TIPS FOR A PERFECT ANGUS STEAK
For a great roast, you need to start with a quality piece of beef. This means considering the following criteria when choosing the right piece for your steak: freshness, marbling, maturation. Together they give the flavour and aroma you expect from a successful roast beef. But to realise the potential that Premium Angus beef has, it is absolutely necessary to follow a few rules of preparation as you will see below.
Do not discard the fat outside the meat pieces
We have talked about beef fat and its importance in the past, but I think it’s important to bring it up again because many people still shy away from this fat that gives beef its tenderness and flavour. Beef fat is not something to be scared of, as it makes an important contribution to our health as long as we do not overdo it.
The outer fat is not removed, not discarded before cooking. It melts quickly enough to provide a suitable browning environment.
The outer fat is not removed, not discarded before cooking. It melts quickly enough to provide a suitable browning environment.
Browning is the defining action that contributes to the final taste of a steak. This browning is perhaps even more important than seasoning.
Maturation of beef in optimal conditions
The art of dry-curing beef has become increasingly popular in the culinary industry in recent years. As technology develops, people feel part of an ever smaller world, and food and food culture continue to connect us.
The method of maturing beef in a dry environment was discovered by chefs and beef suppliers for cuts from the bovine vertebral column area; the process was used to turn those cuts into delicacies.Until the invention of the vacuum packaging machine in 1960, there were few methods of maturing beef, as controlled temperature, humidity and air quality play an important role in this process and must be carefully controlled.
But with the advent of dry-aged beef, what was welcome for meat lovers was not welcome for suppliers. The exposed surface of the meat dries out and creates a crust that needs to be removed. By the end of the process, a piece of meat loses up to 30% of its quantity, so the butcher loses 30% of sales. Today, almost all beef produced in Western European countries is matured in a plastic bag. This method however leaves a slight metallic taste, to which meat lovers have adapted. Only recently, with the rise in popularity of steakhouse restaurants, the DRY AGE method has been brought back to consumer attention.
Tips before, during and after cooking
First of all you have to choose the right kind of beef for cooking the steak: tender-fibred and intensely marbled cuts like rump, t-bone, sirloin or tenderloin. To get the best grilled or pan-fried steak from these cuts, they should be cooked to rare or medium rare doneness.
Also before cooking remove the meat from the bag, pat it down with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and leave the meat on the table for ½ hour to come to room temperature.
Heat the frying pan or grill well, brush the steak with vegetable oils and place in the well heated pan in the high heat area of the grill. Grill well on both sides until a thin crust forms on the entire surface. Turn the heat down to medium and place the steak in the medium heat zone of the grill and continue cooking until desired doneness. This can be checked by minutes, meat density or with a kitchen thermometer.
A wooden spatula is used to turn the meat, which will not prick the meat and will prevent the internal juices of the meat from leaking out, which would result in a dry, tough roast.
Once the desired doneness is achieved, remove the meat from the heat, season and let it rest for at least 10 minutes covered. To serve, slice against the grain. Pair the steak with light vegetable sides or salads. An intense, tannin-rich red wine will bring out the flavour of a rare or medium rare steak and turn serving your steak into an unforgettable experience, similar to those enjoyed at a fine dining experience in a fancy restaurant.
