CONCEPT 8: TOUGH CUTS LIKE A COVERED POT Flashcards
(34 cards)
When braising, why does covering the meat help it cook faster?
The steam becomes a secondary heat source and, in many cases, shortens the cooking time - MUCH LIKE A PRESSURE COOKER.
Two advantages of braising over barbecuing and roasting.
Steam becomes a secondary heat source and liquid used to braise picks up flavor and depth to become a concentrated, succulent sauce.
Why is braising in the oven better than a stovetop?
Indirect heat is better because direct heat is too efficient and may cause meat to cook very quickly and unevenly. It can also affect consistency of braising liquid; will break down added starch, like flour, at bottom of the pan.
Three cooking methods that fall under the broad banner of braising.
Pot-roasting, stewing and braising itself.
Test Kitchen Experiment: Effects of braising on moisture.
Placed 5 200-gram samples of beef chuck in individual vacuum sealed bags, submerged them in 190ºF water for 1 1/2 hours. Found that meat lost 12.5% of its weight; 25g of extra liquid were sitting in the bag.
Why does braised meat seem so moist?
Gentle cooking helps break down connective tissue into collagen, which lubricates and tenderizes muscle fibers in the process. This results in soft, tender texture perceived as moist.
Why does stovetop stews yield a less luxurious sauce than oven-braised liquids?
At moderate temperatures, the flour braising liquid gradually absorbs water, thus thickening the sauce. If liquid gets too hot, the starch breaks down and loses its thickening properties, resulting in a thinner sauce.
What happens to flour is it gets too hot?
Loses its thickening capabilities.
Which roast comes from the cows first 5 ribs?
Chuck eye roast
When pot-roasting at 350ºF what happened to meat?
High temp boiled the meat to a stringy, dry texture because the exterior overcooked before the interior was cooked and tender.
Can browning occur below 300ºF? How low?
Given enough time, browning can also occur at temperatures as low as 160ºF.
Will compounds created at lower temperatures produce the same flavors as higher temperatures?
No, these compounds won’t be as plentiful or richly flavored.
Can you use any acid to finish brightening up a dish?
Yes, cider vinegar just has different flavor than lemon or lime juice.
Is tomato paste rich in glutamates?
Yes
What is the pork counterpart to beef short ribs?
Pork spare ribs.
Compare pork spare ribs and beef short ribs.
Beef short ribs are usually larger, meatier and more tender than pork.
Butchers usually divide short ribs into sections how large?
10 inches square and 3 to 5 inches thick.
How do you get an “English” style short rib?
Cutting the ribs between the bones and into lengths between 2 and 6 inches - typically found in European braises.
How do you get a “flanken” cut when dealing with short ribs?
Cutting the meat across the bone yields “flanked.”
Where are “flanken” cut widely used?
Asian cuisine.
Which exact muscles are generally part of short ribs?
Intercostals and tendon, and a layer of boneless meat and fat which is thick on one end of the slab and thin on the other.
Name the primal cuts beef short ribs come from.
Rib, plate and a small corner of the square chuck.
Three ways to cut short ribs (their names).
“English cut”; “flanken cut” across the bone; or cut into boneless steaks.
What are “boneless country-style short ribs?”
A cut recently introduced to the US as a cheaper alternative to rib steak.
