vleeskernen

Vleeskernen is a Dutch term whose literal translation is “meat cores” or “flesh cores.” It is not a standard term in anatomy, meat science, or linguistics, and there is no widely accepted definition in major dictionaries. The phrase occurs mainly in non-specialist contexts such as cooking prose or regional dialects, where it may refer to the central portion of a cut of meat or to the most tender, central part of the piece.

Etymology: The word is a compound of vlees (meat or flesh) and kern (core, nucleus). The plural vleeskernen corresponds to multiple cores or central parts.

Usage and senses: In culinary writing, vleeskernen can denote the innermost portion of a cut, prized for tenderness, though this is not a technical standard; cooks would instead describe specific cuts or textures. Figuratively, the term can be used to refer to the essential or central aspect of a topic, akin to “the core of the matter.”

Regional notes: Because it is not a fixed scientific term, its use varies by region and author. In most formal Dutch culinary or scientific writing, other terms would be preferred.

See also: Vlees (meat), kern (core), core concept, metaphorical language in Dutch.