Professional Documents
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00
Peterson
James Peterson
(Canada: $40.00)
meat
Saffron; Terrine of Foie Gras; and more.
A Kitchen Education
www.crownpublishing.com 53500
www.tenspeed.com
9 781580 089920
Printed in China
James Peterson
Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are
registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-58008-992-0
Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition
ix Acknowledgments
1 Introduction
143 Beef
219 Veal
293 Sausages
322 Index
v ii
on such a complicated project, there are innumerable people who contribute in large and small ways.
Alice Piacenza was the person with whom i worked most closely. She tested recipes, was the hands in
the shots, and, most importantly, helped me with the photography. her assistance was invaluable.
i’d like to thank Joshua Applestone of Fleischer’s meats for generously taking most of a day to
show us butchering techniques and for encouraging the appreciation of locally raised animals. Rudi
weid’s butchery classes at the institute of culinary education were also extremely helpful. Rudi guided
us through the process of breaking down a whole lamb and with fine-tuning the meat charts. thank
you, too, to my dear friend dennis malachosky for explaining and demonstrating to me the many com-
plexities of butchering and cooking venison. much appreciation goes to the gentlemen at Los Paisanos
meat market for their help, guidance, and courtesy.
i’d also like to thank those at ten Speed, including my editors Aaron wehner and dawn Yanagihara,
who worked day in and day out readying the manuscript for publication. Sharon Silva’s copyediting was
extremely thorough and contributed enormously to the finished text. nancy Austin’s art direction and
Katy Brown’s expertise were essential for the book’s clean design that disguises its production complex-
ity. thanks to illustrator Alex Kalushner for his charming animal renderings.
Finally, there are those in my personal life who keep me going, who encourage and cajole, and
without whom i could not have brought this project to fruition. elise and Arnold Goodman have
been my agents now for 20 years—they have provided advice and have helped me weather the many
ups and down of this industry. Sarah Leuze and Joel hoffman have been steady reminders that i can
do what i need to do and have helped me realize so many of my personal goals. Last, i’d like to thank
Zelik mintz for standing behind me for so many years, for spurring me on, and for providing endless
encouragement.
ix
Almost thirty years ago, when i owned a restaurant, i was confronted with a strange offer from a regular
client. he worked at a laboratory where rabbits were raised for scientific experiments. the trials always
included a control group made up of animals to which nothing was done, yet when these rabbits got
old, they were “discarded.” he asked me if i would like some of these control-group subjects. i was grate-
ful to get my hands on older rabbits—they’re perfect for thorough larding and slow braising—so i said
yes. i was also eager to save them from a meaningless death.
the following monday, a large cardboard box arrived. As i lifted the box, i knew from its motion
that the rabbits were alive. Given the weight of the box, i expected to encounter about a dozen, so i was
shocked to find only two giant rabbits that reminded me of a monty Python skit. the task was left to
me to do them in, which i did with a quick snap of the neck and a slit of the throat. on one hand, the
killing wasn’t as bad as i had anticipated. But the whole process upset me, especially the sad resignation
the rabbits displayed as they seemed to know they were about to die. never again have i looked at meat
in the same way. the experience drove home the fact that an animal has to give its life in order for us
to eat meat. i was left convinced that people who consume meat should have to kill for their supper at
least once in their lives.
the average American eats more than eight ounces of meat a day, far more than needed for
healthy nutrition. Asians eat small amounts of meat with hefty portions of carbohydrates, such as rice
or noodles, and have lower rates of heart disease and stroke than Americans. it may seem perplexing
to read in a book about meat that we should eat less of it, but this is, indeed, my position. we should
eat less and eat better. in France, a good chicken costs twenty dollars or more. But what a chicken it is.
organic and truly free range, it is slaughtered at an older age than American chickens and as a result has
a lot more flavor, if a bit more texture. Grass-fed steers in italy and France develop a better flavor than
some of the grass-fed beef in America, again, in part, because they are butchered at an older age. Beef in
Japan is a rare luxury, but genuine Kobe beef is considered among the best in the world.
Americans are also enthusiastic consumers of steaks and chops. in other words, we eat high on
the hog—literally. most, though not all, of the tender meat on an animal is found along the back. meat
from the leg and shoulder, despite being the most flavorful, is often neglected. in Meat, i have included
i have divided the chapters in Meat according to the type of animal, with the recipes in each chapter
organized by either cooking technique alone or by cut and its appropriate cooking techniques. the
emphasis on techniques, all of which are described beginning on page 5, is important because once you
learn how to make one recipe, you can apply the same technique to a wide range of possibilities. many
of the recipes are extremely simple, sometimes involving only grilling or sautéing without a sauce or
garnish. But what may seem overly simplistic is actually how most of us cook and eat.
You’ll find that each chapter is rich in photographs, most of them devoted to either cutting meat
into pieces suitable for cooking or to techniques such as larding. these tasks may seem the work of a
butcher rather than a cook, but butchers are disappearing, and many of those who remain are reluc-
tant to carry out some of the more labor-intensive techniques. Plus, by doing the work yourself, you’ll
gain both valuable practice with a knife and beneficial insight into how animals are put together.
You’ll also save money by buying large cuts and breaking them down into steaks or chops or into
pieces suitable for braising. You may even discover that you enjoy cutting up meat, finding it to be
surprisingly soothing once you get the knack of it.
Pork, beef, lamb, and veal charts showing where various cuts are located on each animal will
further your understanding of how to cut and cook meat. People are anatomically similar to the ani-
mals they eat, so it’s a good idea to check your own body to locate the various cuts. once you know the
source of each cut, you will recognize which parts are tougher—the more activity the muscle gets,
the tougher the meat—and require longer cooking and which can be tossed onto a grill or into a sauté
pan for a relatively short time.
Although techniques are at the heart of this book, putting together flavor combinations that both
pair well with the meat at hand and share a geographical and seasonal affinity is also important. to
help you achieve these successful pairings, i have included several flavor profiles inspired by traditional
cuisines (see page 25). For example, if you are thinking moroccan, you’ll find a list that includes olives,
preserved lemons, almonds, and saffron, to name only a few of the possibilities. or, if you prefer indian
flavors, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cashews, and coconut milk are among the options.
2 ME AT
I n t r o d u c t io n 3
Croque-monsieur. Croque-madame.
P o r k 1 3 7
continued
Beef cheeks braised with julienned vegetables
B e e f 2 0 7
well on both sides, adding more oil as needed, then Simmer gently on the stove top for 1 hour. (Alter-
transfer to a plate. Pour the fat out of the pan. natively, slide the pot into a 275°f oven and cook
for 1 hour.) Uncover and add the carrot, turnip,
Return the cheeks to the pot. Pour in the wine
celeriac, and leeks. Re-cover with the foil and lid
and the broth to cover, and add the bouquet garni.
and continue braising on the stove top or in the
Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a
oven for about 11/2 hours longer, or until the meat
sheet of aluminum foil, pressing it down slightly
is easily penetrated with a knife.
in the middle so that moisture will condense on
its underside and drip down into the pot, and then Remove the beef cheeks from the pot and thickly
with a lid. slice them. Serve in warmed soup bowls with the
tangled vegetables. Spoon the broth over and
around the meat and vegetables.
208 ME AT
238 ME AT
1. Whole top round of veal. 2. Brown the veal round on both sides in 3. Roast until firm to the touch or to an inter-
clarified butter. nal temperature of 130°F. Let rest.
Ve a l 2 3 9