Meat Doneness Chart

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/MeatTemperatureChart.htm

Beef and Lamb Cooking Temperature Chart Roasts, Steaks & Chops Rare 120 to 125 degrees F center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion Medium Rare 130 to 135 degrees F center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion Medium 140 to 145 degrees F center is light pink, outer portion is brown Medium Well 150 to 155 degrees F not pink Well Done 160 degrees F and above steak is uniformly brown throughout Ground Meat 160 to 165 degrees F no longer pink but uniformly brown throughout Poultry Cooking Temperature Chart Poultry (Chicken & Duck) 165 degrees F cook until juices run clear Turkey NOTE: A 12-lb turkey can easily handle 60 to 90 minutes of resting. During that time, temperature can rise 30 degrees if not exposed to drafts. 165 degrees F juices run clear - leg moves easily Stuffing (cooked alone or in turkey) 165 degrees F Pork Cooking Temperature Chart Roasts, Steaks & Chops Medium 140 to 145 degrees F pale pink center Well Done 160 degrees F and above steak is uniformly brown throughout Pork ribs, pork shoulders, and beef brisket 160 degrees F and above medium to well done Sausage (raw) 160 degrees F no longer pink Ham Raw 160 degrees F Pre-cooked 140 degrees F

Fish and Seafood Cooking Temperature Chart Fish (steaks, filleted or whole) 140 degrees F flesh is opaque, flakes easily Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin 125 degrees F cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Shrimp Medium-size, boiling 3 to 4 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Large-size, boiling 5 to 7 minues cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Jumbo-size, boiling 7 to 8 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Lobster Boiled, whole - 1 lb. 12 to 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 3 to 4 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Steamed, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 15 to 20 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Baked, tails - each 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, tails - each 9 to 10 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Scallops Bake 12 to 15 minutes milky white or opaque, and firm Broil milky white or opaque, and firm Clams, Mussels & Oysters point at which their shells open - throw away any that do not open

Chicken Doneness

thttp://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--329/chicken-checking-doneness.asp

Chicken - Checking Doneness

Checking doneness is accomplished in basically the same manner regardless of the cooking method you are using. Some methods are more accurate than others and some are more suitable in regard to the cooking method and to the cut of chicken. Shown below are the most common methods for checking doneness. Thermometer: Using a thermometer is the most accurate method for testing doneness of the chicken. A regular meat thermometer or an instant read thermometer can be used. A regular meat thermometer is inserted before placing the chicken in the oven or other heat source and remains there throughout the cooking time. An instant read thermometer is used to check doneness once the chicken is cooked. The chicken is taken away from the heat source and the instant read thermometer is immediately inserted into the thickest part of the breast or thigh (it should not be touching a bone). The thermometer provides a temperature reading in approximately 15 seconds. Internal Temperatures for Proper Doneness Whole Chicken - Thigh Area 175° - 180°F Whole Chicken - Breast Area 170° - 175°F Chicken Breast and Wings 170° - 175°F Chicken Parts - Dark Meat 180°F Ground Chicken 170°F Stuffing Inside Whole Chicken 165°F Note: If the proper temperature is not reached, the chicken should be returned to the heat source for further cooking. Piercing: Another method for testing doneness is to prick the chicken with a fork or the tip of a knife and check to see if the juices that escape run clear. If the juices have any pinkish coloring, the chicken is not done and should be returned to the heat source for further cooking. Visual: The visual method of determining doneness is to make a small slit with the tip of a knife into the thickest part of the chicken and then pry the slit open. The meat should be opaque with no signs of pink coloring. If the meat shows any signs of not being done, the chicken should be returned to the heat source for further cooking.

1/8 - Quick Braised Chicken Thighs

ingredients:

• 5 skinless chicken thighs
• flour
• 2 big tablespoons of bbq sauce
• 1 can chicken stock
• 1/4 can of tap water
• 1/2 onion sliced
  
• 2 bayleaves
• 2 garlic cloves smashed
  

steps:

1. season thighs with salt and pepper
2. lightly dust the thighs on all sides
   
3. heat to mid-high and when hot, sear skinless chicken thighs on dutch oven with couple tablespoons of oil..about 2-3 minutes per side til rich brown...took 2 batches as to not crowd pot
   
4. turn heat to medium, add onions and cook til slight coloring...about 3 minutes
5. add chicken stock and bbq sauce, then scrape fond
6. add back chicken, garlic, and bayleaves...
7. if not enough liquid, add just enough to go slightly above 1/2 up chicken...(was about 1/4 cup water for me
8. when strong simmer, cover and turn heat to med-low
9. braise for about 30minutes til meat very tender and nearly falling off bone and middle is hot
10. serve with braising liquid as sauce..should be correct about of saltiness

flavor:

• very nice...my bbq sauce has whiskey (old crow) in it so it tasted similar to a coq au vin
• meat was so tender...amazing texture
• very complex salty and sweet flavor...umami-like in my opinion
• sauce is just slightly thickened as the flour from the chicken was able to give it a nice silky consistency
  
• browning of chicken with the flour made the outside taste very very similar to chicken skin...very nice...
• aroma is amazing...like a complex ketchup but not...
• one of the best chicken recipes i ever made
  

12/26 - Pulled Pork in the oven

ingredients:

• pork shoulder = 4.5 lbs?
• brine = 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4c light brown sugar, 1 qt cold tap water
• liquid smoke = 1 tbsp
  
• spice rub = paprika, chili powder, black pepper, brown sugar, cumin (1 part each)
  

instructions:

1. trim off excess fat
2. place meat into brine
3. brine for atleast 8 hrs
4. pull out meat, rinse, and let sit in colander to airdry slightly
5. preheat oven 210
   
6. pat dry meat
7. sprinkle spice rub onto baking pan
8. rub meat with liquid smoke all overhttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8308537458129515100&postID=5465711122954149353
9. put meat on top of spice rub
10. sprinkle rub all over and press into meat
11. place meat into dutch oven and cover
12. place into oven and turn timer to 9 hrs 50min (started at 12.45 am)
13. check after 8 hrs for temperture (8.45 am)....i am expecting 10 hrs total for ideal temp of 195

websites i looked at for reference:

• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/oven-roasted-pulled-pork-sandwiches-recipe/index.html
• http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/perfect-pulled-pork-slow-roasted-seasoned-savory.html
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pulled-pork-recipe/index.html
  

Brining Explained

Brining

Brining Explained

Brining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of meat resulting in a moister product when it is cooked. Through water retention, brining allows a longer time for collagen to be broken down without drying the meat out. This water retention also lubricates the individual fibers of the meat.

A brine is basically a salt solution into which you place your desired meat. When brining meat, there is a greater concentration of salt and sugar outside of your meat (in the brine) than there is inside the meat (the cells that make up the flesh). The law of diffusion states that the salt and sugar wiill naturally flow from te area of greater concentration (the brine) to lesser concentration (the cells). There is also a greater concentration of water, outside of the meat than inside. Here, too, the water will naturally flow from the area of greater concentration to lesser concentration. This process is called Osmosis. Once inside the cells, the salt, and to a lesser extent, the sugar will cause the cell proteins to unravel, or denature. As the individual proteins unravel, they become more likely to interact with one another. This interaction results in the formation of a sticky matrix that captures and holds moisture. It is this matrix, that when exposed to heat, will gel together (coagulate) and capture and hold the moisture from leaking out as the meat cooks.

When cooking meat to a temperature of below 120 F, the protein bundles within the meat, will shrink in size and moisture loss will be minimal. Once you go above this temperature the moisture loss will start to increase significantly. This first 'sweat' is from the water stored between the individual cells being released. Once you go above a temperature of 140 F there will be a second 'sweat' and further loss of moisture as a result of the individual cells actually breaking down.

As a result of the brining process the raw meat will typically gain about 20% in weight, as a result of the water, salt (sodium) and sugar which have entered the cells. The increased concentration of sodium in the cells actually increases the ability of the proteins to stay bonded together during the cooking process. This effectively means that the normal temperature at which meat cells break down (140 F), resulting in moisture loss, is increased, and the brine constitutes the first moisture loss, not the actual juices of the meat.

Brining is regarded by many BBQ'ers as mandatory for all forms of poultry. It is also widely used when smoking various forms of meat and seafood such as smoked salmon, pork chops, ham, bacon, corned beef and pastrami. It is not recommended for use with traditional barbecue cuts such as brisket, ribs and pork shoulders, as it will make them all taste like ham !

Recipe for a Basic BBQ Brine

• 1 Quart water
• 1/2 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt OR 1/4 Cup + 2 tablespoons Morton Koscher salt OR 1/4 Cup table salt
• 1/2 Cup Sugar

Make 1 quart of brine per pound of food, but do not exceed 2 gallons of brine.
Brine food for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours.

Recipe for a Basic Hi-Heat Grilling Brine

• 1 Quart water
• 1/4 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt OR 3 tablespoons Morton Koscher salt OR 2 Tablespoons table salt
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Make 1 quart of brine per pound of food, but do not exceed 2 gallons of brine.
Brine food for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours.

Recipe for a Basic Poultry Brine with Added Seasoning

Through the process of brining one is able to produce cooked meat which is not only more moist, but also more flavorful. If you add seasonings to your brine, they too will pass into the cells of the meat as part of the brining process.

• 1 Gallon water
• 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 T crushed or minced garlic
• 1/2 T onion powder
• 1/4 cup pepper
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 oz maple flavoring

Mix the ingredients above together making sure that all the salt is well dissolved into the water.
Cover your poultry completely with brine and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from brine and rinse with fresh water inside and out. Smoke at 275 F to an internal temp of 170 basting with butter every few hours to give you the golden brown skin.

(http://www.3men.com/allabout1.htm#Brining)

BBQ meats internal temperature

(http://www.3men.com/allabout1.htm#When%20Is%20It%20Cooked?)

• temperture of bbq is something i never understood...
• i always thought its done at the med-rare mark, but in fact, bbq needs to be way past well done for it to be fall off the bone
• this is why my pulled pork never pulled...needed much more heat so it falls off the bone and shreds on its own
  

12/19: Samoan Dinner - Kalua Pig

adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sam-Choys-Oven-Roasted-Kalua-Pig-233927

Preparation (from website)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch-deep slits 1 inch apart all over pork roast. Rub 2 tablespoons sea salt all over pork. Unfold 1 banana leaf on work surface and place pork roast atop leaf. Fold up leaf around pork, enclosing completely. Repeat wrapping pork in remaining 2 banana leaves, 1 at a time.

Tie with kitchen string to secure, then wrap roast in foil. Place pork in roasting pan; pour 4 cups water into pan.

Roast pork in oven until very tender when pierced with fork, about 5 hours. Unwrap pork and cool slightly. Shred pork and place in large bowl. Bring remaining 2 cups water and remaining 2 teaspoons salt to boil in small saucepan. Add liquid smoke; pour over pork and stir to blend. Let stand 10 minutes to allow liquid to flavor pork. Serve.

My Ingredients:

• bone-in pork shoulder roast (5.5 lbs + 2.5 lbs) - 89 cents a pound at safeway
  

My Procedure:

1. preheat oven to 350
   
2. both pieces of meat were rubbed with salt and pepper and liquid smoke then wrapped in banana leaf, tied with string and wrapped in foil. both are placed in a oven tray with enough hot water to cover about 1 inch up the foiled meat
   
3. in 2 hours, i checked the smaller piece was fork tender and the temp was at 140 so i took it out of the oven...
4. after 30min of resting i poked the smaller meat and it still had red blood so i put it back in the oven with the big meat
5. after a total of 4 hrs, i checked both meats and both were very fork tender and registered about 140-145.
   
6. i let the meat sit out covered for 30min, then tried to pull it apart...it didn't pull...was very tender but could not pull apart
7. so i decided to slice and chop the meat into small little pieces and put more salt and pepper on top

Result:

• i failed to cook the meat long enough to the point of fall off the bone tender....
• meat was tender but not kalua pork which is supposed to be shreds of meat
• meat lacked flavor...can sense the banana leaf but not much else
• not salty enough...i never did the salt water solution poured on top
• very slight liquid smoke flavor...think i need more
• i still like it as it was very tender...now i know how to make a very tender sliced pork shoulder roast...all i have to do is do the same thing, then uncover and sear the meat to get a nice color and slice

Next Time:

• cook meat to 195-210 where the meat falls off the bone and shreddy
• add more flavor, especially salt to the meat
• should brine it beforehand to get more flavor into the meat
  

12/12 - Slow Cooker Braised Boneless Short Ribs

Ingredients:

• 4.4 lbs of boneless short ribs (costco)
• 1.5 - 2 cans of tomatoes
• 1/3 cup red wine (pinot noir)
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 1 carrot (sliced)
• 6 cloves garlic (whole)
• 4 bay leaves
• 3 pieces beef bone marrow (i added it frozen...think it lengthened the cooktime)
  

Method:

1. salt and pepper the meat...cut into 2-3 inch cubes
   
2. place all ingredients into crock pot and turn to high...cook til tender (i put veggies on bottom)
   
3. (did not sear as i feel the best stews have not been seared...meat absorbs flavors better
   

Notes:

• think it was a bad idea to put meat in last...should sit on bottom, not on top of veggies...but i wanted least heat to hit it as i don't want the hot bottom overcooking the meat
  
• first i started on low for 1 hour, but didn't do anything so boosted to high
• mom said that i should have boiled liquid first then add to crock pot so it would not take so long to simmer
• no simmer after 6 hrs (started at 8pm...checked at 2 am...so simmer)
• too much liquid at 2am, so scooped out about 1.5 cups of liquid as it might boil over
  

12/12 - Roast Leg of Lamb

adapted from giada's roasting temperture

(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/herb-crusted-lamb-recipe/index.html)

ingredients:

• 5.38 lb tied boneless leg of lamb (australian lamb from costco)
• 5 five-inch sprigs of rosemary
• 10 garlic cloves
• 5-6 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 onion
• 1.5 carrots
• flour
• butter or olive oil
  

assumed method:

1. bash garlic with salt....then add chopped rosemary and bash with oil
2. salt and pepper the roast...rub all over with garlic mixture...place on a rack over a sheet pan
   
3. foil and tent and refrigerate overnight
4. take out of oven 1-1.5 hrs prior to roasting meat
5. chop onion into quarters and carrot into 3 inch pieces and place around the roasting rack on the bottom of pan
6. preheat oven 450
7. roast meat for 20 min uncovered
8. turn down oven to 375 + pour 1/2 cup red wine + 1/2 cup water onto bottom of pan + rotate
   
9. roast another 45-55 minutes til meat is 130-135 for med rare
10. (if gets too dark, turn heat down to 350.)
11. while meat is roasting, make a quick roux
12. pour juices into roux to make a slightly thickened au jus

What i did on 12/12:

steps 1-7 = same...

8. turn down oven to 375 + pour COLD 1.5 cups of short rib braising liquid onto bottom of pan + rotate
9. roast 1 hr 40min more til roast is 130 + take out
10. while meat is roasting, make a quick roux til nutty and light brown...about 10min (3.5 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp oil + about 3 tbsp flour
11. pour juices + red wine into roux to make a slightly thickened au jus
12. too thick so i added some short rib liquid to make thinner

Result:

• uneven cooking of roast
• some parts too rare (mostly underside of meat)
  
• needed more salt
• garlic and rosemary good taste on crust
• medium pieces tasted very good
• pan suace was good...perfect consistency
  

Next time:

• need to rotate roast every 20minutes to get more even cooking
• can try to flip roast midway through to get more even cooking
• need to add HOT liquid (water + wine is best) to pan, not cold liquid
• 130-135 degrees seems best for lamb roast
• can use more salt or even untie roast and salt and pepper, then tie up and roast...
  

Beef Roasting Times

(http://www.askthemeatman.com/prime_rib.htm)

Cooking by Minute per pound method: (For roasts 6 pounds and up)

• Rare: 12-13 minutes per pound

• Medium-rare: 14-16 minutes per pound

• Medium: 17-20 minutes per pound

These times are approximate as all ovens cook differently.
Resting periods: Allow at least 15 minutes for a 2-4 pound roast
and 25-30 minutes for 6 pounds and up.

11/27 - Thanksgiving Turkey

Problem:

• breast little dry and joints are bloody

Procedure:

• brined in rosemary, garlic, bay leaf, salt, sugar, and pepper for 1 day in bucket with ice
• washed off turkey from brine and air-dried in fridge for 10 hrs, flipping once then another 1 hr in fridge
  
• took out of fridge 1 hr before roast
• iced the breasts at same time roast was taken out of fridge
• oiled up bird but no salt at all
  
• roasted at v-rack in high edge baking pan
• roasted breast side down 45min at 425 (til slight dark)
• flipped to breast side up and cooked 1 hr 1 min at 325, and checked temp and 140 at the thigh and breast
• roasted additional 20min at 350...
• rested about 1 hr then sliced
  

Next time: (solution?)

• don't use the high edge pan as it is doesn't allow heat to get to the bottomside of the bird
• if need to use high edge pan, place on lower rack to get more heat
• using normal bake sheet with v=rack is best
• take out bird and ice it about 2 hrs prior to roast....1 hr too short
• roast at 425 for 45 min with breast side down, then turn down to 350 for 15 minutes before flip and cook at 325 (or 350 for better color) for 1 hour, 15 minutes (as i feel the bottom side needs more time to cook thighs better)...then broil the top skin for 5 min if needed at end.
  
• need to highly salt the bird before roasting...put salt under the skin too...good also to add sauteed garlic too under the skin...
• saute garlic with olive oil and butter...cool...then rub under the skin of turkey
• for brine, taste it to make sure salty enough...needs atleast 1/2 of the bucket to to be full...measure the amount of water to salt to get an accurate reading for next time...
• don't add garlic to brine...flavor better when in sauteed mixture...
• for brine, use only rosemary, bay leaves, and salt and sugar
• stuff with garlic mixture and salt the bird's exterior atleast 8 hrs before roasting to get max flavor and crisper skin
  

Temperature:

• ideal is 160 in breast meat 175 for thighs