Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Meat

Roast Beast

Miko — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:33:49 -0800

I recently bought a share of a pig from a farmer, and it came wrapped in various cuts. One of the cuts is a large, meaty, bony one called "chine end roast." How should I cook this? My Googling seems to indicate it comes from the back of the pig and includes some of the bones of the spine, and that it's kind of next to the rib roast. Should I cook it like a rib roast? Or maybe a pot roast? Or braised? I'm just not sure what kind of treatment might do this big ol' meaty cut justice. Thanks for any ideas.

VegetarianFilter: Give me your best veg taco recipes and tips!

pghjezebel — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:31:40 -0800

VegetarianFilter: Give me your best veg taco recipes and tips! I've been a vegetarian for several years now and then one thing I really miss? A good taco.

I've tried meat substitutes (boca crumbles) and find the texture rather gross. They always have a gristle taste/feel to them.

I've seen recipes for lentil style tacos - but my lentils always turn out hard. What about tofu?

What else can I try? Open to any and all recipes, suggestions and tips!

Why did they make me eat fish on Fridays?

tastybrains — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:52:42 -0800

In some religions (at the very least Catholicism), eating fish on Fridays is (or at least was) a requirement and seems to remain a bit of a tradition. I was raised by some strict Catholics, but never understood what the real rule was. Do you have to eat fish, or do you just have to not eat meat? And how exactly is "meat" defined in this situation? This question is one I've wondered for a long time, triggered by my intense dislike of all seafood. Most recently, what triggered this question was the fact that it seems that all corporate cafeterias I know of serve fish every Friday (and stank up the whole place).

As a child, on Fridays during Lent, I was given a lot of shit for refusing to eat fish like everyone else. My question was always "if we can't eat meat, why can't we just order some cheese pizza?!" Really...why? Why is fish the traditional alternative to meat, instead of *real* nonmeat foods like tofu and beans and pasta and the aforementioned cheese pizza?

I also wondered exactly how fish was not meat, but chicken was. I mean, where is the line drawn between meat-dead-animals and non-meat-dead-animals? Is it warm-blooded versus cold-blooded (if so, could I eat amphibians and reptiles on Fridays if I wanted to observe this rule? Are frog legs and alligator fair game?)? Is it land-dwelling versus water-dwelling (if so, could I eat a dolphin or a manatee?)?

What about mealworms? Could I eat those?

All I want for Christmas is my yum smoked meat.

nosila — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:19:12 -0800

I'm traveling to Dallas on Northwest Airlines from Montreal Pierre Trudeau Airport tomorrow morning. I just bought three pounds of smoked meat that is NOT shrink wrapped. Can I take it? Can I carry it on? I just spoke with someone from Travelocity and someone from U.S. Customs at the New York border. Both said to put it in my luggage and it should be fine. I wasn't planning on checking a bag. Obviously, I CAN check a bag, and I will if I have to, but does anyone have any experience doing this, either in checked luggage or carry-on? Thanks!

Looking to purchase a meat grinder

roxie5 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:58:53 -0800

Home meat grinder recommendations? I would like to buy a meat grinder for a Christmas present, but I have no idea what kind to buy, as I do almost no cooking myself. I have found a Panasonic MK-G20NR-W online for a good price, but don't know about it's reputation and performance.... Is there a particular brand or model that you have used and can recommend? Also, are there any attachments that are so useful/ crucial that I may just want to include them with the gift?

Note: My boyfriend wants this primarily to make his own hotdogs and sausages. I can only afford to spend around $200.

This is a big gift for me to give, and I want to make sure I get something quality, that will last. Thank you for any help you can offer.

Tastes like chicken

subpixel — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:10:36 -0800

Where can I find more info about the horrible processed chicken product I just ate? I ate at an Indian restaurant tonight and am fairly certain the chicken I ate was some sort of processed "chicken product". I'm now very curious to learn exactly what it was.

The "chicken" was covered in sauce and resembled large cuts of breast meat, but closer inspection yielded some unappetizing details. There was an outer layer of pressed, formed, light-colored meat that seemed to be wrapped around an inner layer of darker, funkier stuff.

Assuming this product is commercially produced, are there manufacturer web sites where I can learn more about it? I won't be surprised to learn how it's made or what it contains, but I'd like very much to see how it's marketed.

Are meat and leather production correlated?

dkg — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:29:02 -0800

What proportion of leather comes from animals whose other parts are ultimately consumed by humans for food? What proportion of leather-bearing food animals' skins are ultimately made into leather? How would i find out? I'd like to know how well-correlated meat and leather production are: are there leather-bearing animals whose bodies are discarded as scrap even though they could be eaten? or food-bearing animals whose skins are discarded as scrap even though they could be fashioned into clothing?

Do we (in the USA? in the world?) consume more animals for their meat or for their skins? If it's not evenly balanced, what happens to the unbalanced bits?

or am i wrong in assuming that all leather-bearing animals have flesh that could potentially be eaten for food? I'm fine with ignoring non-leather-bearing food animals for the purposes of this question.

How would i begin finding hard data on this? Comments and criticism to help me think about the question more clearly would be welcome too.

Is there raw meat that won't make you sick and kill you?

emperor.seamus — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:36:51 -0800

Are there kinds of meat that are safe to eat raw? Or is there a way of treating meat to make it safe to eat raw? Not that I have any immediate plans to do so, but I occasionally do performance art, and it's the kind of thing that might eventually be useful to know.

Anyone tried the Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment?

electroboy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:03:01 -0800

Has anyone tried grinding turkey using the Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment? Having netted some sweet, sweet Amazon scrip from Coinstar, I'm considering buying the meat grinder attachment for our Kitchenaid mixer.

We don't eat a lot of ground beef, but we do use ground turkey fairly frequently. So my questions are:

Has anyone tried this? Experiences? Suggestions on the white/dark mix so it's not too dry?

How does the Kitchenaid attachment compare to a decent handcrank grinder?

How does a whole turkey break down by weight (bone, skin, white meat, dark meat) percentage-wise? I read something that said 70-30 white/dark, but nothing about the bones. I'm curious how the cost would work out per pound if I break down a whole frozen turkey.

Holy cow that's a lotta beef.

lwclec072 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:46:25 -0800

Help us think of roast recipes and chili recipes would be welcome, too. Boyfriend and I found a wholesale beef farm in our town and we got lots of meat, 20 pounds to be exact. We have 2 roasts and some stew meat. One of the roast we are going to slow cook with carrots, potatoes, celery and the works, but the other roast we're not exactly sure what we should do with it, other than just turning it into a slow cooked roast like the other, any ideas like maybe philly cheese steak would that be possible to turn a roast into shredded beef? If so help us do it! :)

We also have stew meat and my boyfriend wants to make chili with that and i'm never heard of such, any ideas with that?

Get in mah belly, belly

chalbe — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:58:03 -0800

Safe to eat raw refrozen meats that've been defrosted several times? I bought a slab of vacuum sealed raw pork belly and tried to turn this specimen into delicious BACON, but due to scheduling problems, etc. never got around to actually cooking it.

I'd defrost the meat in the fridge in the morning, only to find out later that night that I couldn't cook and 3 days later end up throwing it back into the freezer. The slab's gone through about 3 of these cycles of defrosting and refreezing.

Is it still safe to eat?

How do I go about eatting meat again?

deacon_blues — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:39:31 -0800

I've been a vegetarian for over five years. After being belittled by Tony Bourdain for years, I think I'm ready to eat some meat again. Advice? I've found it to be about time to start weening myself back to meat. To elaborate a bit i'm looking to start back with chicken and seafood, not red meat.

So, for those of you who have done this and/or know what to expect, can you give me some advice? I'm concerned about getting sick because my stomach no longer has the enzymes needed to break down meat...right?

Fried chicken awaits. Tell me how to get there.

Meat Processing and the Chemicals that Go into the Meat

watercarrier — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:00:46 -0800

In factory farming, what are the chemicals - additives, preservatives and colorings that are added to poultry? I'm looking for all the processing chemicals that are used in meat butchering and marketing, specifically poultry.

What are the chemicals that the carcasses are sprayed with after killing? What are the chemicals that are injected into the meat to plump them up?

Why is Chicken Different from Beef?

DMan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:13:48 -0800

Why is chicken meat so much different from beef? To narrow that very broad question, one thing I've always wondered is why beef (like steak, not hamburger meat) will bleed if it's not cooked enough, but chicken doesn't do the same thing. Why is that? What's different about the two meats?

I asked a friend who is a food science major, and she had no clue either, and said she's always wondered why intact beef muscle sterile, but not chicken. So why are chickens so much different from cows?

What should I do with the old, icky cuts of meat in my freezer?

kitcat — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:28:02 -0800

What can I do with a bunch not-so-appetizing cuts of meat that have been tossed into the deep freezer and forgotten? I'm talking about the stuff I hate: porkchops, chicken bits that aren't breasts and ground beef. Some of this stuff is severely freezer-burnt. And it's all in there taunting me with its apparent uselessness.

What should I do with this stuff? I tired slow-cooking a couple of porkchops once and the result was sickening to behold (although that was without broth, veggies or anything). Can anyone throw me some recipes that will cover up the inherent foulness of these meats AND the freezer burn?

More meaty munching for me and mine?

emilyw — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:36:52 -0800

I'm looking to expand my repertoire of strong meaty tasting recipes. Can you help? I feel like I'm getting stuck in a culinary rut. Looking for some new strong tasting, meaty flavoured recipes I may not have tried before!

Things I like:

Steak
Marmite
Bloody Marys
Blue cheese
Chili
Anchovies
Roast dinner
BBQ ribs.
Recipes I can make out of the store cupboard/freezer in half an hour.

You get the idea! What could I make to eat/drink along similar lines that's a bit more unusual? What do people from other cultures make when they want a meaty fix?

Cold cuts for foodies

billysumday — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:48:17 -0800

Healthy/organic/free range cold cuts? Read Omnivore's Dilemma, saw Food, Inc. Horribly frightened of processed meats and refuse to support factory farming. Have been hitting farmer's markets for the last couple of years to get free-range and pastured chicken, beef, and pork. Yet, I love me some sandwich meats. How do I go about getting thin, delicious slices of turkey, roast beef, or ham that have come from humanely raised, safely slaughtered, and preferably local animals? I live in Central Pennsylvania. How does one go about determining how a company processes their meat?

I know what's good.

chan.caro — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:59:14 -0800

How do I become a buyer for a restaurant? I've decided I'm done with being a desk jockey. The steady pay is nice, but the drudgery isn't.

I'd like to work in the restaurant business, but as a "buyer" for a restaurant or other establishment. I'd like to put knowledge I will have gained working on a farm to practice in an environment where I'll be able to basically tell restaurants "This is what you should be buying because of x, y, and z," or just do the buying outright. I'm open to the supply side as well.

Going back to school is a possibility, but not preferable, though my lack of a business background will probably necessitate taking some classes.

Is this possible? Does such a position exist? I'm sure I'm missing a lot of details as this is conceptual - please feel free to plug holes. Anecdotal evidence particularly appreciated.

Some deets: 23, in NYC, journalism background, currently working as a paralegal in BigLaw.

really obscure folk(?)song ID

seansbrain — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:35:04 -0800

identify the originating song with these lyrics... It doesn't matter what you eat it all turns to meat eat your neighbor eat your neighbor, etc... Heard it from a cruise ship entertainer, of all people. Very strange.
My last try at researching it had me finding a random livejournal page which had the full lyrics, but nothing about it's origins. It identified it as "the taco bell song," though I imagine that's a misnomer.

Searing inquisition.

Darth Fedor — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:40:25 -0800

How do I obtain an Argentine chapa (cast-iron flat-top grill, set over a wood fire), as described by Francis Mallman in his cookbook Seven Fires? I imagine I won't be the only person looking for one of these after reading this positively eye-popping book of meat alchemy. But I did, and I am.

If I must, I am not wholly opposed to to putting a cast iron skillet on a grill. However, the chapa is so simple (and alluring in its simplicity) that I would strongly prefer to own or have made the real McCoy.

I've tried to search BBQ retailers on the web for a chapa or something like it, to no avail. Mallman himself, in the sources section at the end of Seven Fires offers no illumination other than the previously mentioned jury-rigged cast iron skillet on a fire.

I want one real bad. I lack knowledge and equipment for welding and forging, but am open to whatever's necessary if I can at the least obtain a 30-inch or so square piece of thick cast iron.

Thoughts? Help? So much meat to be cooked!

Rabbit meat in NYC?

soma lkzx — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:17:22 -0800

Where can I buy rabbit (for eating, not petting) in NYC? I've been calling around but haven't had any luck so far. I'll carve it up if I have to, but boned would be best. And it's for tonight, so anything involving special-ordering is sadly a no-go.

(I'm off of the F in Brooklyn, but willing to travel)

Grill pan gift suggestions for newlyweds

grouse — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:20:02 -0800

I'm going to get my friends a grill pan for their wedding. What should I get and what should go with it? My friends like barbecue and meat, so I thought about getting a little patio grill. I called their apartment's management office and they said no way. So instead my idea is to get a grill pan.

They have a lot of other Calaphon Contemporary nonstick stuff on their registry, so I was going to go with that unless you have better suggestions. What are your suggestions for size and model? I see Cook's Illustrated did a roundup, but not being a subscriber I can't see the results. I figured a small one would be fine—assuming they aren't going to have big parties, they aren't going to wish for one of those unwieldy double-size ones, right?

Then the question is what to go with it. One route would be to get some accessories like some nice tongs and a cookbook (suggestions welcome). Maybe an oversized container of kosher salt (I know they would get a kick out of this since she is converting to Judaism). Even with all that it's probably not as big a gift as I wanted to send them so I would probably want to add another small-medium item. Suggestions welcome.

Another idea would be to buy some steaks. Are mail-order providers like Omaha Steaks worth it? If so, recommendations are welcome! Or maybe I should try to arrange something with a local butcher or store instead (they live in Houston). While I usually hate gift cards, I think life is a bit crazy there right now so I was thinking I would get them a gift card so they can use it whenever they want. On the other hand, the mail-order steaks are frozen anyway, so maybe I should just send them now.

I'm looking to spend about $100 overall, which is why it will probably be either steaks or accessories. I'd prefer to ship (and unless I buy before the wedding tomorrow that is my only option). Amazon Prime options are also preferred cause I can ship them fast for free.

Your general advice welcome.

Loooking For Scorpions To Eat

Lokisbane — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:36:51 -0800

Where can I find scorpions (either jerked or canned) in New York City? I'm making a Scorpio themed meat pie and would like to go literal with the ingredients. It know they are eaten in Thailand but so far no luck finding them at the Thai markets I checked. If anyone knows a shop that sells them that would be great.

Reverse veganization

zenofthefrisbee — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:10 -0800

How can I incorporate animal protien and supplemental iron in my vegan diet? That sounds contradictory, I know.

But my doctor just told me that I am protien deficient and anemic, and that I must eat animal protiens and more iron. Every body is different, and apparently mine can't survive on a strict vegan menu alone. Now I am having trouble imagining how to incorporate meats in my meals. I've looked into whey protien mixes, but am interested in ways that I can hide meat (and extra iron) in my diet without, you know, tasting it. Basically I'd like my diet to remain as vegan as possible on the surface, while satisfying my body's protien requirements.

Fish is out; I can't palate it. Chicken, pork, and beef are better.

So, what are some good recipes to hide animal protien in?
Are there any prepared foods (like I'd buy at Whole Foods on my lunch break) that might work?
What are my other options outside of meat? Do eggs count?

Preserving smoked meat?

conifer — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:11:41 -0800

What to do with smoked meat? Recently had some smoked deer and trout while I was in the Patagonian Andes. My girlfriend bought me some smoked wild boar and some smoked trout for my birthday. The boar is about a kilo, and there are about 4 filets of trout. They seem to be vacuum packed, or at least very tightly wrapped in plastic, and they are in the fridge. Someone told her to slice the boar thinly, and to remove the skin from the fish and to store them in oil in a jar. Does this seem like good advice? It seems it would make it really greasy. Is it necessary? If I don't do this, how long will it last once I open it?