Meat Dishes and Entrees

4 Tips To Select Your Dinner Entree

There are some tips that you can follow to select that dinner entree. This includes everything from
considering your beverage, the time of the year, what others have said, as well as just getting advice.
Following these tips can help make the dining experience go that much smoother and make that dinner
selection decision far easier.

Pair Your Food With Your Drink

One thing that can help you to select your dinner entree is to actually pair your food with whatever
drink that you are having. If you are having a beer, that could go perfectly with a fried fish dish. A red
wine may be better paired with grilled seafood that packs other certain flavors. Doing this type of
pairing is going to allow your food and your drink to really bring out the best in one another.

Think About What is in Season

What is in season should also strongly be taken into consideration. There are times during the year
when certain types of seafoods are in season. Types of fish such as cod, sea bass, and others are going to
be plentiful and fresher during their peak months versus when it is an off-peak time. All of our seafood is
local and fresh so you never have to worry about getting a meal that’s old and not in season.

Check the Reviews Ahead of Time

Reviews can reveal a great deal of information about the dinner entrees that may be on the menu at any
restaurant. We highly recommend to our guests to check out many of the reviews that are all across the
internet at our establishment. This can help to lead you towards ideas as to what entrees are more
popular than others with many of our guests that come to frequent the restaurant.

Ask Your Waiter or Waitress

When all else fails, there is nothing wrong with just asking for some advice. Every single one of our
waiters and waitresses would love to give you some tips on entrees that you may be thinking of. If you
are not sure as to what you should try, do not be afraid to just speak up and get an opinion. Based on
your drink choice, what you usually describe to us as what you like about seafood, this can open up the
conversation to lead you to an entree that you’ll be completely satisfied with.

Meat

As previously learned, meat is a term for the flesh of cattle, sheep, and pigs. Meat comprises water,
protein, fat, and various amounts of minerals and vitamins. Beef is divided into large sections called
primal cuts. These beef primal cuts or “primal” are then broken down further into individual steak and
other retail cuts. A “side” of beef is literally one side of the beef carcass that is split through the
backbone. Each side is then halved between the 12th and 13th ribs into sections called the forequarter
and hindquarter.

Pork is divided into large sections called primal cuts. These primal cuts are then broken down further
into individual retail cuts. Pork is another choice, as far as meat types are concerned. Pork is derived
from pig and is classified as red meat. However, this meat is less fatty than beef.
Beef is very popular and is used across the globe. This meat is obtained from cow and is one of the much
sought-after types of red meat.

Sheep meat is also a staple food in some parts of the world and is consumed in many regions. Sheep
meat is otherwise known as mutton (meat of mature sheep) or lamb (immature sheep) also classified as
red meat.

Four kinds of doneness in meat

1. Rare – when pressed with finger, the meat is very soft with jelly like texture.

2. Medium Rare – when pressed with a finger, meat feels springy and resistant.

3. Medium – when pressed with a finger, meat feels firm and there is a definite resistance.

4. Well Done – when pressed with a finger the meat feels hard and rough.

Safe Cooking Temperatures for Various Meat

Meat degrees degrees

C F
Beef, rare 52 125
Beef, medium 57 135
Beef, medium 68 155
well
Beef, Well done 71 160
Ground beef 74 165
Pork 71 160

Market Forms of Meat

1. Fresh Meat – this is meat immediately after slaughter, without undergoing chilling or freezing.

2. Chilled Meat – is meat that has been cooled to a temperature just above freezing (1-3 degrees)
within 24 hours after slaughter.

3. Frozen Meat – are meat cuts frozen to an eternal temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (-40
degrees Celsius)

4. Cured Meat – are meat products that have been treated with a curing agent solution like salt,
sodium nitrate (salitre), sugar, and spices.

5. Canned Meat – are cooked meat products and only requires to be reheated.

6. Dried Meats – dehydrated meats.

7. Processed meat- meat preserved by chemical

 a. Beef

b. Pork

Beef cuts chart

A cow is broken down into what are called primal cuts, the main areas of the animal which include the
Loin, Rib, Round, Flank, Chuck, Sirloin, Brisket and more.

These primal cuts are then broken down into sub-primal cuts, including specific steaks and chops: flank
steak, flat iron steak, filet mignon, rib eye.

As you'll see below, there are many different cuts of beef to learn. Loin, short loin, strip loin cuts

These are usually leaner cuts of beef, best grilled or fried and work better with high heat. It’s the T Bone
and Porterhouse Steaks, the Tenderloins, cuts of meat that respond better to dry heat cooking. Sirloin
cuts

Filet Mignon, Bavette, Tri-Tips, Strip Steak and Roasts - coming from the rear of the

animal, these are also leaner cuts, certainly not the best beef choice if you want to slow cook. The Sirloin
family is best for grilling, skillet and stir-fry with high, dry heats.
Rib cuts

Ribeye Filet, Ribeye Cap, Ribeye Steak. These cuts are getting fattier, meaning some of them are better
for slow cooking and roasting. Not all the cuts in the rib family work well with slow cooking methods:
Ribeye Steak, for example, will always kick better grilled or fried in a skillet.

Chuck cuts

Blade, Chuck Eye, Country-Style Ribs, this is where the slow goodness starts to come to play with some
good cuts for pot roasts. Don’t get us wrong, you’ll also find lots of chuck cuts are good for grilling: Top
Blade, Ranch Steak, Shoulder Steak. If you only understand one section, Chuck is the one as there's a cut
for every style of cooking.

Brisket cuts

You can’t really go wrong with brisket, whether you choose Flat or Point cut - they both want to be slow
cooked. For us, Brisket Point works better than Brisket Flat, the flat cut is a bit leaner. Just be careful
when slow cooking brisket, it's a forgiving cut but the margin between delicious juicy and chewy dry is
small.

Round cuts

Coming from the back legs of the cow, this is a part of the animal that usually provides leaner cuts of
beef so you need to know your business at this end. Top, Bottom and Eye Round will go well at high
heats, the Bottom, Rump and Eye Roast are best for slow cooking and, you guessed it, oven roasted.

Plate & flank cuts

Skirt, Flank, Short Ribs: only the short ribs should be slow-cooked over here, the flank and skirt steak will
do your best grilled or fried.

Other cuts

Beef cuts come in all shapes, sizes, textures and tastes. 'Other' covers anything that doesn’t fall into the
rest of the main families. You have Stewing Steak, Burgers, Corned Beef, Minced and Ground Beef in this
category. Shanks, which come from the legs of the cow, are probably one of the most interesting beef
cuts and perfect for slow cooking.

The cut of meat you choose will have a unique amount of fat, tenderness and flavour depending on
what part of the animal it is from. It is important to know which cooking technique to use so you can
cook with confidence and utilize each cut of meat.

Marinades

Good marinade will add flavor to your favorite meat and make it more tender and juicy. Making a
marinade is very simple. All you need are three basic components. The first is an acid, such as lemon
juice, vinegar, yogurt, or wine. The acid is important as it break down the meat and tenderizes it. The
second is oil. This protects and preserves the food while marinated and also when it’s being cooked. The
third is any herb and/or spice. This is what gives a marinade its unique flavor and zest. Feel free to
experiment by grouping one or more ingredients from each component.

Here are some general guidelines for marinating:

• Meat and poultry are generally marinated for 2 hours up to 2 days.

• Seafood and fish should be marinated for no longer than one hour.

• Use a non-reactive container- steel clear of aluminum, copper, or cast iron.

• Wait for marinade to cool down before pouring over the meat of your choice.

• Always refrigerate your meat while its marinating.

• Never reuse marinades.

Examples of Marinades

Pineapple Marinade

This sweet, fruity marinade works great on any cut or chicken giving it a great Hawaiian Teriyaki flavour.
Try this marinade when you are simply placing cut strips of pork or chicken over rice. You can make
extra marinade to use as a sauce as long as you keep it separate from meat.

Pork Chop Marinade

This is a great Asian style marinade that works well on all cuts of pork, particularly pork chops,
reminiscent of a teriyaki marinade with a hint of heat from the chili sauce. You can, if you like, heat this
up with some extra chili sauce.

Pork Rib Marinade

This marinade uses a pork rub for the seasoning with vinegar and water to turn it into a marinade.

Teriyaki Marinade

This teriyaki marinade works particularly well with pork and poultry and gives it a sweet salty taste.

Mustard-Vinegar Marinade

This is a simple mustard marinade that tenderizes and adds flavor. It works well on pork or poultry.
Different things to do before cooking meat:

•Skinning

Most of the meat you dealt with has been already skinned by the supplier.

•Dicing

Meat are diced when it is cut into cubes for various types of casseroles, stems, curries, and dishes such
as steak, kidney pie and pudding.

•Trimming

Reasons for trimming:

a. Improve the appearance of the cut or joint

b. Leave as much of the meat intact as possible.

c. Leave an even thickness of fat (where fat is to be left). How much fat you trim off will depend on the
type of meat, preference, and the cooking process to be used.

d.Remove as much gristle and sinews as possible.

•Slicing

It is the cutting of meat by determining the direction of the grain (the muscle fibers), and cut across the
grain. This particularly important with tougher cuts such as steak, in which the grain is also quite
obvious. You slice meat with- instead of against- the grain.

•Seasoning

It is the addition of salt and white or black pepper to improve the flavor of food.

a. Use white pepper or cayenne pepper on food which you want to keep attractive with white color.

b. Add salt to roast and grill after the has browned. Adding salt before cooking will extract the juices of
the meat to the surface, and slows down the browning reactions (which need high temperature and dry
heat)

•Coating

The two basic coatings are:

a. Flour- coat the meat before cooking, otherwise the flour becomes sticky and unpleasant.

b. Bread Crumbs- coat the meat in flour, then egg wash (egg wash is made of lightly beaten whole egg
with a little water/milk) and finally with the bread crumbs.
Effects of Heat on Meat

1. It tenderizes connective tissue if moisture is present and cooking is slow.

2. It coagulates protein. Even meats low in connective tissue can be tough and dry if cooked at
excessively high heats for too long.

3.High heat toughens and shrink’s protein and results in excessive moisture lost.

4.Roasts cooked at low temperature shrink less and loss less moisture.

5.Moist heat penetrates meat quickly. To avoid over cooking, meat should be simmered, never boiled.

Methods of Cooking Meat

1.Dry heat cooking, such as roasting, broiling, or sauteing.

2.Moist heat cooking, like braising, steaming, or poaching.

Choosing the Right Cooking Technique

Using the appropriate cooking method for the type of food being prepared is a major part of the culinary
arts. Tough cuts of meat like beef brisket or lamb shank need to be cooked slowly, at low heat, for a long
time, and with plenty of moisture. Prepared properly, these cuts can be incredibly tender and delicious.
On the other hand, dry-heat methods typically involve very high temperatures and short cooking times.
A piece of brisket cooked in this way- on a grill, let’s say would be tough, chewy and largely inedible.
Interestingly enough, a beef tenderloin steak cooked using a slow, moist-heat method such as braising
would also turn out tough, chewy and inedible.

Dry Heat Cooking

Dry heat cooking refers to any cooking technique where the heat is transferred to the food item without
using any moisture. Dry-heat cooking typically involves high heat, with temperatures of 300°F or hotter.

Baking or roasting in an oven is a dry heat method because it uses hot air to conduct the heat. Pan-
searing a steak is considered dry-heat cooking because the heat transfer takes place through the hot
metal of the pan.

Examples of Dry-heat Methods include:

Roasting and Baking

Roasting and baking are forms of dry-heat cooking that use hot, dry air to cook food. Like other dry-heat
cooking methods, roasting and baking brown the surface of the food, which in turn develops complex
flavors and aromas. Both words describe a method of cooking an item by enveloping it in hot, dry air,
generally inside an oven and at temperatures of at least 300°F and often much hotter. A convection
oven, which circulates hot air throughout the oven, can enhance the browning reaction.

Grilling and Broiling

Grilling and broiling are dry-heat cooking methods that rely on heat being conducted through the air
from an open flame. This type of cooking produces browning reactions on the surface of the food, thus
encouraging the development of complex flavors and aromas. Grilling cooks hot and fast, because air is
poor conductor of heat. Broiling and grilling require the food to be quite close to the heat source, which
in this case, is likely to be an open flame

Sauteing and Pan-Frying

Sautéing is a form of dry-heat cooking that uses a very hot pan and a small amount of fat to cook the
food very quickly. Like other dry-heat cooking methods, sautéing browns the food’s surface as it cooks
and develops complex flavors and aromas.

Sautéing requires a very hot pan. When sautéing, it’s important to heat the pan for a minute, then add a
small amount of fat and let it gets hot as well, before adding the food to the pan. This hot fat helps
brown the surface of the food. Another key is to avoid overloading or overcrowding the pan.

Deep- Frying

Since deep-frying involves submerging food in hot, liquid fat, it might take some time to get used to the
idea that it’s actually a form of dry-heat cooking. But if you’ve ever seen the violent reaction of hot oil to
even a tiny drop of water, you know that oil and water are a couple of opposites that has nothing to do
with each other.

Moist heat Cooking

Moist heat cooking methods include any technique that involves cooking with moisture- whether it’s
steam, water, stock, wine or some other liquid. Cooking temperature are much lower, anywhere from
140°F to a maximum of 212°F, because water doesn’t get any hotter than that.

Examples of Moist-heat cooking methods include:

Simmering

With simmering, the cooking liquid is a bit hotter than poaching from 180°F to 205°F. Here we will see
bubbles forming and gently rising to the surface of the water, but the water still isn’t at a full rolling boil.
Because it surrounds the food in water that maintains a more or less constant temperature, simmering
cook’s food very evenly. It’s an excellent choice for culinary preparations including stocks or soups,
starchy items such as potatoes or pastas, and many others.

Boiling
The hottest of these three stages is boiling. Where the water reaches its highest possible temperature of
212°F. It’s actually the least likely of the three to be used for cooking. That’s because the violent
agitation caused by the rolling boil can be too rough on food and will often damage it.

Steaming

Steaming is a moist-heat cooking technique that employs hot steam to conduct the heat to the food
item. Steaming can be done on a stovetop, with a pot containing a small amount of liquid that is brought
to a simmer. The item to be cooked is then placed in a basket suspended above the liquid and the pot
covered.

Braising and Stewing

Braising is a form of moist-heat cooking in which the item to be cooked is partially covered with liquid
and then simmered slowly at a low temperature. Though it can be done on the stovetop, braising is best
done in the oven, because the heat fully surrounds the pot and causes the food to cook more evenly
than if it were only heated from below.