Take a look the next time you are in the dairy department (where you can find these prepackaged and hanging on hooks) or in the ready to slice deli section, and you'll find scores of varieties. If you are unfamiliar with a type of deli meat, ask for a sample – sometimes the flavoring or texture might be a surprise (either good or bad) and in this category it is always wise to try a sample before you buy!
1. There are three types of cold cuts
Whole cuts: cuts of meats or poultry that are cooked and then sliced (for examples: roast beef, corned beef, turkey breast), sectioned and formed products and processed products. Whole cuts are exactly what they sound like – a section of meat or poultry that has been cooked, possibly flavored with salt, spices or sugars. Typically these are the more expensive type of cold cuts.
Sectioned and formed meat products: restructured meat products – such as multi part turkey breasts or cooked hams. They are prepared from chunks or pieces of meat and are bonded together to form a single piece.
Processed meats (sausages): the majority of what we call cold cuts. There are two methods for preparing the ingredients: emulsion prepared where the meat is finely chopped and the hydrophobic proteins react with fat, the opposite protein, and the hydrophilic will react with water to hold fat in the solution (bologna, Vienna sausages, hot dogs) … and non emulsion which typically are coarser grinds.
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