Composition of Meat It refers to the nutritional contents of a meat. It is composed of water, protein, fat and Carbohydrates.
1. Water 70% of the muscle tissue
Water content of Meat and Poultry Product Name Percentage Water Raw Cooked Chicken fryer, whole 66% 60% White meat chicken, with skin 69% 61% Dark Meat chicken, with skin 66% 59% Ground beef, 85% lean 64% 60% Ground beef, 73% lean 56% 55% Beef, eye of round 73% 65% Beef, whole brisket 71% 56%
2. Protein 20% percent of muscle tissue. Protein coagulates when it is heated. It becomes firmer and loses moisture.
3. Fat 5% percent of muscle tissue. The fat of meat contributes to juiciness, tenderness and flavor.
The fat in meat contributes: Juiciness Tenderness flavor
A. Juiciness: Marbling is fat that deposited within the muscle tissue. Surface fats protect the meat from drying out during cooking. Adding surface fat is called barding.
B. Tenderness: Marbling separates muscle fibers, making meat easier to chew.
C. Flavor: Fat is the main source of flavor in meat.
4. Carbohydrates It plays a necessary part in the complex reaction, called the maillard reaction which takes place when meat are browned by roasting, broiling or sautéing. Without carbohydrates, desirable flavor-appearance of browned meats would not be achieved.
Structure of Meat It refers to the arrangement of and relation between the muscle fibers and connective tissue.
1. Muscle Fibers Lean meat is composed of long, thin muscle fibers bound together in bundles.
These will determine the texture or grain of a piece of meat Fine – grained meat is composed of small fibers bound in small fibers Course – textured meat has large fibers
2. Connective Tissue This are the network of protein that binds the muscle fiber together. Connective tissue is tough. Meats high in connective tissue if the muscle are more exercised like meat from legs and comes from older animals.
Two kinds of Connective Tissue Collagen – this is white connective tissue that dissolves or breakdown 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. Acids helps dissolve collagen.
Elastin – this is yellow connective tissue and is not broken down in cooking. Tenderizing can be accomplished only by removing the elastin by pounding, slicing and grinding.
Thinking outside the box….. 1. In your own idea, Why does water content of the meat differ when raw and cooked? 2. Does fat has a contribution on meat?
Lets apply!!!
Direction: Complete the table that show the water Content of Meat and Poultry when raw and cooked. Product Name Percentage Water Raw Cooked Chicken fryer, whole 60% White meat chicken, with skin 61% Dark Meat chicken, with skin 66% Ground beef, 85% lean 64% Ground beef, 73% lean 55% Beef, eye of round 73% Beef, whole brisket 56%
Lets evaluate!!!
Directions: Write the correct answer on the space provided Muscle Fiber Connective Tissue Vitamins Carbohydrates Collagen Liquid Elastine Water Fat Protien ____________ 1.Lean meat is composed of long, thin muscle fibers bound together in bundles. ____________ 2. These are network of proteins that bind the muscle fibers together. ____________ 3 What kind of connective tissue that dissolves or breaks down by long, slow cooking with liquid? ____________ 4. This is yellow connective tissue and is not broken down in cooking. ____________ 5. It plays a necessary part in the complex reaction. ____________ 6. Is the main source of flavor in meat ____________ 7. 20% percent of muscle tissue. ____________ 8. 5% of the muscle tissue