How to cut meat - along and across the fibers?

Many of us love to eat meat, and few will give up a deliciously cooked, soft and juicy barbecue or steak, because with only the smell and form of the golden crust of these dishes, saliva flows. But, it happens that the coveted dish does not live up to your expectations. Having a stunning smell and appetizing appearance, the meat for some reason remains very hard after heat treatment.

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Why does this happen? It depends on many factors, and one of the main ones is the inability to correctly cut the meat into portioned pieces. After all, cooking is a whole separate science, and professionals are well aware of which parts of mascara and what type of meat needs to be cut along, and which ones - across the meat fibers. But, as they say, not the gods burn pots, so we will learn this science and we are with you - this is what will be discussed in our material.

Basic rules of meat cutting

If you take into account all the rules when cutting meat, then juices will not flow out of it during preparation, and it will not lose its taste and useful qualities. And immediately an important advice: if some crowded party is planned, and you decide to purchase a whole carcass or half, ask the butcher to cut it, guided by the right scheme. In this case, it will be much easier for you to figure out how best to cut pieces for cooking.

There are the basic rules for cutting meat, and the most important thing is the preparatory process:

In any case, will you work with freshly chilled meat or freshly frozen, which you previously placed for thawing in a refrigerator, remove it half an hour before the cut and leave it on the table. Indoor temperature will help moisture in meat evenly distributed on it, and this is very important to achieve the product of a homogeneous structure.
To cut meat, you need to use acutely sharpened long and thin knives - Only in this case, the pieces will turn out even and appetizing, and their fibers will not be deformed. All other knives and ceses are not suitable for this responsible case.
Cutting board It should only be wooden - the meat does not slip on it, so it will be easier to cut it, and even in this case you will have less risks to get hurt.
If you want to cut the meat into large pieces, then in this case cut it across the fibers - So less juices will be lost during cooking. The culinary specialists have long noticed this property of meat, and therefore they try to cut it along.

Video: cutting meat along or across?

What is the best way to cut meat clipping and meat on a bone?

What is the best way to cut meat clipping and meat on a bone? Products are cut differently:

According to the rules, cutting is cut into the same pieces (you determine the desired thickness and length for yourself) first along, and then across the fibers. The knife should be kept not quite evenly, but a little under the slope, approximately 90 degrees. If your knife is quite sharp, then you will not have to “cut” meat pieces. When cutting, you need to use only return knife movements - in this case, you will avoid the appearance of irregularities on pieces.

If you bought meat with a bone, then in this case do not rush to cut bone from meat. Put a piece of meat on a cutting board with the side where the bone is located, and only then cut the pulp by means of through diagonal cuts from the very top and bottom, i.e., to the bone. In this case, the knife needs to be kept at an angle of 45 degrees.

How to cut meat in stripes, for hot?

Hot is prepared in different dishes, therefore, you need to cut the meat in different ways.
If you decide to cook this dish in a pan, then the meat will need to be cut across the fibers (if they are too thick, then along) pieces on medium sizes, since too small, most likely, during heat treatment, they will dry out and become too firm.
When preparing a dish in voca, it is usually used Strong fire. In this case, the meat is cooked quickly-only about 3 minutes, which allows it not to dry, but to remain juicy and after short heat treatment. For cooking a piece of meat in a voca, they are usually cut along the fibers in the form of thin stripes.

How to cut meat for stewing, cooking, baking?

If you plan to cook, bake under foil or put out the meat, then in this case it does not matter how you cut it.
If you give meat enough time for its languor or cooking, then in any case it will become soft after heat treatment.

How to cut meat for a roll?

Have you decided to please their homes with a delicious meat roll?
In this case, the layer of meat will need to be prepared: to cut it along the fibers, expand and beat it well.

How to cut meat for barbecue?

Many factors affect the taste of barbecue: and what kind of meat you acquired for him, and what you put in the marinade, and even what firewood was used for the barbecue. Of course, it is also very important how skill is the culinary in the preparation of this popular dish among Russians.
But an important role is played by how you cut the meat, because the fibers in it should be correctly cut, and the dimensions of the chopped pieces - optimal for stringing them on skewers. If everything is done correctly, then in this case the barbecue will come out juicy and well -fried.

If it is planned to cook meat on a living fire, then for this it can be used as in fresh chilled form, and in frozen. In the second case, it will need to defrost it in the refrigerator, and then do the same as in the fresh version. The meat must be washed well and dried with a paper or natural towel, and then cut it into pieces.
For cutting meat, use large cutting boardSo that a piece of meat is completely fit on it. It will be ideal if you use a special board with grooves - in this case, meat juice will gently drain, and the table will not get dirty.
In order to cut meat or poultry carcasses for barbecue, it is best to use a knife with 20 cm with a blade - and it should be sharp, without the presence of zazubrin and roughness. In this case, it will be possible to cut the meat with one wave on the strips. To hold the chopped pieces, you can use a special fork, which has two teeth - this will be much more convenient for you.

To fry the barbecue, you can use many types of meat: pork, veal, beef, lamb, chicken or turkey meat.

Pork Need to cut along the fibers For large rectangular pieces. For barbecue, it is best to use a ham or a Korea; For this purpose, you can use the collar, but you need to cut it smallerly. It is best to choose meat with fat layers - then your barbecue will not work dry and hard.
If you like barbecue from lamb, choose the meat of the young ram - then he will have no specific smell. Usually for barbecue they choose a bark, spinal parts and a ham. The meat with a bone will also fit, only the bones will have to be removed. Muttonas well as pork, cut along the fibers.
Beef and veal are cut across muscle tissue -Due to the cut fibers, the meat becomes not hard, but, on the contrary, acquires some softness. Before stringing on skewers, you should definitely soak the meat in the sour marinade, which will also give it softness.
Koryatin for barbecue is prepared like this: cut a breast from the carcass and cut it along and down Fibers for small portioned pieces - make sure that they do not fall apart when cooking. The femoral part, legs and wings are usually not cut; It is best not to string them on skewer, but to use a lattice for this.
Cut the meat for barbecue in the form of squares with sides of 4 cm (approximately). If you use a skewer to fry pork or the renal part of the young ram, then before pickling them should be cut into pieces in sizes in 8x5x5 cm. Ideally, pieces should be cone -shaped, but most often they are obtained in the form of rectangles. But there is nothing wrong with this: one of the main conditions of cutting is that they are approximately the same in size. In this case, each piece will be fried evenly, without overdred or unfinished areas.
To make your dish delicate and soft, string pieces of meat along the fibers on the skewer - then the juices will not flow out. Fry small pieces over high heat, and those that are more - on slowly - so they will not burn and fully prepare. Often turn the meat on skewers (after 2-3 minutes) and spray it with marinade from time to time. It is better to fry vegetables separately from meat, as they are prepared faster.

Meat fibers are muscle and adipose tissue consisting of thin vertical strips. Often, they are not at all noticeably naked eye, but in the scret-nast they can be seen.

Many types of meat are cut across muscle fibers - this way can achieve its greater softness. If you cut it along the fibers, then the pieces of muscles will “cherish”, which is why the meat will acquire excessive rigidity. With proper cutting (mainly beef and veal), the meat will acquire softness and bend well.

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