Cooking And Preparation

Cooking changes the palatability of meat by effecting appearance, tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. It is important to understand the effects of cooking temperatures, duration, and cooking method in order to achieve the desired palatability changes as well as to destroy illness-causing micro-organisms.

Heat Effects on Appearance

Cooking meat will change the color and texture of the meat according to the temperature at which the meat is cooked.

The table below indicates the temperatures required to cook different meats to the desired "doneness". Note that meat which is rare may not have been cooked long enough to kill all illness causing microorganisms. Safe cooking temperatures vary by species.

Heat Effects on Tenderness

Tenderness is perceived to the consumer of meat by the softness to tongue and cheek, resistance to tooth pressure, ease of fragmentation, mealiness, adhesion and residue after chewing. Heating meat can cause both tenderization and toughening. Heating at all temperatures will cause an immediate improvement in tenderness. However, at high temperatures (above 160 degrees Fahrenheit) tenderization is then followed by toughening. Upon continued heating at these higher temperatures, the meat will again become more tender but will require several hours to approach the tenderness of the initial heating.

Heat Effects on Juiciness

As meat is heated, it will lose some water due to evaporation and drip loss. The amount of water lost will depend on the temperature and length of time the meat is cooked and the waterholding capacity of the meat. Marbling (intramuscular fat) and subcutaneous fat offer some protection against water evaporation during cooking.

Heat Effects on Flavor

Flavor is the mixture of sensations from taste, smell, pressure, temperature (hot,cold) and mild pain.  Cooking releases volatiles from protein and fat which change the flavor of the meat.  New compounds may also be formed as is the case with sugar-amine browning or the warmed over flavor caused by oxidative changes.

To Learn More

Thermy - Printable USDA food temperature guide.

Thermy - USDA food temperature guide. Also contains information on the types, use and care of meat thermometers.

From FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service):
Focus on Beef - An excellent source of information about cooking and handling beef.
Focus on Ground Beef - An excellent source of information about cooking and handling ground beef.
Focus on Chicken - An excellent source of information about cooking and handling chicken.
Focus on Pork - An excellent source of information about cooking and handling pork.
Focus on Turkey - An excellent source of information about cooking and handling turkey.

Safer Outdoor Grilling Guidelines - How to grill meat safely to prevent food-borne illnesses and reduce the risk of cancer from grilled meats.
Food Safety- Tips for safe handling of meat from the Texas Beef Board.