One of the basic rules for preparing a delicious meat dish is a competent choice of products. Not every housewife can buy fresh high-quality meat from a certain part of the carcass. If everything is more or less clear with fillet, tenderloin or entrecote, then the choice of flank causes a number of difficulties.
What is flank
The flank (podcherevok) is the abdominal part of the carcass of cattle. It covers the entire abdominal cavity in animals and since it is located under the ribs, it contains connective tissues and cartilage.
Such a cut is considered to be the first grade meat and is well suited for baking, smoking and stewing.
In order not to be mistaken and buy a high-quality undercap, you need to know the rules for choosing such meat.
A good fresh flank has a thin layer of body fat. The meat is firm, deep red. To find out the freshness of the product, it is enough to lightly press on the meat with your finger, a high-quality tenderloin will not be deformed.
You should not buy a cut with spots and bruises. A flank with a lot of veins will take a long time to cook and will not please you with a good consistency and pleasant taste.
Feel free to sniff the meat. Fresh belly tenderloin has a pleasant meaty smell without impurities.
Beef flank dishes are not only delicious, but also very healthy. Beef contains a lot of iron, vitamins B3 and PP, protein. Its use helps to restore energy while not overloading the stomach.
The calorie content of beef flank is about 225 kcal per 100 grams of product.
In addition, the beef girdle contains a large amount of collagen, which is a real elixir of beauty and youth. Collagen-rich foods help to strengthen hair and nails and restore skin elasticity.
However, for people with chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, it is better to refrain from using the flank, since it contains purine and cholesterol that are harmful to them.
It is most convenient to cook various rolls from beef undercap and bake them in the oven. Veal flank is ideal for this.
Stewed vegetables, rice, potatoes, nuts and dried fruits are perfectly mixed with flank.
Roll "Joy of the meat-eater"
Ingredients:
- pork, namely flank - 1.5 kg;
- raisins - 150 g;
- prunes - 100 g;
- garlic - 4 large cloves;
- nuts (walnuts or other your favorite) - 70 g;
- greens to taste;
- salt and spices (paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, coriander) - to taste;
- vegetable oil for greasing the baking sheet.
Wash the raisins and cover with warm water for 12-15 minutes. Wash the prunes and cut into large pieces.
Finely chop the greens, pass the garlic through a press. Crush or chop the nuts with a knife.
Wash the flank, dry it with a paper towel and cut it lengthwise into two parts. Remove excess fat and large cartilage or veins.
Lightly beat the meat with a kitchen hammer. Salt the flank on both sides and sprinkle with spices. Put nuts, herbs, garlic, prunes and raisins on the prepared pieces, roll up two rolls, securing the ends with wooden skewers.
Grease a baking dish (baking sheet) with vegetable oil, put rolls in it and cook in the oven for 50-60 minutes at 180 ° C.
If desired, the form can be covered with foil or a special lid, then the roll will turn out to be more juicy.
Cut the roll into slices and serve hot or cold.
A simple beef roll recipe
Ingredients:
- veal flank - 700 g;
- dried mushrooms - 100 g;
- sour cream - 200 g;
- onion - 1 piece;
- garlic - 4 cloves;
- cold water - 0.5 cups;
- vegetable oil for frying;
- salt, black pepper, herbs - to taste.
Wash the meat, cut across the fibers into medium pieces, beat off.
Mash the garlic, add it to cold water. Dip pieces of meat in garlic sauce, place tightly in a bowl and leave for 3 hours.
Boil the mushrooms and cut into strips.
Pepper the meat, salt and put the mushrooms in the middle of each piece, roll up and stab the edges with a wooden skewer.
Roll the rolls in flour mixed with spices and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.
Fold the fried rolls in a gosper or a frying pan with thick walls.
Prepare a light sauce. To do this, fry the diced onion, pour the mushroom broth to it, add sour cream, boil for 3 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the meat and put in the oven for 1 hour to simmer over low heat.
Serve with pickles and mashed potatoes.
Veal rolls with cheese
Ingredients:
- veal flank - 1.5 kg;
- hard cheese - 200 g;
- milk 3 tablespoons;
- sour cream - 100 g;
- garlic - 2 cloves;
- fresh dill - to taste;
- salt, spices "Mix for meat" - to taste;
- flour - for breading;
- vegetable oil - for frying.
Wash the flank and pat dry with a paper towel, cut into small slices and beat off.
Salt and sprinkle the meat on both sides. Finely chop the garlic and sprinkle on the veal.
Grate the cheese on a medium grater, chop the dill. Put a cheese-dill mixture on each slice and roll the meat into rolls, securing the ends with toothpicks or tied with threads.
Mix eggs with milk until smooth. Dip the rolls in the egg-milk mixture, roll in flour and fry in vegetable oil.
Then put the meat on a greased baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at a temperature of 160-180 ° C.
Homemade cutlets "Tender than tender"
Ingredients:
- beef flank - 400 g;
- pork of medium fat content - 350 g;
- pork fat - 100 g;
- meat broth - 150 ml;
- chicken eggs of medium size - 2 pieces;
- salt, pepper - to taste;
- vegetable oil - for frying.
Wash the meat, dry it and remove the tendons. Then cut the bacon, flank and pork cut into pieces and mince.
Mix the minced meat, add salt and spices. The main cooking trick is to beat off the minced meat. To do this, you need to make several large cutlets from the total mass and throw them on a table or wooden board 15-20 times each. Then form cutlets of the usual size from the already beaten mince.
Mix eggs with broth. Breaded the cutlets first in flour, then in the egg mixture and fry in hot oil on both sides until golden brown.
Meatloaf with French mustard
Ingredients:
- pork underwire - 1.5 kg;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- ground black and red pepper - to taste;
- Granular mustard (French or Dijon) - 2 teaspoons;
- salt - to taste;
- vegetable oil.
Rinse the meat, remove cartilage and veins, wipe with a napkin. Spread the pods on the table (cutting board), season with salt and pepper, brush with mustard.
Pass the garlic through a press and gently distribute throughout the meat.
Roll the meat into a tight roll, fix with wooden skewers or tie with strong culinary thread.
Put the roll on a baking sheet, cover with cling film and leave in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
Remove the roll from the refrigerator, replace the cling film with foil.
Preheat the oven to 180 - 200 degrees and bake the marinated roll until tender (45-60 minutes). 5-7 minutes before the foil is ready, remove the foil, as a result, a golden brown crust will turn out on the meat.
Leave the roll to cool, then remove the threads (skewers) and cut into slices. The end result is a great appetizer that can be served on its own or with a side dish.
Baked flank "Fragrant"
Ingredients:
- pork flank - 1 kg;
- garlic - 2-3 small cloves;
- bay leaf, allspice peas - to taste;
- salt and pork spice mixture - to taste;
- walnuts and prunes - to taste;
- vegetable oil.
Rinse and dry the meat, peel the skin, cut out the cartilage and veins.
Soak prunes in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Cut the nuts into medium pieces, and the garlic into slices.
Rinse the prunes and cut them in half.
Make cuts throughout the meat, put nuts, garlic and prunes in them. Rub the pork thoroughly with salt and spices, fold in half and tie with strong thread. Put bay leaf and allspice on top.
Grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil, put the flank on it and bake in the oven for about two hours at a temperature of 160-180 degrees.
Beef with quince
Ingredients:
- beef flank - 500 g;
- quince - 500 g;
- onions - 2 pieces, - salt and spices to taste;
- vegetable oil - for frying;
- chopped greens;
- water.
Wash the flank, dry it, remove cartilage and veins and cut into small pieces.
Fry the meat in vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. Season with pepper and salt.
After the meat is browned until golden brown, transfer it to the pan and pour water over it so that it covers the meat. Simmer over low heat for an hour.
Wash quince, peel and cut into slices, onion - half rings. Add quince and onion 15 minutes before the meat is cooked.
Transfer the finished meat to a large dish and decorate with your favorite herbs.
