Any advice for cooking meat?

Question

I am terrible at cooking meat. I once cooked a chicken breast to what I thought was done and realized after eating a bite that the middle had a pink tint. That made me really sick (not physically) and now I'm turned off of most meat in general. However, I really need to break my carb addiction and I'm going to need to be able to cook meat. Now if I cook meat, which is rare, my fear of undercooking leaves me with a dried-up piece of meat. Help???

Answer 1

Patience!!! Low heat! People have a tendency to turn up the heat thinking it will cook faster and what you end up doing is burning the outside and the middle is still cold. Buy a needle style thermometer and use that to check your inner temps. Your "done" temp is different depending on the type of meat so do a little more research for that info.

Answer 2

Most (if not all) raw meat you could buy in the supermarket should have a (usually small) label on it somewhere that says something like "preparation instructions" and tell you in general how long to cook at what internal temperature. Sometimes they will even put a little chart on there for you somewhere, that tells you something like, if your meat weighs this much, cook for apx. this long at this temperature, and will be broken up by how you want to cook ~ pan fry, broil, bake, etc.

You should get yourself a meat thermometer, which is easy to find at any department store, even supermarkets. I learned to cook meat by cutting a small slit in it to see what it looked like inside. All white meat (chicken, pork, fish) should ALWAYS be cooked all the way thru, otherwise it can make you sick. It is OK to have red meat not cooked all the way, still red inside, if you like it that way. Some people like it burnt to a crisp, others like it still mooing. Just keep trying, and eventually you will figure it out. It helps to write stuff down if you don't do it all that often, so you can remember what you did last time.

Just a general tip for chicken, since you mentioned it, it helps to cook better if you cover it somehow, If you bake it without covering it has a tendency to dry out the outside and leave the middle not done. Same goes for frying, sometimes.

Answer 3

Basic do's & don't try BetterCrocker.com --- they have all the information you need.

Now, there are soooooo many ways to cook meat that I can only hit on a few here (feel free to email me). Chicken, hamburger MUST be throughly cooked (NO pink) both can be 'tested' by pressing on the piece of meat - it should give you resistance. Any solid piece of beef (roast, steak) can be safely eaten rare to well done and it will not hurt you. Ecoli is on the outside of the meat, that is why you cook hamburger well done (the ecoli is all mixed into the meat). You can try putting the meat in a crock pot with vegis until you get used to cooking it -- or bake it. Check out entree baking recipes - they will give you specific times & temps for the size and type of meat. It just takes practice -- and you can always cut into the meat to see if it is rare first, if so, cook it longer.

Answer 4

Two things. One is to use a metal skewer to test the meat. If the juices run clear it's done. Two is to buy a meat thermometer which will tell you when you insert it whether the meat is done..

Always use a cookbook until you are more experienced and take it's advice on cooking times and temperature depending on the weight and cut of the meat.

If in doubt cut the meat on a plate and if still uncooked place in the microwave oven for a few minutes.

Answer 5

there are a fea ways to tell the meat is cooked
- cutting a small piece out of the meat to see if its cooked
cake tester - make sure the skewer comes out really hot..
i find the best way is to slowly cook the meat on each side only turning it 2-3 times because that way it cooks evenly and right though

Answer 6

It is a good idea to pierce the meat while cooking to see if juices run clear and to see if th einside is still pink. For roasting get yourself a meat thermometer to tell you.

Answer 7

why not start with Sautéing the meat...........
Sautéing -- what separates amateurs from pros


Learn to sauté well and your cooking will improve dramatically. Why? Not only are properly sautéed foods delicious on their own -- a well-browned exterior adds tons of flavor, as well as an appealing color -- but other cooking methods, such as braising and roasting often begin with sautéing or searing (a variation on sautéing). Here are a few tips that will greatly improve your sautéing skills.

Dry the food. Before putting the food in the pan, pat off excess moisture with paper towels; otherwise the food will steam rather than brown.


Turn up the heat. The most important factor for a good sauté is heat -- and lots of it. Though restaurant chefs may have a few extra BTUs on their burners, most home chefs don’t even turn the heat to high. “People are afraid of heat,” notes Gordon Hamersley, chef and owner of Hamersley’s Bistro of Boston, adding, “In our house, the heat is either on or off.” Put the food in the pan only when the pan and the fat in it are searingly hot (but not smoking). Then moderate the heat so the food is constantly sizzling but not burning.


Don’t crowd the pan. Be sure you can see the bottom of the pan between the pieces of food. Too much food will lower the temperature of the pan, creating a lot of steam, meaning you won't get good browning.


Let the food sit in the hot pan before tossing or turning it. A common mistake is to fidget with the food, turning and poking at it constantly. To promote browning, leave the food alone -- for as long as a few minutes for some foods -- before you move it or flip it.

USDA Prime, Choice, Select? "Young beef with the most marbling is given the Prime or highest quality grade. Prime is usually sold to restaurants, but may be available in some specialty markets. Choice is the most widely available grade in the retail market. Select has the least amount of marbling, but may not be as tender, juicy or flavorful as Prime or Choice."

"Beef tenderloin steak is also called filet or filet mignon. These extremely tender, boneless steaks are cut from the whole tenderloin."

"Round tip steaks, also called 'minute,' 'breakfast,' or 'sandwich' steaks, cook very quickly; take care not to overcook or they will be dry."

"A Porterhouse steak differs from a T-Bone in that the Porterhouse tenderloin diameter is no less than 1 1/4 inches measured across the center compared to the T-Bone tenderloin, which is not less than 1/2 inch."

"Delmonico" is a fancy name for ribeye. You'll find the word Delmonico more commonly in the Northeast (the original Delmonico's Restaurant was in NYC); ribeye is the label of choice in the Southeast.

Coals hot enough?
"Approximately 30 minutes prior to grilling, prepare the charcoal fire so coals have time to reach medium temperature. At medium, the coals will be ash-covered. To check the temperature of the coals, spread the coals in a single layer. CAREFULLY hold the palm of your hand above the coals at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away: approximately 4 seconds for medium heat. Position the cooking grid and follow recipe directions. (For gas grills, consult the owner's manual for preheating instructions.)"

How to make hamburger patties
"Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Overhandling will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don't press or flatten with spatula during cooking."

Buying beef
"Make sure the package is cold and has no holes or tears. Excessive liquid in a package may indicate improper storage or beef that is past its optimum shelf life."

"Look for beef that is firm to the touch, not soft."

"Choose beef with a bright cherry-red color, without any grayish or brown blotches. The exception is vacuum-packaged beef, which, due to a lack of oxygen, has a darker purplish-red color. When exposed to the air, it will turn to a bright red."

For each 3-ounce serving of cooked poultry, buy an extra ounce to allow for shrinkage and an extra 2 ounces to allow for bone. Reduce shrinkage in boneless chicken breasts by removing the clearly visible white tendon. Also the lower the heat the chicken is cooked, the less the shrinkage
here is a good start for your cooking :
http://cooking101.abccook.com/chicken-recipe/

Answer 8

When you cook it for the time suggested and pull it out of your oven, grill, etc. mack a small cut in the center to see if its done.

Answer 9

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/aklesh8/Page11.htm

Go to this website. It gives a chart with temperatures and times for different meats.