Episode #7 How to Identify Meats, Game and Poultry. Purchasing do's and dont's

Summary

In this video, Chef Brandon, an executive chef in Silicon Valley, offers an educational overview of meat, poultry, and game identification. He emphasizes the importance of understanding different cuts of meat and their proper handling, referencing 'The Professional Chef' textbook for credibility. The video covers beef, pork, poultry, and game meats like venison, along with advice on storage, cooking methods, and USDA grading standards. Chef Brandon also shares personal insights on cooking game birds and provides valuable tips for aspiring chefs and home cooks alike.

Takeaways

• 👨‍🍳 Brandon, an executive chef, teaches meat, poultry, and game meat identification, emphasizing its importance for culinary students and home cooks.
• 📚 He uses 'The Professional Chef' book as a reference, suggesting it as a valuable resource for learning about different types of meat and their identification.
• 🥩 Meat can be purchased in various forms, and chefs should consider factors like storage capacity, preparation equipment, and staff's ability to cut before buying.
• 🔍 Meat should be checked for freshness, with a moist but not shiny cut surface, good color, and an appealing smell.
• 🧊 Proper storage of meats is crucial, with different meats needing to be separated to prevent cross-contamination, and vacuum-packed meats can be stored in their packaging.
• 🌡 Meat storage temperatures should be refrigerated at 28 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit and frozen at 0 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Brandon covers beef cuts extensively, explaining the differences between various cuts like New York strip, rib eye, and tenderloin.
• 🐷 He also discusses pork, which is more commonly consumed than veal and lamb, and provides information on cuts from different parts of the pig.
• 🦌 Game meats like venison are highlighted, with a focus on their popularity due to lower fat and cholesterol content, and how to identify and cook them.
• 🐓 Poultry is touched upon, with a focus on chicken being a common and versatile protein suitable for various cooking methods.
• 🔎 Brandon provides personal tips on cooking game birds, recommending cooking them sous vide for best results.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of this video?

The main purpose of the video is to teach viewers about meat, poultry, and game meat identification, with a focus on understanding different cuts of meat and proper handling practices.

Why does the chef read directly from 'The Professional Chef' book?

The chef reads from 'The Professional Chef' to provide factual and reliable information, ensuring that the content is not just based on personal experience but backed by industry standards.

What factors should chefs consider when deciding what type of meat to buy?

Chefs should consider storage capacity, equipment required for preparation, the kitchen staff's ability to fabricate cuts, and the volume of meat required.

What are the storage recommendations for meat, poultry, and game?

Meat, poultry, and game should be refrigerated and kept on trays to avoid cross-contamination. Different meats should be separated, and raw poultry should be stored away from other meats. Vacuum-packed meats should remain in their packaging if intact, and once unwrapped, meats should be rewrapped in permeable paper.

What is the difference between a pork chop and a veal chop?

The primary difference lies in the type of animal: pork chops come from pigs, while veal chops are from young cattle. This distinction is important for identifying products in stores.

What are the USDA grades for beef, and how do they impact restaurants?

The USDA grades beef into several categories: prime, choice, select, standard, commercial, utility, cutter, and canner. Prime is the highest grade and is usually reserved for high-end restaurants, while lower grades are typically used for processed meats.

What are some key characteristics of venison as a game meat?

Venison is lean, dark red in color, and has little intramuscular fat. It is suitable for roasting, grilling, and smoking. Venison includes deer, moose, elk, and reindeer.

What are the differences between a broiler and a fryer chicken?

The difference is primarily in the age of the chicken. Broiler chickens are 4-6 weeks old, while fryer chickens are 6-10 weeks old.

What is foie gras, and why is it controversial?

Foie gras is made from the liver of specially fattened ducks or geese. It is controversial due to the method of force-feeding the birds to enlarge their livers, which some consider unethical.

How should game birds like duck or quail be cooked to maintain quality?

Game birds, especially red-meat birds like duck and quail, are best cooked to medium or mid-rare to maintain tenderness. Overcooking them can result in dryness, especially for lean birds.

Outlines

00:00

Introduction to Culinary Content and Meat Identification Overview

05:02

Basics of Meat Purchasing and Storage

10:03

Inspection, Grading, and Beef Cuts

15:05

Introduction to Pork and Game Meats

Understanding Poultry: Types and Preparation Methods

Advanced Poultry Breakdown and Chef's Tips

Final Tips on Poultry Cooking and Meat Identification

Keywords

💡Meat Identification

Meat identification refers to the process of recognizing and distinguishing between different types of meat, such as beef, veal, pork, and poultry. In the video, Brandon emphasizes the importance of identifying different cuts of meat for anyone in the culinary field or even for home cooks. Understanding the appearance and characteristics of various types of meat helps in making informed decisions when purchasing and preparing them.

💡Primal Cuts

Primal cuts are large sections of an animal carcass from which smaller cuts, or portion cuts, are derived. The video explains how primal cuts like whole legs of veal are often used to prepare different dishes, and Brandon discusses their economic advantage compared to buying pre-fabricated cuts. Examples of primal cuts include the rib, loin, and shoulder.

💡Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination refers to the transfer of harmful bacteria from one food item to another, which can cause foodborne illness. Brandon stresses the importance of keeping different types of meat, like poultry and beef, separated during storage to prevent cross-contamination. He also provides practical advice for home cooks, such as keeping raw meat on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

💡USDA Grading

USDA grading is a voluntary process by which the United States Department of Agriculture evaluates the quality of meat based on factors like marbling, color, and the overall shape of the carcass. In the video, Brandon explains the different grades of beef, such as Prime, Choice, and Select, and their significance for both restaurants and consumers. Prime is the highest grade and often used in high-end restaurants.

💡Poultry Classification

Poultry classification involves categorizing birds such as chicken, turkey, duck, and quail based on factors like age and tenderness. Brandon explains that the age of the bird affects the tenderness of the meat, and therefore the cooking method. For instance, a fryer chicken is more tender compared to an older stewing hen, which makes it suitable for different types of dishes.

💡Venison

Venison refers to the meat from deer, and it is a type of game meat known for being lean with a distinct, rich flavor. In the video, Brandon highlights the importance of venison in culinary settings and its popularity among chefs for roasting, grilling, and sautéing. He also compares it to other similar meats, such as lamb, to provide context for understanding its flavor profile and cooking properties.

💡Dry Aging

Dry aging is a process used to enhance the flavor and tenderness of meat by storing it under controlled temperature and humidity for an extended period. Brandon briefly mentions dry-aged beef as a specialty product available in the market, which provides a rich, deep flavor compared to regular beef. Dry-aged beef is typically served in high-end restaurants.

💡Cooking Temperature

Cooking temperature is crucial for ensuring the safety and quality of meat. Brandon provides guidelines for proper refrigerator and freezer temperatures to store meats safely: between 28 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit for refrigeration and 0 to 20 degrees for freezing. He also discusses cooking game birds like duck and geese to specific doneness levels to enhance their flavor while avoiding overcooking.

💡Game Meat

Game meat refers to the meat from wild animals, such as venison, rabbit, and pheasant. Brandon explains that game meats are leaner and have unique flavors compared to domesticated animals, making them popular in certain culinary dishes. He also emphasizes the importance of proper cooking techniques to enhance their flavor, such as using sous vide to ensure consistent doneness.

💡Foie Gras

Foie gras is a luxury food product made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been fattened. Brandon mentions foie gras as a controversial ingredient but also explains the correct way to cook it to achieve a balance of textures, such as a crispy exterior and a creamy, almost raw center. He shares his preference for using specific cooking techniques to elevate its flavor.

Highlights

Introduction to the chef and the importance of meat, poultry, and game meat identification.

The use of the book 'The Professional Chef, Ninth Edition' to ensure the teaching is based on industry standards.

Explanation of meat basics, including considerations for purchasing, storing, and handling various types of meat.

The importance of understanding different cuts of meat and how to identify them properly.

Explanation of the inspection and grading of meats, including how the USDA grades meat and the voluntary nature of the grading process.

Differences between grades of beef such as Prime, Choice, and Select, and their uses in the restaurant and retail industry.

Detailed breakdown of beef cuts from various primal sections, including short loin, rib, and chuck cuts.

Explanation of pork cuts and their popularity in the U.S., along with differences between grades and types of pork products.

Introduction to game meats, particularly venison, and the increasing popularity of game meats due to their lower fat and cholesterol content.

Practical advice on handling and cooking game meats, with venison as a primary example, highlighting its versatility in various cooking methods.

Overview of poultry identification, including the mandatory inspection process and the classification of birds by age.

Advice on cooking techniques for different types of poultry, emphasizing the importance of cooking game birds to a medium-rare doneness for the best texture and flavor.

Explanation of the differences between common poultry types like chicken, quail, and pheasant, and guidance on how to properly cook them.

Recommendation for using a sous-vide method to cook game birds for precise control and optimal results.

Breakdown of the anatomy of a chicken and other birds, with an emphasis on learning how to properly butcher and prepare them.

Transcripts

welcome back to my channel youtube

listen we're gonna hop right in if

you're new here my name is brandon i'm

an executive chef here in silicon valley

and i create content okay so make sure

you check them all out check out all the

socials but look if you clicked on this

video you are here to learn if you

haven't seen the previous videos come on

go check them out trust me add this

value to your life today we are going to

learn about meat poultry and game meat

identification i'm going to keep this

super basic and simple i'm gonna read

straight from the book i am your

professor for today i have to admit i

think it's really important when you are

getting into the culinary field or if

you just want to be a better home cook

you need to know what types of meat are

out there and the way the animal looks

and just identifying product in the

grocery store it's very important it

literally is you need to know the

difference between a pork chop and a

veal chop or a piece of beef and a piece

of turkey right it's very important so

without further ado let's hop right in

but before we do i want to just say and

i know i say this every video so it's

probably gonna be annoying to you guys

but the book i am using the professional

chef the ninth edition now you may ask

you're a chef why do you need to read

from the book because we have a

non-negotiable piece of content okay

very important yes i know how to

identify all the meat and all of the xyz

but if i'm just telling you that then

you have to go off my word alone and

that's not really good when it comes to

educating and teaching right should you

buy the book yes just go buy it it's 100

bucks it's worth it right if you don't

want to buy it you can download the pdf

down in the description box okay so we

are going to talk about meat and poultry

identification

first

up is gonna be the meat basics so let's

get into it meats can be purchased in a

number of forms at varying degrees of

readiness to cook the chef should

consider several factors when deciding

what type of meat to buy storage

capacity the equipment required to

prepare and also the kitchen staff's

ability to fabricate cuts and the volume

of meat required must all be taken in

consideration once this information is

evaluated the chef can determine whether

it is more economical to purchase large

pieces also known as primal cuts such as

whole legs of veal or prefabricated meat

such as veal already cut into top round

or pre-cut scallopini meats should be

checked for wholesomeness and freshness

cut surfaces should appear moist but not

shiny the meat should have good color

which varies by type as well as cut the

meat should also smell appealing

packaged meats should arrive with the

package intact with no punctures or

tears the tables accompanying the

following sections contain key pieces of

information about beef veal pork and

lamb cia adopted this from the meat

buyer's guide so this is also very

important so this is not my personal

opinion this has come from the textbook

let's go storage meats poultry and game

should be wrapped and stored under

refrigeration when possible they should

be held in a separate unit or at least

separate part of the cooler they should

always be placed on trays to prevent

them from dripping onto foods or the

floor this also applies to your home

refrigerator okay keep your meats at the

bottom keep chicken away from everything

okay especially raw if you cut a piece

make sure you wrap it up properly and

store it properly make sure it's stored

on a tray don't just leave it all

willy-nilly in there the chef should

separate different kinds of meats for

example poultry should not come in

contact with beef and pork products into

contact with any other meat this will

prevent cross-contamination if you don't

know about cross-contamination go watch

this video right here vacuum-packed

meats can be stored directly in the

package as long as it's not been

punctured or ripped once unwrapped meats

should be re-wrapped in open permeable

paper such as butcher paper because

airtight containers promote bacterial

growth that could result in spoilage or

contamination variety meats poultry and

uncured pork products which have short

shelf lives should be cooked as soon as

possible after they are received meat

stored at the proper temperature and

under optimal conditions can be held for

several days without noticeable loss of

quality meat can also be frozen for

longer storage very important the

refrigerator temp should be 28 to 32

degrees frozen should be 0 to 20 degrees

fahrenheit that's 18 to 7 degrees

celsius i know this is basic but it's

very important that you know this

information and i am teaching you for

free and then at the end i'm gonna give

you my personal opinion inspection and

grading okay just to make this short and

sweet okay some states have relinquished

the responsibility for inspecting meats

to federal inspectors those states that

still administer their own inspections

of meat must at least meet if not exceed

the accepted federal standards now

quality grading however is not mandatory

the u.s department of agriculture the

usda has developed specific standards to

assign grades to meets and trains

graders the packer may however choose

not to hire a usda grader and may forego

grading in favor of the use of an

in-house brand name instead the costs

involved in grading meats are absorbed

by the individual meat packer not the

taxpayers since this process is

voluntary depending on the particular

animal the grader will consider overall

carcass shape ratio of fat to lean ratio

of meat to bone color and marbling of

the lean flesh the grade placed on the

particular carcass is then applied to

all the cuts from that animal in beef

only a small percentage of meats

produced is graded prime choice and

select are more often available grades

lower than select are generally used for

processed meat and are no practical

importance to the restaurant or retail

industry some meats may also receive

yield grades this grade is of the

greatest significance to wholesalers it

is the total weight of the carcass

butchers refer to this as the cutability

in other words it is measured by the

yield of edible meat from each pound of

the carcass okay so without further ado

i just want to go over the beef cuts

what's really important is i'm going to

put a pdf right here

and we are going to single out each one

of these cuts and we're going to keep it

short and sweet it's important you know

the different types of cuts right i

can't tell you how many times i've been

training people and they don't know the

difference between a new york and a rib

eye so we're going to go over that real

quick and it'll be fast efficient beef

is essential to the food service

industry especially in the united states

a significant source of protein beef is

featured in an array of classic and

contemporary dishes this expensive

product demands special care and

training utilizing as much of each cut

to maximize the yield is an important

practice to follow cattle used for the

beef industry are typically steers which

are castrated males over one year old

and the heifers female are not required

for breeding the older the bovine the

tougher the meat specialty beef such as

kobe beef from japan limousine beef from

france and certified angus natural

organic and dry aged beef from the

united states are also available the

eight grades of beef in order highest to

lowest are as follows prime choice

select standard commercial utility

cutter and canner prime is usually

reserved for restaurants and butcher

shops if you go to a steakhouse or a

restaurant that is serving prime beef

this is the creme de la creme top three

percent of beef in the united states is

prime okay so just keep that in mind

there's nothing wrong with having a

choice piece at the house right or a

good example is like i will argue and

say that a choice fillet compared to a

prime

hairline of difference we've done plenty

of tests the difference between choice

and prime is really slim okay for filet

now we're going to talk about the cuts

from the primal these cuts are from the

primal cut known as the round one hind

shank two shank stew three top round

four top round tied as a roast five

marrow bones these cuts are from the

primal cut known as the loin okay number

one you have the short loin two

porterhouse steak cut from the short

loin three top sirloin bud four flank

steak five tenderloin six trim

tenderloin seven tenderloin steaks eight

boneless strip nine portion cut loin

steaks now these cuts are known from the

primal cut known as the rib you have

number one the short loin number two

portion cut short ribs number three rib

eye lip on number four portion cut rib

steaks okay these cuts are from the

primal known as the chuck number one

trim shoulder clawed number two top

blade number three shoulder stew number

four chuck roll five brisket six skirt

steak seven trim skirt steak eight tripe

and nine is oxtail okay so next we're

gonna get into pork because i feel like

pork is a little bit more important than

veal and lamb considering those aren't

as common so let's jump right into pork

now we're gonna be on chapter 6 85. pork

the meat of domesticated pigs is among

the most popular meat sold in the united

states typically high in fat pigs have

specifically bred over many generations

to produce leaner cuts of meat pigs are

commonly slaughtered under one year of

age to ensure a tender product although

quality grades are less frequently

assigned to pork when applied the usda

grades in order to highest the lowest

there are one two three and four and

utility these cuts are from the rear

half of the swine number one ham

prepared by smoking two fresh ham three

hand prepared by curing prosciutto four

center cut pork line five french rib end

of loin six baby back ribs seven

boneless tied loin roast eight

tenderloin nine center cut pork chop

from the loin 10 center cup pork chop

from the rib end these cuts are from the

front half of the swine number one

boston butt which is also known as the

shoulder two pork picnic three spare

ribs four foot the following examples

are prepared pork items five genoa

salami six sliced bacon seven kielbasa

eight chorizo nine pancetta ten italian

sausage and eleven is breakfast sausage

okay so when it comes to

game meats i'm just gonna go over one

that i think is important to know and

that's venison so also known as deer so

we're going to get into that right along

with the primal cuts but listen if you

want to know any more information from

the book about game meets let me know

i'll be more than happy to go over with

them with you but the thing is is i

think venison is very important i've

used venison quite frequently in

restaurants that i've worked in so let's

jump right in we're on page 94 chapter

six venison inferred game free roaming

and domesticated wild animals fall under

the category of game a variety of game

meats have become increasingly popular

due in part to customer awareness of

lower fat and cholesterol content

depending on the area of the country

several types of ferd game are available

game meats are categorized into two

segments large and small venison is the

most popular large game characterized by

lean meat and free from intramuscular

fat generally dark red in color and

suitable for roasting sauteing grilling

and smoking though venison commonly

refers to deer other members of the

venison family include moose elk and

reindeer buffalo and wild bora are other

popular large game the most common of

small game is rabbit the rabbit is mild

lean tender and fine textured in meat a

mature rabbit ranges from three to five

pounds and a young rabbit is generally

two or three pounds the loin is often

sauteed or roasted while legs are

commonly braised or stewed commercial

game meats are federally inspected the

quality of the flesh is a direct result

of age diet and the time of year it was

killed okay so let's talk about the

different sections we're still on page

94. these cuts are from a variety of

game manners so number one venison leg

haunch two boneless venison loin three

venison medallions four venison saddle

five french venison rack six venison's

shoulder seven boneless venison shoulder

and eight is the whole rabbit now i will

be honest venison and lamb or mutton or

goat are very very similar not the same

exact but they're very similar so once

you kind of know one animal it's really

easy to kind of navigate through the

rest of them right

now that we're done with the red meat

part of it i want to touch on poultry

real quick i think this is really

important this is really good

information so you know if you've

clicked on this video and you're not

subscribed yet i'm telling you hit that

subscribe button because you're going to

hear my summary towards the end without

further ado let's get right into the

poultry and then i'll summarize towards

the end poultry the word poultry refers

to any domesticated bird used for human

consumption once reserved for special

occasions chicken and other poultry have

become a common place in restaurants and

homes the subtle and familiar flavor of

chicken lends itself well to a number of

different cooking methods considered

very nutritious poultry entrees are

among the most popular on most menus

similar to other meats poultry must

undergo a mandatory inspection for

wholesomeness the grades of usda a b or

c depend on the numerous factors such as

carcass shape and the ratio of meat to

bone once inspected the birds are

plucked cleaned chilled and packaged

they may be purchased whole or in parts

poultry is classified by age the younger

the bird the more tender the flesh so

listen i gotta be honest anytime i go

out to a restaurant i barely order

chicken i eat chicken probably six seven

times a week pretty much every day but

when i go out to a restaurant i'm not

ordering chicken which is the complete

opposite a lot of people when they go to

a restaurant they want to order chicken

because it's safer for them they feel

like it's safer but that's just my

little opinion now let's get into the

bird identification so i'm on page 95.

these birds are example of geese and

ducks number one the buddhist duck

called pecking duck if the head is

removed number two the mallard duck

breast number three the goose number

four mallard duck legs and number five

the ultra controversial foie gras okay

and now my personal opinion when it

comes to duck and geese these cook very

similar but you have to be careful okay

depending on if it's domesticated or if

it's wild because i'll be honest i've

gotten duck where it's nice juicy and

delicious but you go to cook the breast

and it's super lean and dry and it's

just awful in my experience i'm gonna

say that wild duck compared to

domesticated duck the flavor is better

but the texture is

you have to know how to cook it properly

because these birds don't eat like they

do you know when they're domesticated

right when they're farmed and the thing

is is like being a chef i've dealt with

so many different types of protein my

ultimate advice is to once you get the

bird look at the flesh if it looks

really lean then you want to cook it at

a lower temperature if it is

super fatty then you have a little

wiggle room of oven roasting or charring

or grilling but just use your best

judgment i've noticed for me the best

way to cook game birds is in a

controlled environment and that's going

to be sous vide for me i i've never had

an issue with cooking a game bird sous

vide i've you know stuffed quail i've

cooked geese my favorite way to cook

duck is pecking style duck i love it

it's absolutely amazing going to foie

gras i love foie gras but you know it's

also controversial but the way to cook

foie gras is i like three textures okay

so if you have a piece of foie gras i

like 90 to 105 grams portions and make

sure it's thick enough so when you sear

it hard sear on both sides and then

throughout the foie gras you want three

textures on the outside crispy the next

layer is creamy and then you want

completely raw in the center almost like

butter and when you go to eat this it's

amazing you get this ultimate crispy

edge creamy center it's absolutely to

die for that is my pro tip on poultry

and game birds and now we're gonna get

into the next step right because there's

a there's it can get confusing cornish

hen quail

you know baby bird busan it's so

confusing i'm gonna iron that out for

you right now poultry continued so these

birds are examples of the chicken family

number one six pound roaster chicken

number two turkey number three stewing

hen number four three pound fryer

chicken number five pheasant six bone

and quail seven squab eight guinea fowl

and nine semi boneless quail this is

really good i'm gonna be honest i think

the difference between the roasting

chickens like listen do whatever you

want with it it's chicken right it's

fine where you need to train yourself

and just use a lot of your best judgment

if you haven't had a quail cooked

properly or a pheasant cooked properly

or squab for that matter cooked properly

i highly recommend to follow a

professional chef's recipe that is

online i know that this is controversial

but for any of the red birds meaning

quail pheasant squab duck i like to eat

these mid-rare it's not like chicken and

trust me you don't want to eat it well

done now obviously it's your preference

and if i was cooking for you i would

cook it however you want but i highly

recommend definitely eating your duck

medium to mid-rare rose is what i call

it quail you can kind of get away with

but i like to eat quail mid-rare as well

pheasant is the one that the flesh is a

little bit lighter in color than red but

i also eat pheasant you know medium

mid-rare but i know it can be really

uncomfortable if you're new into the

culinary world and you see bird and you

automatically think well done totally

get it for me the

squab in the quail it's very difficult

to use the legs in a high volume

environment

although they are delicious we mostly

use the breast right for the quail you

can use the legs the squab and the

pheasant it's kind of difficult to use

the legs they're not like a chicken leg

actually all three of these birds the

quail the pheasant the squab the legs

you don't get that much yield i have a

beautiful brine for these birds that is

absolutely to die for really delicious

maybe i'll leave it down below i don't

know it's a secret it's a top secret

vine if you gonna ask me the difference

between a broiler and a fryer chicken

the difference between a broiler chicken

and a fryer chicken is age right so the

broiler is four to six weeks old and the

fryer chicken is six to ten weeks old

now the roaster chicken is three to five

months old all right the one thing we

didn't talk about in here is the capone

it's a good bird but honestly people

don't understand it i've used it plenty

of times and basically what a capone is

it's a castrated male that is under

eight months i don't think we need to

talk about turkey because i won't people

only eat it for thanksgiving but if you

do want me to go into turkey feel free

leave it in the comments below i'll make

a video totally get it but if not we're

gonna go ahead and move right on what's

really important is knowing the

different areas of the chicken and i

have a video on my youtube of breaking

down a chicken from start to finish i'll

leave it linked right here but let's

talk about it i'm on 98 i'll put a

diagram so you guys can see but let's

talk about where the neck is the wingtip

wing first joint backbone in the scapula

pelvic bone thigh drumstick foot breast

breastbone or the keel and the wishbone

and listen once you learn how to break

down a chicken all the other birds are

the exact same pretty much except for

the duck the duck has a longer rib cage

and it's a little bit more finicky to

get around the shoulder but it's pretty

much the same thing so practice on a

chicken but as long as you know what

every part is then you're all good

that is gonna do it for this section if

you have any questions please leave them

in the comments below i'll be more than

happy to elaborate we can even bring

this conversation onto social media i

don't mind at all but i think what's

really important for me is having this

base that i can refer back to when i'm

making these advanced chef videos so

thanks for watching and i'll see you

next time