Part Three: Chapter Nine : Meat, Poultry, and Game Identification

Apologies for not having written in a few days! It's been a busy week, and on top of that, I've been home sick the past two days with something that's been going around my office! Fever, aches and pains, it's awful, and I haven't been in the mood to do anything but lie on the couch and watch old Lifetime movies - one of my favorite pastimes! 

I did find it in me today to read a chapter of The Professional Chef, though. This is an interesting chapter because it has given me a bit more insight into the different kinds and cuts of meat available to us in the markets. It's useful to know what each of these cuts looks like, and where it comes from! It's important to know what cooking procedures are best for each cut of meat so that you can enjoy it to the fullest.

Because meats have such a short shelf life, it is wise to always cook your purchased meats as soon as possible. When I go for a large food shopping trip and buy multiple cuts of meat for different meals, I tend to immediately freeze what I won't be using right away, preferring to defrost later than risk the chance of spoilage in the refrigerator.

In this chapter, numerous cuts of meat are displayed in large pictures, something that I will definitely refer to in the future. It's good to have a reference so that when a recipe calls for a certain cut, you will be knowledgeable about what you need when you get to the store or butcher. There is also a chart mentioning the common cooking techniques for each cut of meat. This is a fantastic reference for the home chef that might not have this information at an arm's reach, otherwise.

When shopping for meats, you want to look at coloring, marbling, and smell, depending on the cut. Even coloring and lack of scent are preferred...if the meat smells a little funky, it should be avoided. (Hopefully, I'm not telling you something you didn't know before!) That's another reason I recommend freezing it, if you aren't going to use it directly after purchase.

That was a fun chapter to read, with lots of images to help me understand the different cuts of meat out there on the market. While my appetite isn't quite up to par right now, this chapter has encouraged me to start working on next week's menu, feeling confident that when I show up in the meat department, I'll be on my game!

My Bad!

So...um...Moroccan night didn't go so well. I could blame it on the beef I used, or I could blame it on the very vague recipe instructions, or I could blame it on the chef...but it wasn't good. I mean, the taste was good, but the beef was so tough that it was pretty much un-chewable. I sheepishly trekked back to the kitchen to heat up some leftovers because dinner was not workin' out so well this evening.

Sometimes this happens. Don't feel bad about it, but learn from it. In this case, I think the issue was some gristly, tough meat, mixed with the wrong type of cooking method, and the possibility of a terrible recipe. I know when I try it again, I will learn from my mistakes and make a much better dish. Unfortunately, this time around it just wasn't what it should be.

It's too bad because Moroccan cuisine is a very interesting one that I'd like to learn more about. I love the idea of dried fruits adding sweetness to an otherwise spicy sauce, with rustic meats slow-cooked to perfection of a low flame. Sounds delicious, right? Well, it looked good anyway...

The Importance of Multiple Cutting Boards

When you start your mise en place, it is imperative that you have a different cutting board for meats and vegetables. There are numerous ways to accomplish this, but you MUST make sure you do it. Meats carry a lot of bacteria before they are cooked, and even if everything is eventually going into the same pot, vegetables can still be contaminated with that bacteria prior to being cooked. For this reason, I make sure to take out a cutting board for each type of ingredient I will be prepping, before I even start. You can do this with color-coded boards, which are sometimes sold in packs.


Alternatively, there are some very cute sets that even have little pictures on them. I have a set of 4, from Sur La Table, with pictures of a fish, a cow, a chicken, and a carrot on them. This set is similar to the one I have: Cutting Boards. These are only $16 and that is a small price to pay for keeping you and your loved ones healthy when you cook. 




This goes for knives as well. I have two favorite knives, so I tend to wash them if I need to cut more than one type of meat, but normally, I've got one set aside for my protein, and the other will prep the veggies and other ingredients. As long as you wash your knife with soap in between ingredients, you don't really need to have more than one. 


Raw chicken can carry Campylobacter, as well as Salmonella, the leading cause of food borne illness. Raw beef can also carry Salmonella and Campylobacter, in addition to Listeria Monocytogenes and Staphylococcus Aureus. Raw fish can carry Anisakis Simplex (or Herring Worm), and Vibrio Species. Now let me clarify - don't stop eating these proteins because of this information. These bacteria can be spread through the improper cleaning and care of raw meats. That's why, if you decide to try making sushi at home, ALWAYS make sure that you are buying sushi-grade fish. This way, you are assured that the fish was handled properly for raw consumption. This is the case with beef too - you CAN eat it raw, as long as it's prepared appropriately. On the other hand, you can NEVER eat chicken raw...don't even contemplate it. 


Finally, I'd like to give an example of a more complicated meal, just to give you an idea of how careful you need to be. Let's say you are cooking an Asian stirfry, with beef, shrimp, chicken and veggies. You need 4 cutting boards for this meal, to be on the safe side. You'll also either need 4 knives, or a sponge and dish soap, to wash the knife in between ingredients. 


Healthy and safe cooking to you all, and to all a good night!