Meat and seafood craft
6 short explainers. Read them in order, or jump to the question you have right now.
- 79Fat in burgersBeef with about 20 percent fat makes a juicy burger, because the fat melts and coats the meat. Very lean beef, like 95 percent lean, has little fat to…
- 80Cooking juicy chicken breastChicken breast has almost no fat or collagen to keep it moist. Cook it well past 74°C (165°F) and the fibers tighten and squeeze out water. The gap between…
- 81Pork donenessPork used to be cooked to 71°C (160°F) or more, because of trichinella, a parasite modern farming has nearly wiped out. Now the USDA says whole cuts are…
- 82Slow roasting at low heatShoulder and brisket are full of tough collagen. Held at about 70 to 95°C (160 to 200°F) for hours, it melts into gelatin and the meat turns silky. At…
- 83Bone-in or bonelessMeat next to a bone heats more slowly, so bone-in cuts take longer than boneless ones. The marrow and connective tissue around the bone add richness. Go by…
- 84Cooking shrimp quicklyShrimp are lean and small. They cook in 2 to 3 minutes and turn rubbery soon after. Done shrimp are pink and opaque in a loose C, at 63°C (145°F). A tight…
