Questions tagged [meat]

Questions about the flesh of an animal (especially mammal) used as food.

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123 votes
26 answers
50k views

How do you properly cook a steak?

I love steaks so much, that I would like to get a green card and live in the States just to enjoy good steaks whenever I want. When I try to cook a steak at home (I live in Italy), it always turns ...
Wizard79's user avatar
  • 4,603
75 votes
14 answers
16k views

Any benefit to buy high-quality meat for a mediocre cook?

Quite honestly, I consider myself a mediocre cook as I am consistently able to make decent dishes. Nothing I ever make is fantastic and almost never terrible. The question is this: will my cooking ...
06d4829aa8's user avatar
66 votes
9 answers
628k views

How dangerous is it to refreeze meat that has been thawed?

I've often been told by people that I shouldn't refreeze meat (particularly hamburger meat) once it has been thawed. However, this seems a little silly to me. I can't imagine how meat that hasn't ...
Daniel Bingham's user avatar
64 votes
10 answers
1.1m views

Is there a problem with defrosting meat on the counter?

I generally defrost meat on the kitchen counter. A friend of mine suggested that this was dangerous and suggested that I defrost meat in the refrigerator. I am no biologist but it seems to me that as ...
ahsteele's user avatar
  • 2,598
60 votes
1 answer
9k views

What constitutes the majority of meat?

Looking at 100g chicken breast for example, I see that ~30g is protein and ~4 is fat. What is the rest of the 100g piece made of? Is that all connective tissues? Fiber? Something else?
shadesofdarkred's user avatar
56 votes
5 answers
263k views

Why is it dangerous to eat meat which has been left out and then cooked?

If cooking meat kills bacteria, and bacteria are responsible for problems with eating meat which has been left out, then why is it dangerous to eat meat which has been left out at room temperature and ...
intuited's user avatar
  • 1,407
49 votes
17 answers
694k views

Is it bad to cook frozen meat without thawing it?

I wonder if it is bad to cook frozen meat (chicken, fish, beef,...) without waiting for it to thaw? Sometimes, I realize I forget to take meat out of my freezer beforehand, when I am too hungry ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 2,093
36 votes
16 answers
75k views

How do I pound chicken (or other meat) without making a mess?

Despite my best efforts, my kitchen (and sometimes the chicken) always looks like a war zone after pounding 8 or 10 breasts. Maybe this is just a messy job, but I think there must be something I'm ...
Aaronut's user avatar
  • 55k
36 votes
3 answers
14k views

Why should I "rest" meat after cooking?

I often read in recipes that I should "rest" meat after it has been cooked but what does resting the meat actually do?
lomaxx's user avatar
  • 5,518
34 votes
6 answers
37k views

Why do American supermarkets only carry lamb and not mutton?

When I go to the supermarket I do not see much, if any, mutton, just a lot of lamb. So, I have postulated some possible explanations: mutton (the meat of a sheep) is being sold as "lamb", mutton ...
Drisheen Colcannon's user avatar
33 votes
16 answers
235k views

How to rest meat but not let it get too cold?

Having read this question I am persuaded that resting meat is good for its flavour. But if the meat has a good temperature straight after it's been cooked, it seems as though it will be too cold after ...
bryn's user avatar
  • 2,391
32 votes
9 answers
331k views

How do Chinese restaurants tenderize their meat?

I eat at a lot of Chinese restaurants now and also while growing up. I often wondered how is it that the chicken, pork, and beef in dishes are always so tender. I can never replicate it when I cook. ...
milesmeow's user avatar
  • 4,274
32 votes
5 answers
67k views

Does meat need to be washed before preparation?

I don't even remember where I have learned that, but I've always thought it common knowledge: Before a piece of meat gets seasoned, or malleted for tenderizing (sorry, don't know the English word for ...
rumtscho's user avatar
  • 139k
31 votes
7 answers
500k views

How long is it safe to marinate meat?

I started marinating some almost-thawed chicken and skirt steak in the refrigerator on Monday. It's Saturday, and I still haven't gotten around to cooking the meat. Is the meat still safe to cook ...
Jim's user avatar
  • 411
31 votes
8 answers
195k views

How long do you let a steak from the fridge come up to temperature, and when do you salt it?

Before cooking a steak, you're supposed to let it sit out at room temperature. You're also supposed to salt it. What is the proper timing for these steps? How long do you let the steak come up to ...
user avatar
29 votes
5 answers
3k views

Does searing meat lock in moisture?

I just saw a claim to this end in another thread, and it is perpetuated about the internet and in many cookbooks. So: Is it true? Does making a nice crust (maillard reaction) on a roast seal in juice ...
Adam Shiemke's user avatar
  • 5,912
28 votes
3 answers
13k views

Can meat spoil outside the fridge if it's baked into bread as a filling?

I made some meat buns tonight (that is, buns with cooked chicken stuffed inside them before being baked), and I'm wondering if I should bother keeping the buns inside the fridge, because that would ...
Austin Ballard's user avatar
28 votes
4 answers
194k views

What meats can I serve medium rare and why?

It is generally accepted that pork and chicken must be cooked completely (unless put through a strong curing process) while certain cuts of beef and lamb can be served on the rare side. Why is this? ...
Jon's user avatar
  • 383
27 votes
15 answers
15k views

Grilling veggies & meat on same surface for vegetarian guests

If I grill veggies and then grill meats (or vice versa) on the same surface, is heating and brushing the grill an adequate method to assure I haven't offended a vegan or vegetarian?
Steve's user avatar
  • 287
26 votes
4 answers
9k views

How Can Cooked Meat Still Have Protein Value?

I've been taught 2 things that seem to contradict each other: Cooked meat has plenty of protein Heating proteins denatures them and damages/changes them If this is the case, then cooked meat must ...
Tom J Nowell's user avatar
26 votes
7 answers
10k views

Is "sealing in the flavor" an actual thing?

Someone mentioned searing food to "seal in the flavor". My response was that searing was a way to add a delicious crust, and nothing more or less. However, I recently noticed a frozen food mentioning ...
Patrick's user avatar
  • 557
25 votes
4 answers
783k views

How long can cooked food be safely stored at room/warm temperature?

If I leave fully-cooked food (particularly meat) out at warm temperature - say on the counter or in a crock pot that's been turned off - how long will it stay safe to eat? Does it make any ...
MHansen's user avatar
  • 251
23 votes
2 answers
4k views

Best chopping board material for meat

I've heard that using a wooden chopping board for cutting meat is not very hygienic as it is a porous material. If that is the case, then what would a chopping board ideally be made out of when ...
lomaxx's user avatar
  • 5,518
22 votes
6 answers
7k views

Are there different grades or styles of bacon?

In commercials and when I go to restaurants (even fast food!) the bacon that I get is a reddish brown color and seems to be mostly meat, or at least meat textured. However, when I buy bacon at the ...
JPhi1618's user avatar
  • 546
22 votes
8 answers
412k views

How should baking soda be used to tenderize meat?

At some Chinese restaurants, I've had beef dishes where the meat was unusually tender. It also has a somewhat unusual texture, which is hard to describe. I understand that this is a result of using ...
erichui's user avatar
  • 777
22 votes
2 answers
44k views

Food safety of meat vs. veggies and fruit with mold on them

Obviously, it's bad to eat moldy food, so I don't do so. However, the other day I was presented with both an old pot roast and asparagus in the fridge, both of which had grown mold. Of course, I ...
Cajunluke's user avatar
  • 541
21 votes
7 answers
184k views

First onion or first minced meat?

When making e.g. spaghetti sauce, do I: first sweat the onions and then add the minced meat? first brown the minced meat and then add the onions? do both at the same time but in different pans and ...
BioGeek's user avatar
  • 313
21 votes
1 answer
4k views

What to expect from canned bear meat?

I aquired a can of bear meat from Finland. I'm not sure what to expect of the contents of the can. Will the meat be pre-cooked? I can find some ideas online for preperation of fresh bear meat, but ...
Martijn's user avatar
  • 413
21 votes
2 answers
17k views

How does velveting work?

The Chinese technique of velveting works. It creates a lusciously tender bit of meat, and I'm a complete advocate of making the small additional effort. If you've ever done it, you're already a ...
Jolenealaska's user avatar
  • 58.5k
18 votes
3 answers
5k views

How to properly brown cut-up chicken breast pieces?

Yesterday I was trying to cook "Chicken Tonight". The jar instructs to cut 400 grams of chicken breast in "small" pieces (we use two jars, so I end up with 800 grams), then to ...
Tinkeringbell's user avatar
18 votes
6 answers
86k views

What is the difference between shawarma and gyros?

I see both of these terms used in restaurants that seem to specialize in meat on a vertical rotisserie served in a pita sandwich. I'm not clear on whether there is a difference between the two or if ...
Michael Natkin's user avatar
18 votes
5 answers
4k views

Why do my burgers end up round?

When I broil or grill my burgers, I end up with burgers that are round in the middle. I grind my own beef blend and form my patties the same every time. When I cook my burgers in a pan I don't get ...
Jacob R's user avatar
  • 2,490
17 votes
7 answers
8k views

Traditionally, is prosciutto never to be cooked?

In a discussion about pancetta and prosciutto in sauces (specifically, bolognese), a friend said that "Traditionally, prosciutto is never to be cooked." I have not heard that before. I ...
aqn's user avatar
  • 299
17 votes
3 answers
6k views

Is there any advantage to combining spices before applying them to meat?

Up to this point when preparing steaks, ribs, or any sort of "meat" I would apply my spices in sequence: first adding salts, followed by a pepper-based powders, and lastly some sugars (if applicable). ...
Carl Edwards's user avatar
17 votes
5 answers
6k views

What exactly are American recipes containing "smoked sausage" or "smoked Italian sausage" referring to?

I have recently come across several American recipes that call for an ingredient described as 'Smoked Sausage' or 'Smoked Italian Sausage'. Here in Australia, we try to be a little more specific, so ...
Paull Alekna's user avatar
17 votes
3 answers
7k views

Extremely hard layer after cooking the burger on the grill

It was the first time I tried making burgers at home. I did some research on the subject. I just put salt and pepper into the ground beef. Then I heated the iron grill well and applied a small amount ...
mhendek's user avatar
  • 633
17 votes
9 answers
522k views

Can I put frozen meat in a slow cooker?

I was wondering if I can put meat directly from the freezer into a slow-cooker. I want to be able to put chicken in the slow-cooker without having to let it defrost for a whole day in the fridge. It ...
Pierre-Alain Vigeant's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
161k views

How should I deal with blood released while thawing meat in the refrigerator?

Saturday I pulled a package of venison from my freezer to thaw and hope to make stroganoff with it tonight. However, this morning I noticed that the package (in a bowl) had really released a lot of ...
mfg's user avatar
  • 11.7k
16 votes
4 answers
4k views

Spice blends have no flavor?

I recently purchased a local taco spice blend (basically: chili pepper, paprika, garlic, cumin and oregano) but it tastes bland when I cook with it. In fact, I often find this when I try to use spice ...
poundifdef's user avatar
16 votes
12 answers
48k views

Using a vacuum sealer to marinate?

With the vacuum sealers that have hit the market, they're have been a lot of toys added onto the products. One such device is used for marinating meat. It just looks like a tupperware bin with a ...
Joel's user avatar
  • 397
16 votes
2 answers
711 views

What is freezer burn?

What causes freezer burn? How can I tell if meat has freezer burn?
George Edison's user avatar
15 votes
4 answers
16k views

Is it contaminating the spice to touch it after touching raw meat?

When I cook raw meat, especially chicken strips, I have it spread out on the chopping board with a few bags and containers of spice to the side. I don't actually use too many shakers for spice. Since ...
Celeritas's user avatar
  • 1,625
15 votes
7 answers
31k views

Why do burgers sometimes fall apart on the grill?

Sometimes when cooking a burger I have had it completely fall apart for no apparent reason. Is this due to using a ground meat that is too lean? I don't add anything to the meat and don't spend too ...
Ryan Elkins's user avatar
  • 6,203
15 votes
7 answers
237k views

Why is fish not considered as meat?

While reading a thread on cooking, an old question popped into my head: I am an Asian and had no problems with dishes with both meat and “fish.” But some of my elder German friends say that meat and “...
Ching Chong's user avatar
  • 4,678
15 votes
7 answers
57k views

Does milk tenderize meat?

In another question I suggested that milk might be used as a tenderizer. That generated an amount of scepticism, so I think it is worth breaking the question out. The idea came from "The New Best ...
Chris Steinbach's user avatar
15 votes
4 answers
433k views

How long does uncooked meat last when kept in the freezer? [duplicate]

Chicken, beef, or even shrimp? How long can I keep it there before it goes bad?
Cho's user avatar
  • 151
15 votes
5 answers
5k views

Tricks to ensure Mailliard/Browning reaction?

Seems like a question that would've been asked before, but I couldn't find a pre-existing question. Sorry if this is a duplicate. Anyway, I do a lot of stir-fry, usually with chicken. My usual ...
Xepo's user avatar
  • 388
14 votes
15 answers
26k views

Why does my chicken breast become so dry?

When I roast a whole chicken, I always make sure that my chicken is cooked to the proper temperature. Quite often, this results in juicy legs and thighs, but dry breasts. Is there a reason the ...
Jacob R's user avatar
  • 2,490
14 votes
4 answers
36k views

Is the "gamey" taste of venison just a polite name for "rotten"?

I have had a theory for a long time that it is the blood in the deer which causes the gamey flavor. Hunters gut the deer soon after a kill, but they don't bleed it or chill it for hours or days. It ...
Brent's user avatar
  • 321
14 votes
5 answers
117k views

Is it bad to marinate meat for too long?

From my experience it is always best to marinate meat for a decent amount of time, so the meat can "soak" up the marinade and be more flavourful. However, I came across this recipe here: http://www....
pyko's user avatar
  • 295

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