Tips for Buying Beef
Before buying beef, you should know what
type of beef to look for and understand a few key facts about the cuts
of beef.
Beef is muscle tissue. A section, or cut,
of beef may be made up of just one muscle or parts of several muscles
plus some bone. The part of the cow that a cut comes from has a lot to
do with the tenderness of the beef. Frequently-used muscles, such as
those in the powerful hind quarter, will produce tougher beef than
less-used muscles, such as those in the midsection.
The cut of beef you choose will help
determine how you will prepare the beef.
DIFFERENT CUTS OF BEEF
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Tender Cuts |
Intermediate Cuts |
Tough Cuts |
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The rib, short loin and sirloin
sections provide the most tender cuts of beef. Tender cuts of
beef are usually best cooked using dry heat methods, such as
sautéing, grilling, roasting and frying. The rib cuts include
delmonico or rib steaks and rib roasts. The short loin cuts
provide the delectable porterhouse and T-bone steaks, tenderloin
and filet mignon. The sirloin cuts include sirloin steaks.
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The short plate and flank sections
provide meat that is somewhat tough but has enough fat to help
tenderize the meat naturally. Cuts of beef from these sections
are ideal for cutting into strips and preparing for fajitas and
stir-fries. The short plate cuts include skirt steaks, while the
flank cuts include flank steak. |
The toughest cuts
of beef come from the chuck, brisket, round and shank sections.
Tougher cuts of beef usually require slow, moist heat cooking
methods, such as braising and stewing. The chuck cuts include
shoulder and blade steaks and arm pot roasts. The brisket cuts
are best for pot roasting. Round cuts include top and bottom
round roasts and rump roasts. |
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Marbling & Aging |
Beef Grades |
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Often, beef cuts
contain streaks of fat interlaced throughout the meat. These streaks of
fat, referred to as marbling, can add flavor and help tenderize the
beef as it cooks. The more marbling a cut of beef has, the better.
Aged meat is
available in high-end butcher shops and some supermarkets. Aged beef
has been stored in a controlled environment for up to several weeks.
This storage tenderizes the meat and intensifies the flavor of the
beef. |
There are eight grading levels used to
indicate the quality of beef.
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Prime |
highest quality beef. It has the most marbling and is flavorful
and tender. Prime beef is usually only found in high-end butcher
shops. |
|
Choice |
normally the highest quality beef found in supermarkets. Choice
beef has some marbling and is quite tender. |
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Select |
has less marbling and is less tender than Prime or Choice, but is
also less expensive. |
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Standard &
Commercial |
not usually indicated on the packaging and are often sold as
generic, or store-brand, beef. |
There are also three lower grading
levels, but beef of these lower grades is not sold to the public. |
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Tips for Buying & Storing Beef |
Special Types of Beef |
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When you
purchase beef, the meat should be firm, cold, moist, smell fresh and
not look gray. Any fat on the edges of the meat should be creamy white.
The packaging should be in good condition and should not contain much
liquid.
Refrigerate
fresh meat and use it within two days of purchase. You can freeze
ground beef for up to three months or cuts of beef up to six months. |
Angus Beef
 Angus
beef comes from the Angus breed of cattle and is considered
high-quality beef. Some people feel that Angus beef is more tender and
has better flavor than beef from other cow breeds.
Veal
 Veal is meat from young male cows. Milk-fed veal means that the
calves are fed a milk supplement which gives the meat a creamy pink
color and fine texture. Grain-fed veal means that the calves are fed
grain and hay, which gives the meat a darker color and more marbling
than milk-fed veal.
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Beef Recipes :
Healthy Easy
Beef Recipes
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