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9. GUIDE TO COOKING MEAT
We cook food for a number of reasons – to preserve, make food safe to eat and to make food
more appetising.
9.1 Grades of Meat
As you are probably aware, there are prime and secondary cuts of meat available for cooking.
Prime Cuts
Prime cuts come from those parts of the animal that work less and are therefore more tender, eg
rump steak and eye fillet.
Secondary Cuts
Secondary cuts are from the working parts of an animal - steering, lifting, moving. They are
tougher but possess more flavor e.g. ribs, brisket, chuck etc. This is because they possess more
collagen, a protein that makes meat tough. Collagen is the connective tissue that wraps around
muscle fibres. It forms the major component in tendons, ligaments, cartilage and blood vessels.
Tough and fibrous, collagen will, under the right conditions, break down into gelatin. Gelatin
provides a lovely silky baste to the meat.
Temperature is the key here. Collagen breaks down only with the application of heat over for a
long period of time. Hence the term 'low and slow'. Collagen begins to break down in most meats
at around 60°C (140°F). In fish it is much lower, around 41°C (106°F). However secondary cuts
are generally cooked to a higher internal temperature than prime cuts to ensure the tough collagen
has completely broken down.
9.2 Internal Temperatures
The internal temperature of meat tells us how cooked it is and a temperature probe is the most
accurate way to determine the “doneness” of any cut of meat. Internal temperature is the decider
in determining how long you grill or smoke food in the Hark gas smoker.
Obviously it is best not to continually measure the internal temperature as it will involve opening
the lid to the cooking chamber. The ideal scenario is to invest in a remote, digital thermometer
whereby the probe remains in the meat for the duration of the cooking process. Temperatures can
be checked on a reading that sits outside the gas smoker. Good thermometers will also tell you
the temperature in the cooking chamber or you can opt for one that sits on the smoker.
Table 3: Internal Temperatures of Beef, Chicken, Lamb & Pork.
BEEF, VEAL & STEAKS
DESCRIPTION
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
Extra-Rare / Blue
Red from edge to edge
46-49°C
115-120°F
Rare
Soft and red in the middle
52-55°C
125-131°F
Medium rare
Firm, warm red in the middle
55-60°C
131-140°F
Medium
Firmer, Pink from edge to edge
60-65°C
140-150°F
Medium well
Signs of pink in the middle
65-69°C
150-155°F
Well done
Firm, grey/brown from edge to edge
71°C +
160°F +
