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Picture this: You are standing at
the meat counter in your local grocery store trying
to decide what to have for dinner. There are so many
choices with so many interesting, sometimes confusing
names. And the longer you study all of the different
cuts, the more confusing it gets. After a few minutes
of searching you end up simply buying a pound of ground
beef and making hamburgers again…
Sound familiar? If you have ever found yourself a
situation even remotely similar, you’ve come to
the right place. We are going to unravel the mysteries
of where cuts of meat come from and how to cook them.
| Beef
Primal Chart |
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Lamb
(and Goat)
Primal Chart |
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are muscles that
the animal uses infrequently. The rib and loin sections
are the least exercised and therefore will be the most
tender. Among these tender cuts is Tenderloin Steak (aka 'Filet Mignon'),
Rib Steak, Rib Eye steak, Porterhouse steak, T-bone steak, New York Steak, Flank Steak, Top Sirloin Steak and Skirt Steak (listed in order of tenderness - most tender being the tenderloin).
Dry cooking methods (without liquid), such
as roasting, broiling, pan-broiling or pan-frying, are
generally used for tender meat cuts. Variations of dry
methods include grilling and stir-frying.
- Grill – Our favorite way of cooking our steaks! For gas grills, set the temperature between low and medium. For direct heat, charcoal grilling; follow the user instructions for your grill and the charcoal you are using to obtain a medium-low heat. For 1-inch thick steaks and hamburgers, cook 7 to 9 minutes on the first side and another 7 minutes on the second side. (Times may vary depending on your grill and doneness preferences.) The steaks are best when cooked to an internal temperature of 125 - 130 (medium rare – very pink in center, to medium – lightly pink in center).
- Pan Broil / Pan Fry – Heat
a heavy cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium heat
for 5 min. Season only after meat has been seared.
Turn the meat when juices appear in the un-seared
side.
- Broil – The term broil is
usually used in reference to the broiler settings
on a conventional oven. (Although, when a recipe calls
for broiling and the weather is nice, you may want
to try it on the grill for that summertime, grill
flavor!) General guidelines for oven broiling are:
- Preheat your broiler and place your oven rack
according to the recipe you are following.
- Place seasoned meat onto a broiler pan (If you
do not have one, use a foil lined cookie sheet
with a rack, to keep the meat out of the juices.).
If the meat is quite lean, you may want to lightly
cover the cooking surface of the rack with cooking
oil.
- Follow the recipe instructions for how long
to cook before turning meat and how long to broil
on second side.
Note: The intensity of the heat can dry out the meat if you're not careful.
- Stir Frying - Top Sirloin and Top-Round steaks are great for stir frying if you want to slice the meat yourself, or you can just buy some pre-sliced Stir Fry Beef from Thundering Hooves. Remember to always slice steaks against the grain. Stir-fry meat can benefit from being marinated before being placed in the hot wok or pan.
are muscles
that are used frequently, and they are more flavorful
as a result. The shoulder (or chuck), rump, round and
legs are the most exercised and therefore will be the
least tender, yet most flavorful. Among these less tender
cuts are short ribs, pot roasts (chuck or rump) and
round roasts and steaks.
Moist heat methods (with steam or liquid),
such as braising or cooking in liquid, are most often
used for less tender cuts.
Roasting, Braising & Stewing ~ Before cooking, you should always sear the roast or cut of meat on all sides in a little olive oil to caramelize the meat's sugars and lock in the juices. Generally you should roast or braise grass-fed beef at around 275 degrees (or on ‘low’ in a crock pot) until done.
- Roasting - Roasting is typically a ‘dry’ cooking method which allows the roast to simmer in its own juices. For the best results, we recommend adding some seasoned sauces or other liquid to the covered roasting pan or crock pot. We recommend all grass fed roasts be roasted with some liquid.
- Braising -Braising is a more forgiving technique with leaner meats. After searing the meat on all sides, add beef broth with burgundy cooking wine or flavorful marinate sauce (Note: water alone can leave the beef tasting bland and boiled). This may be done on the stove top or in the oven. Depending on
the size and thickness of your meat and the recipe
you are using, cooking times will vary. We recommend braising the following cuts: All Roasts, Briskets, Shanks, Chuck Steaks, Top Round Steaks, Short Ribs and Back Ribs.
- Stewing - Stews involve first browning the meat in a sauce pan and then immersing it to simmer or boil in a thick sauce or stew. There are tons of great beef and lamb stew recipes on the internet. Thundering Hooves’ beef stew meat is generally taken from the bottom round, which is largely free of fat or gristle. Our lamb stew meat is taken from the shoulder.
To prevent
food borne bacteria growth, do not defrost frozen meat
at room temperature, always wash your hands before and
after touching raw meat and properly wash and sanitize
all utensils and objects that have come in contact with
raw meat.
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