Question about boiling

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Eva-Jade

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jan 16, 2006
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1
So I am new to this site and I have a question(or two) about boiling(i need the information for a school project)


Is resting required when boiling meat?

and

Why would we boil beef ribs but not chicken ribs?


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If someone can answer this Id be so greatful:)

thanks.
 
Resting means to let the meat retain it's juices after cooking, otherwise if you cut into a piece of freshly boiled/or roasted beef or even chicken, the juices would seep out, thus leaving the beef/chicken dry. So yes, resting is important. In answer to your second question, I've heard of beef ribs, but not chicken ribs. Chickens have breast, thigh, wings, legs, but I've never heard of anyone boiling ribs per se. I could be wrong.
 
Eva-Jade said:
Is resting required when boiling meat?


and

Why would we boil beef ribs but not chicken ribs?

(1) Resting the meat for 5-10 minutes is always good - it allows the muscle proteins to relax and the residual juices that have not been squeezed out during the cooking process to "redistribute" themselves. As the proteins relax the juices can move back into the spaces between the muscle fibers.

You might check to see if your library has a copy of Harold McGee's book, "On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" - and check on what happens when meat is cooked.

(2) You can boil chicken ribs - but if you know anything about the skeletal anatomy of a chicken you'll know why you don't boil them for a meal like you would beef ribs. Fowl lack the skeletal size and intercostal muscle mass (meat) of mammals to make a meal of them.

Just curious - what grade are you in and what class are you taking?
 
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