🍖 Types of Meat – Characteristics
- 1. Beef
Source: adult cattle.
Colour: dark red.
Texture: firm, coarse muscle fibers.
Fat content: medium to high, depending on the cut.
Taste: strong, rich flavour.
Use: steaks, roasts, ground beef, soups, stews, sausages.
- 2. Pork
Source: pigs.
Colour: light pink to reddish.
Texture: tender, softer than beef.
Fat content: high, with visible fat layers.
Taste: mild, slightly sweet.
Use: chops, cutlets, bacon, ham, sausages, roasts.
- 3. Lamb
Source: young sheep (up to 1 year old).
Colour: pink to light red.
Texture: fine-grained, tender.
Fat content: medium, with distinct aroma.
Taste: delicate, slightly sweet.
Use: kebabs, stews, grilled meat, pilaf.
- 4. Mutton
Source: mature sheep.
Colour: dark red.
Texture: coarse, firm.
Fat content: high, with strong smell.
Taste: intense, specific, fatty.
Use: traditional dishes, curries, stews, minced meat products.
- Veal
Source: calves (2–6 months).
Colour: pale pink.
Texture: very tender, fine fibers.
Fat content: low.
Taste: delicate, mild flavour.
Use: cutlets, schnitzels, escalopes, soups, baby food.
- 6. Chicken
Source: domestic fowl.
Colour: white to light pink.
Texture: soft, tender.
Fat content: low.
Taste: mild, neutral.
Use: soups, broths, fried, grilled, boiled dishes, processed meat.
- Turkey
Source: turkeys.
Colour: light pink (breast), darker (legs).
Texture: lean, firm.
Fat content: very low.
Taste: mild, slightly dry.
Use: roasted whole, fillets, minced turkey, diet products.
- 8. Duck
Source: domestic ducks.
Colour: darker red meat.
Texture: firm, fatty.
Fat content: high.
Taste: rich, slightly sweet.
Use: roasting, Asian dishes (Peking duck), soups.
- Goose
Source: domestic geese.
Colour: dark red.
Texture: firm, fatty.
Fat content: very high.
Taste: strong, fatty, specific.
Use: roasting, festive meals, pâtés, goose fat as cooking fat.
- Rabbit
Source: domestic rabbits.
Colour: very light pink.
Texture: fine-grained, tender.
Fat content: very low.
Taste: mild, delicate.
Use: stews, soups, dietetic meals.
- Venison
Source: deer.
Colour: deep red.
Texture: firm, lean.
Fat content: very low.
Taste: strong, gamey flavour.
Use: steaks, roasts, stews, game products.
- 12. Game meat
Source: wild animals and birds (boar, elk, hare, pheasant).
Colour: varies, usually dark.
Texture: firm, sometimes tough.
Fat content: very low.
Taste: intense, gamey, sometimes bitter.
Use: traditional and gourmet dishes, stews, roasts.
- Ham
Source: pork leg (cured, smoked, or boiled).
Colour: pink to red.
Texture: firm, processed.
Fat content: medium to high.
Taste: salty, smoky.
Use: sandwiches, salads, pizza, appetizers.
- 14. Bacon
Source: pork belly.
Colour: pink with white fat layers.
Texture: soft before cooking, crispy after frying.
Fat content: very high.
Taste: salty, smoky.
Use: breakfast dishes, burgers, pizza, garnish.
- Sausages
Source: minced meat (pork, beef, poultry).
Colour: depends on type (pink, red, brown).
Texture: ground, mixed with fat and spices.
Fat content: variable (from low to very high).
Taste: spiced, salty.
Use: grilled, fried, boiled, processed foods.
- Salami
Source: fermented and cured pork/beef mixture.
Colour: dark red with white fat spots.
Texture: firm, dry.
Fat content: medium to high.
Taste: spicy, rich.
Use: cold cuts, pizza topping, snacks, sandwiches.