Of course England has its Beefeater guards and its standing rib roast. However, if I were to define two countries as the home of beef, I would have to say Argentina and the United States. A great percentage of Argentine beef is sent to Europe and Africa as export products. Our beef stays at home and is a much beloved product.
By and large our beef is graded by the government, with prime at the top, followed by choice and good. There are two kinds of beef that are outside the system: Black Angus, mainly from Texas, and Wagyu and Kobe, Japanese breeds.
There is a dispute as to whether beef is best when grass fed or at least grass finished (fed on it toward the end of its life) or grain fed. There is little doubt any longer that organic beef without a load of hormones and other chemicals is better for us than nonorganic.
In general, beef should be aged. This doesn’t mean old men. It means that once slaughtered, the beef should be hung in a temperature-controlled and well-aired space to develop flavor and soften. There are many debates over how long. At one time I worked for a brilliant restaurateur who earlier in his career used to go down to the—prefancy—Meatpacking District in Manhattan and mark the sides of beef that he selected with a special brand. Then they would be delivered at a date he designated.
The quality of beef is often designated by its marbling, which is the whitish threads and flecks of fat running through the red. As the meat cooks, the marbling melts, keeping the meat moist.
There are many cuts of beef. Consult your butcher or look at a good meat chart. Sadly, I cannot tell everything here. It should be noted that the tenderest cuts such as the tenderloin (filet mignon) do not have the most flavor and that some of the slightly chewier cuts such as the sirloin and hanging tender have the most flavor. Ground beef for hamburger offers a choice of round and chuck. Round will have less fat and less flavor than chuck.
Luxury boiled beef is derived from a very elegant French dish, boeuf à la ficelle, in which a whole filet of beef wrapped in a cloth is simmered in broth. This quick version is elegant enough for any dinner party and is made with very quickly cooked slices of filet mignon. The meat flavors the broth along with the vegetables, especially the leek and tarragon.
The starch—gluten-free pasta noodles or Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes—can be served right in the soup since there are no bones to worry about.
5 small carrots, peeled and cut into ⅛-×-⅛-×-1½-inch strips
1 medium leek, white and light green part only, cut into ⅛-×-⅛-×-1½-inch strips and then soaked in water for 10 minutes to remove grit
½ pound haricots verts (slim green beans), tipped and tailed
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut across into ¼-inch-thick strips
8 cups chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
Six 1-inch-thick slices filet mignon (2 pounds)
¼ cup loosely packed tarragon leaves, plus about 18 leaves for garnish
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups gluten-free pasta noodles (see page 39) or Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes (page 165)
Place the vegetables in the bottom of a large wide-mouthed pot. Toss to combine. Add the stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat, and cook at a medium boil for 5 minutes.
Add the meat in one layer on top of the vegetables. Poke the meat down into the liquid so that all the pieces are covered. Cover. Turn the heat up slightly to maintain a moderate boil. Cook for 5 minutes.
Move the meat to a platter. Stir the tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste into the soup.
Use ½ cup noodles or mashed potatoes per person. If using a large wide-rimmed soup bowl, place the noodles in the bowl and top each with a piece of filet mignon, a cup of broth, and just under a cup of vegetables. Garnish with a few leaves of tarragon.
SERVES 6
Of course this can easily be broiled as well. If grilling, see page 11 for basics.
Flank steak isn’t the tenderest piece of meat, but I am very fond of it. Briefly cooked to sear on both sides, rare, and sliced correctly, it is delicious.
To slice, start in one corner and, with the blade of the knife at about a thirty-degree angle to the board or platter and about ¼ inch in, start to cut the meat thinly—about ¼ inch thick—into slices. Proceed down the steak until the opposite corner is reached.
1 flank steak (about 1¾ pounds)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil
Sprinkle both sides of the steak with the salt and pepper to taste. Coat with the oil and allow to stand at room temperature for at least an hour, turning at least once.
Preheat a grill until the coals are white-hot. Grill the meat for about 10 minutes on each side for medium-rare, depending on the heat of your grill.
Remove the meat from the grill and allow to stand for about 5 minutes before slicing.
SERVES 5 OR 6
Fresh, homemade meals can actually be convenient—as long as they’re not fancy or show-offy. This meat loaf, too, cooks handsomely in the microwave in less than 20 minutes.
1 pound spinach, stemmed
1 medium onion (6 ounces), peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
¾ cup cooked quinoa (see page 168)
¼ cup plus 1½ teaspoons teff flour
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1½ pounds lean ground beef, preferably top round
Place the spinach in a 10-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Cook, uncovered, on high for 5 minutes in a microwave oven. Remove from the oven and let stand until cool.
Place the spinach in a food processor and coarsely chop. Put in a large mixing bowl. Place the onion and garlic in the food processor and finely chop. Add to the spinach along with the remaining ingredients except the beef and blend well. Once the mixture is uniform, add the beef and combine well.
Transfer the mixture to a 9-×-5-×-3-inch glass loaf pan, making sure there are no air pockets. Cover tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap and cook on high for 15 minutes. Prick the plastic to release steam.
Remove from the oven and uncover. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for 15 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
SERVES 4 TO 6
This simple sauté makes the delicious most out of a small amount of an expensive cut of beef. Serve with rice or rice noodles. Those who like spicier food can add the chili oil.
I like to make this in a wok, which makes the stir-frying easier.
¾ pound beef tenderloin (filet)
¼ cup safflower oil
1 large onion, cut in half and then across into ¼-inch half-moons (about 2 cups)
4 or 5 large white mushrooms, stemmed and cut into ¼-inch slices (about 1½ cups)
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, deribbed, halved lengthwise, and cut into ¼-inch slices (about 2 cups)
⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons potato starch
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
1 teaspoon chili oil (optional)
Slice the beef across into ⅛-inch-thick slices. If using the tail end of the tenderloin, be sure to slice at a severe diagonal to make larger slices of meat. If using the thicker portion of the tenderloin, make sure to pound the slices of meat with the flat side of the blade if they are too thick. Place the slices evenly on a plate and set aside.
Pour the oil into a wok over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion. Stir-fry until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and green pepper. Cook, tossing, for 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the beef, piece by piece (to prevent sticking), cooking and tossing just until the beef is done, 1 to 2 minutes.
Whisk the Worcestershire sauce and potato starch together and pour into the beef and vegetable mixture. Combine well (the mixture will get thicker). Turn off the heat. Add the sesame oil, sesame seeds, stock, and chili oil, if using.
SERVES 4
My roast is rare, but no Saxon pillage. The outside slices can serve the meat eaters who like it better done. The technique and timings are simple. First, the meat is roasted for three-quarters of an hour at 500°F, then for approximately 3 minutes per pound at moderate heat, and finally, the roast is hit with high heat for another 15 minutes. Plan on 1 hour and 12 minutes for a small roast and 2 hours and 15 minutes for a large one.
If the consensus of friends is for the meat to be “bloody, bawdy,” I take the 3 minutes a pound down to 2. If they want it medium, the 3 minutes goes to 5. For well done, heaven help them. These times presuppose the meat at room temperature and at least 15 minutes of sitting time after the meat comes from the oven, when it will continue to cook.
One 4½-pound short (without short ribs) standing rib roast (2 ribs) or one 26-pound standing rib roast (7 ribs total)
2 to 6 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and slivered (optional)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ to 2½ cups red wine for deglazing
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack on the second level from the bottom.
Place the small roast in a 14-×-12-×-2-inch roasting pan, bone side down; the large roast will need an 18-×-13-inch roasting pan. Snuggle most of the garlic under the fat and spread the remainder under the meat. Season the roast well with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°F and roast for another 12 minutes for the small roast, for another 1 hour and 15 minutes for the large roast. Increase the heat to 450°F and roast for 15 minutes more for either size. An instant-read thermometer should reach 135°F.
Remove the roast from the oven. Move to a serving platter. Pour or spoon off excess fat, reserving about ⅛ cup fat for the small roast and ¼ cup fat for the large roast. Put the pan over high heat with the reserved fat and add the wine. Deglaze the pan well, scraping with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Pour the liquid into a small sauceboat and serve with the roast.
SMALL ROAST SERVES 2 TO 4; LARGE ROAST SERVES 10 TO 12
While I was in Mexico, I went into a huge supermarket. There were the products that I was used to as well as Mexican staples. I used ingredients that I usually don’t. The bouillon cubes eliminated the need for extra liquid. The only thing to keep in mind is that the oxtails will have to be ordered ahead and ensuing negotiations take place with the butcher to slice them.
Serve this over rice.
¼ cup olive oil
2 oxtails (about 8 pounds), cut into 1-inch-thick slices
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2½ cups red wine, plus more to taste
3 cups tomato purée (homemade, page 208, or sterile-pack)
5 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
6 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 to 5 mild hot peppers such as jalapeños
2 teaspoons dried oregano
I use two 12-inch sauté pans to accelerate the process, but, of course, the cooking can be done in batches. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons oil (per batch) into a sauté pan over high heat. Sear the oxtail pieces in a single layer until browned. Turn over. Continue cooking in batches until all the pieces are browned.
Put the oxtails in a casserole or a Dutch oven. Put the onion slices into the remaining fat and brown lightly; add to the meat. Pour in the wine and add the tomato purée. Tuck in the garlic cloves and bouillon cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Put the jalapeños on top with the oregano. Cover. Cook over medium heat for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat is soft. Add more red wine if desired.
SERVES 6 TO 8
The word “hash” comes from the French hacher, which means “to chop.” Curiously, though, the French do not make hash as we know it: the dish seems to have developed in countries where beef and leftover potatoes were plentiful. Ireland comes to mind.
Whatever. It all starts with a boiled potato. The best potatoes for hash are the floury kind suitable for mashing, like russets from Idaho and Maine. To cook them, cut in half and cover them with water in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat slightly, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound floury potatoes, cooked, peeled, cooled, and cut into ¾-inch cubes
2 pounds rare cooked roast beef (such as from Simple Rib Roast, page 108), cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack) or beef stock
6 ounces spinach leaves, blanched and squeezed dry
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ teaspoon chopped thyme or a pinch dried
½ teaspoon chopped sage or a pinch dried
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Add the oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes.
Heat the broiler. Stir the potatoes, roast beef, and stock into the onion. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fairly dry. Stir in the spinach, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until everything is well mixed and hot.
Turn out into an ovenproof dish and brown under the broiler.
SERVES 4
Short ribs, normally served solo, can be converted into a fine stew too, with or without the bones.
The secret to stews lies in the thickening, the same element that sets a braise apart from a brothy soup. Stews may contain more solids, or the savory liquid in which they cook may be thickened. Either way, there is that satisfying density.
Many times the thickening is added at the beginning of a stew, but it can also be added toward the end of cooking via a paste of cornstarch and cold water, called a “slurry.” But there are sneakier ways. Puréed, cooked, or canned chickpeas will also act as a thickener—and provide a boost of nutrition.
3 pounds short ribs, cut across and between the bones to form 12 pieces about 2 inches square (see Note)
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
3 cups diced canned or sterile-pack tomatoes
1 bay leaf
Four 1-×-4-inch strips orange zest
One 1-×-3-inch strip lemon zest
1 pound thin green beans, tipped and tailed
2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 large bulb fennel, stalks removed, cut in half, cored, and cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped oregano
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped thyme
One 10-ounce package frozen baby lima beans, defrosted in a sieve under warm running water
¾ cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the center.
Place the short ribs in one layer in a medium roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes. Turn the pieces, add the garlic, and roast for 15 minutes more.
Put the ribs into a tall, narrow stockpot. Spoon off the fat from the roasting pan and pour any juices over the bones.
Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat and add 1½ cups water. Bring to a boil, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour this liquid over the bones.
Add the tomatoes, 2 cups water, the bay leaf, two pieces of the orange zest, and the lemon zest. Cover the stockpot and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower the heat, and simmer for 40 minutes.
Stir in the green beans and 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally poking the beans down into the liquid. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
Skim the fat. Add the fennel and the herbs. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining salt, the lima beans, chickpeas, remaining two strips of orange zest, and 2 cups water.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. The meat should be falling off the bones. Season with pepper to taste.
Remove the meat and the bones from the stockpot. Place two pieces of meat (with or without the bones) in each of six bowls and divide the vegetables and liquid evenly over them.
MAKES 6 HEARTY SERVINGS
NOTE
Have the butcher do the cross-cutting. If the short ribs are cut in overlarge sections, there will be fewer than 12 pieces. If so, cook them as described and remove the meat from the bones before dividing it evenly among the bowls.
Daube is a traditional dish from the South of France. There is even a special pot for it called a daubière, earthenware and rounded toward the bottom to accommodate all the solids, with a narrower neck that causes the liquid fat to rise so that it is more easily skimmed off. It has a lid.
Pastis and Pernod are anise-flavored liquors also native to southern France. If unavailable, use Cognac.
¼ cup olive oil
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into palm-size, ½-inch-thick slices
2 yellow onions (about 1¼ pounds), cut in half, then across into thin slices
¼ cup pastis, Pernod, or Cognac
2 oranges, 5 strips zest removed with a potato peeler, then juiced (about ⅔ cup)
⅔ cup red or white wine
1 cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack) or beef stock
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
One 4-×-4-inch square pork rind or 3 thick strips lean bacon
Large pinch dried savory
Large pinch dried sage
Large pinch dried marjoram
2 bay leaves
1½ ounces garlic, smashed and peeled, half left whole, half chopped
4 sprigs thyme
¾ cup olives, preferably picholine or Niçoise
One 2-ounce tin oil-packed anchovies, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed
Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the bottom third.
Heat the oil in a large skillet until smoking. Add as many pieces of beef as will fit in a single layer. Cook until browned, turning once. Move to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Pour or spoon off half the fat. Stir in the onions. Cook until nicely browned. Remove. Pour or spoon off the remaining fat. Add the liquor. Warm gently and flame. Allow the flames to die down. Add the orange juice, wine, stock, and any meat juices on the plate. Deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Stir in the tomato paste. Remove from the heat.
Put the pork rind or bacon, skin side down, inside the bottom of a 3-quart casserole dish, preferably stoneware or earthenware, with a lid. Layer ingredients into the dish, starting with the meat. Continue layering with the onions, savory, sage, marjoram, and bay leaves. Sneak the whole garlic cloves in among the layers. Push the thyme and orange zest into the center.
Pour the deglazing liquid on top. Cover with the lid and bake for 2½ hours. Check to see if the meat is tender. If not, continue cooking until it is.
Remove the thyme sprigs. Put the meat in a bowl or serving dish. If feeling very French, cut the pork skin into small bits and add to the meat; otherwise, discard it. Remove the bay leaves. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Skim off the fat. Add the olives. Bring to a boil. Allow to cook over low heat until the olives are hot.
Mix in the chopped garlic, anchovies, and capers. Return the meat to the cooking pot if attractive. Otherwise, pour the sauce over the meat in a serving dish.
SERVES 8
Rump roast is a chewy piece of meat, but it makes up for that in flavor. I have had a Crock-Pot for years but almost never used it. Some kind person sent me a rice cooker thinking, I suppose, that it could compensate for the loss of noodles in my diet. I almost always cook rice the way I have for years, but I discovered the virtues of the rice cooker as a slow cooker for meat and beans. Its temperatures are much more stable than those of the old Crock-Pot, and it heats up more quickly. I was elated and went out and bought a large slow cooker that can do large cuts of meat.
Yes, my kitchen looks like Fibber McGee and Molly’s, but it is worth it.
This slow-cooked rump roast—two sizes—is not just like a braise or a pot roast. It has a purity of flavor that is very seductive. The meat gives off a great deal of liquid, and I put a soup bowl next to each meat plate, with a spoon, of course.
This dish takes about half a day to cook, but actual prep time is minimal and the results are well worth the wait. Enjoy this hearty dish with a side of boiled potatoes (Yukon Gold work quite nicely), a bowl of quinoa (see page 168), or, if you’re feeling generous, both. The choice of mushrooms will determine the ultimate cost.
One 3-pound chunk beef rump
1 medium unpeeled onion
½ lemon, juiced, keeping the rind
1½ cups chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
1½ cups red wine
½ pound white mushrooms, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch slices, or 1 pint fresh morels, rinsed
½ bunch oregano, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1 bunch parsley, chopped medium fine (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Place the beef, unpeeled onion, lemon juice and rind, stock, and wine in a slow cooker. Make sure the onion is covered with liquid; if not, cut the onion into quarters. The liquid should come about a third of the way up the pot. Cook on the lowest setting for 6 to 6½ hours or until the meat is very tender. About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking, add the mushrooms. After the meat is done, switch off the power and turn the meat over to even out the color.
Remove the meat and mushrooms to a platter and discard the lemon rind. Reserve half the liquid in a separate pot. Squish the onion out of its skin by pressing on it with a fork (it should slide right out) and discard the skin; if the onion is in quarters, peel away the skin and throw it away. Mash the onion with the fork until it dissolves into the cooking liquid in the original pot. Pour the reserved liquid into a large saucepan. Reduce the volume by half over medium-high heat. Add the herbs (see Note) and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, slice the beef and surround it with the mushrooms. Put the reduced liquid into a bowl and serve with a ladle.
SERVES 4 OR 5
NOTE
If serving with quinoa, add the chopped herbs to it instead of the beef.
VARIATION
This recipe can easily be doubled by using a 6-pound rump, 2 whole onions, 1 whole lemon, 3 cups chicken stock, 3 cups red wine, 1 pound sliced mushrooms or 2 pints fresh morels, ¼ cup chopped oregano, and 2 cups chopped parsley. It will serve 8 to 10 people.