Saturday 10 May 2008

Advantages of Meat


Meat has always stayed as a rich source of food in terms of taste, nutrients and also medicinally at times. The advantages of having meat are helpful to younger people in the process of growth and they reach the elder ones as well. The invaluable source of food, the meat (the tissues under animals’ skin) has been serving the people from times immemorial. The alarming sources of the health, nutrients etc can find answers in meat eating. Out of a large number of health benefits of eating meat, its contribution as a fabulous source of high quality proteins is remarkable and it is to be noted. This cannot be given or substituted by even a single vegetarian food. Meat holds all the required amino acids that the body needs to maintain a balance.

For growing children, small amounts of meat are absolutely important for the growth purposes. The children when they turn to adolescence by attaining puberty, the essential amounts of albumin are needed for the overall physical growth, which will help them in the future (probably for better PRODUCTIVE reasons). The child can be enriched with meat for his/her building up of albuminous tissues and thereby growing better. The adults also suffer from the loss of albumin, which can be provided by meat.

Apart from being the richest sources of iron, meat also supplies phosphorous which can be easily digested. This is less available in any of the vegetarian diets and cereals and legumes.
The meat also serves as a rich source of nuclein, which is the important component of albuminous diet. The intestinal activities if impaired can be rectified with albumin and nuclein, which comes abundantly from meat.

Boer goats serve as a biggest source of goat meat and the goat supply essentially means supply of nutrients and taste of rich culinary usage. By eating meat, the action of certain duct-less glands like the thyroid, is stimulated, and the increased activity of this gland has a protective influence against infectious diseases, as tuberculosis. Meat is medicinally important too, and this forms the foundation for goat sales and goat supply in a higher pace. Meet the nutrient requirements with meat.

Asai is a copywriter of http://www.goatdealer.com/Goats_For_Sale_Links.html He had written various articles in different topics on Goat sales. Contact him at asai.articles@gmail.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Asai_Thambi

Using Marinades to Season and Tenderize Meat

A marinade is a combination of oil, acid and seasonings that will tenderize and flavor any cut of meat. The acid, usually wine, vinegar or a citrus juice breaks down the tough fibers in the meat, making it more tender. The oil absorbs flavor from the seasonings, melds them, and carries the flavoring into the meat. It also helps to keep the meat moist and juicy.

A good marinade will help you create that truly special dish, but marinades do not have to be complex. One of my first marinades was a bottle of Italian dressing. (Add one part Worcestershire sauce to 4 parts Italian dressing for an incredible spicy chicken marinade.)

Secrets of marinating-

  1. The larger the surface area of the meat, the more effective the marinade will be. If your meat is compact without a large surface area you can inject marinade into the meat, or simply poke holes or slits in the meat with a knife and massage marinade into the holes.
  2. Larger pieces of meat need longer marinating times. Small pieces such as kabobs can be marinated for 30 minutes to an hour; a roast may need overnight marinating.
  3. When browning the meat is desirable, remove the meat from the marinade; dry it, and then brown.
  4. Marinate your meat in a non-reactive container. A glass bowl or baking dish works well, but I prefer to use a Ziploc bag for easier cleanup.
  5. Marinate the meat in the refrigerator. Turn the meat at least once and preferably several times during the marinating.
  6. Never reuse the marinade. If you desire to use some as a dipping sauce, reserve a portion before marinating the meat.

Try these marinade recipes to get you started. They are good with chicken or meat.

Balsamic Vinegar Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Asian Marinade

1/4 cup light soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1/2 Tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, minced

Use these recipes to get you started, then experiment with your own flavor combinations.

Are you interested in more information on cooking meat and seafood? Sign up for our newsletter at Southern Meats and Seafoods and get quick and healthy recipes and tips delivered to your email regularly.

Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Watkins

The Best Meat Loaf in the World

Every family has its own meat loaf recipe and many of them start with a soup mix. However this family recipe, given to me years ago by my mother-in-law, is made-from-scratch meat loaf. I'm not talking about the mushy, mystery meat loaf you may have eaten at restaurants. No, I'm talking about all beef meat loaf with ketchup and brown sugar topping.

Quality ingredients are what make this meat loaf so good. First of all, the recipe calls for only one kind of meat - ground beef. The bread crumbs are fresh, not something from a can. The onion is also fresh, though I've used dehydrated in a pinch. As for the topping, it makes every mouthful of meat loaf extra delicious.

To make the meat loaf healthier I've changed a few of the ingredients. I use 90% or 93% lean ground beef, not the cheaper, fattier kind. Skim milk replaces whole milk. Instead of white bread crumbs I use whole wheat bread crumbs. Often I use no-calorie brown sugar instead of regular.

You can make this meat loaf in minutes. A family of four, including two teens, will proably eat this meat loaf at one sitting. If you have any leftovers you can make meat loaf sandwiches or crumble the meat loaf into spaghetti sauce. Here's the recipe, a gift from my family to yours.

THE BEST MEAT LOAF IN THE WORLD

INGREDIENTS: 3/4 cup fresh wheat bread crumbs; 3/4 cup skim milk; 1 1/2 pounds 90% or 93% lean ground beef; 2 large eggs, beaten; 1/4 cup grated onion; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon frershly ground pepper; 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a fork. (Don't over-mix or the meat loaf will be tough.) Turn meat mixture into a meat loaf pan. Smooth the meat loaf with the tines of the fork. Prepare topping with 1/4 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or no-calorie brown sugar), 1 teaspoon dry mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Spread topping over meat loaf. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Let meat loaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 8-10 servings.

Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson.

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for the former "Rochester Magazine" in her hometown of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is also posted on Amazon.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harriet_Hodgson

Corned Beef Contains No Corn

Years ago I wondered why people would always have corned beef dinners, but there was never any corn with the meal. It was always cabbage and potatoes. It was later in life that I understood what was meant by corning beef and it had nothing to do with corn. I used to think that corning beef meant to feed the cattle corn to fatten them up for butchering. I was mistaken.

Corning beef is a method of curing tougher cuts of beef. Choose cuts like plate, rump, chuck or brisket. Make sure the meat is well chilled. Remove the bones and cut the meat into uniform pieces. After the meat is cut up weigh the meat. For each 100-pounds of meat you will use 10-pounds of kosher salt. If you do not have 100-pounds of meat, adjust the proportions of meat to salt.

I use a clean crock. I sprinkle a layer of salt on the bottom of the crock, then a layer of meat, then more salt, then a layer of meat. I continue until the meat is packed or the container is full. I cover the top layer of meat with a good amount of salt. I let the meat sit for 24-hours then I cover the meat with a solution of: 4-pounds sugar, 2-ounces baking soda, and 4-gallons of water.

I make sure that I have packed the meat tightly and that it is completely covered with brine. I weight the meat down with a heavy. clean stone or brick to keep it submerged. I let it cure like that for 35-40-days in a temperature of 38-40-degrees. After the meat is cured, I remove it from the brine, wash it and drain it. Now it is ready for wrapping or smoking.

I put my beef in brine this morning. I added 4-ounces of pickling spice in a spice bag and 2-bulbs of garlic to the brine for flavor. That is my preferred flavor.

Be certain to keep the temperature at a consistant 38-40-degrees so the brine does not become ropy. If it gets too warm you will have discard the brine and start all over, which is a pain to do.

I will be cooking corned beef and cabbage for a meal in March. YUM!

Everything I write about is from personal observation and life experiences. I love to cook and prepare foods in different ways. I like sharing my experiences about food and cooking. My website http://www.pothaven.com was created because of my interest in quality cookware and cooking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bonita_Anderson

Meat Grinders

Meat grinders are appliances used for chopping or cutting meat. The whole piece of meat has to be disintegrated or cut into smaller pieces before cooking. Meat grinders are used for this purpose. The meat may be tough meat like lamb, pork, buffalo, or beef, or soft like chicken, duck, or rabbit. Meat grinders are capable of chopping both tough and soft meat varieties. Meat grinders may be manually operated or operated using electricity. The basic principle behind these grinders is the same. The meat is added to the grinder and the wheels are operated resulting in the required operation. In manual grinders the wheels are turned manually, whereas in electrical grinders the wheels are operated by switching on the start button.

The amount of meat to be processed, the time factor, and the cost factor decide the type of machine to be purchased. If a large quantity of meat has to be processed, electrical meat grinders are the best. For households the quantity of meat to be processed would be less and manually operated meat grinders are therefore the best. These meat grinders are quite affordable. The lowest price is around $20. Branded ones and high-end meat grinders cost at the least $3000. The cost difference is mainly due to the amount of meat that can be processed and the power of the machine.

There is no longer the need for buying canned meat. The meat can be processed at home itself and is an added advantage that the meat is fresh. Hunters and others who tend their own fowls can process their meat as and when required. This aspect enables healthy living. This also acts as a check on the over intake of meat by people. The meat processed may be used for many purposes. They may be used as fillings in sausages, burgers, fillets, meatloaves and sandwiches. Foodstuffs bought from the shops not only have meat fillings in burgers and sausages, but also may include other fatty substances. This is avoided when meat is processed at home and sausages or burgers are prepared at home. The meat processed using meat grinders is more consistent when compared to that of other food processors. They are available in various sizes, models and price ranges.

Grinders provides detailed information on Coffee Grinders, Grinders, Herb Grinders, Meat Grinders and more. Grinders is affiliated with Kitchen Appliances.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Bellamy

Asian Diet Secrets - How to Enjoy Meat and Avoid the Fat

Some people think that Asians don't eat meat on a daily basis. That might be true for the people who live in rural areas of some developing countries. But most Asians who live in the cities, especially in developed countries like Singapore, Japan, South Korea and also here in the US, enjoy meat every day.

The difference between Asian and Western meat dishes is in the method of preparation of the meat.

Asian Method of Cooking Meat

• The meat is sliced into thin pieces. All the visible fat is easily discarded.

• The sliced meat can better absorb the seasoning. As a result, the meat has a strong flavor, saltier or spicier. Because of the strong flavor, it has to be eaten with something bland such as steamed rice.

• Varieties of vegetables are added to give color and contrast and to complement the meat dishes.

Western Method of Cooking Meat

• The meat is served in big, thick slices. A lot of fat (marble) is trapped inside the meat. Because of the thickness, it does not absorb the seasoning well. It has a weak, blander flavor compared to Asian meat dishes. To add more flavor, butter, cheese or meat sauce is added.

• Typically served with potatoes or bread with additional oil and fats.

• Vegetables are served on the side, usually with high-calorie, high-fat dressings.

If you enjoy meat the Asian way, you will find it easy to adhere to the recommendation by the American Heart Association to eat no more than 6 ounces of lean meat in a day (about the size of two decks of cards).

To get a free report about "The Best Food for Weight Loss", go to

http://AsianSlimSecrets.com/

Linda Yo is a certified weight consultant and the author of Asian Slim Secrets: Enjoy Food, Stay Slim Naturally! Linda gained 25 lbs in 3 months upon her arrival in the US. She failed at every method before she rediscovered the benefit of her traditional diet. Amazed by the results, she spent 18 years to research about the benefit of Asian diet and share the secrets in her new book, Asian Slim Secrets. Her phenomenal weight loss method has received praised from medical professionals, celebrities and the media.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Yo