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Whether you're pureeing meat to make baby food or as part of a soft food diet, the goal is to get a smooth, silky consistency. Pasty or lumpy pureed meat isn't appetizing, even for a baby. The key is to chill your cooked meat and puree it when it's cold. Adding some liquid to the meet will help you achieve a more appetizing texture.
Steps
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Choose tender cuts of meat. The more tender the meat you use, the smoother and better-tasting your puree will be. Whether you're pureeing beef, chicken, pork or lamb, you want to choose a tender cut that won't toughen up when cooked.- Often the cheapest cuts of beef are the toughest, so try choosing a cut like top sirloin.
- For chicken, you can buy the meat boneless or bone-in. If you buy it bone-in, you'll have to be careful to make sure no tiny bones get mixed in with the puree.
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Cook the meat slowly. Slow cooking methods help the meat retain flavor and moisture, making it much easier to puree. No matter what type of meat you use, consider cooking it slowly so you end up with the best possible texture. Here are some methods that work well:- Braising.
- Using a slow cooker. [1] X Research source
- Boiling
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Make sure it's cooked to the correct temperature. The meat must be completely pre-cooked before you puree it. Check the temperature of the meat when it's done to make sure it has reached the correct internal temperature. Here are the correct temperatures for different types of meat: [2] X Research source- Chicken: 165 °F (74 °C)
- Pork: 160 °F (71 °C)
- Beef: 145 °F (63 °C)
- Lamb: 145 °F (63 °C)
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Chill the meat thoroughly. After cooking, chill the meat in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The meat should be completely chilled in preparation for processing. Chilled meat will process into much finer pieces than meat that is still warm. -
Chop it into 1-inch pieces. Remove it from the refrigerator and chop the meat into chunks that will fit easily in your food processor.
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Place a cup of meat in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, it's fine to use a blender, although the resulting puree may not be as silky-smooth as puree that was made in a food processor.
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Blend the meat until it's powdery. "Powdery" may seem like a strange word to describe meat, but that's the texture it will take on when you process it cold. Keep processing the meat until the pieces are very fine, almost like sand. [3] X Research source
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Add liquid and keep blending. In order to process the meat into a smooth puree, you'll need to add some liquid to loosen it up. You'll need 1/4 cup of liquid per 1 cup of meat, regardless of what kind of meat you're pureeing. Choose from among the following liquids:
- Cooking liquid reserved from cooking the meat
- Sodium-free meat broth
- Water
Chill your meat.
"This taught me how to puree fresh meat. Until now I have had to use soft, processed meats (i.e. Vienna sausage), but now I can make a full home-cooked pureed meal. The chilling tip was the key!"
- Diane E.
Puree to cut costs.
"I feed the strays in my area and found that pureeing the meat makes them happier. It also cuts down on expenses as about 1/2 cup of puree can be enough for 3 dogs when cooked with rice. This tip worked great!"
- Anindya B.
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Store the pureed meat in the refrigerator. After the puree has reached your desired consistency, spoon it into a food storage container with a tight-fitting lid. Store the puree in the refrigerator until use. It will keep safely for three to four days.- You can freeze pureed meat for later use if desired. Be sure to store it in a freezer-safe container. [4] X Research source
- Before serving, let the puree come to room temperature or heat it gently in the microwave.
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Mix in Puree Vegetables pureed vegetables for a baby. You can make a complete pureed meal for a baby by mixing some pureed vegetables in with the pureed meat. This adds flavor and substance. Try the following combinations:
- Chicken puree mixed with carrot puree
- Beef puree mixed with pea puree
- Pork puree mixed with apple puree
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Season the meat if it's for an adult. While babies don't need salt and other extra seasonings, an adult might find pureed meat more appetizing if you add some salt and spices. To a cup of any type of pureed meat, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the spices of your choice.
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Make chunkier puree. If your baby is getting older and can chew larger chunks of meat, you can make puree with more than one consistency. [5] X Research source Instead of pureeing the meat until it's completely smooth, stop when there are still chunks in the puree. As an alternative, add chunks of cooked vegetables to a smooth meat puree.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhen can I puree meat for my baby?Monica Moreno is a Registered Dietitian and the Founder, Owner, and Lead Dietitian at Essence Nutrition in Miami, Florida. Monica specializes in nutrition consulting and school and corporate wellness programs. She holds a BA from The University of Florida and an MS in Dietetics and Nutrition from Florida International University. Monica was the dietitian for the Miami Marlins for close to 5 years, and she is currently visiting dietitian specialist at Ocean Reef Resort and Club. Monica is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetics Practice Group, Integrative Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group, Collegiate and Professionals Sports Dietitians Association, and Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group. She was awarded the 2020 Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Business Woman in Healthcare of the Year award.If you and your doctor have decided that the baby is ready for solid foods, then they are ready for pureed meat. Meat is actually the first thing that I gave my son. That is because heme iron, which is the iron that we absorb from animal sources, is the most bioavailable and most absorbable form of iron, and is one of the most critical nutrients that babies need in their diets. Breast milk is very low in iron, so the most important nutrient that we need to supplement with solid foods is iron.
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QuestionHow do I clean the blender?Josiah RondeauCommunity AnswerJust run it under some warm water to get the majority of it off. Then, use some soapy water and a scratchy sponge to get under the blades and in the cracks of the blender.
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QuestionCan I puree scrambled eggs?CaeiiaTop AnswererSure. If you cook them a certain way, they'll be soft enough anyway.
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Tips
- Canned meats like tuna fish or salmon can be pureed with 1 tablespoon (24 grams) mayonnaise.Thanks
- You do not need to cook canned meat before you puree it.Thanks
- You may add a piece of bread to the food processor with your meat mixture to improve the texture. Alternatively, you may add mashed potatoes 1 tablespoon (20 grams) at a time.Thanks
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Warnings
- Cook all meat thoroughly before pureeing it.Thanks
- If you are preparing pureed meat for your baby, consider using organic meat. [6] X Trustworthy Source US Department of Agriculture U.S. agency responsible for promoting good agricultural practices and protecting consumers Go to source Also, make sure that your cooking area and your appliances are as clean as possible to avoid spreading foodborne illness to your baby. [7] X Trustworthy Source US Food and Drug Administration U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health Go to sourceThanks
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Things You'll Need
- Meat
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Slotted spoon
- Slow cooker
- Food processor or blender
References
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/10-easy-ways-to-cook-meat-in-the-slow-cooker-216041
- ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/grilling/grilling-central-how-tos/articles/meat-and-poultry-temperature-guide
- ↑ http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/MeatRecipes.htm#.VIoi_2TF8m8
- ↑ https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/freezepage.htm
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/baby-food-milestones#1-3
- ↑ https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means
- ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/people-risk-foodborne-illness/once-baby-arrives-food-safety-moms-be
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To puree meat, start with a tender cut and cook it slowly by braising it, boiling it, or putting it in a slow cooker. Refrigerate your cooked meat for at least 2 hours, then chop it into 1-inch pieces. Next, put a cup of your meat into your food processor or blender. Blend your meat until it’s fine and powdery, almost like sand. Finally, puree your meat by adding ¼ cup of water, meat broth, or reserved cooking liquid per cup of meat. Continue blending or processing until your puree has reached the consistency you want. To learn how to puree vegetables or make your meat puree chunkier, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "My mom is 89 years old and suffers from a hiatal hernia. Im starting the trial and error of pureeing. I worry about her having a choking spell. I have just found your ways of pureeing and what foods to use together; this is and will be extremely helpful for making sure she still gets all the good nutrients she needs for tasty meals. Thank you." ..." more
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"My mom is 89 years old and suffers from a hiatal hernia. Im starting the trial and error of pureeing. I worry about her having a choking spell. I have just found your ways of pureeing and what foods to use together; this is and will be extremely helpful for making sure she still gets all the good nutrients she needs for tasty meals. Thank you."
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"I now believe wikiHow can provide answers for any question I have! I'm not cooking for a baby or senior person, but for a senior toy poodle who lost all of her teeth and cannot chew regular food. She is "family" to me and this will help immensely to feed her minced ground turkey and veggies that she can digest. Thank you!"
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"I am trying to prepare quality foods for a stroke survivor as she recovers. It has been very difficult to provide adequate protein. Meat just hasn't pureed well at all, and is dry. This, at least, expands my thinking on the problem. "
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"Due to ill health it looks like I'm going to be on a pureed diet for the rest of my life. This site has shown me how I can get a more varied diet rather than relying on soup, yoghurt and custard or expensive ready made meals."
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"I feed the strays in my area and found that pureeing the meat makes them happier. It also cuts down on expenses as about 1/2 cup of puree can be enough for 3 dogs when cooked with rice. This tip worked great!"
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