Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 13:37
Because this is a project with various discussions, I'm going to ease up on "splitting topics" quite a bit. Unless one topic really disrupts the continuity of the discussion, I won't "split" it. However, please remember to post any material unrelated to Project B2 in the other forums on WD just as you normally would. Thanks folks, you are the best! I'm looking forward to our discussions and questions.
______________________
What Is Meat?
Amino Acids And Proteins
Have you ever wondered what meat is made of? To begin with, it`s about 75% water. Another 20% is made of biological molecules called proteins. And just what is a protein? Without being overly complicated in a sausage forum, let`s just say that when organic compounds made from "amines" and "carboxylic acid" are put together, "chains" of something called "amino acids" are formed and their sequence dictates how proteins are shaped into a three-dimensional structure. This "nucleotide sequence" of their genes results in "folding" and determines its activity. And what activity! These little guys called proteins, have a herculean task to perform. They catalyze metabolic reactions, replicate DNA, respond to stimuli, and transport molecules from one location to another.
Let`s go back to amino acids for just a moment. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen and there are only about 500 known "classifications" or groups called alpha, beta, gamma, or delta. Amino acid "chains" in the form of proteins, comprise the second largest component (after water) of human muscles, cells and other tissues. These are the basic molecules of living tissue; the building blocks of life - whether it`s in the deer you shoot, the cow you carve into steaks, or the hog you grind into sausage. Indeed, in the proteins of all mammals, amino acids perform critical roles in life processes such as neurotransmitter transport and biosynthesis.
Okay, that only adds up to about 95% you may say. Well, we still must account for fat, glycogen (glucose sugar) and vitamins and minerals. Varying greatly from animal to animal, the fat content is somewhere around 3%. The other components listed account for only about 1% each.
Now, we said meat is about 3/4 water. Does this pertain to fat also? No, fat contains only about ten to fifteen percent water. This explains why a mature cow, having more fat, has proportionally less water.
Change In Protein Structure At Morbidity
When I was young and crazy (instead of old and foolish), I took careful aim at a rack of antlers wearing a deer, and released the arrow. What a trophy! I could hardly wait to sink my teeth into a fresh deer steak. By the time I had field dressed the animal, cleaned up a little, and packed the deer out of the deep canyon I was in, several hours had gone by and I was hungry. I had dried food in my fanny pack but I wanted some real venison for dinner! My ol` Daddy had warned me many times about eating a freshly killed animal in the stages of post mortem rigor, but I was on my own this year and I wanted meat for an evening meal! I had heard all the jokes about rigor mortis and frankly, I just didn`t give the matter much thought. So, having packed that animal halfway out of Timber Canyon, I built a campfire and re-sharpened my 6" Randall. After a few coals had burned down to glowing embers, I laid a steak on them and sprinkled it with a little salt. Oh my goodness, that steak smelled good! It was marvelous. I must have had a smile stuck to my face all the way out of the canyon... right up until about the time I arrived at the ranch, quickening my step for the "comfort convenience"! Now, I`m not going to bother you with the "details" other than to mention I spent the best part of the next three days "reminiscing" whilst on the porcelain privy! I had learned one of life`s lessons the hard way. Man was not meant to consume flesh while it is yet in the state of rigor mortis.
In humans, following death, rigor mortis commences after about three hours, reaches maximum stiffness during the subsequent 12 hours, and gradually dissipates until approximately 48 to 60 hours after death. On the other hand, in the species Cervidae (deer), chemical changes occur as the heart stops, the flow of blood ceases, oxygen is no longer carried to the muscles, and the meat begins to stiffen as rigor mortis sets in. Its duration differs in various animals but in deer, the onset of rigor may require considerably more time - up to 24 hours - and its duration may be up to two weeks. During this "aging" period of time, the carcass is usually hung at a low temperature and a nice protective coating of flaky, white, penicillium nalgiovense mold (one of many genera of ascomyetous fungi), is most welcome. Deer hunters should note that the temperature of the meat before rigor mortis sets in should not drop below about 50° F., or the meat will become tough when later cooked. However, upon the onset of rigor and during the aging process, the carcass should be cooled and kept within the range of 30° - 40° F. It is important to note that during this "aging" period of rigor mortis, the meat should not be processed and consumed. Leave the stuff alone and go play golf until the meat surpasses the rigor mortis stage.
It is interesting to note that in her splendid wisdom, Mother Nature has allowed us a "quick processing" time period immediately following an animal`s death. If the preparation is done without delay following slaughter, the meat may be processed without complications. Indeed, in large commercial plants, slaughtering and processing take place within the same building or facility in very short time. Now you know why meat that we purchase in a supermarket has been "aged" by a commercial packing house.
Meat
Americans eat a tremendous amount of beef annually. In fact, if we lined up all the cattle Americans consume in merely one year, the line would encircle the earth 125 times! Yet, the fact remains; the bovine is one of the most inefficient animals on our planet, considering the expense of the amount of grain it requires to simply produce a pound of beef. So, why do we continue to support such an uneconomical menu item? The answer is simple... flavor! In the history of our wild-west, I suppose rustled or stolen beef always tasted better than the domestic stuff! However, if you intend to take up the life of a cattle-rustlin` outlaw , "swingin` a wide loop"; if you just can't help becoming the west`s next rustler, you'd better learn how to "speak the lingo" and develop a little knowledge regarding cattle and the basics of beef.
A cow is a female of the genus "Bos" from the Bovine family Bovidae, and there is a dynamic herd of about one and one third billion worldwide! A young cow, more than one year of age, is called a heifer until she gives birth to a calf in about nine months becoming a"fresh" cow with a ten-month milk supply, later becoming a "dry" cow. A bull is the reproductive male and a steer is a neutered male.
During the late 1700's, cross-breeders in England developed "polled" (born without horns) cows, and in the American west, the traditional Texas Longhorn was slowly replaced by English Hereford and Aberdeen Angus breeds. Ranchers found the Hereford to be a sturdy animal, able to survive extremely cold western winters. The once-popular Texas Longhorn not only grew more slowly than the English breeds, it was a leaner animal as well. Accordingly, by the 1920`s, the Longhorn had all but vanished from the range, as the marbled meat of the Angus became the preferred cut for the grill. However, at maturity, the Angus, like the Longhorn, was found to be slightly smaller than other breeds and ranchers began to crossbreed other cattle with it to produce larger offspring. Today, the meat of the Angus is very much in demand, but in the intermountain west, the Hereford, with it's red body and white face, chest, flanks, and lower legs, is the cattleman's favorite, being able to survive extreme weather and having more tolerance than other breeds.
Why did rustlers prefer cattle? The animal is easier to manage than hogs and sheep, making it the rustler's choice. The bovine is simply a tediously dull animal, lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind, and used to provide meat. Your horse Thunderbolt, will respond to its name - your cow Bossy, will not. That's alright buckaroos... quite often I don't even respond to my own name!
______________________
What Is Meat?
Amino Acids And Proteins
Have you ever wondered what meat is made of? To begin with, it`s about 75% water. Another 20% is made of biological molecules called proteins. And just what is a protein? Without being overly complicated in a sausage forum, let`s just say that when organic compounds made from "amines" and "carboxylic acid" are put together, "chains" of something called "amino acids" are formed and their sequence dictates how proteins are shaped into a three-dimensional structure. This "nucleotide sequence" of their genes results in "folding" and determines its activity. And what activity! These little guys called proteins, have a herculean task to perform. They catalyze metabolic reactions, replicate DNA, respond to stimuli, and transport molecules from one location to another.
Let`s go back to amino acids for just a moment. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen and there are only about 500 known "classifications" or groups called alpha, beta, gamma, or delta. Amino acid "chains" in the form of proteins, comprise the second largest component (after water) of human muscles, cells and other tissues. These are the basic molecules of living tissue; the building blocks of life - whether it`s in the deer you shoot, the cow you carve into steaks, or the hog you grind into sausage. Indeed, in the proteins of all mammals, amino acids perform critical roles in life processes such as neurotransmitter transport and biosynthesis.
Okay, that only adds up to about 95% you may say. Well, we still must account for fat, glycogen (glucose sugar) and vitamins and minerals. Varying greatly from animal to animal, the fat content is somewhere around 3%. The other components listed account for only about 1% each.
Now, we said meat is about 3/4 water. Does this pertain to fat also? No, fat contains only about ten to fifteen percent water. This explains why a mature cow, having more fat, has proportionally less water.
Change In Protein Structure At Morbidity
When I was young and crazy (instead of old and foolish), I took careful aim at a rack of antlers wearing a deer, and released the arrow. What a trophy! I could hardly wait to sink my teeth into a fresh deer steak. By the time I had field dressed the animal, cleaned up a little, and packed the deer out of the deep canyon I was in, several hours had gone by and I was hungry. I had dried food in my fanny pack but I wanted some real venison for dinner! My ol` Daddy had warned me many times about eating a freshly killed animal in the stages of post mortem rigor, but I was on my own this year and I wanted meat for an evening meal! I had heard all the jokes about rigor mortis and frankly, I just didn`t give the matter much thought. So, having packed that animal halfway out of Timber Canyon, I built a campfire and re-sharpened my 6" Randall. After a few coals had burned down to glowing embers, I laid a steak on them and sprinkled it with a little salt. Oh my goodness, that steak smelled good! It was marvelous. I must have had a smile stuck to my face all the way out of the canyon... right up until about the time I arrived at the ranch, quickening my step for the "comfort convenience"! Now, I`m not going to bother you with the "details" other than to mention I spent the best part of the next three days "reminiscing" whilst on the porcelain privy! I had learned one of life`s lessons the hard way. Man was not meant to consume flesh while it is yet in the state of rigor mortis.
In humans, following death, rigor mortis commences after about three hours, reaches maximum stiffness during the subsequent 12 hours, and gradually dissipates until approximately 48 to 60 hours after death. On the other hand, in the species Cervidae (deer), chemical changes occur as the heart stops, the flow of blood ceases, oxygen is no longer carried to the muscles, and the meat begins to stiffen as rigor mortis sets in. Its duration differs in various animals but in deer, the onset of rigor may require considerably more time - up to 24 hours - and its duration may be up to two weeks. During this "aging" period of time, the carcass is usually hung at a low temperature and a nice protective coating of flaky, white, penicillium nalgiovense mold (one of many genera of ascomyetous fungi), is most welcome. Deer hunters should note that the temperature of the meat before rigor mortis sets in should not drop below about 50° F., or the meat will become tough when later cooked. However, upon the onset of rigor and during the aging process, the carcass should be cooled and kept within the range of 30° - 40° F. It is important to note that during this "aging" period of rigor mortis, the meat should not be processed and consumed. Leave the stuff alone and go play golf until the meat surpasses the rigor mortis stage.
It is interesting to note that in her splendid wisdom, Mother Nature has allowed us a "quick processing" time period immediately following an animal`s death. If the preparation is done without delay following slaughter, the meat may be processed without complications. Indeed, in large commercial plants, slaughtering and processing take place within the same building or facility in very short time. Now you know why meat that we purchase in a supermarket has been "aged" by a commercial packing house.
Meat
Americans eat a tremendous amount of beef annually. In fact, if we lined up all the cattle Americans consume in merely one year, the line would encircle the earth 125 times! Yet, the fact remains; the bovine is one of the most inefficient animals on our planet, considering the expense of the amount of grain it requires to simply produce a pound of beef. So, why do we continue to support such an uneconomical menu item? The answer is simple... flavor! In the history of our wild-west, I suppose rustled or stolen beef always tasted better than the domestic stuff! However, if you intend to take up the life of a cattle-rustlin` outlaw , "swingin` a wide loop"; if you just can't help becoming the west`s next rustler, you'd better learn how to "speak the lingo" and develop a little knowledge regarding cattle and the basics of beef.
A cow is a female of the genus "Bos" from the Bovine family Bovidae, and there is a dynamic herd of about one and one third billion worldwide! A young cow, more than one year of age, is called a heifer until she gives birth to a calf in about nine months becoming a"fresh" cow with a ten-month milk supply, later becoming a "dry" cow. A bull is the reproductive male and a steer is a neutered male.
During the late 1700's, cross-breeders in England developed "polled" (born without horns) cows, and in the American west, the traditional Texas Longhorn was slowly replaced by English Hereford and Aberdeen Angus breeds. Ranchers found the Hereford to be a sturdy animal, able to survive extremely cold western winters. The once-popular Texas Longhorn not only grew more slowly than the English breeds, it was a leaner animal as well. Accordingly, by the 1920`s, the Longhorn had all but vanished from the range, as the marbled meat of the Angus became the preferred cut for the grill. However, at maturity, the Angus, like the Longhorn, was found to be slightly smaller than other breeds and ranchers began to crossbreed other cattle with it to produce larger offspring. Today, the meat of the Angus is very much in demand, but in the intermountain west, the Hereford, with it's red body and white face, chest, flanks, and lower legs, is the cattleman's favorite, being able to survive extreme weather and having more tolerance than other breeds.
Why did rustlers prefer cattle? The animal is easier to manage than hogs and sheep, making it the rustler's choice. The bovine is simply a tediously dull animal, lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind, and used to provide meat. Your horse Thunderbolt, will respond to its name - your cow Bossy, will not. That's alright buckaroos... quite often I don't even respond to my own name!