Are Men Better At Cooking Meat?

[Dover]

Particularly on the grill? I've always found that to be the case, but am not sure why.
Is there any truth to this? Is it in our DNA (gatherers rather than hunters?) Or am I projecting my own culinary shortcomings onto my gender?

At any rate, meat has always been kind of a mystery to me (which cuts to choose, how to choose them, how best to cook it, for how long, etc.). Maybe it's because I don't eat all that much meat, and only VERY rarely red meat, so I don't know much about cooking it. That said, I surely do appreciate every now and then being invited to have a meal prepared by those who relish the art and taste of a good steak or other meat.

Women, are ya with me? If so I want to share a cookbook that has changed everything, and if followed faithfully will produce a meal that you might only expect to get in the best restaurants.
You'll be saying to yourself......"Did I cook this meal with my own hands?" and may even let slip a satisfied cavewoman grunt. And what's nice about this book is it also gives recipes for recommended side dishes so that you end up with a full gourmet meal experience. You will learn so much about buying/preparing/cooking meat you didn't know, and discover just how easy it is. Not such a mystery afterall.

And I think even accomplished meat chefs would enjoy this book. It's kind of like having a tool or car handbook for aficionados...fun to peruse and see what some fellow chefs have done to improve the art.

The book is very simply called, How To Cook Meat, and is just as simple to follow. And there are some amazing meals.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Meat-Christopher-Schlesinger/dp/0060507713


Though hard to choose, I guess my favorite meal so far is the Glazed Molasses Pork Tenderloin with sweet & sour red onions and a sage/date topping for the meat. Here is the recipe if you'd like to try it out. It is surprisingly quick to make:

Molasses-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Seared Sweet and Sour Red Onions and Sage-Date Power Pack
Adapted from How to Cook Meat by John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger.

Serves 4 to 5

Just as with beef, the tenderloin is the most tender cut of pork. It is also very low in fat ­ about the same per serving as a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Since it is relatively small, it is usually sold whole ­ in fact, these days you often see two of these mini-roasts sold together in a cryovacked package. The tenderloin has a little less pork flavor than other fattier cuts, but it is convenient, readily available, tasty and easy to cook. We like it a lot.

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 12- to 14-ounce pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup red wine
For the Power Pack:
1/3 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 11 to 13 minutes. Remove the onions to a bowl and keep them warm.

3. Dry the tenderloins with paper towels and sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, return to medium-high heat, and heat until hot but not smoking. (Note: If your pan is not large enough to comfortably hold the 3 tenderloins, use 2 smaller sauté pans.) Add the tenderloins and sear well on all sides, about 12 minutes total. When the tenderloins are well browned, place them in the preheated oven. Roast, brushing generously with the glaze after about 8 minutes, until they are done to your liking, about 10 to 14 minutes for medium-well done. To check for doneness, you can use a thermometer and cook them to an internal temperature of 150 degrees, or you can nick, peek, and cheat: Cut into the thickest part of the meat and take a peek; it should be slightly less done than you like it. Remove the pork from the oven, brush it once more with the molasses mixture, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, add the balsamic vinegar to the onion and toss to combine thoroughly. In a small bowl, combine the dates, sage, garlic, and olive oil and mix well.

5. Slice the pork into slices about 1 inch thick. Place the onions on individual serving plates or a platter, top with the sliced pork, and sprinkle with the power pack.

http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/meat_molassespork.html

Bon Appetite!

[Tab]

1. I may be winging this, but...

In the old, OLD, days, the dangerous jobs were often given to the men. This included the hunting, and the handling of dangerous substances (like fire) and so men would cook the meat because it involved handling the fire.

Skipping a zillion years, I think it's evolved that women (as a generalization) have been taught that cooking meat is a man's job.

I can tell you that when I started off, I had no idea of how to do it well, but since I was looked upon to do it, I eventually became good at it. Other things along the way (cooking in restaurants, at home) helped me refine my timing. I remember originally being mystified by how chefs could tell how properly a steak was cooked by its texture (I mean pliability), as I was forever slicing them to inspect them, but as time went on, I, too, could do that.

So, no, we're not naturally "good" at steaks, but from early on we were expected to handle the "dangerous" stuff, and it was always relegated to the men, and eventually we had to learn how to do it well. I can't think of a single thing that would keep a woman from being able to cook an excellent steak. But historically (not trying to stereotype any individuals), men did the gritter more dangerous work (hunting, working with fire), women did the "daintier" work, making salads, desserts, side dishes etc.

We're all capable of either, but society seems to have pushed us into picking certain specialties.

- Tab

[Warpy]

5. Not quite. They killed the beast

but women were expected to butcher it, preserve it, cook it, and tan the hides while the men all sat around and swapped lies about what great hunters they were while they waited to be served. Some things never change.

The only reason women don't do the barbecue thing is because we'd really rather cook indoors over controlled heat than stand over live coals, swatting flies.

All it takes to cook meat properly is time and practice. Once you know by touching and feeling the "give" in a piece of meat how well done it is, you're home free. A meat thermometer can help you develop this skill. After a few months (or years if you don't eat the stuff often), you'll know by touch.

No matter how many onions or flavor packs you add, it's still reliably meat.

My dad spent most of his time on the road. He lived on scrambled eggs and steak because those were the two things restaurants had the hardest time ruining.

[lukasahero]

10. "The only reason women don't do the barbecue..."

There's a joke that goes around via email noting what's really involved in a "barbecue" and the real reason women don't do the barbecue is because they're too busy doing all the rest of the preparation.

[NashVegas]

2. No, But I Let Them

Cause it makes 'em feels good.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Men are better at everythng

:hide:

KIDDING ...... I'm kidding ....... I'm a clown ........ I ...... was ...... kidding .......... put ...... that ...... broom ....... down ......

:)

[Warpy]

6. That's not a broom in my hand. It's a skillet.

Cast iron.

[YankeyMCC]

4. I doubt that generalization can be made

although it may be men have generally more experienced. My own personal experience is that I do Much better when I'm working on a grill or smoker or open fire. I still screw up (over cook usually) on the stove top and oven. But I will try and push off some blame on an old electric stove and blame the equipment a bit :)

[NMDemDist2]

7. No

n/t



































:rofl:

[fortyfeetunder]

8. Depends on the meat

The spouse is good at the range and oven meat cooking, I cook at the grill. To my knowledge the spouse has never cooked outdoors...I cook year round, rain, sleet, snow with my grill.

[lukasahero]

9. Yes, you are "projecting (your) own culinary shortcomings onto (your) gender"

Damn, I figured there was one forum today where I wouldn't have to face the ever-popular gender bashing (in either direction). :eyes: