PREPARE MEAT DISHES when meats are browned by roasting,

broiling or sautéing. Without

MEAT- It is the flesh or other edible part of animals that are carbohydrates, desirable flavor appearance
usually domesticated. of browned meats would not be achieved.
Structure of Meat
1. Muscle fibers - Lean meat is composed of long, thin muscle Different Kinds of Meat and Its Source
fibers bound together in bundles. These determine the texture
or grain of a piece of meat. Pork – meat from
Fine – grained meat is composed of small fibers bound in domesticated pigs, typically
small fibers. high in fat, commonly
Course– textured meat has large fibers. slaughtered one year or less of
age to ensure tender cuts.
Beef -meat from cattle over
one year old.

Lamb – meats of domesticated

sheep. Its texture is a direct
result of what it consumes and
the age at which it is
2. Connective tissue slaughtered.
These are network of proteins that bind the muscle Carabeef – meat from
fibers together. Connective tissue is tough. Meats are carabao.
high in connective tissue if the muscles are more
exercised like meat from legs and the meat comes
from older animals.
Two Kinds of Connective Tissue Chevon – meat from
1. Collagen- white connective tissue that dissolves or breaks down deer/goat.
by long, slow cooking with liquid. Moist-heat cooking methods at
low temperature are not effective for turning a meat high in
connective tissue into a tender, juicy finished product. Acid helps
dissolve collagen. Veal – flesh of a young calf, 4-
5 months old. Because of its
age, it is considered by some to
be the finest meat.

DIFFERENT CUTS OF PORK

2. Elastin - yellow connective tissue and is not broken down in
cooking. Tenderizing can be accomplished only by removing the
elastin, by pounding and by slicing and grinding.

PLATE/PRESENT MEAT DISHES

Basic Principles of Platter Presentation
1. Presentation must have three elements:
Composition of Meat  Centerpiece may be an uncut portion of the main food
item.
Water – 70% of muscle tissue.
Protein – 20% of muscle tissue.  Slices or serving portions of the main food item, arrange
artistically.
Protein coagulates when it is heated.  Garnish, arranged artistically in proportion to the cut
It becomes firmer and loses moisture. slices.
When protein has coagulated to the 2. The food should be easy to handle and serve, so one portion can
desired degree, the meat is said to be done. be removed without ruining the arrangement.
3. Simple arrangements are easier to serve, and more likely to be
Fat – 5% of the muscle tissue. still attractive when they are half demolished by the guests.
4. Attractive platter are made of metals, mirrors, china, plastic or
The fat in meat contributes to: woods, presentable and suitable for use with food.
A. Juiciness. Marbling is fat that is deposited
5. It must look attractive and appropriate not only by itself, but
within the muscle tissue. Surface fats protect the
among other presentations on the table.
meat from drying out during cooking. Adding
surface fat is called barding.
B. Tenderness. Marbling separates muscle fibers,  Starting with Beautiful Food
making meat easier to chew.  Avoid a monochromatic color scheme.
C. Flavor. Fat is the main source of flavor in  Bring out vegetables’ brightest colors.
meat.  Sear your meat and let it rest.
 Cook fried foods carefully.
Carbohydrates. It plays a necessary part
 Take texture into account.
in the complex reaction, called the
maillard reaction, which takes place  Experiment with interesting shapes.
  Plating it with Care C. Salting – Salt improves the keeping quality of meat. It removes
 Visualize the finished plate. the water from the tissue of the meat and the cells of spoilage
 Limit portion sizes. organisms that may be present in the meat.
 Follow the rule of odds.
D. Curing – In this method, salt, sugar, potassium or sodium
 Play with different textures nitrate, and other curing elements such as ascorbic acid, phosphate
 Layer foods to add height. blend, and spices are used to prolong the keeping quality of meat.
 Use sauce wisely
 Keep up with food styling trends. E. Refrigerating – Meat is stored at a temperature range of 2 to
 Add appetizing touches 10ºC to retard mold and bacterial growth for a limited period.
 Employ drizzles and swirls. F. Freezing – Meat is preserved at a temperature of 10ºC and
 Make sure the plate is clean below. Freezing deactivates enzymes and bacteria. Meat can be
preserved for two months to one year using this method.
THE 5 BASIC ELEMENTS OF PLATING
1. Create a Framework G. Canning – Meat preserved by canning is packed in sealed cans
-Start with drawings and sketches to visualize the plate. Find or jars which are subjected to a temperature of 100ºC and above 5-7
inspiration from a picture or object. Assemble a ‘practice’ plate to kilo pressured for a specific period of time. This process destroys
work on executing your vision. the organism that causes spoilage. It maintains the high quality of
2. Keep It Simple meat product and extends its life for about a year.
Select one ingredient to focus on and use space to simplify the
H. Freeze Drying – The process involves the removal of moisture
presentation. Clutter distracts from the main elements of your dish
from the meat tissues by transforming the moisture content into ice
that might confuse the diners on what to focus on.
and gas. The product to be dried is first frozen and the ice is
3. Balance the Dish.
sublimed from the frozen mass, removing 98% of the water content.
Play with colors, shapes, and textures to ensure diners are not
The remaining moisture is further reduced to 0.5% or lower by
overwhelmed, the presentation should never overpower flavor and
subjecting the product to high temperature as possible without
function.
destroying it.
4. Get the Right Portion Size.
Ensure that there is the right amount of ingredients and the plate Techniques in Storing Meat
complements the dish, not too big or too small. Strike the right
proportion of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables to create a Storing • Take time to store the food items. Store new purchases
nutritionally balanced meal. behind old ones and always use the old stock first. It is easy to put
5. Highlight the Key. new purchases at the front. However, older stocks are overlooked
Ingredient Ensure that the main ingredient stands out and pay equal and thus cause spoilage. These may include cereal and cereal
attention to the ‘support’. This refers to the other elements on the products, sweeteners, oils, seasonings, and unopened cans and jars.
plate such as garnishes, sauces and even the plate itself. Do not use kitchen cabinets above the refrigerator, stove, or oven
for food storage.

METHODS OF PRESERVING MEAT 1. Refrigerator storage

A. Drying – This is the most common method of preserving meat. 2. Freezer storage
Drying involves the reduction of the original 70% of water content
 Sanitation is the best preventive measure against food-
of the meat to about 15%. The removal of the moisture content does
borne diseases.
three things, namely: • Enzymatic changes are
retarded;  Staphylococcus bacteria are found not only in raw meat
but in food handlers with poor personal hygiene. The
• Growth of microorganisms is much hampered
bacteria from food handlers can be transmitted to the food
• Microbes lose water and become inert. through sneezing and coughing.

Ways of Drying Meat  Bacteria thrive on food, moisture, and the right
temperature in order to grow. With carelessness, these
1. Natural sun drying – Natural sunlight is used to reduce growing conditions can occur in any kitchen.
the amount of moisture content of meat. Portable solar
dyers can provide sanitary means of drying meat. Dryers
with screen covers are recommended for outdoor use and
lengthens the storage life of meat

2. Dehydration or artificial drying – Oven is used for

drying the meat. Although this is more expensive than sun
drying, dehydration is a more efficient method of
removing moisture from meat. Products dried in this way
are of higher quality and can be sold at better prices.

B. Smoking – Meat is smoked to create a distinctive color and

flavor, thus helping its preservation.

• Cold Smoking – The temperature is held between

26 to 43ºC and the products are smoked over a period of
days or weeks. The products thus pick up a strong smoked
flavor and are dehydrated as well.

• Hot Smoking – The temperature is higher, from

71 to 79ºC.The high temperature speed up the drying
process, giving the product a mild smoked flavor.