Identifying Meat Composition

Muscle fibers are thin strands of tissue bundled together by connective tissues to form muscles or meat. Meat is sometimes classified according to the types of muscle fibers they are composed of:

• Fine- grained meat consists of small muscle fiber bound in small bundles. This type of meat is more tender and can be found in younger animal sources or from parts of the animal that do not usually perfrom work (back and ribs); and
• Course-grained meat is composed of large muscle fibers bound in large bundles. This tougher type of meat can be found in older animal sources or from the parts that usually perform more work (shoulders and legs).

Connective tissues also affect the tenderness of the meat. Higher amounts of connective tissues mean tougher meat. There are two types of connective tissues:

• Collagen is a white tissue that turns into gelatin and water when subjected to long and slow moist heat cooking. Collagen can also be dissolved using acids, enzymes and tenderizers (papain and bromelain); and
• Elastin (Gristle) is an elastic yellowish tissue that can only be removed or broken down mechanically by pounding and cubing, grinding and slicing meat thinly across the grain.

Meat high in connective tissues may come from older animal sources or from the more-exercised parts of the animal (shoulder and legs).

REF: Gisslen, W. (2007). Professional Cooking, 6th Edition. USA. John Wiley & Sons. Inc.