled. Meat should be
completely thawed in the refrigerator before cooking. Never thaw poultry
at room temperature or you risk salmonella contamination.
42. Stop meatloaf from sticking to the pan. Tired of meatloaf that
sticks to the pan? Toss in a slice of raw bacon before adding meat to the
pan, and say goodbye to the sticking. It may not be the healthiest
alternative but it does work (and tastes great)!
43. Make a juicer roast. To keep all of the natural juices inside your
roast, sear it on all sides in a hot skillet with a little vegetable oil before
putting it in the roasting pan. A few seconds per side is all it takes since the
point is not to cook the meat but rather to toughen up the outside so that
the juices don’t flow out while it’s cooking. Then be sure to use a shallow
roaster to retain more of the moisture. Uncover the meat halfway through
roasting in order to avoid a steamed appearance and to get the top of your
roast browned.
44. Make tastier hamburgers. Homemade hamburgers are easy to
make and taste far better than the store bought variety. Make them with
medium ground beef, an egg and breads crumbs or crushed crackers.
Season with your favorite seasonings or add barbecue sauce for a smoky
flavor. For juicier burgers, add one-eighth cup of ice water to your beef or
turkey before forming patties.
45. Choose perfect poultry. When choosing poultry, the skin should
be a light creamy color and it should be moist. It should also be unbroken
with no dark patches. Fresh poultry should be stored loosely covered on a
plate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
46. Get crispier fried chicken. For crispier fried chicken, add a
teaspoon of baking powder to your coating mix then coat and fry as you
normally would. Remember to make sure that the oil is very hot before
adding the chicken to avoid an overpowering greasy taste.
47. Don’t salt meat before cooking. One of the biggest faux pas
when it comes to cooking meat is to salt it prior to cooking. What the salt
actually does is draws the juices out and impedes the browning of the
meat. Instead, add salt once the meat is already half cooked. Then taste it
when it’s done and if more salt is needed you can add it then. The result is
juicy, tasty meat that doesn’t contain more salt then it needs!
48. Cooking poultry. Despite what you may have heard, poultry does
not need to be washed before cooking. Wipe it with a damp cloth if needed.
If it has been frozen, wipe it with absorbent paper to remove any excess
moisture. Always be sure that poultry is cooked through. To test for
readiness, pierce the flesh at the thickest part with a fork. If the juices run
clear then it is cooked.
49. Cooking fish. To minimize moisture loss when grilling, baking or
sautéing fish, it’s important to use a relatively high heat and cook the fish
for a short time. When you cook fish longer than necessary, the juices and
flavors are lost, leaving the fish dry and chewy. Plus, overcooked fish is
prone to falling apart.
50. Roast meats perfectly. For tender, juicier roasted meats,
substitute wine, tea or beer for water in your favorite recipes. These liquids
help to tenderize the meat more than plain water does and they add a rich
flavor to whatever you are cooking. Go ahead and try it, you’ll be surprised
what a difference it makes.
51.Make perfect meatloaf. If you don’t want your meatloaf soaking in
drippings of fat and water while it cooks, invest in one of the new meatloaf
pans with a built-in rack. The holes in the bottom of the rack allow the
juices to drain away from the meat. The result is perfect meatloaf every
time!
52. The different fat contents in ground beef. In most cases,
regular ground beef is a better buy than medium or lean. And some foods
– such as hamburgers – are more tender and tasty when made with
regular ground beef because of the extra fat content. Any excess fat can
easily be drained off. So, unless medium ground beef is on sale or not more
than 7 percent more expensive than regular ground beef, it’s not a good
buy.
53. Quickly cook chicken for recipes requiring pre-cooked
chicken. An easy method of preparing chicken for recipes that call for
pre-cooked chicken is to “poach” it. This involves simmering it slowly in
liquid. This can be water, broth, fruit juice, wine or a combination of these.
Poach the chicken until tender, about 15-20 minutes, then chop or slice as
specified in the recipe.