Tips on Meat and Poultry

Your chicken curry won’t taste half as good if you haven’t chosen the right portions or prepared it the right way. Nor will your koftas be succulent if you haven’t got the right cut of mutton. Here’s a ready reckoner to help you buy as well as cook your meat to your stomach’s delight.

Purchasing tips:

On portions to buy: The best cuts of lamb are usually the leg, shoulder, and loin. If buying chicken or duck, make sure the breast is well-trimmed. With pork, go for the tenderloin, loin and fresh, center-cut of ham. In-game birds-quail, partridge or grouse- the breast meat is ideal and should be well-trimmed.

On temperature: While purchasing poultry and meat you must ensure that the retailer has kept them at the right temperature (40F). Never purchase meat stored at room temperature.

Preparation tips:

Trim away all visible fat from the surface. This is the first step to take before cooking meats and poultry. There is some benefit in retaining the surface fat while grilling, broiling or roasting poultry or meats, but always trim it away before serving. Leaving the skin on while cooking poultry has the benefit of sealing in all the flavors, natural juices or any aromatic spices you may have placed just under the skin. The skin also helps keep the dish warm for a longer time. You can easily pull the skin away just before serving.

Use cutting techniques to make servings of meat and poultry aesthetically appealing. For instance, meat cut into juliennes (thin slices) will look more attractive than when it is chopped into small pieces.

Pounding breast meat will give it a larger surface area, giving the illusion of quantity. This is useful when you are dieting and trying to cut down on meat. Sliced, grilled, roasted or braised items when piled on a plate will also make a portion size seem bigger than it is.

Use accompaniments such as a bed of greens or other vegetables to make servings look more generous and attractive.