Habanero Smoker
07-12-2008, 02:50 PM
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Meat - When Is It Done? Part 2, from Habanero Smoker
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Meat - When Is It Done? Part 1 (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?485-When-Is-Meat-Done-Pt.-1&p=752#post752)
Meat Internal Temperature Guide
http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Misc_Files/Meat_Charts/Internal_Meat_Temperatures.jpg
Tough Cuts of Meat
http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Misc_Files/Meat_Charts/Tough_Meat_TemperaturesA.jpg
Tough cuts of meat have the benefit of having a very rich flavor, but they contain a lot of tough connective tissue and little marbling. These cuts of meat require that they be cooked at a low temperature, and cooked to at least a minimum of 160-180°F to achieve tenderness. The problem with this, cooking meat higher than an internal temperature of 140°F causes meat to lose most of their juices, and become dry. As a result, the challenge is to cook these meats until they become tender, while keeping them “moist”. The best way is to cook it slowly at temperatures 40 – 165 degrees above the temperature point at which collagen breaks down. At around 160°F the collagen in the connective tissue begins to dissolve and break down into gelatin. As the collagen converts to gelatin, it captures some of the juices the meat loses, and coats the dry protein fibers with the gelatin giving the tender meat the feeling of moistness.
The above temperature chart for “Tough Cuts of Meat” lists the most common internal temperatures used. I’ve learned that the lower you cook a tough piece of meat, the lower you have to take the internal temperatures. For example; I have found that cooking a pork butt at 200°F it will easily fall apart at an internal temperature of 175°F. Smoking/cooking at higher temperatures such as 210-250 degrees F, you will need to take the internal temperatures higher. Some sources states that you should not solely rely on the internal temperature, but take it out as soon as it is fork tender. Fork tender is when the meat will easily pull apart when a fork is inserted and twisted. Taking it out as soon as it gets fork tender will make certain the meat has the highest level of moistness.
Cook’s Illustrated recommends that you test the doness in brisket by inserting a dining fork into the meat. If the fork can be inserted with no resistance, and pulled out with no resistance, then it is properly cooked.
Carryover Effect:
The carryover effect is when the internal temperature of meat continues to rise while it is at rest. When a large roast reaches an internal temperature of 140° F, the surface of the meat will be hotter then the boiling point. After the meat is removed from the heat source, the heat will continue to radiate towards the center, raising the internal temperature until the surface cools enough to draw the heat back out. This is also referred to as “Afterheating”. Therefore the meat should be taken off the heat source before it reaches your desired “doness”.
Some recipes calculate the "carryover" and will give you the temperature at which to remove the meat, but most don't. Most recipes give you the final internal temperature to bring the meat to, and judging when to take the meat off the heat source may take some practice. The extent of how high of an increase in temperature depends on the thickness and weight of the meat, the temperature it was cooked at, the internal temperature when it was removed from the heat source, the time it needs to rest, and the type or meat it is. To complicate matters, many sources say the rise in temperature is greater in red meat and pork than it is in poultry and fish. Other sources state that the carryover effect does not occur in poultry and fish (which I personally disagree with).
The larger the cut of meat the higher the increase in temperature will be during rest. This is because it has greater mass weight and thickness, and a large cut of meat require more resting time. For example, a large roast will often rise 5-10 degrees F, while a steak may only rise a few degrees, and the rise in a fish fillet my be negligible. The temperature that the meat was cooked at will also effect how much the temperature will rise. A large roast cooked at 325°F may rise 5-10 degrees F, while the same roast cooked at 400°F or more will rise 10-15 degrees F, and occasionally 20 degrees F. While smoking/cooking at lower temperatures around 200-220 degrees F it may rise 2-5 degrees F. If the recipe includes the carryover time, it is best to use what is stated in the recipe.
When Is It Done? Pt. 2; Full Color PDF Download (http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Executable_Files/When_Is_Meat_Done.pdf) (Requires Acrobat 8 or higher)
When Is It Done? Pt. 2; B&W PDF Download (http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Executable_Files/When_Is_Meat_Done_BW.pdf) (Requires Acrobat 8 or higher. Black and white version for printing.)
Notes:
For a comprehensive write up on food hygiene, food temperatures and thermometer calibration; please read this article. Food Poisoning and Food Hygiene Part 2, by Paul Woods (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7)
For a comprehensive write up on food poisoning and toxicity; please read this article. Food Poisoning and Food Hygiene Part 1, by Paul Woods (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9)
Brining and curing may also be another subject of interest, please read this article. Curing and Brining, by JJC (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14)
Footnotes:
As of May 24, 2011.
The USDA recommends that whole muscle meats be cook to at least 145°F, including pork; for pork see footnote #3 for further recommendations on the internal temperature of pork.
The USDA recently lowered the recommended internal temperature of fresh pork. They now recommend that you bring pork up to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, followed by a 3 minute rest that will allow the juices to redistribute and for the carryover to bring the temperature up a few degrees more. Refer to the “Carryover Effect” above. Keep in mind, this recommendation is for the lean cuts, tougher cuts should be cooked differently.
These temperatures not recommended.
When cooking at low temperatures most fish will become mushy. For firmer fish use the higher end of the internal temperature. If cooking the fish on a high heat source such as grilling, pan frying or baking; the lower temperature should be used, to prevent the fish from drying out.
When smoking and/or cooking sausage at low temperatures (below 225°F), it must be cured.
Picnic shoulder does not have as much connective tissue, but the internal temperature of 180-205 degree F range is also used often.Sources:
America's Test Kitchen, editors. "Knowing When Food Is Done." Brookline, MA. Cook's Illustrated; SeptemberOctober, 2006, pg. 16.
Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly. Bruce Aidells' Complete Sausage Book - Recipes from Americas Premier Sausage Maker. Berkley, CA. Ten Speed Press, 2000.
Rytek Kutas. Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing; 3rd edition. Buffalo, NY. Sausage Maker Inc., 1999.
Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking; The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York, NY. Scribner revised edition; 2004.
Shirley O. Corriher. Cookwise The How's & Ways of Successful Cooking. New York, NY. HarperCollins; 1997.
Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn. Charcuterie. The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing. NY/London. W.M. Morton Co.; 2005.
USDA Food Safety and Inspections. (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/home/index.asp)
The Virtual Weber Bullet (http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cook.html)
Meat - When Is It Done? Part 2, from Habanero Smoker
http://www.susanminor.org/images/smokers/sunsepa.gif
Meat - When Is It Done? Part 1 (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?485-When-Is-Meat-Done-Pt.-1&p=752#post752)
Meat Internal Temperature Guide
http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Misc_Files/Meat_Charts/Internal_Meat_Temperatures.jpg
Tough Cuts of Meat
http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Misc_Files/Meat_Charts/Tough_Meat_TemperaturesA.jpg
Tough cuts of meat have the benefit of having a very rich flavor, but they contain a lot of tough connective tissue and little marbling. These cuts of meat require that they be cooked at a low temperature, and cooked to at least a minimum of 160-180°F to achieve tenderness. The problem with this, cooking meat higher than an internal temperature of 140°F causes meat to lose most of their juices, and become dry. As a result, the challenge is to cook these meats until they become tender, while keeping them “moist”. The best way is to cook it slowly at temperatures 40 – 165 degrees above the temperature point at which collagen breaks down. At around 160°F the collagen in the connective tissue begins to dissolve and break down into gelatin. As the collagen converts to gelatin, it captures some of the juices the meat loses, and coats the dry protein fibers with the gelatin giving the tender meat the feeling of moistness.
The above temperature chart for “Tough Cuts of Meat” lists the most common internal temperatures used. I’ve learned that the lower you cook a tough piece of meat, the lower you have to take the internal temperatures. For example; I have found that cooking a pork butt at 200°F it will easily fall apart at an internal temperature of 175°F. Smoking/cooking at higher temperatures such as 210-250 degrees F, you will need to take the internal temperatures higher. Some sources states that you should not solely rely on the internal temperature, but take it out as soon as it is fork tender. Fork tender is when the meat will easily pull apart when a fork is inserted and twisted. Taking it out as soon as it gets fork tender will make certain the meat has the highest level of moistness.
Cook’s Illustrated recommends that you test the doness in brisket by inserting a dining fork into the meat. If the fork can be inserted with no resistance, and pulled out with no resistance, then it is properly cooked.
Carryover Effect:
The carryover effect is when the internal temperature of meat continues to rise while it is at rest. When a large roast reaches an internal temperature of 140° F, the surface of the meat will be hotter then the boiling point. After the meat is removed from the heat source, the heat will continue to radiate towards the center, raising the internal temperature until the surface cools enough to draw the heat back out. This is also referred to as “Afterheating”. Therefore the meat should be taken off the heat source before it reaches your desired “doness”.
Some recipes calculate the "carryover" and will give you the temperature at which to remove the meat, but most don't. Most recipes give you the final internal temperature to bring the meat to, and judging when to take the meat off the heat source may take some practice. The extent of how high of an increase in temperature depends on the thickness and weight of the meat, the temperature it was cooked at, the internal temperature when it was removed from the heat source, the time it needs to rest, and the type or meat it is. To complicate matters, many sources say the rise in temperature is greater in red meat and pork than it is in poultry and fish. Other sources state that the carryover effect does not occur in poultry and fish (which I personally disagree with).
The larger the cut of meat the higher the increase in temperature will be during rest. This is because it has greater mass weight and thickness, and a large cut of meat require more resting time. For example, a large roast will often rise 5-10 degrees F, while a steak may only rise a few degrees, and the rise in a fish fillet my be negligible. The temperature that the meat was cooked at will also effect how much the temperature will rise. A large roast cooked at 325°F may rise 5-10 degrees F, while the same roast cooked at 400°F or more will rise 10-15 degrees F, and occasionally 20 degrees F. While smoking/cooking at lower temperatures around 200-220 degrees F it may rise 2-5 degrees F. If the recipe includes the carryover time, it is best to use what is stated in the recipe.
When Is It Done? Pt. 2; Full Color PDF Download (http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Executable_Files/When_Is_Meat_Done.pdf) (Requires Acrobat 8 or higher)
When Is It Done? Pt. 2; B&W PDF Download (http://www.susanminor.org/users/Hab/Executable_Files/When_Is_Meat_Done_BW.pdf) (Requires Acrobat 8 or higher. Black and white version for printing.)
Notes:
For a comprehensive write up on food hygiene, food temperatures and thermometer calibration; please read this article. Food Poisoning and Food Hygiene Part 2, by Paul Woods (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7)
For a comprehensive write up on food poisoning and toxicity; please read this article. Food Poisoning and Food Hygiene Part 1, by Paul Woods (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9)
Brining and curing may also be another subject of interest, please read this article. Curing and Brining, by JJC (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14)
Footnotes:
As of May 24, 2011.
The USDA recommends that whole muscle meats be cook to at least 145°F, including pork; for pork see footnote #3 for further recommendations on the internal temperature of pork.
The USDA recently lowered the recommended internal temperature of fresh pork. They now recommend that you bring pork up to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, followed by a 3 minute rest that will allow the juices to redistribute and for the carryover to bring the temperature up a few degrees more. Refer to the “Carryover Effect” above. Keep in mind, this recommendation is for the lean cuts, tougher cuts should be cooked differently.
These temperatures not recommended.
When cooking at low temperatures most fish will become mushy. For firmer fish use the higher end of the internal temperature. If cooking the fish on a high heat source such as grilling, pan frying or baking; the lower temperature should be used, to prevent the fish from drying out.
When smoking and/or cooking sausage at low temperatures (below 225°F), it must be cured.
Picnic shoulder does not have as much connective tissue, but the internal temperature of 180-205 degree F range is also used often.Sources:
America's Test Kitchen, editors. "Knowing When Food Is Done." Brookline, MA. Cook's Illustrated; SeptemberOctober, 2006, pg. 16.
Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly. Bruce Aidells' Complete Sausage Book - Recipes from Americas Premier Sausage Maker. Berkley, CA. Ten Speed Press, 2000.
Rytek Kutas. Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing; 3rd edition. Buffalo, NY. Sausage Maker Inc., 1999.
Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking; The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York, NY. Scribner revised edition; 2004.
Shirley O. Corriher. Cookwise The How's & Ways of Successful Cooking. New York, NY. HarperCollins; 1997.
Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn. Charcuterie. The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing. NY/London. W.M. Morton Co.; 2005.
USDA Food Safety and Inspections. (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/home/index.asp)
The Virtual Weber Bullet (http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cook.html)