Composition and Structure

Appears in
Professional Cooking: 10th Edition
Professional Cooking

By Wayne Gisslen

Published 2025

  • About
The flesh of poultry and game birds is muscle tissue, as is the flesh of beef, lamb, veal, pork, and game. Its composition and structure are essentially the same as those of meat.

Review the section on meat composition and structure (Chapter 16). Remember that muscle tissue is composed of

  • Water (about 75 percent)
  • Protein (about 20 percent)
  • Fat (up to 5 percent)
  • Other elements, including carbohydrate, in small quantities

Remember that muscles consist of muscle fibers held together in bundles by connective tissue.