"Dave Bugg" > wrote in message
...
> Dimitri wrote:
>
>> However the "pan of water" will in-fact create a moist cooking
>> environment which will tend to reduce the drying of the meat.
>
> If it does, it is insignificant. Meat will dry out even if submerged in water
> whilst cooking. All that has to happen is to have the intracellular pressure
> gradient, caused by heat, to rise above the external pressure that keeps
> moisture trapped between the cells, and -- voila -- moisture will escape into
> dry air, moist air, and water.
>
>> In
>> essence if the water container is kept full (not allowed boil off) the food
>> is "steamed" rather than dry roasted. Add moisture - you're
>> 100% correct - prevent some of the drying, yes.
>
> Steamed, boiled, or dry roasted, it's all the same .... it is the heat that
> causes meat to lose moisture, not the lack of surrounding moisture.

Put a piece of meat on a rack in the Sonoran desert. Put an identical piece of
meat (sheltered) on a rack in an Amazon Rain forest - which will turn to Jerky?

An absurd example but it is more that heat that removes moisture - I am sure you
have experienced Freezer burn.


Dimitri