Pre- treatment of meat consists mostly of washing. The meat should be washed with a strong stream of water.
Wash the entire piece, intended for cooking. Do not wash meat that is already cut and cleared of tendons and bones.
Before washing, use a knife to scrape the dirtiest places, then cut the seal out after washing. If you bought sliced pieces of meat and you wash them, you will lose some of their valuable qualities, but washing is still required.
Do not soak the meat in water. Thus, their B vitamins, proteins and minerals go into the water. In French cuisine, instead of washing, the meat is blanched and the water discarded.
Washed meat is dried, excess fat is removed, leaving a layer of about three millimeters to avoid over drying the meat when cooked.
Then, with a sharp knife, cut the membranes of the meat off in one direction and with one hand, hold the membrane. The bones are separated with a sharp knife.
Meat intended for steaming and baking is cut depending on the dish you cook. Cut the meat across it’s tissue lining and the resultant pieces are wedged with a wooden mallet.
The meat can be cut into pieces for cooking, with a size of 4 cm. The first method is used for cooking steaks and chops, and the second - for making stews and goulash.
To prepare mince for meatballs or meatloaf, you must add 25% bread to the quantity of the meat. Also add a little water or milk, salt, and one or two eggs.
Thanks to the bread, the mincemeat retains its juiciness because the juices are retained in the pores of the bread. Eggs are a binder, but that role can be played by boiled potatoes or potato flour and wheat meal.
Soak bread in water or milk. The meat is washed, cleaned of sinew and membranes and cut into small pieces, then ground.
The bread is squeezed, mixed with minced meat and ground all over again. Add one or two whole eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Minced meat should be fluffy, so with a spoon or with wet hands knead it, and if necessary, add milk or water.
