Given that fat has a lower specific heat than water, why do meats with higher fat content take longer to cook?
Meats with a low fat content, like shrimp and chicken breast are often suggested to be cooked at a high temperature for a short period of time.
However meats with a higher fat content, such as beef brisket and pork ribs, are often to suggested to be cooked low and slow.
Oil has a lower specific heat than water which means it heats up faster.
Given this, I would expect high fat meats to have shorter cook times.
Why is it the reverse?
Best Answer
The cuts you are talking abut don't just have fat, they have collagen. Collagen requires long cooking in order to be converted to gelatin and stop the meat being tough and chewy, and to add that delicious richness to the cooking liquor and succulence to the meat.
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Does fat heat faster than meat?
However meats with a higher fat content, such as beef brisket and pork ribs, are often to suggested to be cooked low and slow. Oil has a lower specific heat than water which means it heats up faster.Why does food cook faster in oil than water?
The lower specific heat of oil means that it is easier to heat or cool than water, making if more efficient at transferring energy from a heat source, or from its reserve, to another object, so it should simply cook faster than water.How does fat content affect meat?
Fat may affect juiciness by enhancing the water-holding capacity of meat, by lubricating the muscle fibers during cooking, by increasing the tenderness of meat and thus the apparent sensation of juiciness, or by stimulating salivary flow during mastication (Smith and Carpenter, 1974).What happens to fat in meat when cooked?
\u201cDuring cooking, both moisture and fat content decrease within the meat. On average, 4 ounces of lean raw ground beef becomes 3 ounces (about 85 grams) of cooked meat,\u201d Dr. Garden-Robinson said.Best Meats to Eat | Low Carb High Fat Diet | Protein Fatty Acids Comparison (Meat Analysis)
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Answer 2
Because cooking time has nothing whatsoever to do with the specific heat of the food. It's determined by what you want the result of cooking to be.
High-fat meats (like pork and beef) can be cooked low and slow because the fat stays in the meat and keeps it moist over long cooking. Whereas low-fat meats (like chicken breast or seafood) primarily have water, which evaporates, making them extremely dry and unpalatable if cooked long in a dry environment.
Additionally, the "high-fat" meats are more likely to be cut into large, thick portions which are suitable for slow cooking. They don't have to be, though; consider both bacon and Mexican-style skirt steak, either of which is cut thin and then cooked "at a high temperature for a short period of time".
Plus, see spagirl's answer about collagen.
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