Introduction

Meat is trimmed, boned and cut in order to attain the desired portion cut. Excessive parts such as bones, fats and sinews are properly removed to:

• Obtain the desired characteristics of meat easier; and
• Give “focus” on the highlight of a dish.

This lesson will present the basic techniques for preparing meat including preparing portion cuts, frenching, tying roasts and marinating.

Preparing Portion Cuts

Portion cuts or restaurant cuts are the pieces of meat taken from subprimal cuts. Common portion cuts include:

• Medallion, scallops and eminence (from tenderloin);
• Steaks;
• Short and prime ribs;
• Briskets; and
• Chops.

The following are measures you must observe when preparing portion cuts of meat:

• Gently cut meat from the bones.
• Cut meat evenly.
• Cut along the grain of the meat to make it more tender.
• Trim fat and sinews carefully. Pull the fat away from the meat to see the line the separates the two.
• Shape the meat before cutting (especially when cutting tenderloin). Use a cheesecloth to shape the meat before cutting.
• Use a sharp knife when cutting meat into portion cuts.

Preparing Frenched Meat

Frenching is the process of scraping the meat, fats and membranes out of the bone. This procedure is most commonly done on a rack of lamb.

Guidelines for Preparing Frenched Lamb Racks

The following are important reminders for preparing frenched portion cuts:

• Peel the skin off. Use a knife to carefully separate skin from the flesh.
• Scrape off meat to expose at least two inches of bone from the side with the least meat.
• Remove excess bone to achieve a clean portion.
• When preparing frenched rib racks, peel off the fat cap but keep the fat covering the eye of the meat.
• Start frenching at 2 to 3 inches from the eye of meat.
• Use a flexible pairing knife when frenching.

Tying Roasts

As a kitchen staff, it is a must that you know one of the most common meat fabrication techniques- tying roasts. Roasts can either be bone-in or boneless. They are tied for two reasons:

• To keep the desired shape of the roast even after cooking; and
• To secure the herbs and stuffing inside the roast.

Marinating Meat

Marinating is the process of subjecting the meat into a solution before cooking in order to add more flavor and break connective tissues to make the meat more tender. This process is usually done on leaner cuts of meats such as sirloin and tenderloin steaks.

Marinating can be done through the following methods:

• Dry Method - Oil and flavoring are rubbed into the meat, for example, before roasting or grilling tender meats.
• Wet Method - Meat is immersed in a flavorful liquid mixture. A cooked marinade can be used for older game meat while uncooked marinade can be used for braising younger game meat.

A standard marinade for meat cuts contains fat, acids and seasoning such as:

• olive oil;
• mustard;
• chopped garlic;
• rosemary;
• and thyme.

However, you can still use other ingredients as long as your marinade contains the following:

• Acids for tenderizing such as wine, vinegar, and lemon juice;
• Oils for distribution of flavor and to prevent too much moisture loss during cooking; and
• Flavors such as spices, herbs, vegetables.

Marinating Meat

Guidelines for Marinating Meat

Marinating can easily make or break your dish. To help you with that, here are some reminders you must put in mind:

• Thick cuts of meat should be marinated for not less than an hour while thinner cuts of meat can be marinated for only 30 minutes before cooking.
• Chop herbs finely to extract more flavor.
• Prepare the marinade before putting in the meat. This will ensure that flavor will be distributed evenly.
• Cook off alcohol before using it for the marinade to prevent meat from coagulating.
• Limit the use of acid to a 3:1 ratio with the oil. Exposure to too much acid can cause an undesirable effect on the texture of meat.
• Use glass, ceramic, stainless steel and plastic containers only when marinating. Aluminum containers react with acids and cause an off-taste with the food.
• Cover the marinate with a lid or a plastic wrap.
• Label and keep the marinate refrigerated.

Activity: Meat Stop