ends of the cells.
The Challenge of Cooking
Meat: The Right Texture
Generally, we like meat to be tender and juicy
rather than tough and dry. The ideal method
for cooking meat would therefore minimize
moisture loss and compacting of the meat
fibers, while maximizing the conversion of
tough connective-tissue collagen to fluid
gelatin. Unfortunately, these two aims
contradict each other. Minimizing fiber
firming and moisture loss means cooking
meat quickly to no hotter than 130–140ºF/55–
60ºC. But turning collagen to gelatin requires
prolonged cooking at 160ºF/70ºC and above.
So there is no ideal cooking method for all
meats. The method must be tailored to the
meat’s toughness. Tender cuts are best heated
rapidly and just to the point that their juices
are in full flow. Grilling, frying, and roasting