# What meat \*isn't\* better if it is slow-cooked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409 "2012-03-01T01:08:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/41 "2012-03-01T16:00:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > You have be a little more explanatory. I think most of the posters here would agree with that. I think there is confusion over slow cooking in a slow cooker vs. slow cooking over charcoal and/or smoking. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/42 "2012-03-01T16:07:25Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > You can rant and rant and deny its existence as much as you want, but it’s called a “New York Strip” by a lot of people. It’s certainly “New York Strip” here in Chicago, and “KC Strip” would give you funny looks if someone ordered it. Yup, here in Texas (beef central) nobody would know what the fuck a KC Strip is, either. There are regional differences in what certain cuts are called, and you’re just going to have to accept that fact and deal with it. 😉 I can’t imagine tilapia fillets would be good slow-cooked. (I’m not counting sous-vide as “slow cooking.” For me, that term refers to crock pots or stews.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/43 "2012-03-01T16:10:13Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > I think there is confusion over slow cooking in a slow cooker vs. slow cooking over charcoal and/or smoking. I would say those are both forms of slow cooking, with the same principles in action. It’s “sous vide” that is the odd one out. Whether you braise your meat in the oven, cook it in a Crockpot, indirect grill it, or barbecue (hot smoke) it, in all cases, you are cooking your meat to what would normally be called “well done” or beyond, but, because of the cut of meat you are using, there is a desirable effect of collagen breaking down. So, while the meat would technically qualify as “overcooked” just going by temperature guides, when the collagen breaks down, it forms gelatin, and the gelatin coats the fibers of meat, giving it a moist and unctuous mouthfeel, despite the fact that it is “extra well-done.” For example, I smoke my brisket and pork shoulder to around 195-200 degrees. That is off-the-charts well done. But the meat doesn’t get soft and juicy until about then. Speaking specifically of pork butt, even in the low 180s, it’s only sliceable. By about the mid-180s, you start getting something that’s soft, but still retains a lot of “tooth.” (I actually do like it best at around this doneness, but my guests generally like it more shredded.) By the 190s, you’re getting into “pulling” territory, where the bone easily slides out of the meat, and the meat pulls apart with little effort. By 200, you should be done, and keeping it at this temp for too long will start getting the meat dry and stringy. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/44 "2012-03-01T16:19:24Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Beef roast done in a crock-pot - awful stuff. I mean, the way I’ve made it, it’s yummy that night, but the next day the leftovers are nearly inedible. All the collagen and fat have cooked completely out of the meat, leaving it stringy and dry. Agreed. I’ve never been able to make a great pot roast in a crock pot. It’s OK, perhaps even good enough, but never that unctuous, melty, absolutely mouthwatering deliciousness that is good pot roast. And mine’s also always been dry and stringy the next day. However, pot roast made in a regular dutch oven and braised in the oven is a completely different story. I’ve finally been able to achieve great pot roast by ditching the slow cooker and going traditional. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/45 "2012-03-01T16:28:47Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > I’d love to see your grilled oxtail recipe. Yummy! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/46 "2012-03-01T17:51:56Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Yup, here in Texas (beef central) nobody would know what the fuck a KC Strip is, either. There are regional differences in what certain cuts are called, and you’re just going to have to accept that fact and deal with it. 😉 I do _not_! I don’t wanna and I don’t hafta! Think I’m ready for GD yet? ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/47 "2012-03-01T17:58:16Z")
Tuna. If you’re not eating it raw or slightly seared, you’re wasting it. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/48 "2012-03-01T18:11:30Z")
Rule of thumb: The more fat and connective tissue the meat has, the slower you want to cook it. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/49 "2012-03-01T18:22:31Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > The thing I can’t figure out about _sous vide_ is how it doesn’t turn into the Mother of All Culture Media for bacteria. Do they alter the acid or salt content of the fluid to make it bacteriostatic? The meat is pasteurized by holding it at a specified temperature for correct amount of time. Bacteria are killed instantly at 165F but at 135F it takes a while. Here’s a PDF that has charts for a lot of common meats at different temperatures … and a whole more information about sous vide cooking. [A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking](http://www.saberdosabor.com.br/sous-vide.pdf). BTW, I do pork butt for 48 hours and beef short ribs for 72 hours in my sous vide set-up. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/50 "2012-03-01T19:21:42Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Tuna. If you’re not eating it raw or slightly seared, you’re wasting it. Can’t believe I forgot that one. I had a tuna salad (that is, chunks or slices of tuna steak with greens, not the mayo-and-tuna stuff) at a restaurant in Ann Arbor once that was made with “slow-cooked tuna.” Now, the menu didn’t say “slow-cooked”, but the waitress was kind enough to warn me that it’s made with tuna that’s marinaded and slow-cooked all the way through, and not with seared tuna or anything like that. I let the other guests order while I considered my decision and then thought, oh, what the hell, if it’s on the permanent menu, it must have passed QC. Boy, was I wrong. Overcooked, flaky, dry tuna. There’s a reason she warned me: other diners must have complained at some point. The only excuse I can see for this being on the menu is to get rid of tuna that’s past its prime. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/51 "2012-03-01T19:24:07Z")
> [@azraiel](#): > > Oh for fuck’s sake–there is no such thing. It’s a KC strip, full stop. Look, y’all on the east coast have culture, transcontinental ties, global networks, etc. But you don’t get to have steak. > > I don’t know why “New York strip” pisses me off so much, but it does. > > I grew up in cattle country, I raised steers in 4-H for 11 years, my family has run cow-calf for four generations. And my hometown is centered on the rail lines that ran beef to the east off multiple trails. > > Trump: I have a brand. > > Repeat after me: there is no such thing as a New York Strip. > > [/rant] > > Beyond that heresy, you’re correct. A **KC** strip should be medium rare. I’ll make allowances for medium, rare, and blue, but nothing else. And now Kansas City is the best city in the world! You’ve done your job. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/52 "2012-03-01T19:29:50Z")
I put some venison (loin?) medallions into the slow-cooker once. Hockey pucks came out. Any very-lean meat won’t do well in the slow cooker. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/53 "2012-03-01T21:51:38Z")
Tenderloin medallions = filet mignon. That’s the leanest and most tender part of any 4-legged critter. ---
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/54 "2012-03-01T22:22:02Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > And now Kansas City is the best city in the world! You’ve done your job. Awesome! When should I expect my deliverable bonus? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/55 "2012-03-01T23:32:21Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Tenderloin medallions = filet mignon. That’s the leanest and most tender part of any 4-legged critter. I so do not care for filet mignon, I find it tastes of organ meat. It’s thisclose to being liver. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/56 "2012-03-02T01:45:51Z")
I have slow cooked bacon in my smoker - well it was wrapped around a stuffed jalapenos at the time, but came out delicious ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/57 "2012-03-02T02:42:01Z")
Thinly sliced wagyu (Japanese beef) is best just dusted over a hot grill for a few seconds. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409/58 "2012-03-02T03:18:08Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I so do not care for filet mignon, I find it tastes of organ meat. It’s thisclose to being liver. That livery taste can occur with pretty much any cut of beef. I’ve honestly never had that taste with filet, but I have found it in round roasts. There are any of a number of things that can contribute to this flavor: the diet (apparently, grain fed beef is more likely to have this flavor), improper butchering, wet aging in cryovac, and overcooking are some possibilities. Filet tasting like liver, as a general rule, is not the norm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-meat-isnt-better-if-it-is-slow-cooked/614409.md?page=2)