On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 325

becomes firmer and more resistant to deformation, and its water-holding capacity increases Cooling therefore makes the meat easier to carve and reduces the amount of fluid lost during carving Whenever possible, meat is carved across the grain of the muscle fibers to reduce the impression of fibrousness in the mouth and make the meat easier to chew Carving knives should be kept sharp Sawing away with a dull blade compresses the tissue and squeezes its delicious liquid away Finally, remember that the saturated fats of beef, lamb, and pork are solid at room temperature, which means that they rapidly congeal on the plate Also, gelatinized collagen begins to set around body temperature and makes the meat seem noticeably stiffer Preheated platters and plates prolong the table appeal of any hot meat dish Leftovers Leftovers Warmed-Over Flavor At the same time that cooking develops the characteristic flavors of meat, it also promotes chemical changes that lead to characteristic, stale, cardboard-like “warmed-over flavors” when the meat is stored and reheated (Complex or strongly flavored dishes may actually improve with time and reheating; warmed-over flavor develops within the meat itself.) The principal source of off-flavors is unsaturated fatty acids, which are damaged by oxygen and iron from myoglobin This damage occurs slowly in the refrigerator and more rapidly during reheating Meats with a greater proportion of unsaturated fat in their fat tissue — poultry and pork — are more susceptible to warmedover flavor than beef and lamb Cured meats suffer less because their nitrite acts as an antioxidant There are several ways to minimize the development of off-flavors in leftovers  ... “warmed-over flavors” when the meat is stored and reheated (Complex or strongly flavored dishes may actually improve with time and reheating; warmed-over flavor develops within the meat itself.) The principal source of off-flavors is unsaturated fatty... acids, which are damaged by oxygen and iron from myoglobin This damage occurs slowly in the refrigerator and more rapidly during reheating Meats with a greater proportion of unsaturated fat in their fat tissue — poultry and pork — are more susceptible to warmedover flavor than beef and lamb... and pork — are more susceptible to warmedover flavor than beef and lamb Cured meats suffer less because their nitrite acts as an antioxidant There are several ways to minimize the development of off-flavors in leftovers