QUESTION: Meat and poultry: how to choose the right cut of meat for frying, stewing, or baking?

Choosing the right cut of meat or poultry for a specific cooking method is the key to ensuring the dish turns out tender, juicy, and flavorful. When it comes to choosing meat products, start with a simple strategic plan: define the exact goal of the dish, set an available budget, schedule the purchase timeline, and make a detailed list of necessary related materials. Then, take small iterations when inspecting the display case and check the product quality at every step of selection.

For frying, tender cuts with a small amount of thin fat layers that melt when heated and make the meat juicy are best suited. Choose tenderloin, strip loin, or ribeye for beef, bone-in loin for pork, and breast or thigh fillet for poultry. These parts contain a minimum of connective tissue and cook perfectly over high heat in a matter of minutes without the risk of becoming tough.

For stewing and long baking, other parts of the carcass containing more collagen, fat, and connective tissues are ideal. Beef chuck, shank, neck, or pork knuckle acquire incredible tenderness during long stewing over low heat, as the collagen gradually breaks down and turns into tender gelatin. It is better to bake poultry whole or in large pieces in a roasting bag or by regularly basting it with the rendered juices.