Just ran across this paper. They are using a set of techniques called ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS), near-infrared (NIR), and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy to detect ground beef that has been adulterated with turkey meat. The three techniques here apply the same principle, except that each one of them detects different range of the electromagnetic spectrum (based on their names). It caught my eye because I'm familiar with this technique, but done on thin films of material that I was studying.
In a few of the thin films, the technique can be used to study both the reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy. I believe in this study, they obviously can only use the reflectance mode because they're sticking the probe right against the ground meat, so there isn't any transmitted spectrum to look at.
I must admit that in looking at the raw spectra that are shown in Fig. 1, I was expecting a distinct set of peaks for pure beef and another set for pure turkey. Yet, all the spectra appear to show the same peaks, only with different intensities. So obviously, detecting turkey in a sample can only be done upon subsequent analysis of the data.
Hey, it's something you can read to put you to sleep at night! :)
Zz.
Showing posts with label Meat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meat. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Friday, February 9, 2018
Dog Meat In Spotlight During 2018 Winter Olympics In South Korea
The issue of dog meat trade and consumption come under international spotlight with the upcoming Winter Olympics in S. Korea.
First of all there are two separate issues here in that paragraph. The first is the cruel treatment of dogs. It doesn't matter whether the dogs are for pets or food. Cruel treatment of them is not OK. And it also doesn't matter if they are dogs, cats, cows, lamb, chickens, etc. The standard is the same. So protest against the cruel treatment has nothing to do with the animals being dogs.
The second issue is more important, i.e. the disgust certain people have with the consumption of dog meat. This is also true on why here in the US, we can't eat horse meat. People associate dogs with pets, cuddly and lovable, and thus, such animals should not be eaten.
This is what I have a problem with, because we seem to forget that (i) many cultures and religions do not allow eating ANY type of meat and consider these animals' lives to be of value, (ii) in Hinduism, a cow is a sacred animal. Yet, we disrespect Hindus by not only killing these animals, but also eating them, and eating them in massive quantities!
So which is worse? Killing and eating animals that someone considers as a pet, or killing and eating animals that someone considers as sacred, to be worshipped?
We seem to be quick in finding what is wrong with someone else, without realizing that someone else also finds a lot of things wrong with what we do. If we wish to impose our standards and moral high ground on others, then why aren't we letting someone else's standards and moral grounds on us? Isn't that only fair?
You don't want to eat a dog and find it disgusting. Fine. Someone else finds your consumption of a cow equally disgusting. You find a Guinea pig to be cuddly pet, yet it is historically an important food source for the people in Peru and Chile.
So before you think of calling the kettle black.....
Zz.
Around 2 million dogs each year are bred on dog meat farms for human consumption in South Korea, according to the Associated Press. They are often raised in cruel conditions, beaten or left without food before they are slaughtered. It’s a practice deeply ingrained in South Korean culture, with many believing that eating dog meat increases virility and energy.
First of all there are two separate issues here in that paragraph. The first is the cruel treatment of dogs. It doesn't matter whether the dogs are for pets or food. Cruel treatment of them is not OK. And it also doesn't matter if they are dogs, cats, cows, lamb, chickens, etc. The standard is the same. So protest against the cruel treatment has nothing to do with the animals being dogs.
The second issue is more important, i.e. the disgust certain people have with the consumption of dog meat. This is also true on why here in the US, we can't eat horse meat. People associate dogs with pets, cuddly and lovable, and thus, such animals should not be eaten.
This is what I have a problem with, because we seem to forget that (i) many cultures and religions do not allow eating ANY type of meat and consider these animals' lives to be of value, (ii) in Hinduism, a cow is a sacred animal. Yet, we disrespect Hindus by not only killing these animals, but also eating them, and eating them in massive quantities!
So which is worse? Killing and eating animals that someone considers as a pet, or killing and eating animals that someone considers as sacred, to be worshipped?
We seem to be quick in finding what is wrong with someone else, without realizing that someone else also finds a lot of things wrong with what we do. If we wish to impose our standards and moral high ground on others, then why aren't we letting someone else's standards and moral grounds on us? Isn't that only fair?
You don't want to eat a dog and find it disgusting. Fine. Someone else finds your consumption of a cow equally disgusting. You find a Guinea pig to be cuddly pet, yet it is historically an important food source for the people in Peru and Chile.
So before you think of calling the kettle black.....
Zz.
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Lamb Chops For Monday Night Dinner?
Why not?
I roasted a rack of lamb, rubbed with salt, pepper, and cumin. I served it with English peas, oven-roasted potatoes with Rosemary, and served the lamb chops with Chimichurri.
It was a very satisfying Monday-night dinner, especially when it was cold and snowy outside.
Zz.
I roasted a rack of lamb, rubbed with salt, pepper, and cumin. I served it with English peas, oven-roasted potatoes with Rosemary, and served the lamb chops with Chimichurri.
It was a very satisfying Monday-night dinner, especially when it was cold and snowy outside.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Steak Dinner At Home
We don't often have steaks at home, but when we do, it's nice to do something really good.
I cooked this one on a pan after applying a kosher salt/black pepper/coriander rub on it. Then I made a pan sauce by frying onions until they are soft, adding some flour in the pan, and then adding milk to make the pan gravy. Salt and pepper to taste.
I also sauteed shallots, onions, and fresh green beans for the veggie side dish. As a bonus, I baked a couple of Trader Joe's hashbrowns.
It was a delicious Friday-night meal!
Zz.
I cooked this one on a pan after applying a kosher salt/black pepper/coriander rub on it. Then I made a pan sauce by frying onions until they are soft, adding some flour in the pan, and then adding milk to make the pan gravy. Salt and pepper to taste.
I also sauteed shallots, onions, and fresh green beans for the veggie side dish. As a bonus, I baked a couple of Trader Joe's hashbrowns.
It was a delicious Friday-night meal!
Zz.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Malaysian Satay
Satay is a rather common menu items at Thai restaurants here in the US. And unfortunately, it has been thought of as being a "Thai food" when in reality, satay is a common and popular item throughout South East Asia. Each country and each region has its own version of this food, and the variation can be significant.
Having sampled many different types of satay throughout the region, I'd say that my most favorite satay is the Malaysian/Indonesian satay. While the satay you find in most Thai restaurant are flavored with nothing more than just turmeric, Malaysian satay has a lot more species, herbs, and flavors. This includes the peanut satay sauce that accompanies the satay. The flavor is significantly more complex and interesting.
Having moaned to my friends about the satay that we often got at Thai restaurants, I decided to put my money where my mouth was and actually made Malaysian satay at home and invited many of my friends to sample it. I basically started with a basic recipe, and then I adjusted it until the flavor that I get matched what I remember how it should be. Making satay at home isn't easy, and it is tedious. Satay is often eaten at food stalls or restaurants because of this. This is very seldom done at home. So I certainly was aware of what I was undertaking.
First, let me give you the basic recipe that I used to make satay. The meat used in the recipe is chicken (boneless dark meat) or beef (flank steak). But in Malaysia/Indonesia, you may find tripe, chicken liver, beef liver, etc. skewered as the satay meat.
Satay Recipe
2 boneless chicken thighs and 2 boneless chicken legs, cut into half-inch pieces. If using flank steaks, cut into thin strips (no more than 1/4 inch) about 3/4 inch long
5 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric power
Satay Spice Paste
6 shallots
3 stalks lemongrass
1 inch galangal root
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons oil
Toast coriander and cumin seeds in a pan until fragrant. Combine all the ingredients for the Spice Paste into a blender or food processor and process until you get a fine paste. Add more oil if necessary to get a smooth paste.
Combine the Spice Paste with the chicken pieces, sugar, salt, and turmeric. Mix thoroughly. Let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Satay Sauce
2 cups dry roasted peanuts, skinned (may substitute with 2 cups of chunky peanut butter)
1/3 cup oil
1 heaping tablespoon tamarind paste, soaked in 1 cup warm water.
1 cup water
4 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Satay Sauce Spice Paste
1 dried ancho pepper, soaked in warm water until soft
6 cloves of garlic
3 shalots
4 stalks lemongrass
1 inch galangal root
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
Toast coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant. If using dry roasted peanuts, chopped in food processor coarsely and set aside.
Blend Satay Sauce Spice Paste ingredients in a food process until smooth. Add cooking oil if necessary to obtain a smooth paste.
Heat oil and fry spice paste. Once fragrant, add tamarind water, water, sugar, salt, and peanut/peanut butter. Slowly simmer for about 15 minutes. Set aside and serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Back to the satay. The next day, thread 4-5 pieces of meat per skewer.
In preparation for grilling, pour a cup of cooking oil into a bowel. Use another stalk of lemongrass, and lightly bruise the stalk end. Dip this end into the oil and let it steep for 1/2 hour. This will be the basting brush.
Grill the satay skewers over coal or on a grill at high heat. Brush the meat with the oil-infused lemongrass. Flank steaks should take no more than one minute on each side, while chicken may take 1-2 minutes per side, depending on how thick the pieces are. There should be slight charring of the meat for flavor.
Serve with satay sauce, sliced cucumbers, and red onions.
So, want to see what I did and how my satay party turned out?
These are the coriander and cumin seeds being dry toasted in a pan.
Preparing the satay spice paste. I couldn't find galangal root, so I substitute ginger root instead.
Frying the spice paste for the peanut sauce. I was making a large amount.
The lemongrass basting brush soaking in oil.
Grilling the satay. I made both chicken and beef.
Malaysian satay is served. I also made "pressed rice" to serve with the satay and peanut sauce, along with the sliced cucumber and red onions. Traditionally, the rice is "ketupat", which is rice cooked in a weaved basket made of coconut leaves. But hey, I can only do so much!
It was yummy, if I may say so myself, and it was definitely a success. I managed to give an idea to my friends what "satay" is supposed to taste like, at least from what I remember.
I may have to do this again next summer if I can find people to help me skewer the meat.
Zz.
Having sampled many different types of satay throughout the region, I'd say that my most favorite satay is the Malaysian/Indonesian satay. While the satay you find in most Thai restaurant are flavored with nothing more than just turmeric, Malaysian satay has a lot more species, herbs, and flavors. This includes the peanut satay sauce that accompanies the satay. The flavor is significantly more complex and interesting.
Having moaned to my friends about the satay that we often got at Thai restaurants, I decided to put my money where my mouth was and actually made Malaysian satay at home and invited many of my friends to sample it. I basically started with a basic recipe, and then I adjusted it until the flavor that I get matched what I remember how it should be. Making satay at home isn't easy, and it is tedious. Satay is often eaten at food stalls or restaurants because of this. This is very seldom done at home. So I certainly was aware of what I was undertaking.
First, let me give you the basic recipe that I used to make satay. The meat used in the recipe is chicken (boneless dark meat) or beef (flank steak). But in Malaysia/Indonesia, you may find tripe, chicken liver, beef liver, etc. skewered as the satay meat.
Satay Recipe
2 boneless chicken thighs and 2 boneless chicken legs, cut into half-inch pieces. If using flank steaks, cut into thin strips (no more than 1/4 inch) about 3/4 inch long
5 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric power
Satay Spice Paste
6 shallots
3 stalks lemongrass
1 inch galangal root
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons oil
Toast coriander and cumin seeds in a pan until fragrant. Combine all the ingredients for the Spice Paste into a blender or food processor and process until you get a fine paste. Add more oil if necessary to get a smooth paste.
Combine the Spice Paste with the chicken pieces, sugar, salt, and turmeric. Mix thoroughly. Let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Satay Sauce
2 cups dry roasted peanuts, skinned (may substitute with 2 cups of chunky peanut butter)
1/3 cup oil
1 heaping tablespoon tamarind paste, soaked in 1 cup warm water.
1 cup water
4 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Satay Sauce Spice Paste
1 dried ancho pepper, soaked in warm water until soft
6 cloves of garlic
3 shalots
4 stalks lemongrass
1 inch galangal root
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
Toast coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant. If using dry roasted peanuts, chopped in food processor coarsely and set aside.
Blend Satay Sauce Spice Paste ingredients in a food process until smooth. Add cooking oil if necessary to obtain a smooth paste.
Heat oil and fry spice paste. Once fragrant, add tamarind water, water, sugar, salt, and peanut/peanut butter. Slowly simmer for about 15 minutes. Set aside and serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Back to the satay. The next day, thread 4-5 pieces of meat per skewer.
In preparation for grilling, pour a cup of cooking oil into a bowel. Use another stalk of lemongrass, and lightly bruise the stalk end. Dip this end into the oil and let it steep for 1/2 hour. This will be the basting brush.
Grill the satay skewers over coal or on a grill at high heat. Brush the meat with the oil-infused lemongrass. Flank steaks should take no more than one minute on each side, while chicken may take 1-2 minutes per side, depending on how thick the pieces are. There should be slight charring of the meat for flavor.
Serve with satay sauce, sliced cucumbers, and red onions.
So, want to see what I did and how my satay party turned out?
These are the coriander and cumin seeds being dry toasted in a pan.
Preparing the satay spice paste. I couldn't find galangal root, so I substitute ginger root instead.
Frying the spice paste for the peanut sauce. I was making a large amount.
The lemongrass basting brush soaking in oil.
Grilling the satay. I made both chicken and beef.
Malaysian satay is served. I also made "pressed rice" to serve with the satay and peanut sauce, along with the sliced cucumber and red onions. Traditionally, the rice is "ketupat", which is rice cooked in a weaved basket made of coconut leaves. But hey, I can only do so much!
It was yummy, if I may say so myself, and it was definitely a success. I managed to give an idea to my friends what "satay" is supposed to taste like, at least from what I remember.
I may have to do this again next summer if I can find people to help me skewer the meat.
Zz.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Leftover Corned Beef
While St. Patrick's Day is this coming Friday, we already had our corned beef and cabbage dinner this past weekend/week. So now I have leftover corned beef.
If I have the time, I often will use leftovers and turn it into something else. This time, I decided to make my version of corned beef hash, but with homefries. I already had some red potatoes that I roasted with rosemary, and I diced an onion and half of a red pepper. I took the leftover corned beef and diced them into smaller pieces.
I then fried all of them in a pan. And just like the traditional corned beef hash, I want some crusty surfaces on this, so I pressed the down onto the pan and let is sit for a couple of minutes under medium-high heat to develop that crust. Then I roughly flip various parts of it and try to get more of this crusty surface. If you have made the English's "Bubble and Squeak", then this is a similar thing.
Once done, I serve this with perfectly-fried eggs. By perfectly, I mean sunnyside up but with crispy edges. That's how I like my eggs.
Sprinkle with parsley and a touch of Tabasco, and this was a very nice lunch of leftovers.
Zz.
If I have the time, I often will use leftovers and turn it into something else. This time, I decided to make my version of corned beef hash, but with homefries. I already had some red potatoes that I roasted with rosemary, and I diced an onion and half of a red pepper. I took the leftover corned beef and diced them into smaller pieces.
I then fried all of them in a pan. And just like the traditional corned beef hash, I want some crusty surfaces on this, so I pressed the down onto the pan and let is sit for a couple of minutes under medium-high heat to develop that crust. Then I roughly flip various parts of it and try to get more of this crusty surface. If you have made the English's "Bubble and Squeak", then this is a similar thing.
Once done, I serve this with perfectly-fried eggs. By perfectly, I mean sunnyside up but with crispy edges. That's how I like my eggs.
Sprinkle with parsley and a touch of Tabasco, and this was a very nice lunch of leftovers.
Zz.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Leg of Lamb
Sometime, some of the best food I've had are just something not so complicated.
I often roast a boneless leg of lamb. I rub it with salt, pepper, and rosemary, and then shove it into the oven at 250 F and let it roast for 90 mins to hour and a half, depending on the size, just to get it to medium rare.
Then I serve it with something simple: sliced cucumber, radishes, boiled potatoes, and chimichurri. The chimichurri is quite simple: a handful of flat-leaf parsley, 1/4 of an onion, a clove of garlic, 1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil, a tablespoon of oregano, half teaspoon of pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Whiz everything in a food processor. Do not over-process, it is not supposed to be smooth. And voila! You have a delicious "sauce" to accompany the meat.
It is simple but oh-so-satisfying!
Zz.
I often roast a boneless leg of lamb. I rub it with salt, pepper, and rosemary, and then shove it into the oven at 250 F and let it roast for 90 mins to hour and a half, depending on the size, just to get it to medium rare.
Then I serve it with something simple: sliced cucumber, radishes, boiled potatoes, and chimichurri. The chimichurri is quite simple: a handful of flat-leaf parsley, 1/4 of an onion, a clove of garlic, 1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil, a tablespoon of oregano, half teaspoon of pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Whiz everything in a food processor. Do not over-process, it is not supposed to be smooth. And voila! You have a delicious "sauce" to accompany the meat.
It is simple but oh-so-satisfying!
Zz.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
BBQ Burnt Ends
I've been to a few BBQ joints in the Chicagoland area. Most are OK. But I like 2 in particular, and have returned to these two several times.
The first is a BBQ shack in Westmont called Uncle Bub's. The place itself is a hoot, with old-time country, rustic decor. And the food is consistently good. I usually get either the brisket (my stand-by favorite) or the broasted chicken. The food is plentiful and you have no excuse for leaving the place hungry.
But I have a new favorite place, and it is called Q-BBQ. There are, I think, 4 Q-BBQ in the Chicagoland area, but the one that I've been to several times is in downtown LaGrange. Other than the difficult parking during lunchtime, I really like coming here because of one very important thing - they have brisket burnt ends! I haven't seen any other BBQ joints around the area serving this. I love the burnt ends because you something can get the crispy, burnt edges that are full of smokey flavor. Yum!
The burnt edges come without sauce. It was cooked (or smoked) with a dry rub. The platter comes with hush puppies and 2 sides of your choice.
However, on each table, you have the option of 3 different sauces to add to the meat.
I will admit of mixing the Texas spicy with the Memphis sweet sauces. Heck, I've even mixed all 3 of them together. Still, having the sauce separately gives diners the option of having the meal their way.
The burnt ends themselves are delicious, and has enough smokey flavor that one looks for in a good BBQ. I tell ya, for a BBQ joint in the middle of the upper Midwest, this is not a bad place at all!
Zz.
The first is a BBQ shack in Westmont called Uncle Bub's. The place itself is a hoot, with old-time country, rustic decor. And the food is consistently good. I usually get either the brisket (my stand-by favorite) or the broasted chicken. The food is plentiful and you have no excuse for leaving the place hungry.
But I have a new favorite place, and it is called Q-BBQ. There are, I think, 4 Q-BBQ in the Chicagoland area, but the one that I've been to several times is in downtown LaGrange. Other than the difficult parking during lunchtime, I really like coming here because of one very important thing - they have brisket burnt ends! I haven't seen any other BBQ joints around the area serving this. I love the burnt ends because you something can get the crispy, burnt edges that are full of smokey flavor. Yum!
The burnt edges come without sauce. It was cooked (or smoked) with a dry rub. The platter comes with hush puppies and 2 sides of your choice.
However, on each table, you have the option of 3 different sauces to add to the meat.
I will admit of mixing the Texas spicy with the Memphis sweet sauces. Heck, I've even mixed all 3 of them together. Still, having the sauce separately gives diners the option of having the meal their way.
The burnt ends themselves are delicious, and has enough smokey flavor that one looks for in a good BBQ. I tell ya, for a BBQ joint in the middle of the upper Midwest, this is not a bad place at all!
Zz.
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