Beef and pork are two common meats in our daily diet, with their own nutritional value and taste, as well as different cooking methods. However, do you know why beef can be cooked in different degrees of ripeness, such as three, five, eight, and fully cooked, but pork cannot? Are there any cultural and scientific reasons behind this?
First, let's take a look at how to eat beef. Beef can be divided into raw beef, three-rare, five-rare, eight-rare, fully cooked and other different degrees of doneness, which is mainly determined by the structure and characteristics of beef. Beef is a red muscle that contains more myoglobin and iron, which gives beef a bright red color and rich aroma. Beef also contains more fat and collagen, which change during heating, affecting the taste and nutrition of beef.
Generally, raw beef refers to beef that has not undergone any heat treatment, which retains the most original color, taste, and nutrients. However, raw beef also has great risks as it can contain harmful substances such as bacteria, parasites, and if consumed improperly, it can cause food poisoning or infection. Therefore, raw beef must be fresh, clean, contamination-free beef, and strictly cleaned and disinfected before eating. Raw beef is often used to make dishes such as sashimi and beef tartare.
Split rarening refers to heating beef to a temperature of around 45°C, at which point the surface of the beef has turned gray or brown, but the inside is still bright red or pink. The beef is cooked in three months, retains most of the blood and moisture, and has a tender, juicy texture and a delicious and rich taste. However, there may also be a risk that some bacteria or parasites will not be completely killed, so it is necessary to choose high-quality beef and pay attention to hygiene. Beef that is medium rarer is often used to make steaks, burgers, and more.
Medium rarening refers to the heating of beef to a temperature of around 60°C, at which point the surface of the beef has turned dark brown or black and there is still some pink on the inside. The beef in medium breadth has lost part of its blood and moisture, and the taste is slightly drier and harder, but it still has a certain chewiness and aroma. Medium-cooked beef is relatively safe because most of the bacteria or parasites have already been killed. Medium rarer beef is suitable for those who prefer a drier and spicy taste, and is often used to make dishes such as grilled meats and stir-fried meats.
Medium rarening refers to the heating of beef to a temperature of around 70°C, at which point the surface and inside of the beef have turned brown or gray without any pink color. Eighth-cooked beef has lost most of its blood and moisture, and the taste is dry and hard, with a light and bitter taste. Medium cooked beef is very safe because all bacteria or parasites have been killed. However, eight-rarer beef also loses a lot of nutrients and flavor and is less popular. Eighth-cooked beef is generally used to make soups, sauces and other dishes.
Fully cooked refers to the heating of beef to a temperature above 80°C, at which point the surface and inside of the beef have turned black or charred black without any color. Fully cooked beef has completely lost blood and moisture, and the taste is extremely dry and hard, with a bitter and burnt taste. Fully cooked beef is the safest because all bacteria or parasites have been killed. However, fully cooked beef also completely loses its nutrients and flavor, and almost no one will like it. Fully cooked beef is generally used to make carbohydrate or protein supplements.
Secondly, let's take a look at how to eat pork. Pork is a white muscle that contains less myoglobin and iron, which gives pork a pale white color and a light aroma. Pork also contains more fatty acids and cholesterol, which change during heating, affecting the taste and nutrition of pork.
Generally speaking, pork cannot be eaten raw because it may contain a lot of bacteria, parasites and other harmful substances, if not eaten properly, it may cause food poisoning or infection. The most common of these is the pork tapeworm, a long worm that parasitizes inside the human body, which can infect the human body by eating raw or half-raw pork and survive in the human body for a long time. Pork tapeworm will consume nutrients in the human body and excrete a large number of eggs, causing damage and discomfort in the human body. Therefore, pork must be adequately heat-treated to ensure safety and hygiene. Pork is often used to make dishes such as braised food, steamed, stir-fried, etc.
However, in some places and cultures, there are also a few people who eat raw or semi-raw pork. For example, in Japan, there is a dish called sashimi, which refers to raw food made with fresh, clean, uncontaminated fish or other seafood. Sashimi is usually served with seasonings such as soy sauce and wasabi and has a tender and refreshing texture with a delicious and slightly spicy taste.