Take care not to overcook fish. As a general rule, allow 10 minutes of cooking time for every 1 inch of thickness for medium. To test for doneness, use the tip of a small, sharp knife to cut into the flesh. Meat An added benefit to using less beef, pork, and lamb is that you may afford to purchase better cuts, which often have less fat. Choosing Avoid meat that is heavily marbled.
Marbled meat is veined with fat.
Look for moistness and bright color. Pink meat is a sign of freshness, although vacuum-packed meats may look slightly purplish for lack of exposure to air. Check labels on ground meat. Most stores carry several qualities of ground beef, with varying percentages of fat by weight. Look for packages with the lowest percentage.