Discover the most common mistakes when cooking meat and learn how to avoid them
Good meat does not need too many complications, but how we cook it can make all the difference. Choosing the right cut, controlling the temperature and respecting cooking times are some of the factors that influence the final result.
At Ramaders Agrupats, we have put together a list of 7 common mistakes when cooking meat and how you can avoid them.
1. Not drying the meat before cooking it
If the surface of the meat is wet, it will be more difficult to achieve a good sear in the pan or on the griddle.
What to do: Gently pat the surface dry with kitchen paper just before cooking it.
2. Putting the meat in a cold pan
To cook meat on a griddle, the cooking surface needs to be sufficiently hot. This allows us to achieve good contact between the meat and the pan.
What to do: Preheat the pan before adding the meat.
3. Turning it constantly
Moving the meat continuously does not help achieve a good sear. The important thing is to let the heat work on each side.
What to do: Turn it when appropriate depending on the thickness of the piece and the level of doneness you are looking for.
4. Cutting it as soon as you take it off the heat
With thicker cuts, allowing the meat to rest for a few minutes after cooking helps it settle before being cut.
What to do: Let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving, especially when dealing with larger cuts.
5. Always salting it in the same way
Not all meats or recipes require the same treatment. Preparing a steak on the griddle is not the same as preparing a piece of meat for a stew.
What to do: Adapt the amount of salt and when you add it to the type of meat and the preparation.
6. Choosing a cut that does not suit the recipe
This is one of the mistakes when cooking meat that can have the greatest influence on the final result. Each cut has its own characteristics and is better suited to certain cooking methods.
What to do: Before buying meat, think about how you are going to cook it and choose a cut that is suitable for that recipe.
7. Overcooking it
Overcooking can affect the texture of the meat and make the final result drier.
What to do: Control the cooking time and temperature and take into account the type of cut you are cooking.
How to cook meat correctly: choose well and cook better
Avoiding mistakes when cooking meat does not mean making recipes more complicated. Often, a few simple steps are enough to improve the result. If you are not sure which meat to choose for a particular recipe, ask Ramaders Agrupats and we will help you, because knowing the product is the first step to cooking it well.
