Le Viande (Meat)

Meat may be described as th e edible flesh of animal fit for human consum
ption.

Physical Characteristics of Meat:

 Meat is compo sed of the following tissues-

 Muscular Tissue

 Adipos e Tissue

 Skeletal Tissue

Muscular tissues are muscle fibres which are made up of tiny long tubes
filled with water, containing various nutrients like proteins, minerals, fats,
small amount of carbohydrates, etc. they are in the form of r ubber bands
which are joined by tissues (con nective) which are of two types namely:

1. Collagen (white) 2. Elastin (yellow)

Upon application of heat, collagen is converted to gelatine, which make s the

meat tender and edible. Whereas, the elas tin hardly gets affected by heat.
Either it has to be removed or broken down by pounding in order to make
the meat edible.

The higher/larger animals hav e larger muscle fibres and hence takes more
time to cook.

Adipose tissues are in the form of fat. It is necessary as it lends flavo ur,
moistness and softness. The fat formed between the skin and the flesh is
known as Lard; which may be used as a cooking medium and also in
making of kebabs and other force meats. The desirable fat present betwee n
the muscles is known as ‘Marbling/Marble.’

It is the inter layering of fat between the muscles, and the amount of
marbling determines the quality of the meat. It is f ound as a shiny sheen or
pecks (spots).

Skeletal tissues are in the form of cartilages, tendons, ligaments, soft

bonnes, which basically join the bone and the flesh . Majority of them can
be eaten. The ined ible parts may be removed during processing.

Chemical Characterist ics of meat:

Meat comprises of wa ter, proteins, and fats, small traces of

carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and pigment .
Myoglobin- Pigment in meat s gives redness. It also depends on the age. For
example, Meat of beef i.e. towards the pinki sh side and a full grown cow’s
meat is more towards purplish red. It is also seen that after slaughtering a
cow or a buffalo, the meat tu rns reddish, which is basically due to the
oxidati on of the pigment.

There are certain enzymes also and acids which are found in the m eat.
They help in shortening the rigor mortis p eriod.

After the animal is slaughtered or dies, the muscles stiffen and hence
cannot be cooked. This period is also known as ‘ ageing’. During the period,
the enzymes are still active and they produce various acids mainly lactic
acid which helps in softening of the muscles. The enzymes may also be
injecte d in the flesh during the rigor mortis and tha t enzyme is known as
‘Papain’. This helps in redu cing the rigor mortis period and also tenderising
the meat. The length of rigor mortis depends on various factors namely:

1. Species

2. Size of the animal- lar ger takes more time.

3. Age of the animal- vea l has less than beef.

4. Climate- less in hot and more in cold countries.

5. Feed- nutritious meal less and vice versa.

During the rigor mortis, the c arcass is hung on hooks in large cold rooms at
a temperature of about 1°-2°C.

PRE-SLAUGHTERING AND SLAUGHTERING STEPS

Slaughter house – Abbatoirs (equipped with slaughtering e quipment,

medical facilities, cold rooms enclosures of keeping animals, the
procedure should be followed as per International Laws.)

i. Inspection- It is made sure that the animal is not suffering from

any kind of disease or infe ction. Abbatoirs are located in the
peripherry (out-skirt) of the city. They are made sure if the
animal is fit.

ii. Resting- It is m ade to rest, fed and given plenty of food a nd

water to drink. This reduces the anxiety (stress) levels which will
help in reducing the rigor mortis period.

iii. Fasting- Anima l is allowed to fast for about 12-14 hours. Th is

will clean up the bowels or intestine i.e. means minimum
bacterial activity will be there. Also stored glycogen gets
 converted into lactic acid which reduces the pH of the
meat/body an d will help in preserving the body for a longer
time.

iv. Washing- The animal is taken into enclosures/ rooms where

lukewarm water is sprayed on the animal. This will wash away
the super ficial dirt and also makes the ani mal feel comfortable.

v. Stunning- Foll owing outdated methods of stunning are-

a) Hamm er

b) CO2chamber

c) Cartrid ge/ bolt (rubber bullet)

d) Electric Tongs (60V-70V unconscious for 20 minutes .)

vi. Sticking-

Halal- Muslims

Jhatka- Sikh

Kosher- Jews

Jugular and ca rotid are cut off and blood gushes; the anim al
dies. The blood is collected and disposed off.

vii. Flaying- Removal of skin

Air is blown between flesh and the skin with a high presssure
and it comes out.

viii. Ageing- The meat is hung on the hooks for the rigor mortis
period.

Ante mort em:

The tenderizin g solution (PAPAIN) is introduced in the jugular

area of the animal for even distribution of throughout the

body tissue this tenderizing process has been approved as

successfully increasing the tenderness of beef.

At present beef subjected to ante mortem enzyme process is

being produced commercially and marketed as “protein”.
 Tough cuts of meats that have been treated by this met hod can
be cooked

by dry heat m ethod.

Acid material:

Adding acid material to the meat does not increases its t

enderness. Neither soaking meat i n vinegar for 48 hours nor
praising it has increased its tenderness.

CLASSIFICATION OF MEAT:

Cuts of Meat (Poultry):

ENGLISH FRENC H
Chicken Poulet
Duck Le Can ard
Turkey Dinde
Goose (Hens) L’oie
Guinea Fowl La Partridge
 Cuts of Chicken

Supreme

Carcass (Le Carcass) Parson’s Nose

Breast (Poitrine) Wings (Aile)

Winglet (Aileron)

Thigh (Gras de Cuisse) Drumsticks (Pilon)

OFFALS

ENGLISH FRENC H
Brain Cerveau

Heart Coeur

Kidney Rognonn/ un rein

Liver foie

Tail Queue

Tripe Gras d oubles

Trotters Pieds

Sweet Breads Ris

Lungs Mou

Tongue Langue

 Ram or Hogget- a male lamb under 1 year.

 Eve-female lam b under 1 year.

 Kid lamb/ agn eled- male or female of a sheep who is 30-600 days old.
  Spring or yearl ing- a lamb between 2-6 months.

 Mutton-lamb above 12 months.

 Steaks- Steaks are thick juicy pieces of meat which are either grilled
or pan-fried. Traditio nally, steaks are associated with beef but
nowadays chicken
 and fish steak s also occupy a culinary space. Juicy
steaks are obtained from the delicate cuts of beef such as
filet and sirloin (Aloyau)
Most Common Steaks are-
A=> Chateau briand steaks (350g to 1kg) 2-4 people
B=> Filet steaks (100-150g) 4 pieces
C=> Tournedo steaks (60-80g) 6-8 pieces
D=> Mignon steaks (30-40g) 2-4 pieces

Other steaks are-

 T-Bone

 Porter House

 Entrecoté

 Double Entrec oté

STAGES OF PAN FRYING AND GRILLING STEAKS:

Aubleu- very r arely done (20 sec per side)

Saigant- rare d one (2 mins / side) (pinkish from inside)

A point- mediu m done (4 mins/ side) (juices are clear)

Bien cuit- well done (8 min/side)

PORK-

Charcuterie- It is an art of transforming pork into various products

such as sausages, ham, gammon, and bacon. These are all cured p
ork products.

Ham- Ham is a cured and smoked leg of pig/ pork.

Gamm on- Gammon is the cured and smoked leg of pork whereby, the
leg is disjointed after the curing and smoking process. Whereas in
case of ham, the leg is first disjointed and then cure d and smoked.

Bacon- Bacon is the cured and smoked part of belly portion of

the pork.
Green Bacon- Green Bacon is the unsmoked i.e. only cured part
of bacon.
Canadian Bacon- It is the cured and smoked bacon obtained
from the loin po rtion of the pork.
Jowl- J owl is the cheek of the pig.

Classification of Cattle
CUTS OF MEAT

LAMB/MUTTON

LAMB/MUTTON CUTS AND THEIR USES:

FRENCH
CUT WEIG HT METHOD OF COOKING NAME
1.5
1 LEG KG ROASTING LE GIGOT
2 SADDLE 3.5 KG ROASTING , GRIILING, SHALLOW LE SALLE
FRYING
3 BEST END 2KG ROASTING , GRIILING, SHALLOW LE CARRE
FRYING
4 BREAST 1.5 KG ROASTING , STEWING LE POITRINE
5 SHOULDER 3KG ROASTING LE EPAULE
MIDDLE
6 NECK 2KG STEWING LE COLLET
7 SCRAGE END ½ KG SYEWING LE COUTE DE
COUVERTE
PORK

CUTS OF PORK

CUT WEIG HT METHODS OF COOKING FRENCH NAME

1 HEAD 2KG BROILLING LE TETE
2 SPARE RIB 2KG ROASTING, GRILLING BASSE COTE
SHOULDE
3 R 4KG ROASTING L’ EPAULE
4 LOIN 6KG ROASTING, GRILLING, LA LONGE
SHALLOW FRYING
BOILING, PATE &
5 BELLY 3KG SAUSAGES LE POITRINE
6 LEG 7KG ROASTING,BOILING LE CUISSOT
7 TROTTERS 1KG BOILING LA PIED
8 FILLET 1.5 KG SAUTE LE FILET
(INTERNAL
CUT)
 Ham/Bacon/Gammon

Ham

Ham is the cure hind leg of a pig, smoked or salted and smoked to pres erve
it. The ham in the most cases is a cut rathe r long into the loin to give it a
banjo shape . Dry cured by the rubbing in of salt, or wet cured in brine,
most hams are smoked and hu ng to dry. A good ham should be plump with
a n ample, through not too thick, layer of fat under the rind. Pork shoulder
is cured in the same way, but it is not entitled to be called ham ; the flavour
is not so good, but it can be used in cooked ham dishes.
The curing of ham involves t wo main operations, salting and smoking. T he
hams are either salted in brine or dry salt, o r rubbed over with dry salt ,
saltpetre, and sugar and left for three days well covered with this mixture.
Alternatively, the brine is injected into the veins

before the joints are boned. The salted joints are then put into brine,
washed, brushed, and dried, and finally smoked in special chambers,
starting with light smoke w hich grows denser as the operation proceeds. Th
is treatment varies according to the type of ham, and whether it is to be
eaten cooked or raw. The characteristic flavours of both raw and cooked
hams vary with the type of salt. The curing process, and the breed, diet, and
ag e of the pig.

Bacon:

Bacon is cured flesh of a bac on weight pig which is specifically reared forr
bacon because its shape and size yields econo mic bacon joints. Bacon is
cured either by dry salting and then smoking or by smoking in br ine
followed by smoking. Bacon has a very high protein value, and one can
make many tasty dishes from it by frying, grilling, or boiling.

Green bacon is brine cured b ut not smoked; it has a milder flavour but soes
not keep as long as smoked bacon.

Depending on the degree of salting, during the curing process bacon join ts
may or may not require soaking in cold water for a few hours before being
cooked.
GAMMON:

Gammon is cut off from the side of a cured porker. It is cut from the carcass
after brining; whereas ham is cut from th e carcass and brined separately.
Gammo ns are suitable for boiling, braising and baking and may be served
hot or cold. The best-kno wn gammon types are Danish (green and smoked),
Wiltshire (green and smoked), etc.
VEAL

Veal is the meat of calves, i n contrast to the beef from older cattle. However,
most veal comes from young males of dairy breeds who are not used for
breeding . Generally, veal is more expensive than beef from older cattle.
BEEF:

FRENCH
CUT WEIGHT METHOS OF COOKING NAME
1 SHIN 9 KG CLARIFICATION OF JAMBE
CONSOMME
2 TOPSIDE 7 KG ROASTING TRANCHE
(TENDER)
SILVER GITE A LA
3 SIDE 10 KG BOILING, SALTING NOIX
THICK
4 FLANK 4 KG BRAISING TRANCHE
5 RUMP 7 KG ROASTING, FRYING, CULOTTE DE
GRILLING BOEUF
6 SIRLOIN 9 KG ROASTING, FRYING ALLOYAU DE
GRILLING BOEUF
7 WING RIB 6 KG ROASTING COTE DE
BOEUF
8 THIN FLANK 4 KG STEWING AND MINCING BAVETTE
9 FILLET 3 KG ROASTING, FRYING, FILLET DE
GRILLING BOEUF
10 FORE RIB 6 KG ROASTING COTES
 11 MIDDLE RIB 8 KG BRIAISNG, STEWING COTES
12 CHUCK RIB 5 KG STEWING COTES
13 STICKING 10 KG STEWING, MINCING COLLIER
PIECE
14 PLATE 5 KG STEWING, MINCING POITIRINE
15 BRISKET 6 KG FRESH BOILING POITRINE
16 LEG OF 11 KG STWEING, MINCING TALON DU
MUTTON COLIER
17 SHANK 7-8 KG CLARIFICATION OF JAMBE
CONSOMME

CUT 1-9 IS DRIVED FROM HIND QUARTER

CUT 10-17 IS DRIVED FROM FORE QUARTER

TENDER LOIN / FILLET OF BEE F

A beef tenderloin, known as an eye fillet in Australasia, filet in France, and

fillet in the United Kingdom and So uth Africa, is cut from the loin of beef.

The tenderloin is an oblo ng shape spanning two primal cuts: the short loin
(called the sirloin in Commonwealth countries) and the sirloin (called the
rump in Commonwealth
countries). The tenderloin sits beneath the ribs, next to the backbone. It
has two ends: the butt and the "tail". The smaller, p ointed end—the "tail"—
starts a little past the ribs, growing in thickness until it ends in the "sirloin"
primal cut, which is closer to the bu tt of the cow. This muscle does very
little work, s o it is the most tender part of the beef.

CUTS OF TENDER LOIN

The three main "cuts" of the te nderloin are the butt, the center-cut, and the
tail. The butt end is usually suitable for carpaccio, as the eye can be quite
large; cutting a wh ole tenderloin into steaks of equal weight will yield
proportionally very thin steaks from the b utt end. The center-cut is suitable
for portion-controlled steaks, as the diameter of the eye remains relatively
consistent. The center -cut ca n yield the traditional filet mignon or tenderl
oin steak, as well as the Chateaubriand steak and b eef Wellington. The tail,
which is generally unsuitable for steaks due to size inconsistency, can be
used in recipes where small pieces of a t ender cut are called for, such as
beef Stroganoff.

Chateaubriand:
Cut from the head of t he fillet, and more than two portions
between 300 gm-1 kg can be obtained.

Fillet steak:
4-5 steaks cab be obta ined each of 100-150 gm per steak.

Tournedo steak:
Approximately 6-8 pieces of 100 gm each, steaks can be tied with
butcher string to hold shape like a medallion.
 Fillet Mignon:

This is cut into juliennes or minced according to its intended use fo r.

Marbling of fat in meat:

Marbling simply refers to the fat found within a cut of meat and between the
muscle fibers themselves. A high-quality steak will have a lot of marbling,
while a lean cut will have very little or no visible marbling. The fat should be
pure white and hard, and the best is when it's distributed evenly throughout
the entire cut of meat, as in the picture ab over.

Kobe beef from Waagyu Cow (most expensive and tasty beef in terms of
marbling, flavour and texture.
 POULTRY:

IME CUTS OF POULTRY:

CUTS: DESCRIPTION : USAGE:

BREAST These can be obtained boneless or Chicken is an ideal meat for practically
with rib cage bone attached to any method of coo king. However, the
them. most preferred one s are grilling, pan
frying, sautéing, or d eep frying.
SUPREME This is the tenderloin of the Can be sautéed, grilled, or pan fried.
chicken and is very tender and lean This is the preferre d cut for oriental
and hence called supreme. satay’s too.
WINGLET This is the c ut having wing bone Preferably coated w ith flour and deep
and flesh attached to it. Flesh is fried, often used in making of chicken
delicate and juicy, ideal for most stock, bufflo chicke n wings are large
types of cooking methods. wings bbq’ed and tossed in sauce,
chicken lollipop are also famous from
oriental type of cuisines.
DRUMSTICKS These are leg s of chicken which are This can be used whole or even
cub shaped. deboned, stuffed, and then cooked. In
Indian cooking, it is used in making
tangdi/kalmi kebab.
THIGH This is the part above the Can be deboned or used whole. Ideal
drumstick join ing the hip bone for grilling, bbq’ing, and deep-frying. In
Indian cooking, it is used in making
tikka’s and kebabs.
Type of Poultry:
Duck
Turkey
Squab
Goose

The birds hunted for game or eating purpose falls under game birds.

Classification of Poultry:

POUSSIN SPRING CHI CKEN BROILER BOILING FOWL CAPON

Chicken Chicken weighing Chicken weighing A mature hen of Castrated male

weighing 300- 400-500 gm. between 1-1.5 1 year of age roosters, that are
400 gm. kg and even to 9 and weighing 4- 5 months old
week old. between 1.5 – 2 and weighing
kg. between 3-4 kg.

POULTRY PROCESSING:

1. SINGING.
2. DRESSING
3. TRUSSING
4. SPATCHCOCKING
5. BASTING
6. JOINTING
7. FRENCHING
GAME MEAT:

Game animals/Furred Game

Game Birds/ Feathered Game s:

Game or quarry is any animal hunted for sport or for food. The type and
range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. In
some countries , game is classified, including legal classification with
respect to licences required, as either "sm all game" or "large game"

The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts o f
the world. This is influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and
locally accepted views about what can or cannot be legitimately hunte d.
Sometimes a distinction is also made between varieties and species of a
particular animal, such as wild turkey and domestic turkey. Fish caught for
sport are referred to as game fish. The flesh of the animal, when butchered
for co nsumption is often described as having a "gamey" flavour. This
difference in taste can be attribu ted to the wild diet of the animal, which
usually results in a lower fat content compared to d omestic farm raised
animals.
In some countries, game is classified, including legal classification with
respect to licences required, as either "small gam e" or "large game". A single
small game licence may cover all small game species and be subject to
yearly bag limits. Large game are often subject to individual licensing where
a separate licence is required for each individual animal taken.

Interior Temperatures of Coo ked Meats

Meat Rare ` Medium Well done

Beef 140ºF(60ºC) 160ºF(71ºC) 170ºF(77ºC)

Lamb 140-150ºF(60-
66ºC) 160ºF(71ºC) 170ºF(77ºC)

Veal -------- -------- 170ºF(77ºC)

165-175ºF(74-
Pork -------- -------- 79º)

RIGOR MORTIS

Rigor Mortis is a condition th at occurs in the body soon after death. This is
characterized by muscle spasm and the stiffening of muscles and occurs
not only in Human beings but also in animals.

We know that all living beings respire and there are two types of respiration,
aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic respiratio n takes place in the presence of
Oxygen and the end product is Carbon Dioxide. This would ta ke place
normally and produces ATP (Adeno sine Try Phosphate), which is a high c
hemical bond energy compound derived fro m Amino Acids and provide
energy for body func tions.
Anaerobic respiration takes place in the absence of oxygen and its end
pr oduct is Ethyl Alcohol. In animals, the end product of anaerobic
respiration is Lactic Acid which when

accumulated in the carcass d ecreased the pH and stiffens the muscles.

In living animals, the myoglob in stores oxygen in the muscles. When the a
nimal is slaughtered, the external source of oxygen is cut off and the tissues
use t he stored oxygen to continue aerobic respiratio n and subsequent ATP
and Carbon Dioxide p roduction. Within a few minutes, the store of o xygen
is depleted and the tissues now opt for anaerobic respiration, which then
results in the accumulation of Lactic Acid in the muscles. Hence the acidity
of the cells increases and the pH decreases. This in turn causes the muscles
to stiffen. This condition is known as Rig or Mortis. This condition is aided
by the fact that the supply of ATP is cut off and hence ther e is no energy for
the tissue to work. The Lactic Acid gradually breaks up into lactate and
water and indicates the end of Rigor Mortis an d the production of water.
This is characterized b y bloating of the carcass.
Offal (Variety Meats)

Offal, also referred to as variety meats, is the name for internal organs and
entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of
edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most
internal organs excluding muscle and bone. Some cultures shy away from
offal as food, while others use it as everyday food or in delicacies.
Some offal dishes are considered gourmet food in international cuisine. This
includes foie gras, pâté, and sweetbreads. Other offal dishes remain part of
tradition al regional cuisine and may be consumed especially in connection
with holidays such as the Scottish tradition of eating haggis on Robbie
Burns Day. Intestines are traditionally u sed as casings for sausages.

Depending on the context, offal may also refer to those parts of an anima l
carcass discarded after butchering or skinning. Offal not used directly for
human or animal food is often processed in a rendering plant, producing
material that is used for fert ilizer or fuel or, in some cases, it may be added
to commercially produced pet food.
The following table lists the m ost common types of offal from the various
species.

Species Common Offal Uses/Notes

Beef Heart Beef offal is more commonly retailed
Liver
Kidney
Tongue
Tripe
Oxtail The only external offal meat
Veal Heart
Liver Veal offal is more commonly served in
restaurants than
other types.
Kidney
Tongue
Brains
Sweetbreads Thymus gland
Pork Liver Pork offal is stronger in flavour; the liver
is most
commonly used in pâté.
Heart
Kidney
Intestines Used for sausage casings
Skin Used to make cracklings or chicharron
Blood Used for blood sausage and black pud ding
Lamb Liver Lamb offal is milder in flavour
Heart
Kidney
Tongue
Intestines Used for sausage casings
Chicken Heart, Liver, These three are often referred to as giblets as a
Gizzard whole.

Duck/Goose Liver fatty livers.