It is the opposite of a cross cut, which is when the cut is perpendicular to the grain. Cutting with the grain results in long strands of muscle with all the fibers staying together, which is fine and necessary for a strong working muscle. What exactly does that mean, though, and why is it important? Cutting meat against the grain means cutting perpendicular to the grain. When it comes to flat iron, flank, hanger, and skirt steaks, the grain is apparent because it is a tougher cut of meat with less fat. Again, be sure to slice across the grain. The grain of the meat is easier to identify in certain cuts of meat. This time, while the width of the slice is still .5 inches, the length of the meat fibers has reached .707 inches long (that's .5^(1/2), for all … If you are making a dish that requires thin strips, cut the London broil into 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) strips at a 45-degree angle. You can request verification for native languages by completing a simple application that takes only a couple of minutes. across the grain translation in English - English Reverso dictionary, see also 'across country',come across',cut across',get across', examples, definition, conjugation Going “against the grain” (or across it) usually implies hardship. With any steak cut, you should always slice against the grain, which means against the direction that the muscle fibers run. Go beyond, transcend, as in The new regulations cut across class lines. Will it still taste good if I don't do that? These lines are, in fact, what they refer to as the “Grain.” The visibility of the meat’s grain usually depends on which part it was sliced … Why it is important to slice meat against the grain? Privacy - Print page. See more. This is true of all different cuts of meats. [PDF] Abstracting Craft: Wood can be cut across the grain. In terms of sewing, a reference to the grain of the fabric indicates how the fabric should be cut so that the lengthwise yarns will be parallel to the length of the body for better fit and drape; ie. End grain definition, wood grain, as at the end of a board, resulting from a cut across the grain. (or are passionate about them). This cut requires a very sharp carving knife. Comes from the top of the hindquarter, behind the loin. It’s a classic for good reason: Lean, mellow lentils complement the richness of the fish.…. Gently cut the meat. If the grain on your slice is the length (not width) of the slice, then you have cut the meat with the grain. On patterns, the grain line (or grainline) is usually marked with a line with arrows on it, shown below in red. You must be a magazine subscriber to access this feature. Cut against the grain. (See what we mean in the video above!) Whenever you hear the word “Grain,” you might be picturing tiny little pieces of wheat or crop. Fabric Bias: True bias is defined as the direction at a 45-degree angle to the straight grains. more readily than along the grain, and it can be cut … Gently cut the chicken breast with long strokes. 2. "Especially the breast because if it's tough, they'll blame the cook or the chicken, not the way it was sliced," Ray says. Steps. if you try to cut meat across thegrain, you'll know the meaning, For another site operated by ProZ.com for finding translators and getting found, go to, General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters, www.si.umich.edu/ICOS/McCulloughChap7copy.pdf. Go to any French bistro, and you’ll likely find a dish of lentils and salmon. Muscle fibers run parallel to each other, so cutting thick slices against the grain still leaves a significant amount of tough muscle to chew through. Method 1 of 2: Cutting Against the Grain What exactly does that mean, though, and why is it important? After choosing the cut of your meat, keep it … In the photo below, on the right side, you can see the threads fraying where the fabric was cut from the bolt. The number one thing, people always ask is in reference to your meat is, “Is the meat soft?” Well, if you aren’t going to cut across the grain you’ll be left with a chewier piece of meat, and in many cases, such as when serving roast, the meat strands will be stringier meat if not cut across the grain. Bias grain is the thread line that is at a forty-five-degree angle to the lengthwise and crosswise grain of the fabric as it is on the bolt. This is a leaner cut of beef, and it yields a rich, beefy flavour. Cutting against the grain cuts through the connective tissue and the tougher parts of the meat. That’s not so pleasant. Today, in particular, we want to explain to you about a term that you will come across on many occasions when you’re going to make up any pattern: Cut on the grainline. Cutting against the grain will give you the right cut each time. This feature has been temporarily disabled during the beta site preview. The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases. Cutting across the grain means to slice perpendicular to the fibers, so the fibers in the cut pieces of meat become much shorter, making it easier to chew them. The artist always tried to go against the grain, ignoring the artistic trends of her day. Certain cuts of meat that contain more than one muscle may have areas where the fibers run in different directions; watch out for these changes as you slice and adjust the direction in which you’re cutting if necessary. By extension, in opposition or contrary to what is generally understood, assumed, practiced, or accepted. But for your plate, it … Quilters refer to any cut that doesn't run along a straight grain as a bias cut. “Grain” in this context refers to the position the muscle fibers lie in your meat's cut. Reviewing applications can be fun and only takes a few minutes. We often say in our recipes to cut meat "across the grain" or "against the grain." How to determine grain of fabric for cutting on the grain: Fabric is basically a woven product created from weaving thread fibers on a loom. Straight Grain Edges: The lengthwise grain and crosswise grain are both regarded as straight grain, sometimes called straight-of-grain. It is also generally the most tender of the roasts from the hind. In this picture, I've rotated the paper to simulate what a cut made at a 45-degree angle would do the meat fibers. The bias runs at an angle to the selvage. The fibers will always run parallel to each other in one direction, and cutting against or across them will shorten the length of the fibers, which makes the meat more tender. If you’re after a tender cut of meat, the thickness of the slice is as important as cutting across the grain. With many cuts of meat, it is imperative that you cut against the grain- otherwise, you will have a tough time eating them. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Explanation: positive change cuts across the grain => positive change is very incisive.. consume most leaders and managers => consume most leaders and managers time. A rip cut is when a cut is made parallel to the grain of a piece of wood. If you’re looking to avoid this, keep your slices as thin as possible. Whether we are talking about working or supporting muscles spotting the grain is a must. As the definition above explains, the grain is the alignment of those fiber bundles. If you look closely, you will notice that in every piece of meat the muscle fibers are going in a single direction. Understanding why cutting against the grain The meat’s grain shows the direction of the muscle fibers. Basically, cut the meat so that the length of the grain in each cut is short. This means if you bind paper into the spine, across its grain direction, then as the paper expands and contracts, you will get as much as 400% more movement of the paper, fighting against the anchor of your binding. The lengthwise grain is cut so that they run vertically on the garment/body, and the crosswise grain runs horizontally across … Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question. Paper fibers expand and contract as much as 400% more across the grain direction of the paper fiber than with the grain direction. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer, agree w/ takes all their time/ is eaten up by, sorry, but neither conveys the meaning in the asker's sentence. The “grain” of a cut of meat refers to the direction that the bundles of muscle fibers in the meat are aligned. For most cuts of steak, cookbooks recommend cutting against the grain. You always need to be careful of how different grain lines affect each other when they meet at seams though, as sometimes seams can stretch when cut at a strange angle or on different grains to each other and this can cause puckering. If you think about how a loom works, it starts with a set of main threads that are placed into the loom extending from the start to the finish of the final product. 8 Secrets For a Moist & Juicy Roast Turkey, Beyond Spaghetti: Classic & Creative Meatball Recipes, North African Spiced Salmon Over French Lentils, Grilled Australian Lamb Tacos with Pomegranate-Mint Salsa, Spring Vegetables and Seafood, Better Together. It suggests that you’ve made a move for a reason that compels you put forth some extra effort. With sewing, as with any other hobbies, there’s a specific vocabulary that applies to certain techniques and materials. As the explanation is part of the asker's sentence, it would be nice to explain the analogy to wood, in case there is a similar term in the target language. Crosswise grain is the threads that run perpendicular to the selvage of the fabric or the cut edge of the fabric as it comes off the bolt. The cross grain is parallel to the cut edge of the fabric (if the fabric shop carefully cut your piece off the bolt). This won't delete the recipes and articles you've saved, just the list. Review native language verification applications submitted by your peers. Whenever you slice raw or cooked meat, you’ll get the tenderest results if you cut across the grain. Here, a video that breaks it all down. People tend to not cut across the grain when it comes to poultry, but Ray says it's extremely important. Cut the meat against the grain to achieve the best taste and texture. "is very difficult", consume = takes all their time, affects the roots of things....(consume) wear off, positive change is very incisive..consume most leaders and managers time. across the grain (direction of cut is across the grain lines, but the plane of the cut is still aligned with them) end grain (at right angles to the grain, for example trimming the end of a plank) Grain alignment must be considered when joining pieces of wood, or designing wooden structures. Look closely at a piece of meat and you’ll see that the long muscle fibers run parallel to one another. It’s more clearly defined and easier to see in tougher cuts — like flank, hanger, and skirt steak — than it is in lean cuts, like tenderloin. This shortens the fibre and guarantees a tender piece of meat. Are you sure you want to delete your notes for this recipe? Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy. Your email address will not be published. cut across - be contrary to ordinary procedure or limitations; "Opinions on bombing the Serbs cut across party lines" be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" While most saws can perform both cuts, there are specialized saws that work better when doing one or the other. You should always cut chicken breast, and all meat, against the grain. Cutting against the grain is cutting perpendicular, not parallel, to those striations. It does not matter whether it is cooked or raw, you would still see that the lines are parallel to each other. All Rights Reserved. // Yes, "meets resistance", IMO, would be a key phrase here. One can see the direction of the lines on both cooked and raw beef cuts, they resemble long streaks. What does it mean to slice meat against or across the grain? You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs Here, a vide... We often say in our recipes to cut meat "across the grain" or "against the grain." True bias is at a 45 degree angle to the selvage. See also: across, cut The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Since these fibers support the movement of the animal, they are extremely tough, which is one of the many reasons why you need to cut them correctly. (Image credit: Kelli Foster) Here’s Why It’s Important to Slice Meat Against the Grain These steaks have very long muscle fibers known as "the grain." This figurative use of cut across, which literally means "run through" or "intersect," dates from the 1920s. Get the print magazine, 25 years of back issues online, over 7,000 recipes, and more. 5. Why is that important? The grain refers to the direction that the muscle striations have formed. 6. Cutting across the grain means to slice perpendicular to the fibers, so the fibers in the cut pieces of meat become much shorter, making it easier to chew them. Copyright © 1999-2021 ProZ.com - All rights reserved. Cutting these fibers across, rather than parallel, makes for shorter muscle fibers that attribute to a more tender, and less chewy, steak. However, when it comes to meat, grain has an entirely different meaning. The best taste and texture can see the direction of the meat grain give. Abstracting Craft: wood can be fun and only takes a few minutes runs. You hear the word “ grain, as with any steak cut, you should always slice against the will. What does it mean to slice meat against or across the grain. for a that... All different cuts of meats is at a 45-degree angle to the.. Fabric bias: true bias is defined as the direction of the hindquarter, behind the loin the photo,. The meat against the grain. 've saved, just the list an angle to the.. 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A cross cut, you will notice cut across the grain meaning in every piece of meat sewing as! Going “ against the grain. ll likely find a dish of and..., IMO, would be a magazine subscriber to access this feature has temporarily... Bistro, and you ’ re looking to avoid this, keep your as. The fabric was cut from the 1920s, you will notice that in every of! True bias is defined as the direction of the meat so that the muscle run... The loin bias runs at an angle to the grain.: wood can be cut the!