Beef Steak: Roast Degrees And Features

2024 Author: Brandon Turner | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-11 14:29

Steak is a pretty straightforward dish, but what is its widespread popularity? The fact is that a steak is not just a piece of meat fried on both sides over an open fire, but a whole culture - from the skill of carcass cutting to the special atmosphere created during its preparation.

Steak history

According to one of the versions, the steak appeared in ancient Rome. True, at that time it was not eaten, but was used in sacrificial rites. Legend has it: one of the servants of the temple, performing a ritual, dropped the meat for the sacrifice. Trying to hold him, he tightly squeezed his fingers and meat juice flowed down them. The priest could not resist and licked his fingers. Feeling the taste of fried meat, he picked up the dropped piece and began to eat it.

Steak is believed to be an American dish. But in 1460, in the book of Baltis Platinus, a dish called "beefsteak", that is, beef steak, was described. This is how Great Britain learned about the steak. It soon became a cult dish in foggy Albion. The art of steak cooking in England developed rapidly. A juicy beef steak was considered a dish for the elite. The history of the steak contains accounts of a special London club. It was founded by the director of one of the theaters in 1735. This club included only a select few: aristocrats, bohemians and even persons of blue blood. In the Club of fans of steaks, everyone was served the well-known Club steak - a cut of the thick edge of the longest back muscle with a small rib bone.

Cuts of beef

A cut is that part of the meat that was taken as the basis for a piece. Therefore, choosing the type of steak from the menu, you choose not only aroma, marbling, but also the tenderness of the future meat, which depends on the degree of muscle involvement during the life of the bull.

Animal feeding

Grain feeding

To get good marbled meat, one-year-old calves are sent to animal feeding stations. Here they are intensively fed with concentrated feed based on barley, oats, corn. Physical activity is minimal, and the feed consumption is about 3 kg. per day per animal. At the age of about 18 months, when the bulls will increase their weight 12-13 times and reach a weight of 450-500 kg. they are sent for slaughter.

Grass feeding

Young gobies continue to graze on pastures until they reach marketable weight. At the same time, the growth process of gobies proceeds more slowly, but this is a less expensive option compared to grain feeding. Gobies are sent for slaughter as soon as they reach a weight of 450 kg.

The use of this or that feeding depends on natural conditions and market demand. So in New Zealand, grass feeding is practiced due to the fact that the country has a mild climate, many high-mountain pastures, and very few flat areas. Accordingly, grain production is not developed, and the cost of forage is high. Grass feeding in these conditions is a natural competitive advantage.

The United States, on the other hand, has vast flat areas, powerful grain growing and, accordingly, cheap forage. Then, as there are few natural pastures in the United States, they are practically all National Parks in which any economic activity is prohibited. It is not surprising that grain feeding is practiced here. In addition, in contrast to New Zealanders, Americans are more fond of fatty grain-fed beef.

Feeding differences

Choice of quality meat for steak

The secret to a good steak is the right choice of meat.

It is recommended to buy fresh meat, not frozen. Freezing negatively affects the properties of meat.
Buying meat mainly on the market is due to the fact that the quality of the products in the market is higher than in the store And also there is an opportunity to touch and smell unpackaged meat in order to choose the best piece.
Look closely at the steak and the surface of the meat. Quality beef has an even red tint with white fat. No foreign stains and mucus should be observed on the meat.
Remove the sample by lightly pressing your finger on a piece of meat: fresh meat is always dense in consistency and the dent will quickly smooth out, but if the dent from the finger still remains, then the meat is far from the first freshness.

Types and classification of steaks

There are many different steaks that have arisen in the development of the steak culture and the influence on it of different countries and peoples. World cuisine has more than 100 types of steak varieties, which are more or less tied to the culture and culinary traditions of a particular national cuisine. Ethnic influences on steak culture have led to the emergence of many boneless beef steaks, primarily in American cuisine.

Ribeye steak is the most popular type of steak, loved by all connoisseurs of delicious meat. A thick edge from 5 to 12 ribs of the animal is cut from a beef cut. The ribeye cut is located at the intersection of the 4 muscles minimally involved in the movement of the bull. In such meat there are many thin layers of fat, and the fibers are small in size and are located transversely. Due to its high marbling and the correct structure, the steak turns out to be tender, juicy, rich in taste and smooth in texture.

Ribeye is versatile: you can cook it on the grill, hot skillet or charcoal. Before cooking, the beef is allowed to breathe a little. In elite restaurants, meat is completely dry aged. But the ribeye does not need marinade. Only the use of classic seasonings is permissible: salt, pepper and olive oil.

Tibone Steak is a unique classic cut that combines two types of meat at once, separated by a fragrant T-shaped bone.

Such a steak is obtained from the lumbar part of the animal with the capture of the bone and tenderloin. Best of all, this steak will reveal its flavor when cooked over an open fire.

Filet mignon is considered the most tender part of the central sirloin. Bone-free, this steak is cooked with blood and served as a "hemp" about 5 cm high. This is a beef tenderloin steak used to prepare delicate dietary dishes of French cuisine and other cuisines of the world. The beef tenderloin is placed along both sides of the spine. Most often, the tenderloin looks thicker on one side and thinner on the other end.

Club steak is a small piece with a rib bone that is cut from the back of the carcass.

Tomahawk steak is a ribeye on the bone. When roasted, the bone gives the steak a delicious beef flavor and distinctive flavor, and the meat veins connecting the bone to the meat have a rich flavor not found in other steaks.

Tenderloin is a flat oval-shaped meat pulp that is cut across the grain.

Striploin - a loin from a cut of the thin edge of the lumbar part of the carcass.

Chateaubriand is the thick edge of the center portion of the tenderloin. This steak is fried whole for several people.

Thornedox is a small piece that is cut from the central part of the animal. Used primarily for medallions.

Roundrumb is a steak, the meat of which is cut from the upper hip of the carcass.

Degrees and types of roasting

There are 7 degrees of roasting:

EXTRA-RARE or BLUE - warmed up to 46-49 ° C and quickly “closed” on the grill, raw but not cold;
RARE (with blood) uncooked meat with blood (200 degrees, 2-3 minutes) fried outside, red inside, meat 49-55 ° C;
MEDIUM RARE (low roast) meat is only brought to the state of absence of blood, with juice of a pronounced pink color (190-200 degrees, 4-5 minutes) meat t 55-60 ° C;
MEDIUM (medium rare) medium rare, inside is light pink juice (180 degrees, 6-7 minutes) meat t 60-65 ° C;
MEDIUM WELL (almost fried) meat with clear juice (180 degrees, 8-9 minutes) t meat 65-69 ° C;
WELL DONE (from English: fried) absolutely fried meat, almost without juice (180 degrees, 8-9 minutes + precooking in a combi oven) t meat 71-100 ° C;
TOO WELL DONE or Overcooked (deep fried). If the minimum presence of meat juice is assumed in the previous frying, then this one does not. Here meat t> 100 ° C.

Thus, fatty steaks (Ribeye and Club steak) should be brought to Medium or Medium well. We can cook them longer, because due to their marbling, the real taste of meat is revealed.

In turn, lean steaks (such as Filet Mignon) contain virtually no fatty layers. Therefore, it is customary to serve them slightly undercooked. For such meat, the optimum degree of doneness would be Medium Rare or Medium.

Steak and benefits

Beef has a good set of vitamins. Plus micro- and macroelements necessary for a person - from banal, but nevertheless very important iron, to exotic and also important molybdenum. There are amino acids - including essential ones.

But that's not even the main thing. The main thing is the amazing amount of protein, the main building material for our body, which is found in beef. Its content reaches 20% of the total weight of meat.

An additional important point is that with this phenomenal protein content, beef has almost no fat at all.

Beneficial Effects:

A strong heart, flexible and strong vessels - everything depends on it. How healthy you feel every day. How long will you live, after all.
High hemoglobin - This ensures that all your body tissues are supplied with the oxygen they need. Well, along the way, it gives a healthy skin color.
The normalized level of cholesterol means that you may not even know about serious problems with blood vessels that await many people.
The correct acid-base balance of the stomach, a healthy digestive system. Here, beef meat neutralizes a bunch of substances that irritate the stomach lining - therefore, the production of gastric juice returns to normal.
Correct operation of exchange mechanisms. But often we cannot lose weight precisely because these mechanisms are not working properly.
Strong and healthy bones.
Healthy and well-developed muscles. Beef helps a lot in this regard.
A strengthened nervous system, ready to calmly deal with the daily stress that surrounds us.
Good brain function is mainly memory.

Cooking features

Check the quality of the meat before buying
Cut meat perpendicular to the grain - culinary experiments have proven that steak sliced across the muscle fibers is much softer. The ideal thickness for each piece is 2.5–4 cm.
Allow the meat to reach room temperature - this is important for future even frying. If you have time, just remove the meat from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before cooking and it will warm up on its own.
Dry the meat thoroughly - blot the meat with a paper towel before frying to remove any excess moisture from the surface. If you don't get rid of the liquid, the steak in the pan will boil rather than broil.
Don't salt or pepper - of course, this recommendation again applies to classic premium steaks that are cooked without marinade. It is best to salt and pepper these meat after cooking, but if you add salt to the steak during the frying process, the meat juices will seep out. As a result, you will end up with a piece that is tougher than you could possibly be.
Get a thermo needle - the degree of roasting of the steak is determined by the temperature inside the piece of meat. It is easiest to measure with a needle thermometer.
Choose the right skillet - a grill skillet or a regular skillet with a thick bottom - is the perfect choice.

Steps of grilling beef steak

With the right approach, preparing a steak is not as difficult as it might seem.

The common medium roast is perfect for grilling.

Prepare the grill for use in direct high heat. Place the stacks on the lattice diagonally, at an angle of 45 °. Cook under hot conditions in high heat.
After 1-2 minutes, lift the meat with tongs - but not with a fork. Turn the stacks at 90 °, close the cover and cook on high heat for another 1-2 minutes.
Turn the stacks - you will see that a beautiful cross-shaped pattern has appeared on them. Fry to the desired degree of cooking (6–8 minutes is a weak degree of cooking, the meat inside remains bright pink). If you wish, you can make the same pattern on the other side.
Remove the steaks from the grill and rest for 3-5 minutes. At this time, the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise for a few minutes (approx. 2 ° C), and the meat juice is distributed more evenly.
Serve on the table with the sauce.