Chicken breast and ground beef both make for great sources of protein in a wide variety of recipes. Whether you’re a home cook or a professional chef, chicken and beef probably make up the majority of your meat-based dishes. No doubt, both are easy to cook- brown it up, add your favourite seasonings and it’s ready to be served. However, it can get boring if you remain stuck at burgers, meatballs, tacos, chicken strips and the other routine stuff.
Whether you are feeling Italian, want the Mediterranean or the continental fare, with a few smart cooking tips and Hon sauce bundle, you can jazz up your average weekend dinner or daily special board with a few new ideas. Here we are with tips that are handy, easy, quick and inspirational too, on what to do with these delicious meats.
Tenderness Tips
- Never freeze or else you will find the meat less tender after cooking.
- If you leave the chicken pieces with the skin, it will help in holding the juice while cooking, adding to the tenderness.
- Keep it tightly wrapped during refrigeration, and it will never dry out.
- During roasting chicken breast or ground beef, cover with foil and only remove it during the last 30 minutes of roasting time.
- Cooking temperature is vital for the taste and tenderness; overcooking causes loss of moisture.
- Let the meat rest for some time after cooking to let it absorb the juices and get distributed throughout the meat.
- Cut the meat across the grain, and you will have more tender pieces.
- If adding chicken or ground beef to a dish that has a long cooking time, go for the dark meat instead of the white one.
Cooking Tips
- If you’re cooking professionally, always wear catering gloves from a site like unigloves.co.uk when handling raw meat. Gloves improve hygiene and reduce the chances of cross-contamination when worn properly, making them vital if you want to achieve a 5-star hygiene rating.
- When cooking a recipe that requires chicken breast or ground beef in measured amounts, always follow the quantity as needed and do go overboard.
- While roasting the meat, untrussed cooks faster and more evenly.
- Always use a sharp knife while cutting the chicken breast or even the ground beef. Consider investing in some good quality Victorinox Knives that can not only make the job a lot easier but can also cut the pieces neatly. It reflects when the dish is served.
- Covered meat will always take longer to cook in comparison to uncovered meat, but it retains more flavour.
- Frying, broiling, grilling or sautéing needs to be done carefully to avoid overcooking. Chicken breast and ground beef may take a different period to get properly cooked. Grilling master Kevin Turner may have a few tips to help you with this.
- While roasting, take the meat with two forks and gently pull it apart. If it pulls apart freely, the meat is cooked. There can be other methods, as well.
- Do not overcrowd chicken breast or ground beef while cooking. You need to leave space between the pieces. It allows the meat to brown and cook evenly.
- If you are marinating the meat before cooking, always remember there are no shortcuts. Also never reuse the marinade else the dish might lose its taste.
Lastly, we also suggest reading the label before buying your meat. Ideally, the label should show the meat was reared locally. It should also be RSPCA assured and Red Tractor assured to ensure a high welfare level and good farming practices. Free-range chicken is always best, so check the label to make sure it was reared outside and not in a battery shed. Grass-fed beef is also better as it shows the cow was able to roam freely and display natural behaviours. Not only does this result in more tender meat, but it also greatly improves the flavour. Plus, you won’t feel so guilty using it.