Correct preparation of meat and fish should be regular step for any cook. Basically, preparation starts with a thorough rinsing followed by the removal of unwanted parts to the portioning of the meat and fish (the exception to these rules would be ground meat). The major focus of this section is to explain the basic methods on already cut portions.
Tom the Chef FounderRinse (wash) the meat under cold running water from all sides for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to make sure that the meat is cleaned.
Gently scrub the meat with your hands while rinsing (do not use any sponges or other tools).
Then place on a paper towel to dry.
Unwanted parts mean excess fat, membranes, skin, bones, and cartilage.
For this process you should use a knife which feels right for this operation.
Officially the recommendation is to use a butcher’s knife for removing unwanted parts and portioning, but I have no problem performing this task with my chef’s knife.
For removing the bones, it is best to use a boning knife, but you will be able to perform these tasks with a small paring knife.
Essentially every piece of meat will have excessive fat (more or less), but some cuts will also have cartilage, membranes, skin and/or bones as well.
Fat:
Excessive fat can be removed partially or fully based on your flavor preference.
Some people enjoy a fattier taste and others prefer a lean cut.
I personally appreciate something in the middle when the cut of meat releases the fat during cooking. But I also don’t enjoy a too fatty taste since I find that it can be too overpowering.
Meat should always be bought based on the amount of fat content you want to actually eat. For example, pork belly, pork ribs, or ribeye steak are meant to be served with their fat and is virtually impossible to cut the fat off.
Membrane:
The membrane is usually not present on already portioned meat from the supermarket, but if it is present it should always be removed (with the exception of ribs).
The membrane looks similar to the fat layer but is shinier and more compact.
Cut it off the same way that you would cut the fat off.
If you bought a large piece of meat to be cut into portions (for example, a loin), the membrane will most likely be present on one side. In this case, carefully release it (cut under it) with a knife on one side and then pull it off.
The exception to this is pork ribs: the membrane on the ribs will help you to hold the ribs together during grilling without adding a bad texture to the final product and should not be removed.
Skin:
Most meat comes portioned without skin.
To make your life easier, buy meat without skin if you don’t plan to cook it with the skin.
Keeping the skin on the meat is optional. If well prepared, it can be partially crispy and also give the meat a nice extra dimension and texture. On the other hand, it also is a source of fat, which some might not want.
Skin on poultry could simply be pulled off with your hands with minimum cutting involved.
Skin on other kinds of meat can simply be cut off with a knife.
Bones and Cartilage:
Meat with bones usually have some amount of cartilage as well. Cartilage without bone will rarely be present, and if so, it could be a sign of bad quality meat.
Keeping the bones in the meat is optional as well.
Meat prepared with the bone is popular with many people because it helps emphasize the natural taste of the meat.
At the same time, the hassle of consuming meat with the bone is not always welcomed by others.
Remove the bones using a boning knife or a small paring knife. Cut along the length of the bone and then pull the bone out.
To make your life easier, buy meat with bones only if you intend to cook it with bones. There are cuts of meat which are meant to be prepared with bone (for example, pork ribs).
Do not throw away scraps after meat preparation. Collect them (place into a freezer bag and freeze), and when you have enough, you will have a good base for your broth. Or do you have a dog? Boil them in water (except for the bones), finely chop, and then make your “best friend” happy.
To avoid this step, you can buy meat already portioned, but buying a larger piece which needs to be cut into single portions, can save you some money.
Portioning can be performed with a butcher’s knife (alternatively use a chef’s knife), or filleting can be done with a fillet knife (long and flexible).
Portioning a large piece of meat into single portions (steaks) should be done against the grain.
Fish preparation is a complex topic. In the following section I will bring you the basic information how to treat fish fillets which are deboned.
Removing the skin on a fish is optional. Fish are considered delicate, so I would always suggest scoring (perform a cut on the top of the skin) instead of removing it, then proceed to cooking.
To remove the skin from a fish fillet, you will need a sharp and flexible long knife (fillet knife).
Place the fish fillet on a cutting board and gently press the top with your left hand (point all fingers up).
Carefully cut the skin off lengthwise while trying to keep the knife as low as possible (right above the skin).
Smaller fillets or pieces of fish will make removal of the skin easier.
While this process is perfectly manageable, for anyone to reach perfection it requires practice.
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