Purchasing Meat: Meat are graded in two types: 1) Quality Grade and 2) Yield Grade. Quality measures the flavor of characteristic of meat products. Yield measures the proportion of edible or usable meat after it has been trimmed of bones or fat. Grades go from Prime, Choice, Select, Good and much other with specific to some meat.

Storing: Store meat immediately after delivery and inspection in its own storage unit of in the coldest part of the cooler. Hold fresh meat at an intenral temperature of 41F or lower. FIFO

Fabrication: BEEF-4 Sections: VEALS- 2 Halves: PORK -2 Halves: LAMB OR MUTTON- Primal cut.

DRY HEATING COOKING: Less-tender cuts like round, chuck, and rump generally require slow cooking methods such as braising or stewing. You may also want to sear the meat before slow cooking. To help tenderize the beef you can add an acidic ingredient such as lemon or tomato juice, wine, or vinegar. There are many recipes for slow cooking in the oven, on the stove or in a crock pot that result in juicy, tender beef.

DRY HEATING COOKING W/ OIL AND FAT: The USDA recommends steaks and roasts be cooked to 145°F (medium) and then rested for at least 3 minutes. To ensure food safety, ground beef should be cooked to a minimum 160°F (well done). Be sure to check with a thermometer, as color alone is not a foolproof indicator.

MOIST HEATING: There are many different methods in which to cook foods. Moist-heat cooking methods use water, liquid or steam to transfer heat to food. Common moist heat cooking methods include: poaching, simmering, boiling, braising, stewing, pot roasting, steaming and en papillote

DONENESS: A gauge of how thoroughly cooked a cut of meat is based on the color, juiciness and internal temperature when cooked. The gradations of cooking are most often used in reference to beef but are also applicable to lamb, pork, poultry, veal and seafood, especially fish.

• Plain Steak.
• RECIPE: 2 (12-ounce) lean, New York strip steaks,
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper,
• 1 tablespoon olive oil,
• 2 tablespoons butter,
• 2 thyme sprigs,
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Let steaks stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over steaks. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low; add butter, thyme, and garlic to pan. Carefully grasp pan handle using an oven mitt or folded dish towel. Tilt pan toward you so butter pools; cook 1 1/2 minutes, basting steaks with butter constantly. Remove steaks from pan; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Reserve butter mixture.
• Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Discard thyme and garlic; spoon reserved butter mixture over steak

www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pan-seared-strip-steak

Stuffed Pepper Soup.

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion chopped (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (a little over 1/2 of a medium)
• 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14.5) can beef broth
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup uncooked long grain white or brown rice (I've tried and like both)
• Cheddar or mozzarella cheese, for serving (optional)

1. In a large pot heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, once hot add beef to pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally while breaking up beef, until browned. Drain beef and pour onto a plate lined with paper towels, set aside.
2. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pot then add onions, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Pour in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth and add parsley, basil, oregano and cooked beef, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring just to a light boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
3. While soup simmers, prepare rice according to directions listed on package, then once soup is done simmering stir in desired amount of cooked rice into soup*. Serve warm topped with optional cheese and garnish with fresh parsley. ***For a thinner soup don't add all of the rice and for a thicker heartier soup add it all. Also, if you plan on having it for leftovers the next day then don't add the rice to the pot of soup, just add it to each individual bowl, then reserve the rice in a separate container in refrigerator to add to the soup the next day (otherwise it would turn into mush).

http://www.cookingclassy.com/stuffed-pepper-soup/