What are the Healthiest Ways to Prepare Meat?

According to studies, humans have been cooking meat for at least 250,000 years. Meat that has been cooked breaks down any rough fibres or connective tissue, making it simpler to chew and digest. It also promotes improved nutritional absorption. Furthermore, correctly cooking meat removes hazardous bacteria, like Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause food poisoning, illness and even death.

Cooking meat can also result in the loss of nutrients. Therefore, the cooking process has a big influence on how much of this happens.

The health advantages of eating meat can be maximised by using cooking methods that limit the nutrient loss and produce the least amount of hazardous chemicals.

Always choose grass-fed meat and poultry from your butcher to increase antioxidants and reduce calories even further. If you cook the meat in specific ways, it can be a nutritious addition to your meal.

Healthiest Ways to Prepare Meat:

1. Broiling and grilling
   
   
   Grilling and broiling are two dry heat, high-temperature cooking methods that are remarkably similar.
   
   
   Grilling entails using a heat source that is immediately beneath your food, such as an open grill or a barbeque. Grilling temperatures are typically between 375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (190 to 232 degrees Celsius).
   
   
   The heat source for broiling is from above, such as your oven's broiler. Broiling takes place at extremely high temperatures, usually between 500 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit (260 to 288 degrees Celsius).
   
   
   Unfortunately, this cooking procedure frequently results in the generation of potentially hazardous compounds. Fat melts and drips onto the grill or cooking surface when meat is cooked at high temperatures. Toxic substances known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced, which can rise to the surface and enter into the meat.
   
   
   According to research, eliminating drippings can limit PAH development by up to 89%.
   
   
   Another issue with grilling and broiling is that they encourage the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs have been related to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney illness and skin ageing among other disorders.
   
   
2. Roasting and baking
   
   
   Dry heat cooking methods, such as roasting and baking, are similar. Dry heat cooking is different from moist heat cooking, which involves cooking meat in a liquid or water. Cooking meat in a large dish known as a roasting pan is commonly referred to as roasting. A rack is included in a roasting pan to keep the meat elevated above the liquids that flow down as it cooks.
   
   
   An oven rotisserie, a device that allows meat to roast on a slow-turning spit, can also be used for this. Large portions of meat or entire animals, such as chickens or turkeys, are commonly cooked using this method. Baking, on the other hand, is more commonly associated with chicken, poultry or fish than with red meat. The meat is baked in either a covered or uncovered baking dish.
   
   
   Roasting and baking temperatures range from 300 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (149 to 218 degrees Celsius), with cooking times ranging from 30 minutes to an hour or more, depending on the type and cut of meat.
   
   
   In general, roasting and baking are healthful cooking methods that result in low vitamin C loss.
   
   
3. Sous vide
   
   
   In French, sous vide translates to "under vacuum". Meat is traditionally placed in a vacuum-sealed bag and placed in a water tank that is kept at a specific temperature. You can sear the meat in a pan for extra taste once it has been cooked sufficiently. The meat will be soft and juicy after being cooked sous vide. All of the juices produced while cooking stays in the bag with the meat, ensuring that B vitamins and other nutrients are retained.
   
   
4. Stewing
   
   
   This slow-cooking method involves keeping all of your ingredients in liquid, but it differs from poaching, in which the liquid is frequently used as part of the completed dish or as a light sauce. You can use a variety of vegetables and protein. Because this is moist cooking and will tenderise the food, you should be using lean cuts of meat, chicken or shellfish. If you want to use a fattier cut of beef, you can cook it first and then drain the fat before adding the rest of the ingredients.
   
   
5. Sautéing or stir-frying
   
   
   Sautéing refers to meal preparation in an open pan; stir-frying refers to meal preparation in a wok. In any case, you can use a tiny amount of oil (preferably one of the healthier unsaturated types like canola, olive, sunflower, peanut or safflower) or cooking spray to cook your meals. These methods are less messy because they utilise only one pan for both the protein and the vegetables. To keep the nutrients in the vegetables, slice or dice all of your ingredients.
   
   
   Roasting and broiling are easy to execute in the oven and don't require a lot of oil. Instead, if necessary, use spices and a little oil.
   
   
   Cooking in broths or tomato-based liquids can also add flavour to leaner cuts. Stir-frying smaller chunks of meat is a quick and easy way to incorporate some vegetables.
   
   
   Poaching or sous vide cooking can help keep the meat juicy without the use of additional oil.
   
   
   Boiling beef in a stew or soup is simple since the cooking liquid retains all of the nutrients from the additional veggies.

So, get meats from the organic butcher and use any of the above methods to cook them healthily.