| Cooking
Tips
Meat may often
be the most expensive ingredient on the centre of the plate. It
is sensible therefore to cook it in a way that maximises the yield
of each portion, and minimises cooking losses.
How much do you need?
An average cooked
serving of meat weighs 140 - 160g. The amount of raw meat required
for that serving depends on how much the meat shrinks during cooking
as well as the particular cut, its size, fat and bone content and
the degree of doneness. Generally, cooking losses range from 1/4 to
1/3 of the raw meat weight. Remember, cooking losses in small roasts
and portion cuts tend to be greater than in larger cuts.
Cooking losses
There are two
kinds of cooking losses. Yields may be reduced by cooking/shrinkage
losses and by wastage in carving and serving. The cooking or shrinkage
loss is the actual weight difference between the uncooked cut and
the cooked meat before it is carved.
Slicing and serving losses are due to fat trim, poor carving, or smaller
portions that are not suitable for serving. Shrinkage occurs when
water evaporates from the surface of the meat and when fat, water
and juices drip from the meat. Shrinkage is affected by cooking method,
duration and temperatures, and degree of doneness. Shrinkage during
cooking is inevitable and it occurs with every cooking method. It
can be as low as 10%, or as high as 50%, but average shrinkage loss
is between 15% and 30%.
Get the most out of beef and
lamb when cooking by:
Keep
cooking temperatures low - Some cooking loss is
unavoidable, but using low cooking temperatures keeps it to a minimum.
There is less meat shrinkage at low temperatures. Tests show that
even when two beef roasts are cooked to the same degree of doneness,
roasting losses are usually less at a lower, constant temperature
for a longer period of time, than at a higher temperature for shorter
time.
Simmer, don't boil
- Gentle simmering cooks meat evenly. Simmered meats have less
cooking loss than boiled meats.
Grill,
don't burn - Grilling requires high temperatures.
If the temperature is too high it will burn the outside of the meat
and dry, shrink and cook it unevenly.
Don't cook meats longer
than necessary - (But ensure internal temperature
is high enough to kill bacteria). The longer a roast is in the oven,
the more it shrinks so do not overcook. The larger the cut, the longer
the cooking time needed, but keep in mind that a thin, flat roast
might take half the cooking time of a thicker roast of the same weight.
Always take into account the shape as well as the cut and weight of
the meat when calculating cooking time.
Note the cooking load
- Remember that the cooking load affects cooking
time. Three roasts placed together in the conventional oven will take
longer to cook than one roast because heat is dissipated into the
greater mass of meat.
Carve it right to cut
losses - Good carving techniques help to minimise
meat losses during slicing. Carve meat across the grain for optimum
tenderness.
Trimmings
- Put them to good use
Fat (dripping) render- Use for
cooking
Bones and sinews
- Use in stock making, for sauces, soups etc
Large trimmings
- Dice or cut into strips for casseroles, kebabs and stir-fries
Small trimmings
- Mince for use in pies, patties, meat loaves
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