QUALITALY

APR. MAY. 2017

XIII

and Federcarni federation - to teach

the future chefs to learn about meat.

I would like to do more with the

chefs, who in my opinion should

learn once again to choose the meat

for themselves, handle it, fillet and

bone it. For example, traditionally you

use the chuck tender for broth. If, in

the American way, you learn to fillet

it you would get a very tender meat

that can be cooked like the fillet, at a

much lower cost. Low temperatures

also allow us to exploit different cuts:

there are no Serie A or Serie B, all

are good if cooked in the appropriate

manner».

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BOX

CHOOSING ASSURED SUPPLIERS

In addition to the organoleptic

quality, a restaurateur must also

worry about the animal health

quality. “Among the prerequisites of

the HACCP system - explains Mauro

Fava, of the veterinary department

and assurance of animal food origin,

ATS of Brianza - there is also the

selection of suppliers. Meat has many

merits but potential dangers, of a

microbiological, chemical or physical

nature should be kept under control».

For example, the one related to the

presence of prions, responsible for

“mad cow” syndrome. “By law - he

continues - the animals must be

identified and identifiable from

the breeding to the sale, through

the affixing of ear brands and

identification slips that accompany

the animals to slaughter. The

slaughterhouse must maintain this

identification for a single animal or

per batch. This indication is used

to determine whether the animal is

at risk of BSE or not.” To guarantee

the consumer, it is necessary to

purchase from companies recognised

by the competent authorities and

identified by a code, called an

“approval number”. “Facilities without

this brand - he concludes - cannot

work. Many also enjoy voluntary

certifications (ISO 9011-2008, BRC or

IFS) that give additional guarantees.

It is suggested that restaurateurs go

in person to see the suppliers from

which they buy the meat and to ask

them the results of the compulsory

chemical and microbiological

analyses of samples carried out by

the authorities. If a provider does not

make them available, it could be a

sign of some irregularities».

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AT PAGE 46

The secrets

of cooking to

perfection…and

healthy too

The tricks of chef Mario DeMuro

and some care to avoid the

formation of hazardous compounds,

harmful to the health

BY Elena Consonni

If low temperatures allows the

exploration of new ways of cooking

meat, the traditional fast and simple

methods remain important, and

indicated especially for typical

summer preparations.

“While having technological ovens,

the classic cooking methods –

explains Mario DeMuro, executive

chef of Hotel Villa Chacko, in Tursi

(MT) and President of APCI Basilicata

– are always welcome. For example,

to prepare a good roast beef, the most

suitable cuts are the topside or the

rump of veal of 14-16 months and a

weight of around 2.5 - 3 kg, sprinkled

with a marinade of chopped

rosemary, garlic, lemon peels, sage

and parsley. The meat should be

placed in the oven at 180 °c for 15

minutes to caramelize and hold the

juices, then lower the oven and leave

to cook for another 20 minutes until

it reaches 56 °c. To ensure safety, the

meat must be immediately subjected

to temperature reduction.”

A typical open-air cooking technique

is the barbecue. “I prefer those with

olive wood or oak – he comments –

or with a good charcoal, but gas or

electric can also be effective, although

I think the result is different. The

important thing is to be careful not

to burn the meat to prevent it from

forming carcinogenic substances and,

after use, perform a very thorough

cleaning with brushes, detergent

and especially elbow grease, so as

not to leave traces of deposits». An

alternative is the grill. “There are cast

iron or chromium – he clarifies – I

prefer the first because the cooking

is more constant and uniform. The

grill is ideal for pieces of flat meat:

tagliata, entrecote, strip-loin...

because the contact with the grill

must be uniform at all points of the

product. ‘

TRADITIONAL COOKING BY

COMPARISON

There are also methods that belong to

local gastronomic traditions. «The spit

– explains Mario DeMuro – is much

used in the central southern areas for

small-sized pieces that cook in 10-15

minutes. It is a different preparation

from the Brazilian Churrasco or

from the Argentine Asado, which

include large pieces, slow cooking

and long cooking times. In Puglia

and Basilicata the butchers prepare

the meat “on the stove”, or in an oven

with embers. In Sardinia, instead,

the suckling pig is cooked whole by

irradiation with embers positioned

about 1 metre from the meat. It takes

a long time, about 7-8 hours».

POSSIBLE RISKS AND HOW TO

LIMIT THEM

In the process of cooking meat,

two families of compounds may be