All people, with the exception, perhaps, only of vegetarians and representatives of some religious denominations, eat meat. And they love him. Meat is a very healthy and nutritious product. It is meat dishes that, as a rule, crown any feast. And in order for this dish to be successful and delight you not only with its great taste, but also with its appetizing appearance, you need to choose the right base for it - a piece of meat. How to do it?
The main indicators of good quality meat
Each type of product, including meat, has its own quality characteristics. You don't need to be a chef of an expensive restaurant to be able to choose good fresh meat, it is enough to know its organoleptic characteristics. These experts include: appearance, smell, color, consistency, condition of tendons, subcutaneous fat and bone marrow, as well as the quality of broth and meat after cooking.
In addition, meat is usually classified into several categories, including: freshness, thermal state, type and age of slaughtered animals. Each category has its own organoleptic characteristics.
Classification of meat. How to choose meat
According to the degree of freshness, three categories of meat can be distinguished: fresh, dubious freshness and spoiled (unsuitable for food). The surface of fresh meat is covered with a dry crust, the color is pale red or pale pink. When cutting meat, the cut surface will be moist (but not sticky), the texture of the muscles will be firm, and the smell of the meat will be pleasant. Other characteristics of the meat will indicate staleness of the product, which should not be eaten.
According to the thermal state, experts distinguish steamed, cooled chilled, frozen meat.
Fresh meat is meat that has not yet cooled down after slaughter and has not lost its animal warmth. This meat is not used by cooks, as it is believed that in order to be suitable for use in food, the meat must undergo a series of physical and chemical transformations - to mature.
Chilled (temperature not higher than 12 ° C) is meat that has been kept in natural conditions or in special cooling chambers for 6 or 8 hours after cutting the carcass. It is covered with a thin crust, its color is pale pink or pale red. The consistency of such meat is dense, there is no stickiness. The bone marrow is pale yellow, the tendons are firm and elastic. Such meat is perfect for any dish.
Good-quality chilled (temperature - from 0 to 4 ° C) meat has the same characteristics as cooled meat, it is also good to use it for food.
Frozen - meat that has been frozen in special chambers to a temperature not exceeding -8 ° C. If such meat has been stored in accordance with all the requirements and has not been defrosted (thawed) and re-frozen, it can be used as food. It is almost impossible to check the observance of the storage conditions for meat at all stages of its transportation. Therefore, when purchasing frozen meat, your chances of determining the quality of the product are zero. Frozen meat is almost odorless, even if it is not edible.
Depending on the type of slaughter animals, meat is subdivided into beef, veal, pork, lamb, horse meat, goat meat, etc.
If you prefer beef, then you need to choose meat that has the following characteristics: bright red, marbling (the presence of fine fatty inclusions), pale yellow fat and a very dense consistency. The meat should not have a strong unpleasant odor.
Veal lovers (this is the meat of cattle aged from 2 weeks to 3 months) know that this type of meat is distinguished by a light pink color and a very delicate texture. There is almost no subcutaneous fat in veal, so meat is considered a dietary product and is well absorbed by the body. Due to these remarkable properties, veal is suitable for nutrition even for young children and people with health problems.
Good fresh pork is distinguished by its light pink color, fine grain structure and marbling. The smell is pleasant, fresh.
Lamb, goat and horse meat are not as popular with consumers as previous meats. But their quality characteristics are known: good lamb and goat meat is light or dark red, horse meat is dark red, it darkens when exposed to air, acquires a bluish tint. The smell of meat is specific, characteristic for each type of animal.
According to the age of the slaughtered cattle, meat is divided into meat of young animals (aged from 3 months to 3 years) and meat of adult animals. The young meat is lighter, the consistency is soft, the smell is less pronounced. Younger meat tastes better and is great for cooking. As the animal ages, the meat becomes darker, and in older animals it is almost black. Old meat is tough, taste is satisfactory.
