Cooking beef does require some special techniques, but once achieved the results are delicious. There are various ways that you can cook beef, and there are also many different cuts of beef. The steer (cow) when it is cut up has nine primary sections of beef. They are as follows: chuck, rib, brisket, shank, flank, short loin, round, sirloin and tenderloin. Some cuts of beef are more tender than others. The tenderloin is the most tender and expensive cut of beef.
You can cook beef in a pan, crock pot, pressure cooker, oven, barbeque grill, or even on an open fire. Depending on the beef recipe that you are cooking will determine the device that you should utilize to get the best results.
There are two instruments that you should have available when cooking beef. And, those are a good knife and a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer is utilized to make sure the meat is properly cooked. This is especially important when cooking a large cut of beef like a roast. And, a good knife is needed to cut or trim your beef to your liking prior to cooking. Purchasing a good set of knives for your home kitchen will help you in preparation time.
Always season or marinade your beef before cooking, this is one of the most important tips for cooking your beef. Whether it is marinating the beef overnight or just plain salt and pepper on a steak. This does enhance the meat's flavors greatly. Here is a marinade recipe that can be used on steaks that is simple to prepare and it tastes great.
Marinade for Beef Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp Cumin spice
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning mix
2 tbsp Garlic & Onion powder
1 tbsp of Salt (Kosher if possible)
1 tbsp of Honey
Red wine vinegar 4 oz
Soy sauce 4 oz
Teriyaki sauce 4 oz
Worcestershire sauce 4 oz
Preparation:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Pierce the meat and place it in a plastic or glass container and cover. Pour marinade over meat and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours. Remove from the refrigerator at least 10 minutes before grilling.
Beef Recipes
The art of cooking a good steak is learned with practice. Searing and timing the steak makes all the difference in the flavor. Whether you like it rare, medium, medium well, or well done, it's knowing how many minutes to cook the steak on each side depending the thickness of the cut of beef.
There are various cooking charts available online to help you with the timing involved with cooking beef. An undercooked or overcooked steak is the most common error for novice cooks. Once you've mastered your techniques like a good chef you will know when it is cooked to the desired outcome. Below are 3 delicious beef recipes.
Marinated Flank Recipe (Grilled)
Ingredients needed:
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
3 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
3 cloves of minced garlic
1/3 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 - 2 pounds of flank steak
Preparation instructions:
In a bowl, mix olive oil, vinegar (wine), cup of soy sauce, lemon or lime juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and garlic.
Place flank in a large dish. Pour the marinade on the steak, turning to coat the meat.
Keep covered and leave it refrigerated for 5 hours.
Preheat the grill to medium to high heat. The grill grates should be oiled.
Place steaks on heated grill, the marinade should be discarded.
Grill the meat for 4 to 6 minutes each side, or until your desired liking.
Roast Beef Tenderloin (Oven)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Complete Time: 65 minutes
Ingredients needed:
2 pounds of beef tenderloin
1/2 teaspoons of salt
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoons of pepper
1/2 teaspoons of marjoram leaves (dried)
Preparation:
Set oven to 425 degrees. The beef tenderloin will have one end that is smaller and thinner than the rest. Tuck 6 inches of this end under the rest of the tenderloin. Tie the tenderloin at 3 inch intervals with kitchen string to keep its shape. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.
In a bowl, add salt and garlic together and mix until pasty. Add pepper, oil, and marjoram and mix well. Rub the mix on the beef. Place the thermometer in the thick tenderloin section.
Roast for 35 to 45 minutes at 425 degress, or until thermometer reaches at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit Remove from oven and cover beef tightly with aluminum foil. Let it stand, covered with aluminum foil, for 15 minutes. The temperature and all of the beef's juices redistribute around the tenderloin at this time. Remove thermometer and string; then carve your beef tenderloin. This recipe serves 6.
Kabobs on the Grill (Beef)
Ingredients needed:
2 pounds of beef round cut in bite size cubes
2 teaspoons of pepper
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of onion garlic powder
a cup of extra virgin olive oil
a cup of soy sauce
Preparation:
Combine all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag or plastic container and let the beef marinade for 1 to 3 hours. You can also let it marinade overnight if you like.
Use 6 to 9 inch wooden skewers for the kabob, however first soak them in a bowl with water for 30 minutes so that they do not burn on the grill.
Now start by piercing the beef pieces with the skewers, you can also add vegetables to the skewer.
Place skewers on grill with medium high heat and turn every 15 minutes.
Beef is done in 45 minutes. Serves 4
The most important tips for cooking beef are the following:
Select the proper cut of beef for your recipe.
Marinade and season your beef.
Use a meat thermometer.
Use a good knife for trimming and carving.
Don't undercook are overcook your beef.
You can get creative with your beef recipes, and there are thousands of recipes available for you to try. The Internet is an excellent resource and has an endless list of recipes available. Bon appetite!
