Introduction to Meat

White Meat, Red Meat, and Game Meat

Meat is a form of food to us from animal flesh. In general, meat is considered a protein source, but it is also composed of water and fats. During prehistoric times, meat is consumed raw, but today it is usually eaten after it is cooked with delicate culinary techniques and skills (Learn some meat cooking tips here). The consumption of meat has been increasing rapidly since the early 1900s that lead to the commercialization of meat with aid from the slaughterhouse.

Meat is consumption greatly depends on the local culture, religion as well as economic conditions.

Meat is categorized into 3 different categories;

• White meat
• Red meat
• Game meat

White Meat

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Also known as light meat, it refers to light-colored meat. Some good examples are poultry (breast), pork, white fish, veal, rabbit, etc. There are two types of meat within poultry – white and red. White meal of poultry can be found in the breast part, where the red meat of poultry is within the legs because red meat is generally muscle part that does the endurance activities which contain more myoglobin that is used to transport oxygen in the bloodstream. A white meal is also an excellent source of protein.

Red Meat

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As the term speaks for itself, it is red when raw but dark when cooked. Beef, lamb, mutton, bison, etc are some good examples of red meat. Red meat contains more myoglobin than white meat. Generally, meat is a good source of protein but red meat provides extra goodness of iron, creatine, minerals such as zinc and phosphorus, and B-vitamins. Red meat also has a higher percentage of fats compared to white meat, hence the scientific studies that always relate to eating steak with cholesterol issues.

Game Meat

Is referred to any type of meat that is hunted for food. The type of game meat greatly varies in different regions of the world. Besides climate, culture, local taste, and animal diversity, a local legal hunting license is also required for the hunting of game meat as these animals are greatly endangered. Cooking game meat will require a better understanding of the culinary technique as the meat are usually much tougher and the meat scent are much denser compare to commercial meat. However, learning to cook game meat from the local cook will definitely enhance the culinary experience that you could never learn anywhere from a book.

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