Cooking Lessons Meat and Poultry Cookery 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What internal temperature does the USDA recommend for a whole-muscle pork chop, followed by a rest?
- 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest (Correct answer)
- 165°F (74°C) with no rest
- 130°F (54°C) with a 10-minute rest
- 180°F (82°C) with a 5-minute rest
Correct answer: 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest
Whole cuts of pork are safe at 145°F followed by a three-minute rest, leaving them slightly pink and juicy.
Question 2: Which of these describes 'spatchcocking' a chicken?
- Removing the backbone and flattening the bird (Correct answer)
- Stuffing herbs under the skin
- Splitting the breast and stuffing it
- Rolling the deboned bird into a cylinder
Correct answer: Removing the backbone and flattening the bird
Spatchcocking (butterflying) flattens the bird so it cooks faster and more evenly.
Question 3: A stew recipe calls for browning beef cubes in batches rather than all at once. Why?
- Overcrowding lowers pan temperature and steams the meat instead of browning it (Correct answer)
- Larger batches absorb too much oil
- Browning in batches tenderizes the meat
- It prevents the beef from releasing collagen
Correct answer: Overcrowding lowers pan temperature and steams the meat instead of browning it
Too much meat at once drops the pan temperature, releasing moisture that prevents proper searing.
Question 4: What distinguishes white meat from dark meat in poultry?
- Dark meat comes from muscles used more, containing more myoglobin and fat (Correct answer)
- White meat contains more blood vessels
- Dark meat is closer to the bone in all cases
- White meat has more connective tissue
Correct answer: Dark meat comes from muscles used more, containing more myoglobin and fat
Frequently used muscles like legs and thighs contain more myoglobin, making them darker and richer.
Question 5: Which method best describes barding a lean roast?
- Wrapping or covering the meat with a layer of fat such as bacon (Correct answer)
- Inserting garlic slivers into the meat
- Injecting the roast with broth
- Coating the roast in a salt crust
Correct answer: Wrapping or covering the meat with a layer of fat such as bacon
Barding adds an external fat layer to baste lean meat and prevent drying during roasting.
Question 6: After cooking, how long can cooked chicken safely sit at room temperature before it must be refrigerated?
- 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F) (Correct answer)
- 6 hours in any conditions
- 4 hours if covered
- 30 minutes maximum
Correct answer: 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F)
Perishable cooked foods should be refrigerated within 2 hours, or 1 hour in hot conditions above 90°F.
Question 7: Which cut is traditionally used for making corned beef?
- Brisket (Correct answer)
- Ribeye
- Sirloin tip
- Tenderloin
Correct answer: Brisket
Corned beef is made by curing brisket in a seasoned salt brine.
Cooking Lessons Meat and Poultry Cookery 5
What internal temperature does the USDA recommend for a whole-muscle pork chop, followed by a rest?