When it comes to cooking meat at home, there are several ideas you can explore to make things easier for you and, of course, get what you crave. You can use your oven’s broiler to easily broil meat, check that your oil temperature stays consistent by using a thermometer when frying, or try poaching if you’re looking to batch cook meat. And, if you’re in the mood for roasting, whole fish and whole chickens are usually the best options. Grilling works for almost all kinds of meat.
The thing is, meat can come out wonderfully in so many ways and it’s no surprise that it’s a staple food in many diets. From serving as an amazingly rich source of protein to being satisfying and tasty, meat is quite helpful for the body and it’s also delicious, especially when cooked well.
It’s usually not easy to cook delicious meat dishes, even though it often appears simple. From being cautious to avoid making the meat lose its flavorful juices, to letting your meat “rest” before you eat it, there are usually many tips you can use to perfect your meat cooking skills. And this explains why you must have the right knowledge that will enable you to cook different kinds of meat like a pro.
In this article, I’ll explain some easy tips that’ll take your meat cooking skills from 0 to 100 real quick.
What’s So Special About Meat?
A lot, a whole lot! Aside from being a foundational ingredient on many plates, red meat is a staple source of protein. Most meats contain zinc and iron and a high level of vitamin K, B6, and B12. As a meat lover, you should know the three main meat categories. These are;
- Seafood: This includes molluscs such as mussels, scallops, oysters, and clams; as well as crustaceans like lobster and crab; and it includes fish too.
- Poultry: Poultry includes chicken and turkey, and it’s commonly referred to as white meat.
- Red Meat: This includes lamb, goat, pork, and beef. All livestock falls into this category.
How To Cook Meats Like A Pro
Get Only High-Quality Ingredients
Going for high-quality ingredients may cost you more but it will always pay off in the long run. As such, it’s often a good idea to pay a little extra if you don’t want to go through too much stress while cooking and you also want to improve the flavor of your steak. If you are new to cooking meat, it is very important to use high-quality ingredients, as this will give you the best results.
Use A Meat Thermometer For Foolproof Cooking
Your meat thermometer will always let you know if your meat is ready to eat. It’s best that you use an easy-to-read large display digital thermometer. Also, note that an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard for all poultry, an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit must for fresh pork and ham, and around 145 degrees Fahrenheit for a whole beef.
Touch Your Meat
When working with raw meat, following good kitchen hygiene is essential. But, don’t let this stop you from touching your meat. Touching your meat will give you an accurate feel of the meat’s texture – and this goes a long way to determine how long you need to cook your meat. So, whether you’re trying to figure out how to start sous vide cooking like a kitchen pro, or just trying a recipe you got online or from a friend, you must understand that the quality and taste of your meat can be affected by the texture of your meat.
Prepare Your Marinade In Advance
Placing your meat in a marinade the night before cooking will make cooking easier for you and also make your meat more delicious. In your meat-cooking arsenal, one of your secret weapons is marinades. Trust me – this trick works like magic.
Don’t Pierce Your Meat When Flipping
When flipping the meat on a grill, don’t stab the meat with a carving fork. Use tongs or a spatula to turn meat on a grill — this is the proper way. The final taste of your meat can be affected by how you handle it on the grill.
Whether you want to prepare a tender chicken breast or grill the perfect steak, following these easy tips will help you get a hang of what you need to do, especially if you want to cook meat like a pro.
Published on Holr Magazine