Tips for Selecting the Right Beef Cuts for Your Meal and Budget
When we stand at the butchers counter, most of us may wonder what is the difference between a top sirloin and a porterhouse. If you ever come across a good beef cookbook, you will be able to appreciate a good diagram of beef cuts.
Beef is the widely consumed animal protein through out the world when compared to any other meat. Hence it is important for a good steward to select a good piece of beef for his wonderful recipe.
Grading of beef cuts
The beef is usually graded into three categories based on its quality by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Grades are specified after taking into consideration the color, appearance, meat’s consistency and last but not least the amount of marbling in the beef. The Graded beef is classified as follows:
Prime meat
Choice meat
Select meat
Prime Meat
The meat, which is having more marbling, is termed as Prime meat. This is usually found in fine restaurants.
Select Meat
The select meat consists of less marbling, which means low fat and less calories. But it won’t be as tender as that of prime and also contains less juice and flavor.
Choice Meat
Choice meat consists of more marbling than Select meat but less marbling than Prime meat. But it is somewhat tender than Select and also juicy and flavor than select.
Beef Cuts
The names of the beef cuts vary between countries. Sometimes it varies within the regions of the country also. The rear section of the carcass is termed as Rounds in US, but in Canada it is called hip. Here is a break down of some common cuts of beef:
Rib eye
This is the top cut preferred by most of the beef connisieurs. This is characterized by abundant marbling. When you cook this beef cut, the rib eye gets melted into the meat and produces a juicy tasting recipe. The Rib eye steak is called an Entrecote in French.
Top Sirloin
Lesser grade cut but this is the largest beef cut when compared to other beef cuts. In layman’s terms, a family of four can complete their dinner with one top sirloin. Always prefer to buy prime grade rather than choice and select grades.
Porterhouse
As the name suggests, it is not concerned with any kind of house. This beef cut has ample marbling. It is a top loin with good flavor. It has the largest eye and tenderloin. This is being usually used in restaurants with challenge for their customers. They will give entire meal free for those who took all of their 26-ounce steak.
Chateaubriand
This has been cut from the butt end but should weigh around 24 ounces. A six inches long chateaubriand will weigh around 24 oz. A chateaubriand with Bearnaise sauce served in a dining table is a wonderful delicacy.
Filet Mignon
A well worth costly choice beef cut, if you cook it with pot-roasting. This is most soft with less water beef cut. This don’t have intense flavor as that of rib eye and porterhouse.
New York Strip
This is one of the cost-effective beef cut parts. This cheap cut is a t-bone with the tenderloin and also a good quality cut.
T-bone
This is also one of the cheapest beef cuts. This consists of a full loin eye and medium sized tenderloin. A couple for few delicate bites always prefers this. This smaller tenderloin is not always suitable for heavy meals. For heavy dinner, the customers usually prefer New York Strip.
Ground Beef
Ground beef should not be less than 70% lean. The package will usually indicate whether it is from ground sirloin, or ground round.
Suitable cooking methods
Loins and ribs are the most tender cuts of beef. The loins and ribs should be cooked with high heating methods to improve its taste and tenderness. Broiling, grilling, roasting, sautéing, and frying are the common methods employed for cooking the loins and ribs.
Pot-roasting, stewing, and steaming are the most preferred methods of cooking the cuts from the round, plate, brisket and flank.
Selecting beef cuts based on cooking methods
Apart from selecting a good beef cut from butcher shop or grocery store, the beef cuts can also be selected based on the method of cooking you preferred to perform.
If you want to cook the beef on a grill, it is always advised to go for tenderized meat rather than tougher cut from the rounds. A beef with minimum of 2 inches thick may require oven roasts. A very tender cut such as loin and rib primal cuts can be oven roasted for better results.
If you want to do Pot roast, it is always to select the beef cuts from round and chuck. Pot roast is the method of boiling the beef in a pot containing liquid in the stove. Standing rump, eye roast are the best pot roast products.
Tips to select better beef cuts
Before shopping for a good beef cut for a particular recipe, you should learn about the various cuts available in the market. The following tips may help you in selecting good beef cuts:
1. Try to locate the origin of the cuts from the body of the carcass.
2. This will help you to identify the names of the cuts.
3. Look for the tenderness and leanness of the beef cuts before procuring it.
4. Inspect the “Sell-by” date in the packaged beef. You should buy your beef cut either before or on the “sell by” date.
5. When selecting the beef cuts from cold storage cases of the grocery stores, the packages chosen for your use should have no excess liquid at all. If it is not too cold, then it has been stored above 40 degrees and taste may be questionable.
Inspect thoroughly the coolness of the pack and ensure that it has not been damaged.
6. Firmness of roasts and steaks should be checked. Avoid the purchasing of soft roasts and squishy steaks.
7. Always select the beef cuts that are bright red in color with thin creamy white fat evenly distributed throughout the surface. But if you are selecting veal, the color should be either white or light pink.
8. Beef injected with flavorings should be avoided because flavoring makes your beef break down and may be easily overcooked.
9. Always try to avoid buying tenderized beef because during the procedure, the butcher pierces the beef to push the juices and flavor out of it and produces tough and bad flavored beef.
10. Be friendly with the butcher to get ideas about the perfect beef cuts and sometimes he will offer you fantastic recipes too!
Mike Sullivan is a grill master and meat lover. He is the author and owner of Buy-Steaks-Online.net. Read his most recent report on How To Marinate Steaks to put the most flavor into your next steak meal.
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What is the Cooking Time for Meatloaf - How long do you cook meatloaf in the oven
So you are planning to make meatloaf for dinner tonight?
There is a question that I have received several times from ambitious home cooks:
What is the Cooking Time for Meatloaf? or How long do you cook meatloaf in the oven?
So I decided to dedicate an entire post that includes instructions along with delicious recipe that will answer the above question. I have also included a few videos that covers a few other methods for cooking meatloaf.
This is a very common question, but it really does depend on how many pounds your meatloaf is and the temperature at which you are cooking it.
Meatloaf, when prepared the right way, is a delicious dish. It should be firm, but juicy and should not break apart when you slice it.
In this post, I will provide you with a wonderful recipe and instructions for cooking the best meatloaf you will ever sink your teeth into.
Meatloaf is usually cooked two different ways: either in a bread pan or on a cookie sheet.
The bread will give you a juicer meatloaf and is much easier to prepare as the meat takes the shape of the bread pan.
The cookie sheet method will not be as juicy and you will have to put a little more effort into shaping the meatloaf and get your hands dirty.
I like to cook my meatloaf Italian Style. This is the way my Grandmother made it and she passed her recipe on to my Mother, and my Mother passed it on to me. It is by far the best meatloaf recipe in my opinion. It is much more flavorful then your basic meatloaf recipe.
SIMPLE ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 7 ounce jar roasted red peppers chopped
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup of bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cups of prepared tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat a medium sized saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add your onion and garlic and saute until soft. Remove and set it aside on a plate to cool.
3. Grab yourself a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the cooled onions and garlic along with the the rest of your ingredients, except the tomato sauce, and combine. Mix together well with your hands and form into a loaf and add it to an oiled oven safe tray. Top the loaf with 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce. Make certain that you spread the tomato sauce evenly over the top of the loaf.
5. Bake for about 1 hour or when the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Slice it up and serve.
Heat the remaining tomato sauce if desired and use for dipping.
Meatloaf Cooking Videos
Trader Joe’s Meatloaf - A Great Meatloaf Recipe
Get the full story! Visit http://foodwishes.com, to get the ingredients, and watch over 200 free video recipes. Leave me a comment there. If you have questions, ask on the website. Thanks!!
Classic Meatloaf
Mama’s Meat Loaf
12 Ways to Cook a Steak
By David Beart
Sometimes we get in a rut and eat the same thing over and over again. Well, if you’ve been fixing steak for the past few years in the same old ways, it’s time for your taste buds to come alive with flavor. It’s time for your spirit to soar with joy when you stimulate your new taste buds in very different ways. Here are some ideas for you on different ways to fix steak.
1 Add a Touch of the Ocean
Cut a slit in a steak that’s one and a half inches thick and stuff a raw oyster in it. Skewer the slit shut with a toothpick. Grill the steak in a skillet and then place the steak on a warm plate. Use the pan drippings to sauté scallions and garlic. Add a little oyster juice to the mixture, warm briefly in the pan and pour over the grilled steak. Warning: This one may be good for the sex drive!
2 Simplicity is Often Best
Brush steak with melted butter before grilling or barbecuing. Right before serving, add salt and pepper.
3 Garlic Lovers Will Love This One
Cut garlic cloves in half. Rub garlic cloves on both surfaces of the raw steak. Cook steak over fire until done. Add sautéed onions, garlic, and parsley on top of steak when finished.
4 Papaya Rubs Tenderizers the Meat
With ripe papaya strips in your hand, rub the fruit into both surfaces of the steak before cooking. Use the fruit side, not the outer peel side. Set the steak aside at room temperature for 10 minutes. Repeat process two additional times. Then cook. This one helps improve digestion.
5 Mushroom Stuffed Steak
When your heart tells you to fix a steak as a comfort food, mushrooms may help.
With a big 2-inch t-bone steak or porterhouse, make several slits into the meat large enough to stuff a teaspoon of mushroom into the slit. Soak fresh button mushrooms in water for 20 minutes, then drain and dice. Add a sprinkle of herbs such as basil, oregano, dill, and rosemary. Mix together. Spoon into the slits. Close slits with a toothpick. Cook steak. Serve with mushroom gravy or mushroom soup on top steak.
6 Breakfast Steak
While steak is grilling in the broiler or in a skillet, fry an egg in clarified butter in another small skillet. Use clarified butter; you’ve probably been using regular butter all these years! Cook the egg sunny-side up. When the steak is finished cooking to your preferred doneness, transfer it to a warm plate. Add the egg on top. With a little salt and pepper, you’re ready to go.
7 Cowboy Style Outside on the Range
With all the ways to fix a steak, cowboys loved to fire up the campfire and add dried cow manure to the fire. After the fire is at the right temperature, add the steak to the grate about 4 inches away from the heat source. Salt and pepper to taste. One cowboy reported that he wasn’t too thrilled about the preparation method until he tasted the steak. There were no leftovers that night!
8. Shake the Steak With Herbs
Get a plastic bag or ziplock bag. Add 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, a few tablespoons of olive oil, a half cup wine, and herbs such as 1/2 teaspoon basil, oregano, summer savory, thyme, lemon pepper and salt. Just shake the herbs into the bag into a surprising combination. Add the steak to the bag. Shake, thus coating the steak with the mixture. Remove steak from bag and grill. This steak will be filled with flavor. You’ll want to call all your friends and tell them how this one tastes.
9. Shake The Steak with Herbs and Flour
There are so many variations of how to fix steak it would amaze even your grandfather. This time, get another plastic bag. Add 1/2 cup white wine, a few tablespoons of olive oil, a few tablespoons of flour, and herbs such as 1/2 teaspoon basil, oregano, summer savory, thyme, lemon pepper and salt. Add the steak to the bag. Shake, thus coating the steak with the mixture. Remove from bag and grill. Serve with a bottle of wine.
10. Love Anchovies? Fix a Steak with Them!
Fix your steak as usual, grilling it, broiling it or barbecuing it. When it’s finished, add a salty topping of diced green olives with red pimento and anchovies.
11. Kiwi Peach Steak
Of all the ways to fix a steak, this is my favorite. Take one very ripe kiwi and one very ripe peach and dice into very small pieces. These fruits should be very juicy. Mix in a nonmetallic bowl. Use this as your marinade for the meat: add the steak to the bowl, covering the steak with the mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 6 hours. Then when you’re ready to cook, wipe off the fruit from the steak and place on grill. Great flavor. Serve with peach pudding when you’re feeling fruity!
12. Soy Sauce Standby
Use soy sauce as a marinade. Add up to 1/2 cup wine and kitchen herbs to the marinade. Soak steak in mixture for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Makes a very tasty steak.
David Beart is the owner of http://www.professorshouse.com
This site covers a wide selection of topics including relationships, family, cooking and other household issues.
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How to Cook A London Broil
A London broil is a great way to cook steak. Note that I said a “way to cook.” In other words, it’s a method, not a specific cut of meat. This distinction has confused many a novice cook.
Adding to the confusion, some butchers will call a cut of meat “London broil.” Usually, though, the cut of beef used for a London broil is flank steak, although other cuts, notably top round steak, may be substituted.
Flank steak is naturally tough, so you need to tenderize it (by pounding with a mallet) or marinate it, or both, before cooking with it. To turn it into a proper London broil, you … broil it. Makes sense, right? But not so fast … you can also grill it and still call it a London broil.
Here are two recipes, one for broiled London broil, and the other for grilled London broil.
London Broil (Broiled)
Ingredients
<>1 beef flank steak (1 to 2 pounds)
<>1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
<>2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Directions
1. Combine salad dressing, wine or wine vinegar, garlic and cooking oil in a bowl to make a marinade.
2. Make several shallow cuts on both sides of the steak. Place the meat in a baking dish.
3. Brush the steak with the marinade; be sure to coat both sides. Cover pan with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for 1 hour.
4. Remove from refrigerator. Pour off excess marinade.
5. Preheat oven broiler. Place pan with steak approximately 3 inches from top heat. Cook 5 to 8 minutes per side (to medium doneness).
6. Cut steak into slices and serve.
London Broil (Grilled)
Ingredients
3/4 cup cooking oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy or Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 flank steak (1 to 2 pounds)
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except the meat in a bowl to make your marinade.
2. Make several shallow cuts on both sides of the steak and place in a baking dish. Try for a cross-hatching effect with several overlapping, diagonal cuts.
3. Brush steak with marinade, making sure to coat both sides. Cover pan with plastic wrap, place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
4. Grill steak over hot charcoal or other high heat for 5 to 8 minutes per side, depending on the degree of doneness desired. Baste with leftover marinade if you wish.
5. Remove steak from grill, slice into thin strips, and serve.
Sarah Sandori is the food and entertaining columnist for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Have you ever wanted to be able to exactly duplicate a favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? Check out Sarah’s article where she reveals her source for the most mouth-watering secret restaurant recipes in America: http://www.solid-gold.info/most-wanted-recipes.html
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Cooking Brisket in the Oven - A Beginners Guide
Cooking brisket in the oven is a time consuming process, but also a very rewarding one. When your family and friends take their first bite of your delicious brisket, they will most definitely be asking you for the recipe. This article will make you a brisket cooking pro!
I remember the first time I had the pleasure of eating beef brisket. It was at this fabulous little Barbecue Restaurant in Croton-On-Hudson, NY called Memphis Maes.
New York isn’t known for its BBQ, so my wife and I were a bit skeptical. But after we took our first bite of the “Texas BBQ Beef Brisket”, we became believers! My wife then looked at me and said , “You have to make this!” Not wanting to let the lovely wife down, I took it upon myself to try and recreate the BBQ brisket at home. I don’t own a smoker, so I needed to improvise and cook the brisket in the oven.
Believe it or not, the oven makes a pretty darn good BBQ brisket. Many BBQ enthusiasts will tell you that a smoker is the only way to cook brisket, but I can tell you from experience this is simply not the case.
The secret to a good beef brisket is to cook it nice and slow at around 225 degrees for several hours. So if you are looking for a quick and easy meal tonight, cooking brisket in the oven is not the way to go.
You will have to prepare this particular recipe one day in advance and you will need to plan some extra time to cook the brisket as it takes several hours to finish cooking.
Lets Talk About Dry Rubs
There are a variety of different dry rub recipes you can use for your beef brisket. One such recipe is listed below. Don’t be shy with your dry rub. You want to really coat the brisket well. Its not called a rub for nothing, so really rub those spices into the meat with your hands. After the rub has been applied put the brisket in the fridge and let it marinade over night.
DRY RUB
- 1/4 Cup Paprika
- 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbs Chili Powder
- 2 Tbs Kosher Salt
- 2 Tbs Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 1/3 Tbs Granulated Garlic
- 1 1/3 Tbs Granulated Onion
- 2 Tsp Ground Cumin
THE SAUCE
We need some type of liquid to slowly braise the brisket in the oven. Braising is an excellent way to cook brisket in the oven because it keeps the brisket moist and very tender.
What I do is mix some good quality store bought barbecue sauce with a little beef broth to thin it a bit. I like to use a smoke flavored barbecue sauce. To give it a little more smoky flavor, I also add a few drops of liquid smoke. This makes a very tasty braising liquid.
LETS START COOKING ALREADY!
Before we start cooking, lets do a little preparation.
Remove the brisket from the fridge and leave it on the counter for 30 minutes or so to allow it to come to room temperature.
Get yourself a baking dish with a tight fitting lid big enough to hold your brisket.
Mix equal parts of barbecue sauce and beef broth. I like to make enough so that the brisket is at least half submerged. Pour this mixture into your baking dish.
Pre-heat your oven to 225 Degrees.
Heat up a large pan over medium heat and add enough oil to cover the pan. Add the brisket to the pan and brown on all sides until it forms a nice crust.
Place the browned brisket into the baking dish with the braising liquid. Put the lid on and place it in the pre-heated oven.
About half way through the cooking process, flip the brisket over so that the other side has time to cook in the braising liquid.
The brisket is done when it is fork tender and has an internal temperature of around 185-200 degrees F. The amount of time it takes to cook a brisket in the oven really depends on the weight of the brisket. Figure 1 1/2 to 2 hours per pound of meat.
There you have it. My recipe for cooking brisket in the oven.
How to Cook Corned Beef
Learning 
how to cook corned beef, or corned beef with cabbage is really not that difficult. Depending on how adventurous you are, there are videos and instructions below on how to brine and cook your own corned beef brisket from scratch. If you are not feeling so adventurous, you can skip the brining process and purchase a beef brisket that is already brined and ready to cook. There is a video below with instructions on how to do that too. Make sure you also check out the links to some delicious recipes I found toward the bottom of this page.
What is corned beef? Why is it called corned beef?
Before the wonderful invention we so easily take for granted today called refrigeration, people had to rely on other methods to preserve meats. In the past, they used a method called “Corning” which had absolutely nothing to do with corn. Corning got its name because of the corn-sized crystals of salt that were used for dry curing the meat. Today, brines are used to replace the dry corning method. The brine used for corned beef is typically a liquid mixture made up of water, salt, sugar and spices. The ingredients are brought to a boil and then allowed to cool. The beef brisket is then placed in the brining liquid and refrigerated for a number of days, depending on how thick the brisket is.
How Long Do You Cook Corned Beef?
If you are cooking corned beef the traditional way by simmering it in water, then you should expect a brisket of about 4 pounds, to be done in roughly 3 hours. You can test doneness by piercing the center of the corned beef brisket with a fork. It should penetrate easily.
How To Make Corned Beef Videos
How To Corn Beef At Home
This is a short “How to” on corning beef. This recipe is presented “as is” and at the end of this video, you may wish to make substitutions on your own depending on your tastes and spice cabinet. Probably the most common difference in other folk’s recipes is that they often use commercial pickling spice blends. You can do that as well. You can also use all allspice or cloves rather than the blend of both. They are very similar flavors.
Homemade corned beef
A St. Patrick’s Day corned beef dinner starts with a brisket and a brine.�
The Bachelor Chef - Saint Patricks Day Corned Beef & Cabbage
Chris makes a classic, one pot meal. He makes a traditional St. Patrick’s day dinner. This is a dish where the earthy flavor stands out thanks to the root vegetables. Simplicity is the key ingredient to this meal. Being able to let each vegetable’s flavor shine was Chris’ main goal. The corned beef was nice and tender when sliced against the grain. This dish is a simple winner.�
Corned Beef Recipes From Around The Web
Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder
How To Make Sure You Are Buying The Best Prime Rib
How To Make Sure You Are Buying The Best Prime Rib
By Hans Dekker
Six Ways to Make Sure you are Buying the Best Prime Rib Available
The best grade of rib or any type of beef is of course prime grade. The problem comes in when trying to buy prime grade beef, there is only 20 percent of prime grade beef in America cut and most of this grade of beef finds its way to those fancy restaurants. Some prime rib can be found in your local grocery store and some in the butcher shop. If you are lucky enough to find prime grade then you will still need to know how to make sure you are buying the best prime rib available. Here are some things to look for and some to steer away from.
Now, you know what prime rib is but did you know that that the rib cut includes cuts like the Rib Roast, the Rib eye Steak and the back ribs and is the least tender of all the other sections. So, when you begin to look at the prime ribs in the store you will want to seek out the more flavorful and best you can find in order to prepare a delectable meal. With this guide you should be able to make sure you are buying the best prime rib you can find.
- Always look at the date the prime rib was packaged. This is an indicator as to how long it has been sitting around in the store. Look at the color of the prime rib; it should have a bright red color and no dry or brown edges. Check for any damage to the packaging and wrapping.
- Buying prime rib that has been injected with flavorings is also a very bad idea. Many people believe that this process will ensure that their prime rib is flavorful and juicy but that is not the case. Usually the flavorings will cause the meat to break down and become mushy. This can produce a tougher prime rib.
- Several people also search out prime rib that has been tenderized by the butcher, but once again that is another error. When the butcher tenderizers the prime rib or any beef he beats and pierces the meat. Any piercing allows the natural juices and flavorings to escape. This will not only leave your meat un-flavorful but it will also be tough.
- Next is how the prime rib is aged. The best method of drying your prime rib is dry aged. . Dry aging is when the meat is taken from the bag that it arrives in to the butcher and is hung in a cooler for a certain amount of time to dry out. This method allows for the meat to shrink naturally. Most meat you find in your supermarket has been cut beside the slaughter house, wrapped in plastic and has aged on the way to the store in a Styrofoam packaging and plastic. This is for sure not the way to get a great tasting prime rib. You can talk with the butcher at your supermarket and ask him about the aging process used if he knows. If not and you desire the best prime rib around, then you should go directly to a butcher shop and talk with them.
- Not only should your prime rib be bright red but it should have some fat. This is called marbling. The fat should be in thin lines and distributed evenly throughout the prime rib. The marbling will give your prime rib more flavor.
- You also want to buy prime rib that is cut close to the bone or with the bone still intact as much of the flavoring also comes from the bone marrow.
With these few tips you should know how to make sure you are buying the best prime rib.
Hans is author of Steaks, Seafood and
Barbeque Recipes at Steaks-Guide.com
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