10 Types of Meat and How to Cook Them Best

The Three Main Categories of Meat.

Although pescetarianism has become one of the most popular dietary choices, eating fish can technically be considered eating meat.

Here are the three main types of meat:

1. Red meat – beef, pork, goat and lamb meat.
2. Poultry or “white” meat – chicken, turkey, duck, etc.
3. Seafood – fish, as well as crustaceans (such as crab and lobster) and molluscs (such as mussels, oysters, sea scallops, etc.).

Is It Healthy to Eat Meat?

That depends on how much you eat.

Like most other foods, meat becomes unhealthy if you eat too much of it.

Red meat, containing saturated fat, is thought to increase the risk of heart disease if consumed in excess.

And industrially processed red meat (various types of convenience foods, bacon, sausages, etc.) is associated with an increased risk of cancer (WHO classifies it as a Group 1 carcinogen).

At the same time.

Animal meat has many benefits when consumed in moderation. The main benefit is, of course, protein, as well as essential amino acids and collagen. Most meat contains high levels of vitamins B12, B6 and K, as well as zinc and iron. The saturated fat content varies depending on the animal and the way it is reared, but is relatively low (especially in the meat of young animals).

In other words, if you want to eat healthier, choose beef and young cattle meat and avoid convenience foods, sausages, etc., which can be full of unhealthy chemicals (preservatives, colourings, flavour enhancers, etc.).

It’s best to buy fresh meat and cook it yourself – at least you’ll know you’re eating 😊.

Fish and other seafood are the healthiest type of meat because:

• They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (especially oily fish: salmon, trout, sardines…) which contribute to heart and brain health.
• They are low in saturated fat and high in vitamins D and B12.

Recently, the mercury content of some fish has raised concerns, although in most cases it is so low that it does not cause any health problems.

10 Types of Meat – Their Nutritional Benefits and How to Cook Them Best

1 Pork

Pork is one of the world’s most popular meats, rich in protein, vitamins B1 (thiamin), B6, B12, zinc and selenium.

The most popular pork dishes are:

• Meatballs and Cutlets.
• Pulled pork (BBQ, USA).
• Tonkatsu (Japan).
• Lechon (Spain, Philippines).
• Carnitas (Mexico).
• Char Siu (China).

How to Cook Tender and Juicy Pork?

The best methods for cooking pork are: grilling, roasting, braising and slow cooking (especially shoulder or belly):

1. Choose the right cut of meat. If you prefer tender, choose tenderloin or loin chops; if harder but more flavourful, shoulder, loin or ribs.
2. To retain moisture better, it is advisable to soak pork in salt water (½ cup salt + 4 cups water and optional sugar/herbs/spices) for 1-4 hours before cooking.
3. To ensure even cooking, allow the pork to stand (come to room temperature) for 20-30 minutes before cooking.
4. To tenderise the meat, use acidic marinades (citrus, vinegar, yoghurt, etc.), breaking down the fibres. Marinate for at least 3 hours, ideally 2 to 3 days.
5. Use salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika or marinades (with soy sauce, honey, citrus, etc.) to add flavour.
6. Rub the top of the meat with spices + a little sugar for a nice caramelisation.
7. If making a stew, to preserve the tenderness of the meat, slice the pork thinly and marinate it for 15 minutes in a baking soda-water solution (½ tsp per 1 lb / 500 g) and rinse before cooking.
8. Control the cooking temperature:
   1. Sear the chops, fillets and cutlets first on a hot griddle at high temperature (to form a crust) and then continue cooking in the oven at a lower temperature (325°F / 160°C) until done.
   2. Tougher cuts of meat (e.g. shoulder, ribs or belly) are best slow-cooked, stewed or smoked at low temperatures (200-275°F / 93-135°C) for 3-6 hours until tender and can be easily shredded with a fork;
   3. Pork chops can be safely cooked at 145°F / 63°C and then rested for ~3 minutes, pulled pork at 195-205°F / 90-96°C.
9. During cooking, spoon over the meat with melted butter, oil or pan juices from the meat.
10. Allow the pork to rest for 5-10 minutes (longer for large roasts) before carving to allow the juices to dissipate and the meat to become juicier.
11. For maximum tenderness, cut the meat perpendicular to the muscle fibres, especially in the case of chops or fillets.
12. Pork goes well with apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, pineapple, apple cider vinegar, mustard, lemon, lime, sage, rosemary, thyme, fennel, bay leaves, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and juniper berries.

2 Beef

In addition to protein, beef is rich in iron (haem iron), zinc, vitamin B12 and creatine. Grass-fed beef contains more omega-3 fatty acids.

The most popular beef dishes are:

• Beef stew (Beef Bourguignon in France);
• Kebab (Tacos al pastor in Mexico);
• Steak (from Ribeye or Sirloin);
• Bulgogi (Korea).

How to Cook Tender and Juicy Beef?

The best ways to cook beef are grilling (steaks), braising (ribs), stewing (chops) and slow cooking (for tougher cuts).

Cooking beef is similar to cooking pork, but there are some specific guidelines:

1. Filet mignon, ribeye, strip steak, sirloin, and tenderloin are more tender and cook faster. Chuck roast, brisket, short ribs, flank steak and skirt steak need longer cooking.
2. Beef tenderising methods:
   1. Mechanical tenderisation – with a meat mallet or by piercing with a fork or special device.
   2. Acidic marinades – use vinegar, citrus juice, yoghurt or wine (0.5-2 hours depending on the size of the pieces).
   3. Enzyme-based marinades – enzymes found in pineapple, papaya or kiwi can break down the fibres of meat. These enzymes work best at temperatures of 50-70 °C, but be careful – if you leave the meat under their influence for too long, they can destroy it.
3. Salt draws moisture out of meat, but if you salt it at least 40 minutes and ideally 24 hours before cooking, the juices will soak back in and you’ll get better flavour and texture. Steaks are best salted dry and stored open in the fridge.
4. To break down collagen (to soften the meat), use liquids – broth, wine, tomatoes, etc.
5. Roast steaks and other fast-cooking cuts of meat first at a high temperature to develop a crust and then continue cooking at a lower temperature. The temperature in the middle of the steak should be:
   1. Rare: 120-125°F / 49-52°C.
   2. Medium-rare: 130-135°F / 54-57°C (ideally tender).
   3. Medium: 140-145°F / 60-63°C.
   4. Well done: The Beef dries out and becomes tough.
   5. Remember that meat continues cooking even after you have removed it from the heat, so it should be removed from the heat shortly before it reaches the specified temperature.
6. For tougher cuts of meat, slow cooking, braising, baking, or smoking is the most appropriate cooking method. Cook at 275-325 °F / 135-163 °C until the meat is soft – the temperature in the middle of the piece reaches 195-205 °F / 90-96 °C.
7. Beef goes well with butter sauce, garlic, thyme and rosemary.

3 Lamb

Lamb is obtained from sheep up to one year of age.

Lamb is considered one of the healthiest meats with good nutritional value. Lamb is high in iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, a healthy fat).

In lamb fat, saturated and monounsaturated fats are present in roughly equal proportions, and the predominant fatty acid is oleic acid, the main component of olive oil fat as well.

Lamb also has a much higher amount of omega-3 compared to most other meats.

The most popular lamb dishes are:

• Lamb chops.
• Braised lamb.
• Shashlik (Georgia, Armenia).
• Roast lamb with rosemary (UK).
• Lechazo (Spain).
• Abbacchio (Italy).
• Moussaka (Greece).
• Rogan Josh (India).

How to Cook Tender and Juicy Lamb?

1. The loin and legs (without bone) are the most tender and the quickest to cook. Shoulder, shanks, neck and brisket tend to cook more slowly.
2. The best ways to cook lamb:

3. Lamb has a strong flavour, so it goes well with strong spices: garlic, rosemary, thyme, cumin, mint, oregano, lemon, etc.
4. The temperature in the middle of the cut:
   1. Medium-rare: 130-135°F / 54-57°C.
   2. Medium: 135-145°F / 57-63°C.
   3. Well-done: 150°F+ / 66°C+, but not recommended as lamb is easy to overcook and can become tough.
5. When pan frying, do not put too much meat in the pan as this can cause too much juice to run out and you will be stewing the meat rather than frying it. This will result in a poorer flavour and a rubberier texture.

4 Goat

The slightly firm muscle structure of goat meat is suitable for various types of stews, where slow cooking at low temperatures is best for breaking down fat and flavouring the meat.

Goat meat is low in saturated fat and high in protein, iron and potassium.

The most popular goat meat dishes are:

• Goat Curry (Malaysia, Indonesia, Caribbean).
• Rogan Josh (Kashmir, India, Pakistan).
• Birria (Mexico, Spain).
• Asun (Nigeria).
• Goat Biryani (India, Pakistan).
• Aloo gosht (India, Pakistan).
• Khoresh bademjan (Iran).

How to Cook Tender and Juicy Goat Meat?

Goat meat has a firm texture and is therefore not suitable for quick cooking. To make goat meat tender, it should be cooked slowly (various types of stews and curries).

1. The best ways to cook goat meat:
   1. Shoulder, neck, legs, shanks – slow cooking.
   2. Ribs and chops – grill or fry, but marinate thoroughly beforehand.
   3. Avoid lean goat meat as it dries out quickly.
2. When cooking goat meat, the focus should be on pre-cooking:
   1. To reduce gaminess, soak it for at least 2 hours in an acidified water solution before cooking (2 tbsp. vinegar/lemon juice per 1 litre of water).
   2. Marinate overnight (or longer). Use yoghurt, lime/lemon juice, garlic, ginger and spices (cumin, coriander, paprika) to marinate.
   3. For a deeper flavour, salt 12-24 hours before cooking.
3. Cook slowly and at a low temperature:
   1. Stew at 320°F / 160°C for 3-4 hours in liquid (broth, coconut milk, tomato juice, etc.) until meat is tender and can be easily separated with a fork (in a pressure cooker, cooking time can be reduced to 45-60 minutes).
   2. When grilling or roasting, medium-rare is when the temperature in the middle of a piece of meat reaches 145-150°F / 63-65°C. Overcooked goat meat becomes dry and tough.
4. Goat meat goes well with cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and turmeric. To enhance the flavour, drizzle the meat with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar at the end of cooking.
5. When preparing the curry, fry the spices in oil first to get a deeper flavour. Use coconut milk for creaminess.
6. Before grilling goat meat, first partially cook it in a broth with seasoning.

5 Chicken

Chicken is high in protein, selenium, vitamins B3 (niacin), B6 and B12 and low in fat. Boneless, skinless chicken breast is one of the few meats that does not contain saturated fat. Fried chicken is one of life’s simplest and most affordable pleasures 😊.

The most popular chicken dishes are:

• Fried chicken, grilled chicken wings, nuggets.
• Murgh Makhani (India).
• General Tso’s chicken (China).
• Chicken Pad Thai (Thailand);
• Coq au Vin (France).
• Chicken Katsu (Japan).
• Galinhada (Brazil).
• Chicken Souvlaki (Greece).
• Tinga de Pollo (Mexico).
• Chicken Tagine (Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt).

How to cook tender and juicy chicken?

Chicken is very easy to cook and goes well with a variety of flavours, from mild to spicy and piquant.

However, it is easy to overcook it, and then it becomes dry (especially white meat/breast).

The most suitable cooking methods for chicken are:

1. Breast, drumsticks with bone, wings – sear quickly in a pan at high temperature and finish cooking in the oven at a lower temperature. If you want crispy skin, fry at 425 °F / 220 °C, if you want juicier meat 350 °F / 175 °C.
2. Breast (for adding to salads) – stew in broth or salted water at a low temperature. For maximum tenderness, keep the liquid just below the boiling point ~165°F / 74°C.
3. Hams, drumsticks – braise in aromatic broth or coconut milk.
4. Hams, drumsticks and wings can also be cooked perfectly in an Air Fryer. For a crispy crust, dry the meat well and lightly spray with oil before placing it in the Air Fryer.
5. Thighs, wings and nuggets are often prepared by deep-frying (with or without breading) – delicious but unhealthy (too many calories, high levels of LDL cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease).
6. Thinly sliced chicken is best stir-fried in a little oil at high temperature. It is important to slice the meat evenly and not overcrowd the pan.

Is it better to cook chicken with or without the skin?

• When frying or grilling with the skin on, it adds flavour, the meat contains more fat, and the skin also protects the meat from drying out.

On the other hand.

• Cooking without the skin means less fat in the meat, but you need to take more care with it as it is easier to overcook (especially fillets, which dry out quickly).

6 Turkey

Turkey meat is rich in protein, tryptophan (the substance from which serotonin, the “happiness hormone”, is made), B vitamins and selenium.

The most popular turkey dishes are:

• Soups, stews and curries with turkey meat.
• Turkey roast (USA, Canada).
• Turkey sandwiches (USA).
• Turkey Pot Pie (USA, UK).
• Turkey Taco (Mexico, USA).
• Turkey Kofta (Turkey).
• Turkey Kavurma (Turkey).
• Dinde aux marrons (France).

How to cook a tender and juicy turkey?

Turkey meat is tender but challenging to cook, as it can quickly become dry (particularly the breast).

1. To retain moisture and improve the flavour of the meat, soak it in salted water for 8-24 hours before cooking. To enhance the flavours of the meat, add herbs, citrus fruits, sugar, garlic…
2. Marinate turkey breasts or thighs for a few hours in oil + acid (lemon, vinegar, yoghurt) + spices (acid makes the meat more tender, fat helps retain moisture).
3. To achieve tender and juicy turkey meat, temperature is crucial. In the middle of a ready piece of meat, it should be:
   1. For white meat (breast): 160-165 °F / 71-74 °C.
   2. For dark meat (thighs/hams): 170-175 °F / 77-80 °C.
   3. Remember that meat continues to cook even when resting, so finish cooking a few degrees below the recommended temperature.
4. To retain moisture and get a crispy skin, coat the meat with butter before baking (if baking a turkey with skin, rub butter under the skin) and sprinkle with pan juices or oil while baking (but not too often to retain the crispy skin).
5. After cooking, let the turkey rest for 15-30 minutes (if the whole bird is cooked) or 5-10 minutes (if cut into pieces). Resting allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, and it becomes more succulent.
6. To maximise the tenderness of turkey meat (especially thighs and shanks), use wet cooking methods like stewing (in stock, wine, gravy), steaming, slow cooking and cooking in a pressure cooker.
7. Turkey pairs well with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, cinnamon, nutmeg, smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander, especially with grilled turkey.

7 Duck

Duck meat has more fat (between the skin and the flesh) than other bird meat and is rich in iron, B vitamins and selenium.

Generally, the breast and legs of the bird are cooked, while the liver is used for foie gras.

The most popular duck meat dishes are:

Roast or grilled breast.

Peking duck (China).

Duck à l’orange (France).

Duck Confit (France).

Bebek Betutu (Bali).

Roast duck with red cabbage (Germany).

Red curry (Thailand).

Bigoli col’Anatra (Italy).

Duck breast in cherry sauce.

How to cook tender and juicy duck?

Duck meat is juicy, flavourful and fatty, and its characteristics are very different from chicken or turkey – it is red meat, not white (even the breast has a soft pink colour).

Compared to other bird meats, duck meat contains more fat (especially under the skin), which melts during roasting and gives the meat a rich flavour and crispness.

Cooking duck breast is more like cooking a steak than a chicken breast.

Duck legs are firmer and are best cooked at a low temperature and slowly, e.g. in confit or stew.

1. For golden, crispy skin and juicy meat, gently cut the skin crosswise (be careful not to cut into the meat). Place the breast skin side down in a cold, dry frying pan and fry over a medium heat to release the fat slowly.
2. The ideal degree of doneness is Medium-Rare to Medium (temperature in the middle of the breast is 130-140°F / 55-60°C and the meat is still slightly pink in the middle). Overcooked duck breast is dry and tough.
3. Let the breast rest for ~10 minutes before slicing.

4. Duck legs are firmer/tougher and therefore need to be cooked slowly and at a low temperature to allow the collagen to break down. The best methods are:
   1. Stewing – in wine, broth or orange juice with herbs/spices.
   2. Slow cooking in duck fat until the meat is tender.
   3. Cooking time ~2-3 hours (to a consistency where the meat separates easily from the bone).

5. Save the duck fat and use it for frying eggs or potatoes (for crispiness and rich flavour), sautéing vegetables, etc.
6. Duck goes well with mushrooms, lentils and root vegetables, oranges, cherries, plums, and fig sauce. The most suitable spices are thyme, rosemary, star anise, and Chinese five-spice powder.

8 Rabbit

Rabbit meat is particularly popular in France and the United Kingdom. It is very lean, high in protein, vitamin B12 and iron. It is also relatively low in calories, given its protein content. Traditionally, rabbit meat is prepared stewed or roasted.

The most popular rabbit dishes are:

• Rabbit stew (Malta, Italy, France);
• Rabbit pie (UK);
• Rabbit ragù (Italy);
• Hasenpfeffer (Germany);
• Stuffat tal-Fenek (Malta);
• Rabbit Stifado (Greece);
• Lapin à la moutarde (France);
• Conejo al Ajillo (Spain);
• Rabbit curry (India).

How to cook tender and juicy rabbit?

Rabbit meat is low in fat and therefore becomes dry quickly.

The most tender rabbit meat is in the “waist”/thigh area – it can be both baked and grilled. Leg meat is tougher and therefore more suited to sautéing or slow cooking.

Rabbit liver and kidneys are good in pates and stews.

1. Methods of tenderising rabbit meat:
   1. Soak lean cuts in salted water for 2-4 hours (1/4 cup salt + 4 cups water + herbs).
   2. To add fat, lean cuts may be wrapped in lard or pancetta.
   3. Use acidic ingredients (wine, vinegar, yoghurt + olive oil) for marinating. Marinate for 2-12 hours.
2. Best preparation methods:

3. When frying rabbit, always dry it first and fry at a high temperature until a brown crust forms.
4. Use the bones to make broths or risotto.
5. Rabbit meat goes well with root vegetables, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, lentils, bulgur, quinoa, polenta, caramelised pears, celery root puree, etc. Garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, juniper berries, paprika, mustard and white wine are the most suitable spices.

9 Seafood

Seafood is a very popular and broad category, including everything from fish to crustaceans to shellfish. The nutritional value of seafood is very diverse and varies depending on the type and species. Seafood is generally considered to be the best source of protein, as it is naturally low in saturated fat and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Seafood is usually also high in vitamin D and iodine.

The most popular seafood dishes are:

• Grilled or baked salmon.
• Fish and Chips (UK).
• Ceviche (Latin America).
• Tuna Tataki (Japan).
• Gambas al ajillo (Spain).
• Shrimp and Grits (USA).
• Ebi tempura (Japan).
• Lobster Thermidor (France).
• Crab cake (USA).
• Làjiāo pángxiè (Malaysia, Singapore).
• Calamari Fritti (Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey).
• Pulpo a la Gallega (Spain).
• Oysters Rockefeller (USA).
• Moules Marinières (France).
• Paella de Mariscos (Spain).
• Bouillabaisse (France).

How to cook seafood?

1. Fish (fillets or whole) is best when baked, grilled or steamed:
   1. Do not overcook. The fish is ready when it splits easily (you can check by lightly pressing) and is slightly smoky inside. For moist fish such as salmon, the doneness temperature is ~125°F / 52°C.
   2. If you want crispy skin, drain the fish before cooking and fry skin-side down at high temperature in a little oil.
   3. Salt just before cooking (salt removes moisture; if added too early, the fish may become dry).
   4. When frying or steaming whole fish, add flavourings (place inside the belly of the fish or next to it in the pan). Fish goes well with lemon, dill, parsley, butter, capers, garlic and white wine.
2. Shrimps are best baked, grilled or steamed:
   1. Cook shrimps quickly – only 1-2 minutes on each side. As soon as they turn pink and curve into a ‘C’ shape, they are ready. If they curl into an ‘O’ shape, they are overcooked.
   2. For a juicier texture, soak them in salt water for 15-30 minutes before cooking.
   3. Unpeeled prawns remain moister/juicier, but peeled prawns absorb flavour better in stir-fries and pastas.
   4. Shrimps pair well with garlic, chilli, lime, butter, Old Bay, white wine, and coconut milk.
3. Octopuses are best grilled, stewed, steamed or marinated (only very fresh octopus is recommended for marinating):
   1. Prepare the octopus either very quickly (literally a few minutes in a large quantity of boiling water) or for a long time – boil/sauté for 40 minutes or more. It is difficult to ‘catch’ the doneness when cooked quickly, and they become tough. Then there’s nothing to do but switch to cooking them slowly 😊.
   2. Soften the octopus meat before cooking, either by freezing it first (to help break down the fibres) or by gently pounding it with a mallet.
   3. If you want to fry or grill the octopus, sauté or cook it first to get tenderness. Sauté it for ~45-90 minutes and then quickly fry at high temperature to get a crispy crust and flavour.
   4. Add a little wine to the boiling water (wine enzymes can help tenderise octopus meat).
   5. Do not boil too rapidly/at high temperatures – octopus meat can ‘curl’ and become rubbery.
   6. Octopus goes well with olive oil, lemon, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, vinegar and grilled vegetables.
4. Mussels (and other shellfish) are best steamed and stewed:
   1. Clean mussels before cooking. Throw away any that are open and do not close when touched.
   2. Steam/sauté in a closed pot in a small amount of wine or broth for ~5-7 minutes until they open. Do not overcook – they quickly become dry and hard.
   3. If you serve the cooking liquid as broth, be sure to strain it through a sieve (to remove the shell pieces).
   4. Mussels go well with white wine, garlic, shallots, parsley, cream, tomatoes, chorizo and saffron.

10 Game meat

This category includes everything from pheasant and venison to wild boar, hare, etc. These meats are generally quite lean, as the animals move around a lot and eat a varied, natural diet. Game meat is one of the more expensive foods.

The most popular game meat dishes are:

• Various stews.
• Goulash.
• Elk burgers.
• Venison Wellington (UK).
• Coq au vin with game meat (France).
• Pappardelle al cinghiale (Italy).
• Civet de sanglier (France).
• Coniglio alla Cacciatora (Italy).

How to cook tender and juicy game meat?

Game meat is usually very lean and has a firm, muscular structure, so the most suitable cooking methods are braising and slow cooking.

Pre-treatment is essential when cooking game meat.

1. Always defrost game meat slowly in the fridge – rapid defrosting (e.g. in water or the microwave) can spoil the texture of the meat.
2. To tenderise game meat, it is recommended to “age” it first by hanging it in a cool place, for example, in a cellar, for 7-10 days.
3. To tenderise meat and balance flavours:
   1. Rub the dry brine with a seasoning mix (e.g. a teaspoon of salt per kg + herbs/spices (juniper, thyme)) into the meat and leave for 12-48 hours.
   2. Marinate the tough cuts in a red wine, vinegar or buttermilk/kefir marinade for 4-24 hours.
   3. Marinate (ferment) rabbit meat in pineapple or papaya puree for ~1 hour.
   4. Wrap lean cuts with bacon before roasting.
4. To reduce the “forest flavour”:
   1. Soak the meat in milk for 2-4 hours.
   2. Boil in a water-vinegar solution for ~5 minutes before cooking.
5. Game meat goes well with blackberries, figs, cherries, apples, juniper berries, allspice, smoked paprika, star anise, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, thyme, mushrooms, soy sauce, anchovies and Worcestershire sauce.

Key takeaways

Cooking meat is as much an art as a science, and each cooking method produces a different texture and flavour.

As you have seen, temperature plays a crucial role, both during cooking and in determining the degree of doneness.

Therefore.

If you want to achieve the perfect result, buy a food thermometer.

And.

Don’t be afraid to experiment – only by trying/combining different cooking methods, products and spices can you perfect your culinary skills, discover the wide world of meat flavours and textures and create dishes that not only fill you up, but are also memorable.

Remember:

• Every type and cut of meat has better and less suitable cooking methods.
• If you roast or grill meat, allow it to rest after cooking. Then it will stay more tender and juicier;
• Experiment with spices – pepper, garlic, rosemary, etc., can complement any dish.

Eat tasty, eat balanced, move and – be healthy!