PROCESSING

METHODS OF COOKING MEAT

Tender cuts of beef, lamb and pork may be cooked by these methods:

DRY HEAT 

Roasting in pan over temperature of 163ensures the adequate browning of meat for good flavours and good appearance.

• Broiling

It consists of cooking meat by direct radiant heat such as the open fire of a gas flame, live coals or electric oven. Broiling is applied to tender cuts that are atleast 2.5 cm thick. Thinner cuts will be too dry if broiled. Broiling is carried out at a temperature of 176 until the top side is down. Broiling is a faster method of cooking meat by dry heat than roasting.

• Pan Broiling

Meat is placed in a cold girdle and heated so that meat cooks slowly. Any fat that accumulates the pan is removed so that the meat will continue to pan broil rather than pan fry.

• Frying

Two methods of frying are pan frying and deep at frying. Too high temperature results in inside uncooked and too low temperature results in greasier product.

• Moist heat

This method is used for less tender cuts, meat become tender owing to the conversion of connective tissue to gelatin.

• Braising

In this method meat is cooked with or without the addition of water, the meat is first carefully browned on all sides by broiling, pan broiling or frying. Tomatoes and fruit juices may be added as liquids.

• Stewing

Large pieces of tough meat are cooked in sufficient water until tender.

• Pressure-cooking

This method takes less time. Pressure-cooked meats are less juicy and cooking losses are great.

CURING

Refers to modifications of the meat that affects preservation, flavour, colour and tenderness due to added curing ingredients. 
Ageing still leaves the meat recognizable as a fresh cut 
Curing grossly alters the nature of meat and produces distinct products such as

• smoked and salted bacon
• ham
• corned beef
• highly flavoured sausages (frankfurters and Bologna )

Purpose

• to produce  unique flavoured meat products
• to preserve the red color of meat after cooking

Principle ingredients used

• Sodium chloride – mild preservative  and adds flavour
• Sodium nitrate and /or sodium nitrite –help cure meat develop the unique flavour

            -acts as preservative
-anti botulinum activity
-fix the red colour of the cured  meat

• Sugar ---stabilizes colour and adds flavour
• Spices --- mainly for flavour

METHODS OF CURING

All the methods are combination of the two fundamental procedures

• Dry curing
• Pickle curing

            Dry curing ---------curing ingredients added to meat without additional water
Pickle curing------ingredients dissolved in water which forms brine 

Dry salt curing

            Use salt alone or salt in combination with nitrite and or nitrate
Mainly used in fatty cuts such as fat backs, clear plates, jowls or heavy bellis
Dis adv—end product is salty and color is lost

Conventional dry curing

            Modifications of dry curing

            Modifications mainly in the containers used

Sausages are salted, and usually seasoned, chopped meat products that are generally, but not always cylindrical in shape.

Consumers eat sausages because of

1. Convenience
2. Variety
3. Economy
4. Nutritional value.

CLASSIFICATION

Some of the more common classification systems are

• Degree of chopping

• Uncooked
• Cooked

PROCESSING STEPS

SMOKING OF MEAT

Curing and smoking of meat are closely interrelated and are often practiced together.

Smoking like curing has a preservative effect on meat.

Purposes of smoking

• Development of aroma and flavor
• Preservation
• Creation of new products
• Development of color
• Formation of protective skin on emulsion type sausages
• Protection from oxidation