Meat

Find out where your favorite steak comes from.

After taking a look at the many different poultry items at the grocery store, you’ve probably wondered what a chicken tender is and how it’s different from other cuts of chicken. While we’re used enjoying chicken tenders when they’re battered and deep-fried, not everyone may know where this particular cut comes from.

Don't even think about cooking another steak without reading this first.

How do you cook and shred a pork shoulder? How do you carve a roast chicken? How do you check the temperature on a turkey? What’s the secret to crispy skin? What’s the best way to package meat before freezing? The answers to all these, plus many, many more in our definitive tips, tricks, and techniques guide to MEAT. • How to cook a turkey. • How to cook moist and tender chicken breasts every time. • How to cook and shred a pork shoulder.

One of the very first cooking tricks I ever learned was just how much a slice or two of bacon can boost the flavor of an otherwise simple soup or braise. I was hooked from that first subtly smoky, bacon-enhanced bite. You can bet I had bacon stocked in my freezer ever after. Freezing the slices individually between layers of wax paper takes a few minutes of work at the outset, but allows you to use just a slice or two when you need them. Here’s how to freeze bacon.

A succulent ham is one of the reigning centerpieces of holiday feasts, and rightly so. It’s an easy main dish with virtually no cooking required, and it serves a crowd. But since there is nearly no cooking (depending on the type you buy), all the work of a ham lies in the choosing. How do you decide what kind of ham to get? Where do you buy it from, and what should you look for? Read on — we have the answers! Ham comes from the back leg of the animal.

These are the most ideal cuts to use for an ultra-tender beef stew.

What you need to know to make beef stew like a pro.

Flexibility in use landed this method in the top spot.

Flank steak and skirt steak are both long, odd-looking cuts of steak. Wonder if you’ve ever eaten either of them? If you’ve ever had fajitas, then chances are it was skirt steak. In most recipes, they can be used interchangeably, so how are these cuts actually different from each other? The flank is located at the cow’s bottom abdominal area, while the skirt is a thin, flavorful cut located in the diaphragm area.

You'll be bound for greatness with this one!

For starters, one is a roast and the other is a steak.

Are you team baby back or St. Louis Style?!

From lean and mean to lush and tasty with just two ingredients.

Want to cook your best corned beef yet? Keep an eye out for these.

Here are the four most popular cuts of steak. We'll cover where they're cut from, what they taste like, and how best to cook them.

Meet the meat substitute with all the flavor.

I think we can all agree that bacon is pretty irresistible as is. That crispy, crunchy texture and smoky flavor can liven up breakfast plates and add an extra oomph to salads and sandwiches. Which is precisely why it’s time to up the ante on your next batch of bacon with the help of a few rich, sweet, spicy, and savory upgrades. Even though it doesn’t necessarily come with a mild flavor, bacon is a total blank canvas.

Bacon, pancetta, prosciutto: These three pork products look alike, taste somewhat similar, and even get regularly substituted for each other. It’s no wonder we get them confused! In actuality, each pork product has distinctive characteristics that make it ideal for different preparations. Here’s the scoop on each one and their differences. Bacon and pancetta have the most in common. They are both typically made from pork belly and both are cured for a certain length of time.

What are those things and what do you do with them anyway? Toss them in the trash? Please don’t. Before you reject the bird’s vital organs, learn a little about what they are. Giblets refers to the little bundle of parts sometimes found inside the cavity of a bird, such as chicken or turkey. Can you name all the parts in a giblets bundle? A labeled version of this photo appears below, along with some thoughts on what to do with giblets.

Including the one thing you should be doing before you even turn on the heat.

Your official guide to cooking restaurant-quality steak.

What happens if you forgot your ground beef or chicken breasts in the fridge for a couple of days? Do you need to scrap your plans for burgers or chicken for dinner? Is it still safe to eat or should you throw it out?The good news is, even if there’s a color change, the meat or poultry is still perfectly fine to eat if stored properly in the refrigerator or freezer and consumed within a safe period of time (up to two days for ground meat and five days for other cuts).

It turns out the difference between the two isn't what's most surprising about these dishes — it's what they have in common.

Not all meats last the same amount of time!

This popular protein-rich meat substitute has been around for centuries.

Making this easy ingredient swap will take your meatballs to the next level.

Whether you’re cooking a massive prime rib or a simple pan-seared steak for one, it’s helpful to know the temperature beef should reach before it’s safe to eat. To make it easy to remember, the safe internal temperature for cuts of beef, lamb, and pork is all the same! The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F, which is considered medium-well. Ground beef, however, should be cooked to a higher temperature of 160°F.

Apparently, we've been doing it all wrong.

Rich, long-simmered stews are as satisfying to eat as they are to make. It’s all about building layers of flavor and then stepping away from the stove to let the low heat gently do its magic. You don’t need a recipe – just a few basic guidelines will help create the perfect stew!Note for Vegetarians – Sure, you can make stew, too! Instead of meat, try adding about a pound of mushrooms and a pound of potatoes.

One question we hear again and again is: Can you help me learn to cook meat properly? Our readers have tackled this question several times and they always have plenty of helpful advice for learning how to safely handle meat and mastering a few beginner-friendly cooking techniques. Whether you are an ex-vegetarian, a current vegetarian cooking for an omnivorous loved one, or a brand-new cook, these five tips will help you get over any fears and start cooking meat with confidence.

Use them to add tons of flavor to soups, stews, collards, and more.

The result? A crusty, flavorful, pink-in-the-center steak that is nothing short of a chef’s (or grill master’s) kiss.

If you’ve had corned beef or pastrami before, then you’ve had brisket. This large piece of flavor-packed beef is often cured or smoked, but it’s also one of the best cuts for braising and slow cooking. There’s much to learn, though, when it comes to what brisket is and how it differs from other types of meat. Let’s talk about where this hefty piece of beef comes from and how to buy and cook it!

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This two-step method won, hands-down.

We like to throw pork chops and chicken breasts in a quick brine for extra oomph before continuing on with the rest of the recipe.

Adding just one pantry ingredient gives you tender, browned beef.

You'll love the flavor and char that sugar adds to your steak.

Is lamb on your menu? We've got you covered!

Get your food processor ready!

Is it really worth the hype?

Undercooked chicken can pose some serious health risk, but pink chicken can still be safe to eat if it reaches the right temperature. Here's what you need to know.

Ground Beef TikTok™ was a place on the internet that I swore I’d never return to, but after this hack, it looks like I'm here to stay.

Can you save cooking and cleanup time with a new technique? We investigate.

Stock is one of the kitchen's greatest magic tricks. Here are the five rules to this magic.

Plus: The ingenious hack to test if meat is done without a thermometer.

We interviewed a chef and a grandmother to get a brisket walk-through.

The winner truly makes a tastier burger on the grill or in a skillet!

It's one of the best meal-prep tips I picked up from my mom.

You just need water and salt!

Please don't just throw it in the freezer, we beg of you!

Our favorite tool for the job might surprise you!

You'll need a spoon and a paper towel.

Consider this over the weight of your steaks.

No tough or chewy ribs with these simple steps.

Follow these guidelines for juicy, never-dry burgers.

Keep these simple tips in mind when making this show-stopper.

You probably have it in your pantry.

No matter you cook it, you should always be doing this.