Tender cuts of meat are best cooked with dry heat such as broiling,
roasting, and panbroiling. Less tender cuts of meat are tenderized by
cooking with _moist_ heat. Connective tissue is softened and
tenderized by cooking slowly in moisture.
Temperature control is very important in meat cookery. Meat loses
moisture, fat, and other volatile substances during cooking. However,
some of the meat juices and fat may be retained in the pan drippings.
Cooking losses can be controlled by controlling the oven cooking
temperature and final internal temperature of the meat. Shrinkage is
increased when hot oven temperatures are used for cooking and when the
meat is cooked to a higher internal temperature.
The meat thermometer is the most accurate guide to the degree of
doneness of meat. Cooking time can be used as a guide to the degree of
doneness, but this may be influenced by fat and moisture content, and
shape or size of the cut.
Fresh lamb is usually cooked to an internal temperature of 170 to 180° F
(77 to 82° C). Chops or roasts from the leg, loin, back, or shoulder
are suited to dry heat cookery methods such as broiling or roasting.
Other cuts from the lamb carcass such as stew meat, neck slices, lamb
riblets, and shank are best suited to moist cookery methods such as
braising. Lamb should be served hot and not allowed to cool before
serving.
More detailed instructions for cooking procedures can be obtained from
the following sources: