Quality of meat, every manner of cuts and what are the nuances for cooking each type? Big questions - easy answers right
here! You don’t have to be a butcher to get great meat and prepare it properly!
The USDA grades all the meat available for purchase in the US. There are several grades, but the only ones worth mentioning
are the top 3: Prime, Choice and Select. Beef may be comprised of Steers, Heifers and Cows. Only Steers and heifers are eligible
for that amazing quality label: Prime
It is very hard to buy prime beef if you do not own a restaurant, or are related to a long established butcher. You can get a
great piece of meat from a Cow too - and if cooked correctly for the cut - an amazing taste and texture!
If you are going for a tender cut, well marbled then you have to buy Choice. Do not bother spending any amount of money on
Select cuts for anything other than long, slow and especially moist cooking methods. If you like your meat rare and you cannot
find Prime, than you must buy Choice. Select graded meats will only disappoint you with their inferior texture regardless of
your exception cooking techniques!
Now you probably know how you like your steak - rare, medium, etc. Nothing is more frustrating than waiting in anticipation
for that steak you ordered and having it arrive over cooked. Here are the official terms and what they mean:
VERY RARE
Barely seared edges, marbling lines visible, deep red colored flesh, cooking ends at 130*
RARE
Visible gray edges along the surface of the cut, pink outer to very red center flesh, no marbling lines visible, cooking ends at
140*
MEDIUM RARE
Visible gray edges along surface of the cut, pale pink outer to deep pink center flesh, separation of flesh closest to bottom heat
source. Cooking ends at 145*
MEDIUM
Visible gray along surface edges and into the upper third of flesh. Pale pink center and visble separation of flesh along edge
closest to bottom heat source. Cooking ends at 150*
WELL
Gray, Gray and more gray. There is some visible pink marbling and the flesh shows deep separation lines almost to the center,
Cooking ends at 160*
A GREAT CUT and WHAT TO DO WITH IT
The nicest cuts come off the loin. It is often possible to buy an entire loin although you may have to trim off excess fat, silver
skin (the tight, pulling connective tissue) and sometimes muscle. The whole loin yields in order the Chateaubriand, filet
steaks, loin steaks and tournedos and filet mignons. The short loin produces cuts such as club, T Bone and Porterhouse. These
cuts should not be marinated. They actually get tougher when an acid or excess salt is introduced to early prior to cooking. A
quick sprinkle of salt and mixed peppercorns are all you need. These cuts are best seared in a dry high temperature heat - such
as pan searing, broiling, grilling - and should definitely be very rare or at the absolute most medium rare.
Rib cuts are next on the quality scale and include Delmonicos, and Ribeyes. These also need no to very short marinating time.
They make excellent grilling choices or if they are very thick cuts great for roasts.
Sirloin cuts vary and should be checked for quality. They include the shell and strips cuts such as NY strip. They can hold up
to about an hour of marinating time and when properly ground make excellent burgers or tips for fondue.
Flank steak also called London Broil is great marinated for about 1 hour then pan seared and finished in the oven. You may
also grill it very slowly first searing it then reducing the temperature to medium low.
Skirt steak can be an amazing cut especially if thin, marinated for 1 hour to overnight and cooked quickly on a grill or very hot
saute pan.
Plate steaks include the short ribs cut and act similar to the Skirt. They should be seared and then finished slowly. These
work great seared in a pan or grill then finished in a stock, stew or braise.
Shoulder, Chuck, Rump, Round and Brisket should all be marinated then slowly cooked in stews, braises and chili.
Shank and Heel cuts are only useful for making stocks for either sauce or soup base. If you have bones from other cuts those
work just as well.
Lamb and Veal cuts are similar but the grading is slightly different. Prime is the best followed by Choice and Good. Pork is
graded by number from US1 to US 4. US1 and US 2 are the only ones worth buying.
here! You don’t have to be a butcher to get great meat and prepare it properly!
The USDA grades all the meat available for purchase in the US. There are several grades, but the only ones worth mentioning
are the top 3: Prime, Choice and Select. Beef may be comprised of Steers, Heifers and Cows. Only Steers and heifers are eligible
for that amazing quality label: Prime
It is very hard to buy prime beef if you do not own a restaurant, or are related to a long established butcher. You can get a
great piece of meat from a Cow too - and if cooked correctly for the cut - an amazing taste and texture!
If you are going for a tender cut, well marbled then you have to buy Choice. Do not bother spending any amount of money on
Select cuts for anything other than long, slow and especially moist cooking methods. If you like your meat rare and you cannot
find Prime, than you must buy Choice. Select graded meats will only disappoint you with their inferior texture regardless of
your exception cooking techniques!
Now you probably know how you like your steak - rare, medium, etc. Nothing is more frustrating than waiting in anticipation
for that steak you ordered and having it arrive over cooked. Here are the official terms and what they mean:
VERY RARE
Barely seared edges, marbling lines visible, deep red colored flesh, cooking ends at 130*
RARE
Visible gray edges along the surface of the cut, pink outer to very red center flesh, no marbling lines visible, cooking ends at
140*
MEDIUM RARE
Visible gray edges along surface of the cut, pale pink outer to deep pink center flesh, separation of flesh closest to bottom heat
source. Cooking ends at 145*
MEDIUM
Visible gray along surface edges and into the upper third of flesh. Pale pink center and visble separation of flesh along edge
closest to bottom heat source. Cooking ends at 150*
WELL
Gray, Gray and more gray. There is some visible pink marbling and the flesh shows deep separation lines almost to the center,
Cooking ends at 160*
A GREAT CUT and WHAT TO DO WITH IT
The nicest cuts come off the loin. It is often possible to buy an entire loin although you may have to trim off excess fat, silver
skin (the tight, pulling connective tissue) and sometimes muscle. The whole loin yields in order the Chateaubriand, filet
steaks, loin steaks and tournedos and filet mignons. The short loin produces cuts such as club, T Bone and Porterhouse. These
cuts should not be marinated. They actually get tougher when an acid or excess salt is introduced to early prior to cooking. A
quick sprinkle of salt and mixed peppercorns are all you need. These cuts are best seared in a dry high temperature heat - such
as pan searing, broiling, grilling - and should definitely be very rare or at the absolute most medium rare.
Rib cuts are next on the quality scale and include Delmonicos, and Ribeyes. These also need no to very short marinating time.
They make excellent grilling choices or if they are very thick cuts great for roasts.
Sirloin cuts vary and should be checked for quality. They include the shell and strips cuts such as NY strip. They can hold up
to about an hour of marinating time and when properly ground make excellent burgers or tips for fondue.
Flank steak also called London Broil is great marinated for about 1 hour then pan seared and finished in the oven. You may
also grill it very slowly first searing it then reducing the temperature to medium low.
Skirt steak can be an amazing cut especially if thin, marinated for 1 hour to overnight and cooked quickly on a grill or very hot
saute pan.
Plate steaks include the short ribs cut and act similar to the Skirt. They should be seared and then finished slowly. These
work great seared in a pan or grill then finished in a stock, stew or braise.
Shoulder, Chuck, Rump, Round and Brisket should all be marinated then slowly cooked in stews, braises and chili.
Shank and Heel cuts are only useful for making stocks for either sauce or soup base. If you have bones from other cuts those
work just as well.
Lamb and Veal cuts are similar but the grading is slightly different. Prime is the best followed by Choice and Good. Pork is
graded by number from US1 to US 4. US1 and US 2 are the only ones worth buying.
| MEAT |
