Dry Aging

2. Dry Aging • Considerations: • There is a certain amount of weight loss during the aging process due to the evaporation of water from the carcass, thus increasing the price even more • The time, space, labor, and refrigeration involved • The best meat for aging is the meat that contains the most marbling or fat distribution, because only the highest grades have the marbling needed; this becomes a hindrance because of expense © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

3. Wet Aging • A less expensive alternative to dry aging • Meat is shipped from packing plants to butchers in vacuum packaging • Packages can be set aside in the refrigerator and allowed to age • Enzymes in the meat juices will render it tender • One disadvantage of wet aging to dry is that because there is no loss of moisture, the flavor of the meat is not concentrated © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

4. Fabrication Charts • Useful in locating primal cuts • Show how animals have similar structure • Position of cuts and their uses are similar • Position of cuts help to define cooking methods © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

5. Common Cuts • Are available from all the animals • Are taken from the exact same place in all the animals • Are cut from the primal cuts in the same way • Are also similar in the way they would be cooked © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

6. Common Cuts • Loins are removed by boning and cleaning the racks and saddles of the animal • The tenderloins are removed from the opposite side where the loins are located, within the saddle • The loin cuts or steaks are achieved by removing the loin from the saddle region of the animals • All chops are made by cutting through the loin and tenderloin © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

7. Common Cuts • The racks are cut by chining the spine out of the animal, cutting through the ribs on either side, and leaving the rib bones attached to the eye of the loin • The cutlets are cut from these cleaned racks by slicing into one, two, or three pieces • When preparing a crown of meat, the racks are tied together back to back, and pulled into a crown shape © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

8. Specialty Small Cuts • Beef • Comes from steers that have been castrated as calves and reared as beef cattle • Marbling is the fine flecks of fat that evenly distributed amongst the lean meat, and is a major consideration for grading • Contributes to juiciness and flavor, and slightly to tenderness © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

9. Specialty Small Cuts • Beef • USDA Grades • Prime • Choice • Select • Standard • Commercial • Utility • Cutter • Canner © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

10. Breaking Down the Tenderloin • Remove the fat surrounding the tenderloin, being careful not to cut into the meat • Locate the chain or fillet string that runs down parallel to the tenderloin and remove it all the way down to the thickest part of the meat • As you remove it from the end, make sure you feel around that area and locate exactly how it attaches • Remove it without taking large chunks of the meat off © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

11. Breaking Down the Tenderloin • Clean the silver skin of the whole tenderloin and clean away any fat from the other side • The meat can now be cut into three distinct areas: the head, the heart, and the tail • It can now be cut into the smaller cuts © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

12. Veal • Originated in Europe—mostly the Netherlands, Spain, France, and Italy—where young animals were fed skim milk, whey, and fat • Male calves are marketed to veal farmers to produce the veal we use today • Most animals are slaughtered when between 8 and 16 weeks old © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

13. Veal • Grades • Special-Fed • Complete milk supplement to 18 to 20 weeks of age • 400 to 450 pounds • Meat is ivory or creamy pink with a velvety texture • Bob Veal • Solely milk diet • Meat is light pink with soft texture • Grain-Fed • Initial milk diet, then grain, hay, and formulas • Marketed at 5 to 6 months of age • 450 to 600 pounds • Meat tends to be darker in color and has additional marbling and some visible fat © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

14. Veal • USDA Grades • Prime • Choice • Good • Standard • Utility © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

15. Veal Fabrication • The Leg • Remove the shank from the leg at the knee joint by cutting through the ball-and-socket joint • Trim the fat from around the pelvic bone, exposing the butt tenderloin and removing the flank • Remove the butt tenderloin • Bone out the pelvic bone and turn the leg with the inside facing up © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

16. Veal Fabrication • The Leg • Find the natural seam and remove the top butt without cutting any flesh • Trim around the exposed bone at the shank end, removing the excess shank meat • Cut under the bone, removing it cleanly from the meat • Seam out the knuckle meat in one piece and then separate the inside round from the eye round © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

17. Pork • Meat of hogs slaughtered before they are 1 year old • Not graded by USDA because most is bred and fed to produce uniformly tender meat • Look for cuts with a small amount of fat over the outside, and meat that is grayish pink in color • The meat should have a small amount of marbling • Two thirds of the pork marketed in the U.S. is cured to produced charcuterie items © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

18. Pork Tenderloin Fabrication • Small tournedos flatten into escalope: • Trim all fat and sinew off the tenderloin • Remove the chain or fillet string, and remove all silver skin by stripping with a sharp, thin-bladed knife • Cut the tenderloin into eight even-sized pieces against the grain • Flatten the meat with a mallet, striking it several times with glancing blows in different directions, to stretch the meat © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

19. Lamb • Meat from sheep slaughtered when less than 1 year old • Most are brought to market at 6 to 8 months • Spring lamb is produced between March and October • Usually tender • Look for good marbling • Meat should be pink with firm, white fat that is not too thick © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

20. Lamb • Grades • Prime • Extremely tender, very high in flavor, very even, clear marbling • Choice • Slightly less marbling than prime, but still of very high quality © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

21. Rosette of Lamb • Trim the saddle of lamb, removing the loin and the fillet • Clean the fillet and remove the eye of meat from the loin, cleaning it of all silver skin • Trim the fat cap of all sinew, flatten it out with a mallet evenly, and trim it into a rectangle • Place the fillet and the eye meat into the fat and wrap securely • Tie individual sections with twine and cut into rosettes © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

22. Goat • Thought to be the earliest animal domesticated, other than sheep and dogs • Principal supply of protein in many North African and Middle Eastern countries • Also in Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and other developing tropical countries • Under 1 year of age is called kid © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

23. Goat • Meat from males is lighter in color and lower in fat than females • Meat from females is more desirable for steaks and chops because it is more tender • Can be dry-aged for up to 7 days © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

24. Goat Roast • Remove the legs and shoulders from the animal, leaving the belly and ribs attached to the rack and saddle • Completely bone the belly, rack, tenderloins, and saddle, leaving the two halves connected • Remove all sinew and cartilage from the meat, laying it out meat side down © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

25. Goat Roast • Clean the skin off the outside, and clean silver skin off the fillets • Pound the belly with a mallet to evenly distribute the meat • Season with appropriate seasonings, and lay the stuffing side-by-side with the tenderloins, down the center • Roll the belly meats up, and secure with string to form an even shape © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

26. Goat Roast • Tying • Wrap the loose end of the twine around the end of the goat roast • Create a loop and slide it down the roast to about 2 inches from the twine that you tied in a knot and pull it tight until it ties the roast together where it is • Now make another loop, sliding it down the meat until it is 2 inches from the last loop tightened to it; continue this way until the roast is completely tied © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

27. Goat Roast • Tying • When you have gotten to the end, turn the roast over and cut the twine long enough to slip it under each loop all the way back along the roast to the end you started from • Now turn the roast over and tie the twine to the first loop on the other side © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.