Tips for cooking various meats

3 July 2020
Tips

Cooking different types of meat to create a delicious dish is not always easy; you have to take care of many details and if you don’t pay attention, you can ruin a superb cut of meat and not obtain the best results it deserves.

Cooking meat

Beef, pork, or even tuna or salmon, every type has some basic guidelines to follow while we work with them in the kitchen. Throughout this post, we will learn how to cook some of the most relevant cuts of meat to take your meals to the next level.

T-bone steak

The T-bone comes from the dorsal vertebra, near the ribs, and is part of the short loin. Animals are usually around 48 months old, and a single piece can weigh more than 400gr. If the animal has been raised on a grain or vegetarian diet, the taste is irresistible.

To cook a T-bone, remember the meat must be at room temperature and the pan or the oven ready. Take the meat out of the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking and heat the pan or turn on the oven previously too.

To achieve the right doneness is probably the most difficult part. Remember it is important to sear the meat first, not turning the cut too much, or it will lose juices. The best way to prepare this type of cut is using its fat. Don’t use oil.

Entrecote

A premium cut of meat from the sirloin. Entrecôte usually refers to the part closest to the kidneys, cause the top part is used for tenderloin. An option lighter than the T-bone steak.

Follow the same rules that we learned above with the T-bone about temper the meat and cooking, but you can use oil in this case. Use also tongs to manipulate the meat because a fork can make it lose juices, and it will be dry.

We need to sear the meat too and turn it a couple of times as much until we reach the doneness we are looking for.

Tenderloin

Pork or beef tenderloin is probably the top cut of meat for the culinary world. It is the part located down the loin and above the kidneys and the side ribs. The cut must be lengthwise. Tenderloin is lean and tender, so the cooking process is delicate for such a special and tasty cut.

Oven, pan, or grill must be at the right temperature if you are going to cook a tenderloin. Don’t poke the meat or remove from the heating source if you want a juicy slice of meat.

You can verify the temperature of the tenderloin with a meat thermometer for the perfect doneness, but you also can do it, carefully, touching it with your finger. Press the outside, center of the meat. If it is soft, it is rare or close to, and if it is firm, it is well-done. Enjoy a delicious, mouthwatering tenderloin.

Hamburger

Hamburgers are a common type of meat with different combinations. You can make hamburgers with almost every cut of meat. But you must buy a piece of high-quality meat, never mind if you prefer veil, beef, pork, etc.

The Hamburger will create its own juices, so it does not need oil or any other kind of fat when we cook it. With a 200ºC temperature, we can cook our burger in the oven, the healthiest choice, for 15 minutes, turning it after 7 minutes. Time enough for a crispy but juicy result.

Magret

Magret is a meat cut of the duck or goose breast, reared for foie gras. This meat texture is unique and perfect for carpaccio or tartar. This type of meat is a light option, with most of the calories are in the skin, but it is also a good source of protein.

Searing this meat first in a very hot pan before cooking it completely is important, with its own juices instead of oil. Then, place the magret in the oven at 180ºC for 10 minutes to finish it.

Tuna

Tuna fish is one of the most delicious and healthy meats among fish, even now. Every single part of the tuna fish is cooked, and its raw meat is quite popular in many Asian countries. Its firm, red flesh is appreciated in many international cuisines.

Tuna loin is the king of the meat cuts in this fish, perfect for sashimi but also to cook it in the oven or a pan. This flesh can dry out very fast, though. Place the loin in the oven at 180ºC for 10 minutes for a luscious and juicy dinner dish.

Salmon

Salmon meat has a high content of good fats and it is very light, a great main course both for lunch or dinner. But it is important to follow some easy steps to cook this delicious cut properly:

As we said before with tuna fish, salmon can be cooked at 180ºC for 10 minutes without losing nutrients and remaining delicious. Serve salmon with vegetables, baked potatoes, purée, fruit compote…

Cooking a high-quality product may look easy, and certainly it is, but you need to focus on the process and add a good dose of love to offer the best on the table to who you love. Enjoy making everybody happy.

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