What's this
What is the fillet?
Filetto ("tenderloin" in English) is the name used to indicate the most valuable cut of meat, or from the most considered such, obtained from the slaughter of animals belonging to the biological class Mammalia (especially the Suidae, Bovidae, Equidae and Cervidae families).
Anatomically speaking, the fillet, or rather the fillets - since each being has two, one on each side - consist of the psoas muscle, respectively located in the hindquarters. It has a fusiform and very elongated shape. In addition to being separated and sold individually, the fillet can be kept in larger and more complex cuts of meat, such as Fiorentina steak, t-bone, carrè - of veal or pork - chops - pork or mutton or of sheep etc.
Among the most widespread creatures for food purposes we remember: bull or cow (Genus Bos and taurus species), pigs and wild boar (Genus Sus and sow species), bison (Genus Bison and bison species), buffalo (Genus Bufalus and bubalis species), horse (genus Equus and ferus species), donkey or donkey (Gene Equus and asinus species) deer (Genus Cervus and alaphus species), fallow deer (Genus Dama and dama species), moose (Genus Alces and alces species) etc. Note : the two most common are certainly the beef tenderloin - beef breeds widely used are: Chianina, Angus, Kobe and Wagyu - and the pork tenderloin - of Mora Romagnola, Cinta Senese, Nero dei Nebrodi etc.
The fillet, besides being quite expensive, also has discrete nutritional properties. Obviously, as with all cuts of meat and various fishery products, these depend above all on: the animal species, the subspecies or the race, sex, age, nutritional status and processing level. Generally, being poor in connective tissue and "working little" in walking, running and in any movement of the beasts, the fillet is generally tender, not too fat and easily digested.
From a strictly nutritional point of view, the fillet belongs to the first fundamental group of foods - foods rich in high biological value proteins, vitamins (especially water-soluble from group B) and specific minerals (especially iron). However, cholesterol is not lacking, saturated fats - fortunately almost never prevalent on unsaturated fats - abundant purines and phenylalanine amino acid - these last two factors, not tolerated by those suffering from the specific metabolic complication. In general, large portions of fillet are always inadvisable; even more so in overweight, in hypercholesterolemia, in those suffering from digestive complications and liver or kidney diseases.
In the kitchen the fillet is used above all to prepare second courses. It prefers grilled, grilled and pan-cooked - natural or with pepper, balsamic vinegar, mushrooms etc. Being particularly soft, it not only lends itself to being consumed "to the blood", but also to the preparation of the raw like carpaccio and tartare.
Nutritional Properties
Nutritional properties of the fillet
Seen from the first group, the fillet is a food rich in high biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals. It has a medium energy supply, but it can also fluctuate a lot according to the variables we mentioned in the introduction. Note : for this reason, the description of the nutritional properties that will be shown below must be understood as approximate, potentially modifiable according to the specific case.
Calories are supplied mainly by proteins and lipids; carbohydrates are absent. Peptides have a high biological value, that is they contain all the essential amino acids in the right quantities and proportions with respect to the human model. The fatty acids are mainly unsaturated, especially monounsaturated, followed almost equally by the saturated; the polyunsaturates constitute the least relevant portion. Cholesterol is present in significant but acceptable amounts.
The fillet does not contain dietary fiber, gluten and lactose; if matured, it can mature small concentrations of histamine. Instead it has significant amounts of purines and phenylalanine amino acid.
From the vitamin point of view, the fillet is a food that does not differ from the average of the products belonging to the same category - meats. It contains above all water-soluble vitamins of group B, in particular niacin (vit PP), pyridoxine (vit B6) and cobalamin (vit B12); thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), pantothenic acid (vit B5), biotin (vit H) and folates are less relevant. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and all the fat-soluble (vit A, vit D, vit E, vit K) appear to be absent or irrelevant.
Also with regard to mineral salts, the fillet does not differ too much from its group. The content of iron, but also of zinc and phosphorus is appreciable; also brings potassium.
Diet
Fillet in the diet
The fillet is a food that can be inserted in most diets, but not in a frequent and systematic way. If obtained from a young animal, then lean, without the addition of condiments, it could also be used in the diet of certain clinical conditions such as severe overweight and hypercholesterolemia. On the contrary, in this case it would be better to prefer lean meats like chicken breast, turkey breast, horse muscle, pork fillet, lean fish, etc.
The fillet, rich in high biological value proteins, is very useful in the diet of those who find themselves in conditions of increased need for all essential amino acids; for example: pregnancy and lactation, growth, extremely intense and / or prolonged sports, old age - due to an eating disorder and a tendency to geriatric malabsorption - pathological malabsorption, recovery from specific or generalized malnutrition, debasement etc. For the reasonable content of cholesterol and the acceptable percentage of saturated fats, it can be used in the diet against hypercholesterolemia, as long as the portion and frequency of consumption are acceptable. Note : in food therapy against dyslipidemia it is however less appropriate than fish - pinnutes properly called - rich in omega 3 (EPA and DHA). It is a neutral food for diets aimed at subjects suffering from hyperglycemia or type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension, provided they are not associated with severe overweight.
The fillet is one of the products to be avoided, or to be consumed with extreme moderation, in the event of severe hyperuricemia - a tendency to gout - and calculosis or renal lithiasis with uric acid crystals. It should be completely removed from the phenylketonuria diet. It does not show contraindications for lactose intolerance and for celiac disease; it should also be harmless for histamine intolerance.
The fillet is an appreciable source of bio-available iron and participates in the coverage of metabolic needs, which is higher in fertile, pregnant women, marathon runners and vegetarians - especially in vegans. Note : iron deficiency can lead to iron deficiency anemia. It contributes to satisfying the phosphorus requirement, a very abundant mineral in the body - in particular in the bones in the form of hydroxyapatite, in the phospholipids of the cell membranes and in the nervous tissue etc. The zinc content - essential for hormone production and antioxidant enzymes - is more than appreciable. It is not to be considered an essential source of potassium, but still participates in satisfying the organism's request - greater in case of increased sweating, for example in sports, increased diuresis and diarrhea; the lack of this alkalizing ion - necessary for the membrane potential and very useful in the fight against primary arterial hypertension - induces, especially related to lack of magnesium and dehydration, the onset of muscle cramps and general weakness.
The fillet is rich in B vitamins, all coenzymatic factors of great importance in cellular processes. It can therefore be considered an excellent support for the functioning of the various body tissues. It is not allowed in the vegetarian and vegan diet. It is inadequate for Hindu and Buddhist food; fitness for Muslim and Hebrew varies depending on the animal species. After total cooking, it is also allowed in the diet during pregnancy. The average portion of fillet is about 100-150 g.
Kitchen
Cook the fillet
The fillet is a cut of meat that lends itself to any type of preparation. On the other hand, due to its chemical and physical characteristics - lack of connective tissue - organoleptic and gustatory, it is used above all in raw recipes or partial cooking - to the blood. Obviously this also depends very much on the type of animal from which it is derived; for example, game - especially for hygienic reasons - does not lend itself to cruelty - tartare, carpaccio etc. Even the domestic pig, despite veterinary checks, is generally not recommended as raw.
The fillet is rarely used for mixed minced meats, such as hamburgers, meatballs, sausages, ragù, etc. The most suitable methods of heat transmission are conduction (from metal to meat; rarely from oil to meat), convection (from air to meat) and radiation (infrared rays from embers). The recommended temperatures are almost always very high and the times generally low or moderate; some recommend low-temperature cooking, but it is a predominantly "niche" system. The most widely used cooking techniques or systems are: grilled and spit-roasted - both grilled and gas and stone - baked, grilled, pan-fried and, albeit rarely, fried.
Some famous fillet-based recipes are: tartare or carpaccio of fillet, fillet with pepper (green or pink), fillet in bread crust, fillet in salt crust, grilled fillet, fillet with balsamic vinegar, floured and fried filet, fillet with mustard etc. The enogastronomical matching of the fillet depends on the recipe and the ingredients that accompany it; in general, for red or game meat, red and structured wines are preferred such as: Chianti Classico, Rosso di Montalcino, Rosso Piceno, Valpollicella and Terre di Franciacorta Rosso.
