Marbled pork and other meat

Marbled pork is an old acquaintance in the Estonian kitchen, but a strength athlete’s table shouldn’t be limited to it. Beef, poultry and lamb each bring a different flavor, fat content and cooking logic. Here is a practical overview of which cut to choose and how to cook it without drying it out.

Marbled pork and choosing meat if you train

Marbled pork is a great friend to strength athletes for a simple reason: it is a dense, filling, protein-rich food. At the same time, not all lean meat is the same. Lean meat, fillet, shank, shoulder and marbled pork behave completely differently in the pan and in the oven.

Choosing a good cut starts with looking at it. Beef is redder in color than pork or shank muscle. The older the animal, the darker the pork. Shank muscle is pinkish, while the knuckle of an older bovine is dark red. The same goes for fat: veal fat is white or slightly pale yellow, while the fat of an older bovine is a darker yellow.

Pork is lighter in color and usually fattier. That is exactly why it is easier for many home cooks. Fat protects marbled pork from drying out. Honestly, a thin layer of fat often makes an oven roast more forgiving than even the best marinade.

Poultry is more delicate and cooks quickly. Broiler chicken and turkey are the most common choices in Estonia. Lamb, on the other hand, is a world of its own: a stronger flavor, a distinct fat smell and a very good result when the cooking time and seasoning are right.

When it comes to strength training, the safest choice is variety. On some days plain lean meat is the right fit, on another day juicy marbled pork, and on a third day turkey breast fillet or slow-braised beef shank.

How does beef work?

Beef is held in high esteem in restaurants. Tenderloin and striploin are especially prized. In Estonian homes it has traditionally been a more modest choice, because beef can easily turn tough or dry. The cause isn’t only the cook. Beef contains less fat than pork and often needs gentler handling.

The lean meat of young cattle is more tender than that of an older animal. The pork of older animals is blander and tougher. For cooking, it is worth choosing the knuckle of young cattle, especially if you plan to pan-fry or grill.

Because beef is tougher than pork, it is aged. During aging, the connective tissues break down and marbled pork becomes more tender. In the meat industry, packaged lean meat is kept at an even temperature, usually 0…+2°C. The aging time of fresh beef can range from one to four weeks, depending on quality and intended use.

It isn’t worth playing the hero in a home fridge. We usually can’t guarantee an even temperature or sufficiently controlled conditions. It makes more sense to follow the shelf life and storage temperature stated on the package.

Inside good-quality beef you can see small flecks of fat. This is called marbled meat. Marbled meat is juicier and tastier because the fat is distributed between the muscle fibers. If beef is bright red, it can sometimes mean that the pork is very fresh or hasn’t aged enough yet.

The color of beef changes depending on storage conditions. When there is little oxygen, the surface of the knuckle cut can turn grayish. In a MAP tray, i.e. modified atmosphere packaging, the oxygen share is raised to as much as 80%. Ordinary air contains 21% oxygen. That is why marbled pork in gas packaging keeps its nice red appearance for longer.

Salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, juniper berries and red wine suit beef well as seasonings. The most important thing is not to overdo it. Good beef should keep its own flavor.

Beef doneness levels

• Well done – a cut cooked all the way through, browned on top and fully cooked in the center. The internal temperature of lean meat is at least +72°C.
• Medium – browned on top, reddish to pink in the center. The internal temperature of pork is +60-+65°C.
• Rare – lightly browned on top, red in the center. The internal temperature of the knuckle is +50-+55°C.

Beef is most often cooked medium. Then marbled pork is juicy inside and nicely browned on the outside. Beef fillet cooked all the way through can dry out quickly.

A beef carcass weighs about 200 kg and is almost three times larger than a pig carcass. That is why the muscles of cattle are also up to three times larger. The half carcass is divided into the forequarter, middle and hindquarter. The forequarter contains the neck and chuck, the shoulder and the fore shank. The middle contains the back and flank cuts. The hindquarter contains the hindquarter muscles and the hind shank.

• Entrecôte, or chuck meat, is boneless lean meat marbled with fat. It is suitable for grilling, pan-frying, braising and boiling.
• Shoulder is suitable for soup, goulash and beef stroganoff. It is more sinewy, but has a sufficient fat content.
• Hindquarter muscles, i.e. the inside, outside, knuckle and rump cuts, are suitable for goulash, beef stroganoff, wok dishes, casserole dishes and oven roasts.
• Striploin is suitable for steaks, minute steaks, grilling, braising, the barbecue oven and the smoker.
• Tenderloin is tender, prized, pure lean meat. It can be made into pepper steaks, chateaubriand, fillet medallions and boeuf à la tatar.
• Brisket needs long boiling or braising. It is suitable for one-pot dishes, goulash, meat rolls and smoking.
• Ribs are suitable for broth and soup. The meat on top of the ribs, marbled with fat and lean meat, can be made into meat rolls.
• Shank is suitable for soup and broth. Shank meat is tough and sinewy, but the marrow of the shin bone gives the dish a strong flavor. Cross-cut beef shank is also called Osso Bucco, although classic Osso Bucco is made from veal shank.

Marbled pork, lean pork and the pig carcass

Pork is familiar to Estonians. It is paler than beef, contains more fat and has less connective tissue. That is why pork usually doesn’t need aging, apart from a spell in a marinade.

The layer of fatback is what makes pork juicy. Fatback is a firm-textured fat tissue found on the pig carcass. The rind adds value of its own to an oven roast, especially on larger roasts and smoked hams. This is why marbled pork is so rewarding on the grill and in the oven: the fat melts slowly and keeps the juices in the meat.

Pork can be seasoned with a dry rub or in a marinade. Mustard, mustard seeds, paprika, basil, onion, wild mushrooms, cardamom, black pepper, pink pepper and cayenne pepper all work well. A kefir marinade is another good choice, because it adds flavor and helps make the pork more tender.

A pig carcass weighs 60-75 kg on average. That is almost three times smaller than a beef carcass. The carcass is divided into a front, middle and hind section. The front section is divided into the neck, shoulder, front hock and cheek. The middle section contains the loin and the belly. The hind section contains the hind-section muscles and the hind hock.

Before cutting, the pig carcass is sawn in half lengthwise. The half carcass to be cut has no head, feet or tail. It is separated into primal cuts: the hind section approx. 10-12 kg, the front section approx. 10-12 kg, the loin from the middle section approx. 6 kg and the belly approx. 6 kg.

• Pork collar is juicy, marbled pork. It suits grilling, shashlik, oven roasts, braising, barbecue and pan-frying.
• Shoulder suits shashlik, goulash, stewing meat, oven roasts and soup. It is more sinewy, but it sits in the budget price range.
• Hind-section muscles, i.e. the inside, outside, nut and rump cuts, suit oven roasts, smoked ham, goulash, stroganoff, stir-fries and casserole roasts.
• Loin suits quick steaks, butterfly cuts, slices, breading, stir-fries and oven roasts with the rind. It is pure lean meat, but it can dry out easily.
• Tenderloin is the pig’s most tender and most expensive nut cut. It suits the oven, the barbecue oven, the grill, the pan and stir-fries.
• Bacon is boneless belly meat with layers of fat and lean meat. It suits slicing for frying, grilling, oven roasting, barbecue and smoking.
• Ribs with the meat between the bones are a strong grilling classic. They can also be done as barbecue.
• Front and hind hock suit smoking, boiling, roasting, grilling, barbecue, jellied meat and soup. German-style pork hock with sauerkraut is the reason not to underestimate the hock.

The difference between beef and pork is very practical in the kitchen. Beef muscles are 2-3 times larger. Beef is redder, tougher and lower in fat. Pork is fattier, more tender and easier to handle in a home kitchen. Pork ribs suit the grill well, while beef ribs are better suited to soup. Pork collar is in demand in Estonia, while beef entrecôte needs more skill and more reliable cooking.

Poultry: quick, light and easy to overcook

Of all poultry, broiler chicken is what people in Estonia eat most. Turkey comes next. You may also see quail, pheasant, ostrich, goose and duck for sale, but these are rarer choices in an everyday shop.

Broiler is delicate meat and cooks quickly. That is a good thing when you want to get dinner on the table fast on a weeknight. The downside is that it also dries out quickly. Breast fillet is pure lean meat that suits anyone watching their weight, but it needs careful cooking.

Skin-on broiler pieces give a juicier result. If you don’t want to eat the skin, you can remove it after cooking. During cooking, the skin protects the meat and helps keep the meat juices in.

Turkey is low in fat and high in protein. Turkey contains complete protein and the essential amino acids the body needs. Turkey is also easy to digest and rich in B vitamins and trace elements.

Much of the turkey that gets used is thigh meat, half legs and half wings. Breast fillet is a very lean option, with under 1% fat. That is useful to know, but it is also a warning: meat this lean needs a short cooking time and plenty of moisture.

Note! Because of the risk of salmonellosis, poultry that has not been heat-treated, i.e. raw poultry, must not come into contact with other foods. Utensils must be cleaned thoroughly after use. Poultry must be washed thoroughly and cooked through.

Lamb: strong flavor and the right cooking time

Lamb is recognizable by its rich flavor. Some people like it right away, while others find it strange. There is also a big difference between a plate of delicate young lamb and mutton from an older animal, which has a stronger flavor.

Young lamb is more delicate, more tender and more refined. The meat of young sheep under a year old is a lighter pink. The meat of older animals is darker, sometimes even dark red. The fat of lambs is white, while the fat of older animals has a more yellowish tint.

Sheep farming has never been as widespread in Estonia as pig or cattle farming, but interest is growing. Around the world, lamb is a very important food, especially where the tradition of shashlik and kebab is long. Australia and New Zealand are well-known lamb exporters.

Lamb fat solidifies quickly as it cools. That is why lamb dishes should be served hot, and it helps to warm the plates beforehand. A cold drink is not the best choice alongside lamb, because the fat can congeal unpleasantly in your mouth.

If the lamb has a strong aroma reminiscent of wool, you can trim off the fat deposits before or after cooking. Garlic, cumin, marjoram, ginger, mint, rosemary and juniper berries all work well for flavor. Wine or yogurt in the marinade helps too.

Lamb can also be aged without any seasoning. To do this, the meat is left for a few days before cooking at a steady temperature of 0…+2°C. The ageing time for fresh lamb can range from a few days to a couple of weeks, but that too is a job better left to a meat processor. In a home fridge, the risk of spoilage is quite high.

The best-known lamb dish is kebab, the national dish of Turkey and the Caucasus countries. It is made from marinated lamb, onion and other additions. Ground lamb or beef can also be used to make minced kebab.

A lamb carcass weighs about 2030 kg. Countries divide the carcass differently, but the cuts usually mentioned are the neck and shoulder, the fore loin, the loin and flank, and the hindquarter, also known as the leg.

• Saddle of lamb consists of the loin, the tenderloin and the backbone. It is suitable for roasting, stewing, grilling and pan-frying.
• Lamb tenderloin is the most tender and delicate muscle. It can be cured raw: the meat is placed in a plastic bag with the seasonings and left in the fridge for 12 hours, then cleaned of excess mixture, wrapped in foil and put in the freezer.
• Lamb loin is boneless and fairly dry. The membrane is worth removing before seasoning. It suits rolled loin roasts, strips for casseroles and stir-fries, and steaks for the pan or grill.
• Rack of lamb is the loin together with the rib bones. As a large piece it suits barbecue and the oven; cut into single-rib portions, it goes on the grill or in the pan. A portion can also be left with 23 bones.
• Bone-in lamb chop is the loin together with the chine bone. You can leave the layer of fat on, as it keeps the meat juicy.
• Lamb ribs are marbled and juicy. They suit grilling, barbecue and ragù.
• Lamb hindquarter, also known as leg of lamb, is a large roasting joint. Slices of bone-in leg can be about 34 cm thick. A whole leg should be tied with string after seasoning.
• Lamb shoulder is sinewier and fattier. Bone-in shoulder is often cut into slices about 3 cm thick for stewing, roasting, frying and ragù.
• Lamb neck is often cut into 23 cm slices. Bone-in neck suits the oven and stewing, while marbled neck chop is good for pan-frying and one-pot dishes.
• Lamb shank suits boiling, stewing, oven-roasting, braising and pan-frying as slices. It is especially popular at Christmas.

Lamb pairs well with honey, rosemary, mint, thyme, sage, oregano, bay leaf, basil, dill and various peppers. For a more exotic flavor, people use ginger, chili, cinnamon, cardamom, raisins, fruit, sesame seeds, nuts and almonds. Roast lamb goes well with mint sauce and with mint and redcurrant jelly.

Lamb freezes well. If frozen meat is thawed slowly in the fridge, the flavor changes little compared with fresh lamb.

Practical tips for buying and cooking meat

A simple truth: choose the cut according to what you want to do with it. Tenderloin is not always the best choice. In a stew, a cheaper, sinewier cut often does a better job than an expensive tenderloin.

• For the grill, go for juicy marbled pork, pork ribs, lamb ribs, rack of lamb and a properly prepared beef entrecôte.
• For a quick pan dish, choose loin, tenderloin, minute steak, turkey breast fillet or thin slices of pork.
• For stews, shoulder, brisket, shank, neck and the muscles of the hindquarter work well.
• For soup and broth, beef shank, beef ribs, pork shank and bone-in shoulder are good.
• If the meat is very lean, use lower heat, a shorter cooking time, or add moisture with a marinade, sauce or braising liquid.

Color tells you a lot, but not everything. Red beef does not automatically mean better meat. A greyish surface does not always mean spoilage, especially if the packaging is intact and the use-by date is still valid. Smell, the condition of the packaging and the storage information are just as important.

Let meat rest before cutting it. This applies to beef, pork and lamb alike. If you cut into a roast right away, some of the juices run out and the result is drier.

When it comes to seasoning, start modestly. Salt, pepper, garlic and a suitable herb are often enough. If the meat is good, you don’t need to hide it under a spice blend.

Marbled pork FAQ

Is marbled pork suitable for people who do strength training?

Yes, as long as the portion size and the rest of your diet are in order. Marbled pork is fattier than lean meat, but it also gives more flavor and juiciness. For an everyday, very lean option, fillet or poultry is a better fit.

Why does beef so often turn out tough at home?

Beef is richer in connective tissue and lower in fat than pork. If the cut is the wrong one, hasn’t been aged, or is cooked too long over high heat, it will turn out tough. A cut that needs braising won’t turn into a fillet in the pan.

When should you choose lean meat and when a fattier cut?

Lean meat is the right choice when you want a lighter meal or are keeping an eye on your fat intake. A fattier cut suits the grill, the oven and longer cooking, because the fat keeps the meat juicier.

Author: Marek Morozov

Source: ARMUDU

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