tube of liquid: so the meat gets progressively
firmer and moister. Then between 140 and
150ºF/60–65ºC, the meat suddenly releases
lots of juice, shrinks noticeably, and becomes
chewier. These changes are caused by the
denaturing of collagen in the cells’
connective-tissue sheaths, which shrink and
exert new pressure on the fluid-filled cells
inside them. The fluid flows copiously, the
piece of meat loses a sixth or more of its
volume, and its protein fibers become more
densely packed and so harder to cut through.
Meat served in this temperature range, the
equivalent of medium-rare, is changing from
juicy to dry.
Falling-Apart Tenderness: Collagen
Becomes Gelatin If the cooking continues,
the meat will get progressively dryer, more
compacted, and stiff. Then around
160ºF/70ºC, connective-tissue collagen begins
to dissolve into gelatin. With time, the