- don't
salt meat before cooking
False
Another
case of a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The theory
behind this is that the salt will draw out juices from
the meat, removing flavour and preventing the surface
from browning properly. Which is true to a degree, that
is if you salt the meat and allow it to sit for a great
length of time. But seasoning it just prior to cooking
is fine
- searing
meat seals in the juices
False
The
searing or browning of meats, like steak or roasts does
not seal in the juices, this can be simply demonstrated
by the fact that when one does brown the meat for a roast,
juices escape during cooking and we make gravy from them.
The
reason for browning meat is to add flavour, this occurs
by a reaction between the natural sugars and amino acids,
these caramelise (wet heat) or dextrinise (dry heat),
just as in toasting breads. The whole process if known
as the Maillard reaction, named after the French scientist
(Louis Camille Maillard) who discovered the reasoning
behind this
To
prevent moisture loss we must either cook tender cuts
less, or cook tougher cuts of meat in a fluid (stewing).
In both cases fats must be considered. Either by leaving
natural fat attached (it can be removed after cooking
and prior to serving) or in the case of meats with no
natural fat attached, introducing fats via larding, barding
or basting
- meats
must be allowed to sit and rest after cooking
True
Before
serving or carving, meats not cooked in a sauce; roasts,
steaks, etc are best left in a warm area to rest. This
allows the protein strands to relax, this will make the
meat seem more tender, will prevent the slices from curling
once carved and also allows the juices to evenly distribute
from the centre and will not be lost as much when carved
or cut.
- meats
should be carved against the grain
True
After
cooking a large joint of meat, always look to see which
way the grain runs (just like the grain in wood). This
grain is the meat or muscle fibres, cutting across them
means your slices will contain small strands of grain
or meat fibres making it easier to chew, eat and digest.
- larding,
barding and basting
Larding
is the process of introducing a solid fat to the internal
structure meats. Either by the use of a larding needle
or carefully cutting a pocket into the meat and inserting
the likes of pork belly fat strips.
Barding
is the process of covering meats solid fats, such as fatty
bacon over the breast of chicken, turkey etc, This allowing
this solid fat to render down during cooking and be absorbed
into the meat.
Basting
is the process of coating the food with liquid fat or
cooking juices during the cooking process.
- the
better the cut of meat the less it should be cooked
True
But
this is of course comes down to personal taste. But for
the best steak etc, cook it less to prevent it drying
out and becoming tough.
If
one prefers a medium or well done steak, it is better
to use rump or sirloin steak rather than fillet or scotch
fillet.
- kiwifruit
can be used as a meat tenderiser?
True
As
can pawpaw and pineapple, they all contain an enzyme called
papain. Crush the fruit into a purée and spread
on the meats and leave for a maximum of 30 minutes, rinse
it off and cook the steak.
- sirloin
steak is so called because a king was so impressed with
it at dinner he knighted it, and a scotch fillet comes only
from Scottish Angus breeds
False
and false
The
name sirloin probably comes from the French "sur
loin", meaning on the loin, but no one really knows
for sure.
As
for scotch fillet it is obtained from any breed of cow,
it also known as cuberoll or ribeye.
- what
does corned beef have to do with corn?
Nothing
really if your thinking about the vegetable. The corning
process is a type of curing, or preserving with a salt
solution, called a brine. Originally the salt came in
pieces the size of corn kernels and were known as corns
of salt.
- shepherd's
pie and cottage pie are the same
False
Cottage
pie is made from minced beef, shepherd's pie from minced
lamb. Shepherd's of course look after sheep not cows!
- what's
the secret to a good pork crackling?
The
secret starts with the scoring, it is best to score the
skin on the diagonal with cuts made every half centimetre.
Rub the skin with oil and then liberally with salt. These
three processes will allow air into the skin, dry it out
and cause it to puff up and crispen.
It
is then best to place it under the salamander (as chefs
call a grill) and allow it to basically start to crackle
before cooking, rotating the pork roast to obtain an even
crackle. Then place it in the oven to cook
Any
excess salt can be simply brushed off once cooked.
- haggis
are a type of animal found only in Scotland?
False
It
is a traditional Scottish dish basically made of minced
sheep offal and oatmeal, that is then packed into the
stomach of the sheep, tied up and then steamed or boiled
Offal
being the likes of liver, kidneys, lungs (also known as
lights), etc. A similar dish was known in Ancient Greece,
so may have originated there.
- game
birds are hung by their necks but game animals are hung
by their back legs?
True
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