Beef- meat of bulls, cows and oxen. The quality of meat can depend on the breed of the animal, its fatness, age (not older than 2 years), feed and much more. Beef good quality It is not inferior in tenderness to veal meat.
The freshness of meat can be determined by many signs. One of good performance The quality of meat is the color of the meat. It can be from rich red to dark red, and the fat should be soft and whitish-cream in color. The meat should have a fresh and pleasant smell, tender and marbled structure. It should be elastic and when you press your finger on the meat, the dent should quickly straighten out. You can also determine by the cut piece; the edges of the cut should be slightly damp and not dry. The meat should be shiny in appearance and it should be clear that it is freshly cut.
For quick frying, meat with marbled veins and layers of fat is best suited.

Neck or notch
The neck or cut is a piece of meat, a significant part of which is tendons. It is considered inexpensive, but it has good taste. The main cooking methods are boiling and braising, so it makes a good stew and a strong broth. Neck meat is sold minced.

Neck part
This part is also known as the back of the head. It has layers of fat and tendons. This cut of meat can be roasted and produces a juicy roast. It is also used for marinating meat and for minced meat. It goes on sale diced or chopped.

Spinal edge of the neck
This piece of meat can be called lean. It is of high quality and is well suited for stewing, marinating meat, roasting and minced meat. Once the bones are removed, it makes excellent steaks.

Shoulder (Shoulder Flesh)
The meat is tasty, has a small amount of fat and is of high quality. It is considered tender, so it is used for preparing beef stroganoff, fried and stewed rolls, as well as for stewing and for steaks. The piece of meat goes on sale with the shoulder blade bone removed.

Thick edge or shoulder blade
This part of the back, which borders the lower back, is finely fibrous, marbled with layers of fat. The piece of meat also has 4-5 ribs. This piece produces especially tender boiled meat, and it is also used for stewing and baking in large pieces, for roast beef with ribs and without ribs for rolls (a piece of meat is rolled up and secured with a thread) with fillings. It is sold with or without ribs.

Thin edge
This piece of meat also contains 4-5 ribs. The meat is very tender and is perfect for roast beef, which is cut into 2-3 ribs thick. When baking in the oven as a whole piece, the meat should be left on the bones and baked at high temperature, then it will turn out juicy and aromatic. Meat cooked on the grill has an excellent taste.

Ovalok
This cut has very tender meat on the last three ribs. It can be roasted whole without bones or with ribs. Steaks with or without ribs are very tender and can be fried over coals or in a frying pan. In the back lumbar region under the spine there is a piece of tender tenderloin. It can be fried whole or cut into portions. This meat is well suited for fondue and small rolls with gourmet fillings.

Kostrets
The rump has layers of fat. Cut into portions, it is well suited for frying and stewing, and a large piece (1 kg or more) can make excellent roast beef. Boneless meat is cut across the grain, resulting in steaks with excellent taste, which can be fried over coals or in a frying pan.

Hip
The thigh is a piece of lean meat with excellent flavor. It can be boiled, fried, stewed. It is used for slow-cooked dishes and for pickling. It is used to prepare excellent roast beef, various (stuffed, stewed, etc.) roasts, fondue, steak, minced meat dishes, tender beef rolls, broths and various soups, or deliciously fried on skewers. The thigh is divided into four cuts: thigh, thigh, rump, cut.

shank
The meat is lean, very tasty, tender and aromatic. It is cut into pieces 4-5 cm thick along with the marrow bone and tendons. This piece of meat contains a lot of gelatin and therefore is well suited for jellied meat, as well as for broths and thick soups with a variety of dressings. The meat, once removed from the bones, tastes great when stewed and makes a delicious, tender stew.

Diaphragm
The diaphragm is a piece of meat with a variety of small internal muscles. The meat is great for stewing, frying and boiling, but it takes a long time to cook. Steaks cooked over an open fire or frying pan taste great.

Pashina
This thin layer muscle tissue, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity, has a pleasant taste and consists of 1/3 of cartilage and bone. This is a piece for cooking, it makes a good broth. It can also be stewed, but to do this you need to remove the rough films and cut it into pieces.

This piece of meat on the ribs with layers of fat. The finished meat remains juicy and has a good taste. It is equally good for boiling, stewing and minced meat. The meat is stewed, cut into pieces on ribs, and without them.

Brisket
The brisket has a layered structure with layers of fat and consists of 4 parts: brisket, front part of the brisket, core of the brisket, middle part of the brisket.
Brisket is a piece formed from the chest, it has good combination meat, fat and bones. This is a good cut for a variety of soups and strong broths, but the fat should be skimmed off after cooking.
The front part of the brisket is almost boneless and rich in fat. It makes a good broth or various soups, but it is better to remove the fat.
The brisket kernel is a valuable part of the beef carcass, it has the sternum and a layer of fat. Brisket can be stewed, but it is best to boil it. It produces tasty and juicy boiled meat. This cut is sold with or without bones, either as a roll or pickled.
The middle cut of brisket is one of the best cuts of brisket. It is lean and has few bones. It makes excellent stir-fries and delicious soups.

Knuckle
This part of the meat is from the front leg. The piece has marrow bone and tendons, as well as muscles with a thick layer of connective tissue. It can be boiled with the bone or stewed, separated from the bone. The piece contains gelatin; when boiled, it produces good broths, and when stewed, it produces tasty juice.

Shoulder part of the scapula
This cut of meat is not as tender as the shoulder. It is more suitable for stewing and cooking. It produces very tasty and tender boiled meat. If you want to fry, the meat must be separated from the bones in a large piece. Fried meat has an excellent taste, but you need to fry the piece slowly over low heat.

Tenderloin
The tenderloin is the outer part of the cow's back. It is highly valued because its meat is tasty and tender. The tenderloin can be used to prepare whole roasts, roast beef, steaks, etc.

Fillet
Fillet - meat for frying, the most expensive and best piece beef carcass. It is located in the back under the ribs. Chateaubriand is cut from the middle, tournedeau from the thinnest part, and filet mignon from the sharp end of the fillet.

"Meat for the Burgomaster"
“Meat for the mayor” or lady’s slipper is good quality meat. It's flavorful, juicy, and makes exceptionally good stews, marinated roasts, and tender goulash.

Rear flesh
The flesh of the back is a lean piece, but it is drier and firmer than the meat of the rump, so it should be stuffed and covered with lard before frying. In addition, you can prepare dishes from this type of meat instant cooking, for example, beef stroganoff.

Helpful tip:

Bon appetit!!!

Beef is a dietary and lean meat compared to pork, and therefore is especially popular among adherents healthy eating. Cow meat can also be used in baby food, starting from an early age.

But in order for the meat dish to turn out tender and tasty, the cook must understand the parts of the carcass, since each of them is suitable for a certain type of dish.

Cutting scheme

Looking at the product offered on the display, you can easily determine the purpose of a particular piece if you know the generally accepted scheme for cutting a carcass.

Let's start in order with the head of the beef body. The head is rarely found on sale, as it is not a full-fledged piece of meat. However, in villages from time immemorial, parts of the head have been used to prepare rich soups, jellied meats, and are also twisted into minced meat.

• Neck. The neck cut is also called a butt cut. It is characterized by a large number of tendons.
• Shoulder blade and shoulder part. Meat of varying degrees of hardness with layers of fat depending on its location.
• Back. This part is divided into several cuts at once, having different purposes in cooking. Thick edge - a solid layer of meat, sometimes leaving part of the ribs, has thin, delicate fibers. A short rib loin is often called a "thin end" due to the smaller amount of meat padding compared to a thick end.

• Ribs– rib bones, cleared of meat.
• Entrecote- soft meat remaining after cutting from the ribs.
• Loin, sirloin. It can be either on the bone or without. It is schematically divided into a thick edge - sirloin (meat with a small amount of fatty layers, located in the pelvic area of ​​the carcass) and a thin edge - tenderloin (tender meat mass, considered the most valuable and at the same time low-fat).

Ribs

Entrecote

Ovalok

Tenderloin

• Brisket. In its uncut form, it is a breastbone with ribs in the anterior part and cartilaginous processes of the ribs in the posterior part. The meat is interspersed with layers of fat and films. It can be sold with or without bones.
• Kostets. Tender varietal meat, located in the hip part and gripping the spine.
• Hip up. The upper part of the animal's hind leg. It has a soft structure, especially on the inside.
• Rump. The middle part of the thigh, which, in turn, is divided into the inner side - the probe, and bottom part- sec.

Brisket

Kostets

Underthigh

Rump

• Flank, or peritoneum, curl. Meat part of the abdomen and groin area. The meat is rough, with fat, cartilage and films.
• Knuckle. A piece of meat from the front leg of an animal, the main contents of which are muscles, tendons and bone.
• Shank. The marrow bone of the hind leg, which releases large amounts of gelatin when cooked. The shank also contains a lot of connective tissue.

Which part should be used for what?

Experienced chefs advise that before purchasing a cut, you first decide on the culinary purpose of a particular part. In order not to get confused by the variety of names and not to be misled, it is better to strictly follow the recipe. To do this, you need to remember or write down in your cooking notebook what uses are appropriate for a particular cut of beef.

For cooking

Beef makes excellent dietary broths. Any carcass bones, as well as the trachea, are suitable for preparing first courses. For lump meat in soup, the neck cut, shoulder part, shank and shank are suitable. They are used to prepare soups and broths, jellied meat, and minced meat for cutlets.

For frying

For extinguishing

For stews, most often they take the hip and shoulder parts of the cut, the rump, the bone, the thigh, and the kidney mass.

It can also be meatballs, beef stroganoff, stewed kidneys.

For baking

Brisket, rump, tenderloin and sirloin are suitable for baking. They make excellent English roast beef and spiced brisket.

Definition of quality

The quality of meat is often influenced by factors that cannot be determined with the naked eye - the sex of the animal, its age, diet and conditions of detention, as well as great value has correct cutting carcasses.

But still, when choosing meat, there are nuances that should not be neglected if you want your beef dishes to turn out to be culinary masterpieces.

• The uniform distribution of reddish colors indicates the freshness of the cut. Too much dark color, turning into brown and brown, has old meat. Too scarlet tones indicate chemical additives to preserve the presentation.
• The meat should not be covered with a thick crust. If there is one, then the cut has been on the counter for too long. The slimy surface of the meat indicates improper storage conditions - most likely, the meat was simply suffocated in polyethylene.
• Bloody smudges on the display case under the cut occur if the meat has been defrosted and an unscrupulous seller tries to pass it off as freshly chilled.
• Small pinkish crystals on frozen meat will also indicate that the cut is not subject to primary freezing.
• No less important is the firmness and elasticity of the piece - after pressing with your fingers, there should be no dents or pits left on the meat.

You can see how to choose the right fresh and high-quality beef in the following video.

Meat recipes

Despite the fact that cooking any meat requires certain culinary skills, there are recipes that even a beginner can implement.

Let's look at several different recipes - a hot dish, a cold appetizer and a dietary version of beef. The recipes are easy to follow and don’t require much time or ingredients.

Stew

It is worth preparing a deep frying pan in advance or using an additional saucepan.

Preparation.

• Rinse the meat, dry it with a paper towel, remove veins and bones if necessary. Cut into pieces, not too large, but not small, so that it is convenient to prick them on a fork.
• Prepare vegetables - peel onions, carrots, garlic. If desired, you can add a small amount of tomatoes and pieces of zucchini to the vegetables. Vegetables are cut randomly or in a standard way: carrots - into small cubes, onions - into half rings, zucchini - into large cubes.
• Pour oil into a frying pan or saucepan, heat the dishes well and add onions. Fry until slightly transparent state, add beef cubes. Stirring, let the meat brown for 5 minutes.
• Add vegetables and spices. Continue stirring for another 5 minutes. The vegetables should be golden brown.
• Add bay leaf, lay out the potatoes, add water or broth so that the liquid covers the potatoes.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour.
• Finely chopped greens can be added 5 minutes before cooking or directly to the plate before serving.

Carpaccio

This dish Italian cuisine, related to cold appetizers, is considered gourmet cooking. According to the cooking technology, it resembles the familiar stroganina, but its recipe uses not fish, but beef tenderloin.

For classic carpaccio you will need the following ingredients:

• 250 g beef tenderloin;
• 1 bunch of arugula;
• 120 ml olive oil;
• 1 tbsp. a spoonful of wine vinegar;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice;
• 1/3 teaspoon salt.

Meat for carpaccio should be chosen as fresh as possible, chilled, and not previously frozen. Old meat of dark shades is not suitable for this dish, but ideal option will become young veal meat.

Preparation.

• Rinse the tenderloin well and dry with a paper towel. Wrap cling film and put it in freezer for 1 hour.
• Prepare arugula and sauce. Wash the greens and let them drain excess moisture. Mix wine vinegar, lemon juice and salt in a container.
• After an hour, remove the frozen meat from the freezer, let it sit for 2-3 minutes and start slicing. The slices are cut with a sharp thin knife. The slices should be almost transparent.
• To increase fineness, each piece can be lightly beaten with a culinary hammer.
• The meat is laid out on a plate in one layer, decorated with arugula leaves and poured over with sauce.

Beef dietary

Beef meat itself is dietary, contains a lot of fiber and a minimum of fat. However, nutritionists categorically do not recommend frying it in order to avoid the formation of harmful cholesterol. Therefore, the dietary method of preparation is stewing or boiling.

Tie the baking bag around the edges with thick threads and tie it to the handles of the pan so that the food is completely submerged in the water.

Boil meat and vegetables for 3 hours.

The cooking principle is a steam bath. Meat and vegetables are cooked in own juice, which does not mix with water and does not evaporate.

Benefits and harms

1. Beef is considered dietary meat and is indicated primarily for people on a diet. The product is slowly absorbed by the body, and the feeling of hunger is significantly removed even after eating a small portion.
2. Due to its fibrous structure, beef acts on the gastrointestinal tract as fiber - it removes toxins and cholesterol from the body.

Among the contraindications are excess daily norm consumption of this product. Beef, like any meat, is not an easy food, which can lead to digestive problems, heaviness in the stomach, and a general loss of strength.

Beef is the meat of a cow, heifer, bull, calf or ox. The only difference is that the meat of young animals, calves or heifers (not mature cattle), is often called “veal”.

Why is “pork” only a pig, but beef has so many “carriers”? - The reason lies in the word “beef”, which translated from Old Russian means cattle.

Whether the meat is soft or hard, whether the dish is juicy or dry, fatty or low-calorie - all of this is influenced by the following factors: the sex of the animal, the process of ripening the meat, the feed that was fed to the livestock, the age of the bull or cow. It is also noteworthy that the quality of the product largely depends on whether the animal was stressed before slaughter.

So what should really high-quality and healthy beef be like? The most valuable product is the one that has a red, juicy color, a fresh smell, and a moderate amount of fiber in the structure. In addition, the beef fat should not only be soft, but also have a white color with a slightly creamy tint.

Determine the freshness of the product, without special effort and “without leaving the cash register”, you can do it in the following way: lightly press your finger on the soft part, if the hollow rises immediately, the meat is fresh. In addition, a dark shade, fat with a large number of films, and flabby tissue are indicators that the meat previously belonged to a very young animal.

Beef is a product that nutritionists love to recommend. The reason lies in the fact that this meat is considered the lowest in calories. For example, different parts of an animal’s body have different energy values. On average, the amount of kcal in beef ranges between 150 and 500.

You can evaluate the benefits of cattle meat by looking at chemical composition beef. Namely: vitamins A, E, B6, B12, PP, B2, B1. Minerals: sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, cobalt, phosphorus. Thus, we can say with confidence that cattle meat has a positive effect on work gastrointestinal tract, strengthens the immune system, helps restore vision, lowers cholesterol levels, increases the absorption of iron in the body, and strengthens the human musculoskeletal system.

However, it is worth noting that such an effect can only be achieved with proper preparation a product whose freshness is not in doubt. The meat of a young calf, slaughtered at the age of 20 months, contains the greatest amount of useful substances.

Despite all the value of the product, one should also take into account the fact that everything should be in moderation. For example, scientists have proven that excessive consumption of beef fat is fraught with diseases of the cardiovascular system, stomach problems and the development of atherosclerosis.

Thus, in order to get maximum benefit For this type of meat, all that is necessary is to choose a fresh and high-quality product, cook it correctly (it is better to boil it) and do not use only cattle meat in your diet.

Beef parts - cutting and processing

It's no secret that for cooking various dishes completely different parts of the animal's body are used. And this applies not only to cattle, but also to poultry, rabbit, pork, etc. However, noteworthy is the fact that in different countries, taking into account the characteristics national dishes, butcher beef according to completely different patterns. So, for example, in the UK, the cutting scheme includes 13 items, but in the Netherlands - only 10. As for Russia and the countries of the post-Soviet space, it is customary to use a beef cutting scheme of 14 items:

1. The neck is hard meat due to the large amount of connective tissue. However, this in no way affects the excellent taste of the product;
2. Thick edge (ribeye). Cut together with 4.5 ribs. Used mainly for cooking roast beef.
3. The thin edge is tender, juicy meat that is cooked with the bones.
4. Sirloin – meat from the last three ribs of the animal.
5. Rump. A product that is cut from the pelvic bone and the last vertebrae of livestock.
6. Shoulder – mainly used for cooking steaks and chops due to its low fat content.
7. rump or upper part hind leg, a product that is ideal for frying or stewing.
8. Shin. A part of the body that contains a large amount of tendon.
9. The diaphragm is a rather unclaimed part of the carcass, for the reason that it consists exclusively of muscles. However, real chefs prepare truly amazing dishes from this scarce, absolutely non-fat product.
10. Flank - used mainly for preparing minced meat due to its high fat content.
11. Brisket.
12. Knuckle is meat from the front legs of an animal.
13. The shoulder part is very popular among amateurs fried meat.
14. The edge of the neck is a lean piece of meat.

Despite the fact that almost everything is clear with body parts, to obtain a truly high-quality product, you must not only follow the cutting scheme, but also remember the following simple rules beef production:

1. In preparation for cutting, the carcass should be divided into two parts, between the 13th and 14th vertebrae;
2. Meat should be cut exclusively across the grain;
3. The mascara is cut exclusively in one movement.

How to cook beef

Every housewife has in her arsenal at least several recipes for cooking beef. Fried, stewed, boiled, grilled, etc. - not all the ways to prepare a tasty, healthy and nutritious treat. It’s not in vain that this product is used in almost all kitchens of the world, with the exception of India, where the cow is considered a sacred animal.

Do they eat raw beef?

Well, who among us has not heard of the famous dish called “carpaccio”? This appetizer is nothing more than raw meat seasoned olive oil or lemon vinegar. Yes, this cannot be called a completely raw product. After all, just like with heat treatment(at high temperatures), the protein also coagulates when exposed to chemicals (vinegar, all kinds of dressings).

As for the digestibility of raw beef by the body, there is no need to worry if the stomach is absolutely healthy. In addition, raw meat contains enzymes that speed up the digestion process. Thus, finished product It takes about 5 hours to digest, while dishes like carpaccio only take an hour or two.

But, it is important to be especially careful when choosing meat for a raw food diet. Namely: do not buy at the market, beef or veal should be firm, calm red in color, without a dry crust and with a fresh smell.

Boiled beef

Boiled beef, like any other meat, is the most beneficial product for the body. Naturally important factor is the type and category of meat, and in addition it is important to cook it correctly. For this preparation, the following parts of cattle are best suited: sirloin, rump or shoulder.

Next, it is very important to decide on the purpose of boiling the beef. If you need to prepare a tasty and rich broth. The meat should be placed in cold water, add salt when boiling, reduce heat and cook for about 1.5 hours. In another case, when it is required that the beef retain as many useful substances as possible and remain a truly healthy and dietary product, it should be immersed in already boiling water.

As for the cooking time, it all depends on the age of the animal. Young veal is cooked on average for 40 – 50 minutes. But old meat must stand on the stove for at least 2 hours to make a soft and tasty dish.

One more important point is a foam that many housewives are accustomed to carefully removing. It is necessary to find out that it is nothing more than the proteins contained in beef, which have passed from the meat into the broth. And therefore there is no need to remove the foam.

It should be noted that it is boiled beef that retains almost everything essential vitamins and microelements, is a dietary product and is recommended by doctors as meat for the first feeding of children.

Salted beef

Salted beef is a fairly popular dish. The preparation method is quite simple and very similar to how lard is salted. All you need to do is choose fresh and juicy meat, prepare brine, pour it over the meat so that the water covers all the beef and maintain the required temperature during storage.

Marinated beef

There are many recipes for marinating meat. However, why do you need to simmer the product for a day in prepared sauce, vinegar, wine, etc. what if later you still need to fry the meat, stew it, etc.? The reason is simple - after marinade, beef in particular becomes soft, juicy and much more pleasant to the taste.

Today, they are pickled in many ways, using wine, honey, tomato sauce, mayonnaise, various herbs, spices and seasonings. But, in order to get a really high-quality dish in the end, you should not overuse vinegar, otherwise, in addition to softness, the meat will lose its taste.

Categories, grades and types of beef

The taste of the finished dish depends on the quality of the meat used in cooking. So, for example, having received a juicy steak in a restaurant, at home, using the same recipe, you can get a completely dry, non-greasy dish. The reason lies in what category the beef belongs to, what grade it is and what part of the carcass is used.

Thus, it is customary to divide beef not only into varieties, but also into categories.

Beef varieties

In trade, it is customary to distinguish three varieties of beef:

• Highest grade - rump, rump, sirloin and breast, sirloin and back;
• 2nd grade – neck, flank, shoulder and shoulder blade;
• 3rd grade – cut, front and back shank.

Looking at this classification, the principle of division into varieties immediately becomes clear. For example, by choosing top quality product, in particular beef, you will get pure meat with a low content of connective tissue (3 - 4%). Accordingly, the lower the grade, the higher the percentage of veins (1st grade - 4-5%; 2nd grade - 10-23%).

But, you should also take into account the fact for which dish the beef is purchased. For a tasty and rich broth, there is absolutely no need to purchase a top-grade product; a second one is enough, but for frying or barbecuing, you should carefully choose clean meat, without a large amount of connective tissue.

Beef categories

In addition to the type of meat, it is customary to distinguish product categories. The category is influenced by the age of the animal, the fat content of the product and the age of the livestock.

Beef of the first category must have the following indicators: well-developed muscle tissue, the fat layer should at least cover the carcass up to 8 ribs from the tail, a large amount of subcutaneous fat. As for young cattle, it is quite acceptable to have no fat deposits.

You can determine whether beef belongs to one category or another using the mark that is placed on all meat intended for sale. So, a round purple spot indicates that the product has a sufficient amount of fat. But the square mark indicates that the cattle were less well-fed. Among other things, a mark in the form of the letter M is placed on the head of a young animal.

Marbled beef

Marbled beef – highest grade meat, which is rightfully considered a real delicacy. Dishes prepared from this product are unusually juicy, tender and literally melt in your mouth. The name of this type of meat speaks for itself, because the product really looks like a stone. Bright color and the presence of many fatty inclusions in the structure is what influenced the name of the product.

The main condition for growing of this variety beef is the intensive feeding of the bull in the last 4 months of its life exclusively with grain. It is also important to minimize the animal's movements. This technique allows you to make meat not only tender and fatty, but also practically free of connective tissue in its composition.

In addition to the above-mentioned scheme for raising bulls for marbled meat, there is a well-known Japanese technology called “Kobe”. The idea is that the bull is first walked in clean meadows, and then it is suspended on reins, thereby limiting its movements. The main condition for the room is soundproof walls. The animal's diet includes rice and beer. And in addition, the entire feeding process is accompanied by classical music and daily vibration massage. This technology allows us to produce meat that has no analogues in its taste and content of nutrients.

Thanks to all this, the meat becomes really tender, and looking at the photo of beef you can see many veins that form marble patterns.

Beef GOST

To sell any consumer product, it is necessary that it comply state standards. Meat, in particular beef, is no exception.

In order for cattle meat to comply with GOST, it is necessary not only to use the generally accepted carcass cutting technology (given above), but also to undergo the following tests for product quality: histological examination, bacterial analysis, determination of product fat content, chemical and microscopic analysis of freshness , protein determination, microbiological analysis, analysis for the content of toxic elements, determination of the presence of E. coli, Escherichia coli and Salmonella bacteria.

In addition, all beef sold must be labeled, which includes the following information: address of the manufacturer, trademark(if available), nutritional information, date of manufacture and unpacking, storage conditions, expiration date, designation of this standard and information on confirmation of conformity.

All products must have confirming quality certificates, which indicate shelf life, product name, production date, expiration date, storage conditions, results of routine control, designations of this standard and information on confirmation of conformity.

Meat– a product that not a single catering establishment can do without. When meat arrives at an enterprise, it is necessary to clearly determine which category the incoming meat belongs to and what dishes are best prepared from it?

You've probably noticed that sometimes the meat turns out juicy, tasty and aromatic, sometimes it turns out dry and tasteless. And all this directly depends on the quality and category of meat.

If we talk about imported meat supplies, we pay attention to the supplier. America occupies a leading position in meat exports to the Russian market, since the bulk of meat is produced not for export, but for consumption in the country’s domestic markets.
When receiving meat, you need to pay attention to the main factors of meat quality:

1. Fundamental factor, in determining the taste of meat, is the breed of livestock. Special breeds are raised and bred for slaughter, which ensures the highest quality meat.

2. Fundamental factor good meat is the age of the animal, which determines the category of meat:
Category “A” are bulls whose age at the time of slaughter is no more than 30 months.
Category “E” is the lowest category of livestock aged over 96 months at the time of slaughter.
Here we must take into account that as the animal ages, the meat becomes coarser, darker, fibrous and tough.

3. Fundamental factor good meat is the method and duration of aging of meat after slaughter. According to the methods of exposure there are:
a) Dry - hanging carcasses after slaughter in refrigerated chambers at a temperature of 0 degrees for two to three weeks.
b) Moist - sealing the meat in a vacuum package, which does not allow the carcass to lose moisture. The meat is kept in this state for up to a week.
Fresh meat is not recommended for consumption; it must be given time to rest.

All of the above applies to imported varieties of meat.

IN Russia Cattle meat is divided into:
1. Dairy veal– animal age from 2 weeks to 3 months.
2. Dairy beef- the age of the animal is from 3 months to 3 years.
3. Beef- the age of the animal is over 3 years.

By gender:
1. Meat obtained from uncastrated males - bull meat (beef) and boar meat (pork).

2. Meat obtained from castrated males - ox meat (beef) and hog meat (pork).
3. Meat obtained from females.

The meat of uncastrated animals is distinguished by toughness and an unpleasant odor; such meat is sent only for industrial processing.

By fatness - the degree of development of muscle tissue.
Beef:
Category I - the carcass muscles are developed satisfactorily. The fat layer should cover the carcass at least from the eighth rib to the ischial tuberosities. In young animals, fat deposits should be located at the base of the tail and on the top. inside hips
Category II – the muscles are poorly developed with depressions on the thighs, subcutaneous fat covers the back of the carcass in small areas. In young animals, the muscles are underdeveloped, the hips have depressions, and fat deposits may be absent.
Pork:
Category I – pork weighing from 53 kg to 72 kg. The thickness of the fat is from 1.5 cm to 3.5 cm.
Category II - pork - young animals weighing from 34 kg to 98 kg. The thickness of the fat is from 1.5 cm to 4 cm.
Category III - fatty pork with unlimited weight. The thickness of the fat is over 4.1 cm.
Category IV (for industrial processing) - pork weighing over 98 kg. Fat thickness from 1 cm to 4 cm.
Category V - dairy piglets weighing from 3 kg to 6 kg.
Lamb and goat meat:
Category I - carcasses with satisfactorily developed muscles, subcutaneous fat covering the back and lower back or the entire carcass.
Category II - the muscles are poorly developed, the surface of the carcass is covered with slight deposits of fat.

Meat that does not meet the above indicators is used only for industrial processing.

By variety:
Beef:
Highest and first grade – Tenderloin; Upper and Inner parts of the hind leg; Thick and Thin edges.
Second grade - Lateral and Outer parts of the hind leg; Shoulder and Brisket.
Third grade - Neck; Knuckle; Flank; Edge; Shank.
Pork and lamb:
First grade - Hind leg and Korean.
The second grade is Brisket and Shoulder.
Third grade - Neck part.
According to thermal state meat is divided:
Fresh meat – meat with a temperature no higher than 12 degrees C.
Chilled - meat with a temperature in the thickness of the muscles from 4 to 0 degrees C.
Frozen – meat at a temperature no higher than -8 degrees C.

When meat arrives for production, the first thing we pay attention to is the mark that is placed at meat processing plants during veterinary and commodity examination.

Each carcass, half-carcass or quarter of all types of slaughtered animals is stamped oval shape purple color.
The size of the stamp should be 40 x 60 mm, in the center - three pairs of two-digit numbers: the first two - the serial number of the republic, territory, region within the Russian Federation; the second two are the number of the district or city, the last two are the number of the enterprise. At the top of the stamp it is written “ Russian Federation", at the bottom it is written - "Gosvetnadzor".

Veterinary mark - has rectangular shape size 40 x 60 mm, in the upper part of the stamp there is the inscription “Veterinary Service”, in the center there is the inscription “ Preliminary inspection", at the bottom of the stamp there are three pairs of two-digit numbers, as in the oval stamp. The rectangular mark confirms that the meat has been tested and comes from animals that have undergone veterinary inspection. But this mark does not give the right to sell meat without a full veterinary examination.

When receiving meat for production in half-carcasses or carcasses, the veterinary stamp must be located one at a time in the area of ​​the shoulder blade and thigh. Each quarter has one mark.

In the article we looked at the classification of meat, the main categories of meat. If you liked the article and found it useful, please leave your comments.
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How can you tell by eye that meat is fresh?

Good meat should be dry to the touch, without mucus, bright red in color, there should be no colored spots or signs of weathering on the meat. Moreover, keep in mind that completely fresh - fresh - meat cannot be immediately fried. Good restaurants only use aged meat- that which was stored in special conditions: in vacuum bags at a temperature of about 0°C for at least 14 days.

How to storefresh meat at home?

It is necessary, without cutting, keep the whole piece in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 days. Wrapped in a waffle towel or non-woven cotton fabric. Under no circumstances should meat be wrapped in film or placed in a plastic bag, otherwise bacteria will quickly develop in it.

How do you know which parts of beef are best to fry, boil, or stew?

When choosing meat, it is important to know that the softest meat is the muscles that are minimally used by the animal when moving, and the toughest meat is the muscles that are maximally involved in movement. Without examining the anatomy in detail, we can say that The upper part of the carcass, starting from the back, is perfect for frying, the middle part is for stewing, the lower part is for boiling.

Well, if, when buying beef, we did not ask the seller what part this piece was from, we forgot. How can you tell if it will be soft when cooked?

There is a very simple way. We take a large two-pronged fork and try to pierce a piece of meat. If the fork easily enters the piece, this means that the meat is suitable for frying. If it is impossible to pierce a piece or it is done with great effort, then such meat is only suitable for long-term cooking: stewing, boiling, baking.

Fresh meat

Should I trim the fat from meat before cooking?

If you cook meat on the grill, then do not cut off all the fat from the piece t. When frying, it is the fat that gives the meat its taste and aroma. If you cook dishes from raw meat, for example, tartare or carpaccio, then, of course, it is necessary to remove all the fat, since when cold it can spoil the taste of the dish.

What is the best board to cut meat on? And what knife should I take for this?

I prefer wooden boards. At proper care This board is more hygienic than plastic. After use, the wooden board should be washed with a stiff brush with a small amount of detergent and left to dry at room temperature.

If the board is large and thick, then sometimes you should remove it with a plane top layer. Under no circumstances should you leave the board in water for a long time and dry it after washing by the fire or in the oven. If you ignore these recommendations, then wooden board may be severely deformed.

Best used for cutting steaks knife with a long and wide blade. With this knife you can easily cut a piece of steak in two or three movements. This is necessary to avoid cuts on the steak, through which the meat can lose quite a lot of moisture when you start frying it, and, of course, it will become significantly drier and tougher.

We seem to have sorted out the preparations. What can you quickly cook from meat?

In my opinion this is frying, made from thinly sliced ​​beef. For cooking, it is better to choose the same meat as for steaks. It is ideal for quick frying. Good to add to this meat fried onion, pepper, salt or season with spices to taste. If you add a little flour and cream to the frying, you will get beef stroganoff.