"Gas Bag" wrote in message
...
Years ago a butcher told me that some people boil sausages (before
frying/grilling them) to remove the fat. They typically boil them for
about 20 minutes or so. I thought that this would leach out most of
the nutrients and flavour from any food – sausages or otherwise.
I then remembered that lots of people steam their food instead of
boiling it, as this retains a lot more flavour and nutrients than
boiling. Since then, I’ve tried steaming meat before grilling it. I
don’t steam fillets of steak, only things like:

Mince
Poultry
Sausages (thoroughly pricked)
Ribs
Even small roasts, before finishing them off in the oven
But my favourite are Chevapchichis -
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=e...G=Search&meta=

I have kept the liquid stock in the fridge overnight, and the amount
of solidified fat on top the next morning is amazing. The first time
I did it, it took my breath away. I prefer using a stove-top steamer,
as opposed to a microwave steamer, as the microwave tends to burn the
meat before it can melt out all the fat. Nowadays I do this mainly
for the taste factor, more than anything else. Meat that is steamed
before it’s grilled (or “dry fried”) tastes so much better. You truly
have to taste it to believe it.
I was hoping some expert cooks/dieticians might be able to answer some
specific questions for me:

Will steaming remove (very close to) 100% of the fat from meat, if
left long enough?
If so, any guides to how long it takes?
Is steaming truly better than boiling, in terms of retention of
flavour and nutrients?
In broad, general terms, is steaming meat before browning it a much
healthier way of cooking, in terms of reducing levels of fat in the
diet?

Before anyone makes any comments, please understand I am only talking
about *one small part* of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle.


I steam live crab rather than boiling it, and the difference in flavor is
substantial. When you boil the crab or lobster you're essentially making a
very very dilute seafood stock. When you steam, all the flavor stays inside.

Theron