Question

1. Why doesn't raw meat release liquid when sliced?

2. Why does cooked meat release liquid when sliced?

3. How does resting meat affect its tenderness? Why?

4. How does meat that is sliced immediately after cooking differ from meat that is allowed to rest for 40 minutes? What explains this difference? Which of these meats would be more tender? Why?

Answer 1

Ans 1. Meat / flesh of animals is consists of muscle tissues rich in protein, fat and water. Raw meat/ muscles contains around 70% water also called as myowater which remain bound with proteins like myoglobin in muscles.

Thus when meat is sliced, water will not release because water remain bound with protein and also present between small spaces/ by capillary action in the muscular tissues.

Ans 2. When cooked and aged meat is cut then it release water because protein looses the water holding capacity after cooking. Hence it flow out water as liquid, mainly red colored due to presence of myoglobin protein pigment.

Ans. 3 After cooking, resting meat will increase the tenderness of meat since meat absorb water on resting and become juicy.

Ans 4. The meat which allowed to rest after cooking will become more tender due to re-absorption of moisture and become juicy and good platable then the one which was not on rest. When meat is rested, it cools slightly and the muscle fibers relax slightly allowing some liquid / water to absorbed back into the fibers. If meat is sliced just after cooking then less tender cuts of meat will be produce since collagen protein dissolves in hot water while cooing.