Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Meat consists largely of muscles, but fat and other animal tissue are also considered meat. Many commonly eaten meats come from animals that are raised for food. These animals—and the meats that come from them—are cattle (beef and veal), hogs (pork), sheep (lamb and mutton), and poultry (chicken, duck, and turkey). Game, which is meat from wild animals, is also frequently eaten. In addition, fish is included among meat-producing animals. This article discusses meat from cattle, hogs, and sheep, all called red meat. For information on poultry and fish, see Fishing industry ; Poultry ; Seafood .
Food value of meat.
Most nutritionists consider meat an important part of a well-balanced diet. Meat supplies vitamins, minerals, and fat necessary for good health and growth. Meat also provides an especially good source of proteins, which the body needs to build and maintain its cells and tissues. Proteins are made up of chemical units called amino acids. The proteins in meat are called complete proteins because they provide all the essential amino acids—and in the proportions the body requires. See Amino acid.
Red meat is an excellent source of the vitamin B complex group. Thiamine (B1) is especially abundant in pork. Thiamine helps maintain the circulatory and nervous systems and aids the body in storing and releasing energy. Riboflavin (B2) is needed for normal growth and healthy skin. Pyridoxine (B6) helps prevent nervous disorders and skin diseases. Vitamin B12, found naturally only in meat, helps maintain red blood cells. Niacin is important in preventing a disease called pellagra (see Pellagra ). Liver, an especially nutritious meat, also provides vitamins A and C. The body needs these vitamins for normal vision and healthy gums and tissue.
Meat is rich in iron, which is needed to build and maintain red blood cells and muscle growth. Meat is also a good source of copper, phosphorus, and zinc. The fat in meat is an excellent source of energy and certain fatty acids the body cannot produce itself. However, about half of the fatty acids in meat fat are saturated. Saturated fats help form a fatty substance called cholesterol. Large amounts of cholesterol in the body significantly increase the risk of heart disease. Small children need fat in their diets for proper development of the brain and nervous system. Nutritionists advise that adults eat only moderate amounts of fats, regardless of whether the fats are saturated or unsaturated. See Cholesterol ; Fat.
Kinds of meat.
There are several different types of red meat. The names for meat from cattle and sheep tell the age of the animal from which the meat was taken.
Veal
is the flesh of calves less than 14 weeks old. It is light pink and contains little fat. Veal is more tender than beef and has a milder flavor. Meat from calves over 14 weeks old is called calf.
Beef
is the flesh of full-grown cattle. Most beef sold at stores comes from animals 1 to 2 years old. Beef is bright red and has white fat. Flecks of fat called marbling help make beef tasty and juicy.
Lamb
is the flesh of sheep less than 1 year old. It is red and has white fat. Lamb has a milder taste than mutton.
Mutton
is the flesh of sheep over 1 year old. It has a deep red to purple color. Mutton has a stronger flavor and a coarser texture than lamb.
Pork
is the flesh of hogs. Most pork comes from animals from 4 to 7 months old. Pork has a light pink color, with white fat. It has a mild taste. Many cured meats, such as ham, bacon, and sausage, are made from pork.
Variety meat
is the general name for various organs and glands of meat animals. Common variety meats include the brains, hearts, kidneys, livers, and tongues of animals. Some other variety meats are chitterlings (hog large intestines), sweetbreads (pancreas and thymus glands), and tripe (linings of first and second cattle stomachs). Most variety meats are good sources of vitamins and minerals.
Meat is available in fresh, frozen, canned, and cured forms. Fresh meat is raw meat. Fresh meat spoils quickly and must be refrigerated until it is cooked. People can keep fresh meat from spoiling by freezing it. Frozen meat is also sold in stores. It has the same food value as fresh meat and is often used by restaurants. Frozen meat should be cooked as soon as it thaws and should not be refrozen.
Meat may be packaged in a variety of ways. Vacuum packing is the best method because the process removes air from the package and thus prevents the growth of many types of bacteria. Retail stores often wrap meat in clear plastic film. Such plastic film is designed for storage in a refrigerator but will not protect from drying out in a freezer.
Canned meat has been sealed in a metal can and then heated. The heat cooks the meat and destroys bacteria. Meat is often canned with other ingredients, such as vegetables or gravy. Cured meat, such as ham, bacon, and sausage, has been treated with salt and sodium nitrite to control bacterial growth.
How to select meat.
In the United States, all meat sold in stores is inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or by a state inspection service. Meat sold in stores is often graded according to its quality. Meat may be graded on a system used by the USDA, or individual stores may do their own grading. Higher grades of meat are more tender, juicy, and flavorful than lower grades. The grade of a meat is stamped directly on the meat in purple vegetable dye or on the package label.
The USDA grades for beef are prime, choice, select, standard, commercial, utility, cutter, and canner. Prime, the highest and most expensive grade of beef, is mainly sold to restaurants but can sometimes be bought in stores. Choice and select meats are commonly sold in stores. The lower grades of beef are usually used to make processed meat products, such as bologna. Veal and lamb are graded on similar systems ranging from prime (the highest grade) to cull (the lowest grade). Pork is often not graded because the meat is uniform in quality.
Grading is based on such quality factors as age, marbling, fat, firmness and texture, and color of the meat. Because marbling makes meat more tasty and juicy, good meats will contain more marbling than poor meats. White to creamy-white firm fat is preferable to yellow fat, and a fine meat texture is better than a coarse one.
How meat is cooked.
There are two main ways to cook meat: (1) with dry heat and (2) with moist heat. The method is determined by a meat’s cut and degree of tenderness.
Dry heat methods include broiling, panbroiling, roasting, panfrying, and deep-fat frying. These methods are best for tender cuts of meat. Broiled (grilled) meat is cooked directly above or below a source of heat. Meat may be broiled on a grill over hot coals or under the heating element of an open oven. In panbroiling, meat is cooked in a pan or griddle over low heat. In roasting (baking), meat is cooked in a shallow pan in an oven. It is best to raise the meat on a rack in the pan so the heat can circulate around the meat. In panfrying, or sauteing, meat is cooked in a small amount of fat over low heat. In deep-fat frying, meat is covered by hot fat.
Moist heat methods, such as braising and cooking in liquid, are best for less tender meats. Moist heat tenderizes meat by softening its connective tissues. In braising, meat is placed in a tightly covered pan at a low temperature. The meat cooks in its own juices or in other liquids that may be added. Simmering and stewing are two ways to cook meat in liquid. Meat is simmered just below the boiling point. In stewing, the meat is slowly boiled in a covered pot or pan.
