Whats against the grain

It is for those that want an easy shave or those that prefer to shave quickly. In the photo above you can see that the muscle fibers run from left to right.

We often say in our recipes to cut meat across the grain or against the grain What exactly does that mean though and why is it important.

Whats against the grain. Against the grain Opposed to ones inclination or preference as in We followed the new supervisors advice though it went against the grain. This metaphor refers to the natural direction of the fibers in a piece of wood called its grain. When sawed obliquely or against the grain the wood will tend to splinter.

That is slicing against the grain. The reason for slicing meat this way is to make it easier to chew. Meat is tough because of the presence of a protein called collagen which happens to be very tough and chewy.

There are only three ways to tenderize meat and each method comes down to. Go against the grain To do something or be in opposition or contrary to what is generally understood assumed practiced or accepted. The artist always tried to go against the grain ignoring the artistic trends of her day.

Open in itunes In-depth analysis and commentary on a variety of matters political economic social and cultural important to progressive and radical thinking and activism. Against the Grain is co-produced and co-hosted by Sasha Lilley and C. We often say in our recipes to cut meat across the grain or against the grain What exactly does that mean though and why is it important.

In the photo above you can see that the muscle fibers run from left to right. By cutting against the grain we want to cut through the fibers and shorten them rather than cut in the same direction that they run. This makes it easier to chew through since a lot of the hard work of breaking up the muscle fibers has already been done for you.

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For tender meat you have to cut it against the grain. But some cuts have fibers running in different directions making it difficult to identify the grain. To identify which direction the grain of the meat is running look for the parallel lines of muscle fiber running.

What does it mean to slice meat against or across the grain. Why is that important. Will it still taste good if I dont do that.

Ill show you how easy it is. With that in mind you definitely want to cut a ribeye steak against the grain. What makes a steak tender.

A tender steak is one that is easier to chew. It will seemingly melt in your mouth and it should taste great. People tend to not cut across the grain when it comes to poultry but Ray says its extremely important.

Especially the breast because if its tough theyll blame the cook or the chicken not the way it was sliced Ray says. To go against the grain means to go against the generally accepted practice or societal norms or simply something that is unpleasant. The phrase may be used in a number of different ways such as in relation to someone else or describing an action someone does not want to take.

Going with the grain is said to keep irritation and discomfort to a minimum. It is for those that want an easy shave or those that prefer to shave quickly. Shaving against the grain however is known as a specialist choice as it comes with more risk.

You are more likely to irritate or cut your skin and could even get ingrown hair as a result. Against the Grain Gourmet. Powered by Destini Product Locators.

Cutting meat against the grain means cutting perpendicular to the grain. Basically cut the meat so that the length of the grain in each cut is short. If the grain on your slice is the length not width of the slice then you have cut the meat with the grain.

Why it is important to slice meat against the grain. Going against the grain or across it usually implies hardship. It suggests that youve made a move for a reason that compels you put forth some extra effort.

When it comes to meat cutting. Insights Analysis on politics Congress history the media and food policy with civility. Let me read it first.

Not only is cutting against the grain crucial but the thickness of the slice is important as well. Considering that the muscle fibers run parallel to each other says Chef Yankel cutting thick slices against the grain still leaves a significant amount of tough muscle to chew through.