Figure 74.—Wrapping procedure.
FREEZING AND FROZEN STORAGE
When freezing large quantities of meat, it is best to use a commercial establishment for fast freezing. Since a lamb carcass will yield only 70 to 75 percent usable retail cuts or about 38 pounds from a 50 pound lamb carcass, the home freezer will adequately handle this amount. When using the home freezer be sure to:
- Clean and defrost freezer.
- Freeze meat at -10° or lower.
- Freeze only the amount of meat that will freeze in 24 hours.
- Allow ample air circulation by not overpacking the freezer.
- In the freezer maintain 0° F or less for storage.
Remember, proper wrapping and freezing does not improve quality but maintains original quality. It is safe to refreeze meat that has been kept below 40° F during thawing. However, refreezing is not usually recommended because there is some loss of meat quality.
Lamb cuts should be utilized within 6 to 9 months after freezing; ground and stew lamb within 3 to 4 months. Longer storage results in lowered quality.
MEAT COOKERY
Tender cuts of meat are best cooked with dry heat such as broiling, roasting, and panbroiling. Less tender cuts of meat are tenderized by cooking with moist heat. Connective tissue is softened and tenderized by cooking slowly in moisture.
Temperature control is very important in meat cookery. Meat loses moisture, fat, and other volatile substances during cooking. However, some of the meat juices and fat may be retained in the pan drippings.
Cooking losses can be controlled by controlling the oven cooking temperature and final internal temperature of the meat. Shrinkage is increased when hot oven temperatures are used for cooking and when the meat is cooked to a higher internal temperature.