Inner temperature. The lower the inner temperature at which the
cooking is stopped, the greater the tendency for the rise of inner tempera-
ture. This is because with a low inner temperature there is a wider varia-
tion between the inner and surface heat, which results in greater rise of
inner temperature. The inner temperature of foods that contain a high
percentage of water, such as cake, meat, and potatoes, never rises above
the boiling point of their juices. Heat supplied in amounts greater than
the amount needed to reach the boiling point of the juices is used in
evaporating the liquid. It is impossible to raise the inner temperature of
meat above 100°C. without having a very dry, charred product.
Size. In larger pieces of meat, the size of the piece is not so important
a factor as those mentioned above in affecting the temperature rise of the
interior after cooking has been stopped. But a piece of meat may be so
small or thin that the inner temperature does not rise after the cooking
process is stopped, because of the rapid cooling from the surface.
Composition and duration of temperature rise. No definite relation
has been established between composition of the meat and the extent of the
inner temperature rise after cooking. It does seem to affect the duration
of the temperature rise more than the extent. Meat containing a great deal
of fat and meat that has a very thick layer of fat on the surface, ^ to 1
inch or more, requires a long time for the inner temperature to reach its
maximum point. A roast with such a layer of fat may take as long as 1
to 1^ hours to reach its maximum inner temperature, whereas a lean roast
of the same shape, and cooked under the same conditions, may take only 12
to 30 minutes to reach its maximum interior temperature, after the cooking
process is stopped.
METHOD OF COOKING AND COOKING LOSSES 239
Factors Affecting the Losses That Occur During the Cooking
of Meat
The total loss that occurs during the cooking of meat includes the losses
known as drippings and the volatile losses. The greater part of the volatile
loss is from evaporation of w^ater. It may include volatile substances from
the decomposition of fat and volatile aromatic substances. The drippings
include fat, w^ater, salts, and both nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous ex-
tractives.
Time, stage of cookery and losses. The stage of cookery is one fac-
tor that affects the cooking loss. Meat cooked rare gives less total cooking
loss than meat cooked well done. A longer time is required to reach the
well-done stage, if all other conditions are the same. Thus length of time
of cooking and the stage to which the meat is cooked are related factors.
Composition and cooking losses. Meat containing a high percentage
of fat cooked under standardized conditions gives greater cooking losses than
lean meat. The amount of drippings is always greater for the fat meat
than for similar lean cuts from the same kind of animal. This is also true
for poultry. Cooking temperatures that melt the fat cause a heavy fat loss
from the meat.
Page 193
Presented as published in 1932. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
Inner temperature. The lower the inner temperature at which the
cooking is stopped, the greater the tendency for the rise of inner tempera-
ture. This is because with a low inner temperature there is a wider varia-
tion between the inner and surface heat, which results in greater rise of
inner temperature. The inner temperature of foods that contain a high
percentage of water, such as cake, meat, and potatoes, never rises above
the boiling point of their juices. Heat supplied in amounts greater than
the amount needed to reach the boiling point of the juices is used in
evaporating the liquid. It is impossible to raise the inner temperature of
meat above 100°C. without having a very dry, charred product.
Size. In larger pieces of meat, the size of the piece is not so important
a factor as those mentioned above in affecting the temperature rise of the
interior after cooking has been stopped. But a piece of meat may be so
small or thin that the inner temperature does not rise after the cooking
process is stopped, because of the rapid cooling from the surface.
Composition and duration of temperature rise. No definite relation
has been established between composition of the meat and the extent of the
inner temperature rise after cooking. It does seem to affect the duration
of the temperature rise more than the extent. Meat containing a great deal
of fat and meat that has a very thick layer of fat on the surface, ^ to 1
inch or more, requires a long time for the inner temperature to reach its
maximum point. A roast with such a layer of fat may take as long as 1
to 1^ hours to reach its maximum inner temperature, whereas a lean roast
of the same shape, and cooked under the same conditions, may take only 12
to 30 minutes to reach its maximum interior temperature, after the cooking
process is stopped.
METHOD OF COOKING AND COOKING LOSSES 239
Factors Affecting the Losses That Occur During the Cooking
of Meat
The total loss that occurs during the cooking of meat includes the losses
known as drippings and the volatile losses. The greater part of the volatile
loss is from evaporation of w^ater. It may include volatile substances from
the decomposition of fat and volatile aromatic substances. The drippings
include fat, w^ater, salts, and both nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous ex-
tractives.
Time, stage of cookery and losses. The stage of cookery is one fac-
tor that affects the cooking loss. Meat cooked rare gives less total cooking
loss than meat cooked well done. A longer time is required to reach the
well-done stage, if all other conditions are the same. Thus length of time
of cooking and the stage to which the meat is cooked are related factors.
Composition and cooking losses. Meat containing a high percentage
of fat cooked under standardized conditions gives greater cooking losses than
lean meat. The amount of drippings is always greater for the fat meat
than for similar lean cuts from the same kind of animal. This is also true
for poultry. Cooking temperatures that melt the fat cause a heavy fat loss
from the meat.