Meat is usually quick and easy to prepare, and little has to be done to make it savory. Steaks can be cooked in a sauté pan or on a grill in a manner of minutes. Roasts only need to be put in the oven. (Only making the gravy or jus gets a little complicated.) Tougher meat cuts take longer to cook, but can be braised with an onion and a bottle of wine.
Steaks can be cooked in three ways: by grilling, sautéing, or broiling. Whatever the method, the heat must be high so that the steaks brown (or, for some peoples’ tastes, even blacken) on the outside and form a savory caramelized crust. To accomplish this, the steaks should be seasoned a few hours in advance and then patted dry before they are cooked. This allows the seasoning to penetrate into the meat. When salt sits on meat, however, it draws out moisture that can prevent browning, which is the reason the steaks are patted dry.
If a steak is relatively thin and is being cooked rare, it needs to be exposed to the very highest heat to brown quickly without overcooking the inside of the meat. If the steak is thicker, or if it’s being cooked to a higher internal temperature, the heat can be lower. It also helps if steak is left out at room temperature a couple of hours before it is cooked to allow the inside to warm up. If the steaks are taken straight out of the refrigerator before cooking, they’re likely to end up cold inside instead of rare.
Many different steaks are available and come in different shapes and sizes and prices. Steaks can be bought large—for more than one person—and then be sliced at the table, or they can be bought so that everyone has their own individual steak. When slicing steak at the table, be sure to use a cutting board with a moat to catch juices.
Many cooks are confused when it comes to determining when a steak is done. First, browning has nothing to do with it; a steak can be black on the outside and raw in the middle. Instead, there are two factors to look for: texture and blood formation. As a steak cooks, it stops feeling fleshy and begins to feel firm to the touch. A steak that just begins to feel firm is medium rare, a steak that’s completely firm is medium. The other factor, formation of juices, has to do with the drops of juices that form on the surface of the raw side of the steak as it cooks. The rarest steak, called “blue,” is essentially raw in the middle and forms no juices on the surface. When the very first drops of red juice form, the steak is rare; as the juices becomes more copious, the steak is medium-rare. As the juices begin to turn brown, the steak reaches medium, and when all brown, the steak is medium well, or well done.
Doneness: Blue
Color: Purple
Texture: Fleshy
Formation of Juices: None
Doneness: Rare
Color: Red
Texture: Fleshy
Formation of Juices: Just a few drops of red juices
Doneness: Medium rare
Color: Red/pink
Texture: Barely firm
Formation of Juices: Generous red juices
Doneness: Medium
Color: Pink
Texture: Firm
Formation of Juices: Juices beginning to turn brown
Doneness: Medium well
Color: Brown
Texture: Firm
Formation of Juices: Juices are all brown
Doneness: Well
Color: Brown/gray
Texture: Very firm
Formation of Juices: Juices are all brown
Skirt Steak with Poblano Salsa
Skirt steak is one of the tastiest steaks on the steer. Be aware that there is outer skirt steak (larger, less desirable) and inner skirt steak. Since it takes experience to tell the difference, buy from a trusted butcher and ask. The salsa here requires charring and peeling on a poblano chile.
Makes 4 main-course servings
2 skirt steaks, about 1 pound each
Salt
Pepper
1 poblano chile, roasted
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small onion, minced
Leaves from one bunch cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature so they cook more evenly.
Finely chop the roasted poblano chile and put in a bowl. Add the jalapeños, onion, cilantro, oil, vinegar, and lime juice; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pat the skirt steaks dry and grill over high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until red juices just begin to form on the surface of the steaks (see section on Grilling). Or sauté in two tablespoons of olive oil over high heat, again for about 4 minutes on each side for rare to medium rare.
Serve sliced with the salsa on the side.
A porterhouse steak is particularly festive if you buy one large enough for four (about 2 inches thick makes generous servings) and then carve it at the table. It makes a dramatic sight but, of course, it doesn’t come cheap. If you’re cooking relatively thin porterhouses you may be able to find them already cut, but if you’re asking for a real thick one, you’ll have to have it cut to order.
Makes 4 main-course servings
One 2-inch thick or two 1-inch-thick porterhouse steak(s)
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Season the steak generously with salt and pepper and let it come to room temperature so it cooks more evenly. The rarer you want your steak, the hotter the fire needs to be. This is because you need to brown the steak quickly, so that it doesn’t overcook in the center. If you want your steak more well done, then the heat can be lower because it will have time to brown as the meat is cooking through.
Pat the steak dry. If you’re grilling, prepare a hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill (see section on Grilling). Rub the steak with oil. If you’re sautéing, in a sauté pan just large enough to hold the steak, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat until the oil ripples. Over highest heat, grill or sauté for 3 to 5 minutes on each side (see chart for determining steak doneness). Transfer it to a plate and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
London broil isn’t a specific cut of meat (although for years flank steak was used), but rather a method of preparation. Usually the cuts used for London broil are inexpensive (nowadays taken from the shoulder), and the meat is always served sliced, which makes the meat seem more tender. You’re safe just buying what’s labeled London broil in the supermarket, but you can also get by using a chuck steak, sirloin, or tri-tip.
Makes 4 main-course servings
1 London broil, 1½ to 2 pounds
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Season the steak with salt and pepper and leave it out of the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Just before sautéing, pat the meat dry with paper towels.
In a sauté pan just large enough to hold the steak, heat the oil over high heat until the oil ripples. Add the steak and sauté until brown. If you’re cooking the steak more than medium rare, turn the heat down as soon as the meat is browned on both sides to allow the heat to continue to penetrate without further browning the meat. The meat is done according to the chart Doneness Chart.
Serve the steak cut into long, thin slices.
Flank steak was originally the steak sold as London broil. But London broil is a style of serving meat rather than a particular cut and flank steak just became too expensive to be marketed as the modest London broil. Nowadays London broil is more likely to be taken from the less expensive chuck. To serve in the style of a London broil, grill the meat and then serve it sliced on heated plates. The meat is also delicious tossed into a salad. If you’re in a rush, skip the marinade.
Makes 4 main-course servings
1 flank steak, 1½ to 2 pounds
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Trim off any pieces of fat or membrane clinging to the flank steak. Season with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil. Rub with soy sauce and sprinkle with thyme. Let sit for 1 to 4 hours in the refrigerator before cooking, turning once halfway, so the marinade penetrates evenly. Pat dry. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
In a sauté pan just large enough to hold the steak, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat until the oil ripples. Add the steak and brown. If you’re cooking the steak more than medium rare, turn the heat down as soon as the meat is browned on both sides to allow the heat to continue to penetrate without further browning. The meat is done according to the chart Doneness Chart.
Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice crosswise into thin strips.
Variation:
You can also grill the meat. Prepare a hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill (see section on Grilling). Grill on the first side until you see blood start to form in little droplets. If you’re cooking the meat rare, turn and grill for 2 minutes more. If you’re cooking the meat medium rare or medium, wait until the blood flows more freely, a minute or two more, before turning the meat. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain into ⅛-inch-thick strips.
When sautéing steaks, it’s important to use a heavy-bottomed pan just large enough to hold the steaks. This prevents the juices from burning and instead allows them to form a caramelized crust on the bottom of the pan. When making a sauce, you “deglaze” the crust by adding wine, water, or broth to dissolve it. These deglazed pan juices can be used as they are, as a little jus to spoon over the steak, or they can form the base for a more elaborate sauce.
To construct a more elaborate sauce, start by pouring off the burnt oil and deglazing with a flavoring ingredient (½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram, 1 minced shallot, or 2 minced garlic cloves). Then deglaze with a liquid (½ cup vinegar, ¾ cup wine or cider, or ½ cup or more broth, and boil until the sauce is reduced to about 4 tablespoons. Whisk in 1 tablespoon chicken glaze or commercial meat glaze for sauces. Add more flavor in the form of 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, chervil, or chives; 1 tablespoon crushed green or black peppercorns; or 1 teaspoon finely grated citrus zest. Thicken with 1 tablespoon cold butter or ¼ cup whipping cream. Finally, finish by whisking in 2 teaspoons Cognac or 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley.
Red Wine Sauce: Pour the burnt oil out of the pan. Put 1 finely minced shallot into the pan. Stir it around with a whisk in the hot pan for about 1 minute, or until it starts to smell toasty. Pour in ¾ cup red wine and boil down to ⅓ cup. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of chicken glaze or commercial meat glaze. Continue whisking until the glaze dissolves. If the sauce starts to get too thick, thin it with 1 or 2 tablespoons water; if it’s too thin, just boil it down until it thickens. Whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
White Wine and Thyme Sauce: Pour the burnt oil out of the pan. Put 1 finely minced shallot and ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves into the hot pan. Stir with a whisk for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Pour in ¾ cup white wine and boil down to ⅓ cup. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of chicken glaze or commercial meat glaze. Continue whisking until the glaze dissolves. If the sauce starts to get too thick, thin it with 1 or 2 tablespoons water; if it’s too thin, just boil it down until it thickens. Whisk in 1 tablespoon butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Green Peppercorn Sauce: Pour the burnt oil out of the pan. Put 1 finely minced shallot and ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme into the hot pan and stir. When you can smell the thyme, pour in ½ cup ruby port and boil down by half. Meanwhile, crush 2 teaspoons green peppercorns in brine. Add to the reduced port along with ½ tablespoon chicken glaze or 1 tablespoon commercial meat glaze and simmer until dissolved. If the sauce gets too thick, thin it with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Add ¼ cup heavy cream and simmer until the sauce has the consistency you like. Season with salt.
Broiled New York Steaks with Béarnaise Sauce
Also called strip steaks when boneless and shell steaks when they have the bone on, New York steaks are the large muscle found in the porterhouse. They are among the most deluxe of steaks, next to porterhouse and tenderloin. The servings in this recipe are generous because it’s difficult to cook a New York steak that’s much less than ¾ pound; anything smaller is just too thin.
Makes 4 main-course servings
4 New York cut (strip) steaks, each about ¾ pound
Salt
Pepper
Béarnaise Sauce, made immediately before cooking the steaks
Season the steaks with salt and pepper and let rest out of the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Just before broiling, pat the meat dry with paper towels.
Put the rack as close to the broiler as possible and preheat the broiler for 5 minutes. Arrange the steaks in a single layer in a broiler-safe baking dish and slide them under the broiler. Watch closely for browning. If the steaks brown before they are done, lower the rack under the broiler so they’re not quite as close. Continue broiling until done according to the Doneness Chart, turning once. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Pass the sauce at the table.
A daube is simply a stew in which the meat is not browned before it is braised. This helps you avoid making a mess in the kitchen and saves a lot of time. You can marinate this meat with its aromatic vegetables, wine, and herbs—just combine everything and hold in the fridge for up to 24 hours—to improve the stew’s flavor, but this step is completely optional.
You’re not obligated to use a pressure cooker to make this stew but if you don’t, it will take about 2 hours to cook at a gentle simmer instead of 40 minutes. Don’t be tempted to boil the meat in an attempt to get it to cook quickly. This recipe purposely makes a lot of stew, so you can serve it over a course of two days or use the leftovers to make ravioli.
Makes 8 main-course servings
One 5-pound chuck roast or 5 pounds stew meat
2 large carrots, peeled
1 large onion, peeled
1 bunch parsley
10 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (not powdered thyme)
1 imported bay leaf
1 bottle (750 ml) full-bodied red wine
Salt
Pepper
If you’re using a chuck roast, cut it into 1-inch cubes. Cut the carrots into 1-inch pieces and cut the onion into quarters. Tie together the parsley, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. (If you’re using dried thyme, tie everything up in a little piece of cheesecloth.)
Put the meat in a pressure cooker and add the carrots, onion, herb bundle, and wine. Cover and cook for 40 minutes at 10 pounds per square inch. Remove from the pressure cooker—allow the pressure to come down before opening the pot (impossible to do anyway). Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.
While luxurious and not cheap, a whole beef tenderloin, also called filet, is one of the easiest cuts to cook, but it’s important that you don’t overcook it or it will be dry. These days, whole beef tenderloin is appearing in more and more supermarkets. To make a smaller roast, for 4 to 6 servings, have the butcher cut you a 2-pound piece from the heart of the tenderloin (this is called the chateaubriand) and roast that.
If you’re getting your tenderloin from the butcher, ask that the silverskin, which is the thin shiny piece of tissue that runs the length of the tenderloin from the thicker butt end down the length of the tenderloin, be removed. If you don’t have a butcher, you’ll have to do this yourself. Slide a long sharp knife under the skin in about the middle and slide the knife, with the blade angled upward, toward one end of the tissue. Once you’ve detached one end, hold the tissue taut and move the knife in the other direction.
It’s always nice to serve a roast with a jus or gravy (a gravy is simply a jus that’s been thickened with flour) but a tenderloin, especially when roasted rare, releases no juices with which to make a jus. To solve this problem, roast stew beef along with the meat. The stew beef will release the juices you need for a jus.
Makes 8 main-course servings
1 whole beef tenderloin, 4 to 5 pounds, trimmed of exterior fat
Salt
Pepper
2 pounds beef stew beef (optional, for the jus)
¾ cup water (optional, for the jus)
Béarnaise Sauce (optional)
There are a couple of ways to deal with a whole tenderloin’s tapered tail so that the roast cooks evenly. One method is to cut away half of the butt end and tie it onto the tail end so that both ends are the same thickness. The only problem with this is that when the tail end is sliced, it comes apart. Another method is simply to fold the tail end over itself and tie it. Tie the roast with string to help it hold its shape. Season with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for an hour before roasting.
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Put the roast in a pan just large enough to hold it—you may have to bend the roast. Put the stew beef in the pan around and under the beef—if you want to serve the roast with a jus—and slide it into the oven.
Roast for about 25 minutes, or until well browned. The meat should be very rare. (If you like it more done, roast until juices start to form a jus in the pan.)
Transfer the roast to a platter or cutting board and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for about 15 minutes while you prepare the jus or the béarnaise sauce.
To make the jus, when the roast is done, leave the stew meat in the oven until it is all well browned, about 15 minutes. Deglaze the pan with about a cup of water and bring to a simmer on the stove. Stir with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes, then strain. Alternatively, make the béarnaise sauce.
To serve, slice the roast at the table. Pass the jus or sauce at the table.
Beef Stroganoff is like a stew, except the meat it contains is rare and tender, cooked quickly and without braising. Its disadvantage versus other stews is its expense, since tender cuts are necessary. Traditionally, beef Stroganoff contains sour cream, which requires that you never let the sauce reach a boil once it is added. Heavy cream or crème fraîche, which are more stable, work better and don’t require you to keep the braising liquid from reaching a simmer. One of the great things about this dish is that the meat can be browned ahead of time, the stewing liquid also made ahead of time, and the meat heated up in the stewing liquid just before serving. Rice is a good accompaniment.
Makes 4 main-course servings
2 pounds tender beef such as tenderloin, New York strip, or rib steak
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups chicken broth
10 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, quartered vertically
½ cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
Fresh lemon juice
Trim any fat off of the meat. Cut the meat into 2 by 1/2-inch strips. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add enough strips to fill the pan about one-third full (if you add the meat too fast it won’t brown and instead releases water) and turn them as needed to brown them on all sides. Take these strips out, spread them on a plate (don’t pile them up in a bowl or they’ll overcook) and continue cooking the rest of the strips, one-third at a time. This step can be performed ahead of time and the meat kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready to reheat it in the sauce.
In a small pot, large enough to hold the meat, heat the butter and onion and cook gently, stirring every couple of minutes, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the flour, stir with a whisk until smooth, cook it a minute, and whisk in the wine and broth. Add the mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and simmer very gently for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and the lemon juice. If the sauce is thin (mushrooms release liquid that thin it), boil down the sauce until it thickens slightly
Add the meat strips to the mushroom sauce and quickly bring to a simmer. Serve as soon as the liquid reaches a simmer.
A pot roast takes longer than an hour to cook, but it can be done very simply. If you set it up in the morning and put it in the oven as soon as you get home, it should be ready for dinner, if a little on the late side. If the kids can’t wait that long, serve this on the weekend when you can get it cooking earlier. One of the great advantages to a pot roast is leftovers—for sandwiches or dinner the next night. This recipe may seem to call for a lot of meat for 6 servings, but the meat shrinks considerably as it cooks. The best pot for this is an oval Dutch oven.
Makes about 6 main-course servings
One 4- to 5-pound top blade beef roast (from the shoulder) or other chuck roast
Salt
Pepper
3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 imported bay leaves
10 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bottle (750 ml) full-bodied red wine
¼ cup Chicken Glaze (optional)
1 onion, chopped
Chicken or beef broth, as needed
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Season the roast with salt and pepper and put it in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven with a lid. Surround the roast with the carrots, covering any exposed parts of the roast to prevent burning.
Roast the meat, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until well browned. Meanwhile, tie the bay leaves and thyme sprigs together with string.
Turn the heat down to 300°F. Pour in the wine and add the herb bundle. Add the meat glaze and onion, cover the pot, and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. (If the liquid doesn’t come halfway up the sides of the roast, add broth or water.)
Slide the roast into the oven and cook for about 90 minutes, until the meat is tender.
Strain the braising liquid into a glass pitcher or measuring cup (glass so you can see the fat floating on top), and skim off the fat with a spoon or use a fat separator. If you want to serve the carrots, pick them out and reserve. Serve slices of the roast in soup plates surrounded with the braising liquid and, if you’re using them, the carrots.
Variation:
To take this dish up a notch, strain the braising liquid, clean out the pot, setting aside the carrots and onion, and put the roast back in. Pour the strained braising liquid over the meat and bake uncovered in a 400°F oven for about 30 minutes more, basting every 10 minutes with the braising liquid or until the liquid reduces down to a shiny glaze that coats the roast.
Tacos are a great way to use up extra tomatoes or avocados. These tacos are simple and straightforward. Be sure to buy “hard” tacos, which have the requisite fold for holding the fillings.
Makes 4 main-course servings
1½ pounds ground chuck
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt
Pepper
8 taco shells
To Serve
4 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1 white onion, chopped
8 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
Lime wedges
Chopped cilantro
Sour cream
Put the meat and olive oil in the largest pan you have. Sprinkle the cumin over the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the meat begins to brown and all the liquid released by the meat evaporates. If you notice a lot of fat in the pan, pour it off.
Arrange the taco shells, facing up, on plates. Spoon ground beef into each one. Serve hot, passing the tomatoes, avocados, onion, jalapeños, lime wedges, cilantro, and sour cream and let guests fill their own tacos.
While rack of lamb is simple to prepare, it isn’t cheap. When you buy the rack, have the butcher cut off the chine bone—the bone that runs along the spinal column—to make it easier to carve. If the butcher is really cooperative, ask to have the rack frenched (trim the tops of the ribs so the bones protrude decoratively above the roast). This recipe calls for an American rack. New Zealand racks are half the size; if those are the only ones you can find, roast two instead of one.
Makes 4 main-course servings
One 8-rib American rack of lamb
Salt
Pepper
Preheat the oven to 475°F.
Season the rack with salt and pepper and put it in a roasting pan that fits it as closely as possible. Slide the rack into the oven and roast for about 25 minutes, or until the rack feels firm when you press the two ends together or a thermometer inserted into the middle reads 125°F to 130°F for medium rare.
Take the rack out of the oven, transfer it to a cutting board, and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Slice in between the chops and serve two to each diner.
While a leg of lamb usually cooks in about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half—it requires no attention. It should be roasted to medium rare throughout. When you buy the leg of lamb, try to get the butcher to bone out the pelvic bone for you to make carving easier. You can do this yourself by cutting along the bone, always keeping the knife blade against the bone, and cutting all the way down to the joint, and then cutting through the sinew to dislodge the ball part of the joint from the cup part. You can then tie up the leg to hold in the flap and help the leg keep its shape.
Makes about 8 main-course servings
1 leg of lamb, about 12 pounds, at room temperature, pelvic bone preferably removed
Salt
Pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Season the leg both inside and out with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan as close in size to the leg as possible and slide into the oven.
Roast for 30 minutes, or until the meat browns. Turn the heat down to 300°F and continue roasting for 45 to 60 minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 125° to 130°F.
Take out of the oven. Remove the meat to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. To make a jus, put the roasting pan on the stove and boil down any liquid until it caramelizes on the bottom of the pan and you’re left with a clear layer of fat. Pour this off. Add a cup of water to the pan and, over the heat, scrape up the caramelized juices with a wooden spoon.
Carve lamb into ¼-inch-thick slices by sliding a knife against the meat, parallel with the bone. Serve immediately. Pass the jus.
Variation:
If you want to serve your lamb with roast garlic or a garlic-thickened jus, break up four large garlic heads and surround the roast with the cloves (don’t peel the cloves). When the roast is ready, serve with the garlic cloves or work the garlic cloves through a food mill and collect the pulp. Combine the garlic pulp with the jus, bring to the simmer, and serve.
Sautéed Lamb Loin Chops with White Wine and Marjoram
When shopping for lamb chops, you’ll usually find that loin chops are cheaper than rib chops. This has nothing to do with the quality of the meat—the meat is equally as good on both chops—but due to the fact that rib chops look prettier on the plate. You can use one or the other interchangeably. If you can’t find marjoram, use fresh thyme instead. The sauce given here is a simple one and is completely optional. If you have leftover marjoram or thyme after making this, hang the herbs to dry or chop them with butter to make herb butter that can be stored in the freezer with no loss of quality or flavor.
Here I suggest four or eight chops depending on the voracity of your diners.
Makes 4 main-course servings
4 or 8 loin lamb chops
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chicken glaze
4 tablespoons cold butter, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
Season the chops with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for an hour or two, if you can. If you don’t have time to do this, don’t worry.
Heat the oil over high heat in a sauté pan just large enough to hold the chops Pat the chops dry with paper towels. When the oil begins to smoke, put the chops in the pan. Depending on their thickness, cooking the first side will take from 1 to 5 minutes. When you see the first droplets of liquid forming on the surface of the meat, it’s ready to be turned. Brown on the second side for about half as long as the first. This system will result in chops cooked about medium rare, ideal for lamb.
Transfer the chops to a paper towel–lined plate. Pat the chops with paper towels to eliminate burnt oil. Pour the oil out of the sauté pan and pour in the wine. Add the chicken glaze and boil down until the mixture takes on a slightly syrupy consistency. Whisk in the butter and marjoram and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the chops on plates or on a platter, pour the sauce over, and serve.
The best meat for these kebabs comes from the round muscle in the leg. If your butcher doesn’t sell this cut, you can use shoulder of lamb, which will probably be sold as lamb stew meat. Boiling onions are white and about the size of walnuts. One trick: use two skewers for each kebab—this prevents the foods from spinning around when you turn the skewers on the grill.
Makes 4 main-course servings
1½ pounds lamb round, cut into ¾-inch cubes, or stew meat
8 white boiling onions, peeled
2 red bell peppers, cut lengthwise into 1½ by ½-inch strips
12 cremini mushrooms
Thread all the ingredients on four sets of two skewers each, alternating meat and vegetables. If you’re using wooden skewers, make sure the foods are touching each other and that there’s no wood exposed between the foods; otherwise the wood will burn. Also, if you’re using wooden skewers, wrap the ends in aluminum foil to keep them from burning.
Prepare a medium to hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill (see section on Grilling). Grill on all sides for a total of about 10 minutes. Serve immediately on the skewers.
Even though really very simple, this dish is somewhat intimidating because you need a cut that you may never have seen before. Even the butcher will be perplexed by your request since the saddle, basically the small of the animal’s back, is usually cut up into loin chops, not served whole. When ordering your saddle, often just called the loin (which is somewhat confusing since sometimes the boneless muscle is called the loin) ask for NAMP (National Association of Meat Purveyors) #231.
The saddle is that part of lamb just below the rib cage. The meat on the saddle of lamb is the same quality as that of the rack of lamb, but it is often less expensive because people haven’t heard of saddles of lamb. There’s nothing to cooking a saddle of lamb except determining its doneness, which can be done by feel, thermometer, or, if worse comes to worse, by cutting into the meat. Lamb saddle can be carved lengthwise or the loins can be cut out and sliced into rounds.
Makes 4 to 6 main-course servings
1 saddle of lamb, about 8 pounds, with flaps and fat
Salt
Pepper
Jus (see box) (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut away the flaps where they join the central loin muscle—this is easy to see, but if you’re in doubt, just leave some of the flap attached. Save the flaps for making stews or lamb broth.
Season the saddle on both sides with salt and pepper. Put the saddle in a roasting pan that fits it as closely as possible; the smooth fat side of the saddle should be on top.
Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the meat just starts to feel firm when you push the two ends together, or until a thermometer reads 120°F. Turn the saddle over and roast for 5 to 10 minutes more, until firm, or until a thermometer reads 130°F.
Transfer the saddle to a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Prepare the jus as described below.
To carve the saddle, cut the fat off the top and slice each side lengthwise into strips. Repeat on the second side. Turn the roast over and carve off the thin tenderloin muscles that run along its length. Serve these along with the slices of loin muscle. Pass the jus in a sauceboat at the table.
If you want to make a jus (essentially an unthickened gravy) to go with your roast, you can use the flaps to provide extra juices. Trim off as much fat from the flaps as you can, and cut the meat into long thin strips. Put these strips in the roasting pan you’re going to use for the saddle and roast them about 20 minutes. Put the roast on top of the trimmings and roast as described above. While the roast is resting, pour or spoon out any fat in the pan and add about 1 cup of water to the pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon to get the juices to dissolve in the water. Strain and reheat if necessary. Serve in a sauceboat at the table.
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Apples
Pork tenderloins, long and thin cylindrical muscles, are a great bargain and are easy to cook quickly. If you’re getting your tenderloins from the butcher, ask him or her to trim off the silverskin. If you encounter small tenderloins, you may have to roast two of them to serve four. Because pork tenderloins are relatively small, they should be roasted in the hottest possible oven so they brown without overcooking. The tenderloin is done as soon as it’s firm to the touch or measures 130°F inside (this temperature increases 5°F as the roast rests). You can garnish it with just about anything, but sautéed apples are particularly attractive and tasty.
Makes 4 main-course servings
1 or 2 pork tenderloins, about 2 pounds total weight
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Let the meat come to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper and place it in a small roasting pan or skillet. Slide into the oven.
Roast for about 30 minutes, until firm to the touch. Transfer the roast to a platter or cutting board and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Serve in thick slices, 2 slices per person. Arrange the apples on top.
Hot, buttery apples make a great accompaniment to pork and duck and also can be used to make tarts.
Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings and more than enough to fill a 10-inch tart shell
6 tart baking apples, ideally heirloom such as Northern Spy
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar (if using for a dessert)
Peel and core the apples and cut each into eight wedges.
Heat the butter in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat until it froths. Add the apples. Sprinkle with sugar, if you’re using these apples for dessert. Sauté over medium to high heat, adjusting according to how the apples are browning. Toss every couple of minutes, until the apples brown evenly and are completely soft, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Variation:
You can flambé these apples by adding liquor such as Calvados to the pan at the end of sautéing and igniting the apples. These apples can also be wrapped in crepes and topped with whipped cream.
Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Prunes
Pork tenderloin can be sliced ¾ to 1 inch thick, with the resulting pieces called noisettes or medallions. Medallions sauté in just a couple of minutes and can be combined with all sorts of other ingredients. Here, I make a sauce with prunes and heavy cream.
Makes 4 main-course servings
20 pitted prunes
⅔ cup dry or slightly sweet white wine, such as Vouvray
1 or 2 pork tenderloins, about 2 pounds total weight
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil or more as needed
2 tablespoons Chicken Glaze or commercial meat glaze (optional)
¼ cup heavy cream
Put the prunes in a saucepan with the white wine and bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Slice the tenderloin(s) crosswise into twelve equal slices and season them on both sides with salt and pepper.
In one or two skillets just large enough to hold the pork in a single layer, heat the oil over high heat until it ripples. Add the medallions and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the meat springs back to the touch.
Transfer the medallions to a paper towel–lined plate and pour the burnt oil out of the pan. Pour in the wine and prune mixture and boil the mixture down to about one-fourth its original volume. Whisk in the reduced chicken broth and add the heavy cream. Adjust the thickness of the sauce by either boiling down to thicken or adding a tablespoon or so of water to thin. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Divide the medallions evenly among four heated plates and arrange five prunes over and around each serving. Pour over the sauce and serve.
Don’t confuse pork loin with pork tenderloin. The tenderloins are long, thin, and tapered and typically weigh about a pound. The loin, on the other hand, is thick, 3 to 4 inches in diameter. The loin is more practical than the tenderloin for serving more than four people because you can get as large a piece as you need, up to about eight servings worth. If you don’t have fresh sage, just skip it.
Makes 6 main-course servings
1 boneless pork loin roast, about 2½ pounds
6 fresh sage leaves
Salt
Pepper
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
If the roast has a strip of shiny tissue running along the top (this is called the silverskin), remove it by sliding a knife under it while holding it at one end between your fingers. Put the roast in a pan that fits it as closely as possible. Arrange the sage leaves on top and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sage leaves don’t stick, you can tie them on with string, but this is a nuisance.
Slide the roast into the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until well browned. Turn the oven down to 300°F and roast for about 15 minutes more, or until firm to the touch or measuring 130°F with an instant-read thermometer.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing the roast into 6 or 12 equal pieces.
Pork chops need something like mustard to cut through their richness. This sauce has the added accent of chopped cornichons, which are small sour pickles. When you buy your pork chops, if you have a choice, ask for center-cut rib chops.
Makes 4 main-course servings
4 bone-in center-cut pork chops, each about 1 inch thick
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon commercial meat glaze or Chicken Glaze (optional)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
10 cornichons, chopped to the consistency of relish
Season the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
In a pan just large enough to hold the chops, heat the oil over high heat until it begins to ripple. Add the chops and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the meat is firm to the touch. Transfer the chops to a warmed platter.
Pour the burnt oil out of the pan, and inspect the juices in the bottom of the pan. If they are burnt, rinse the pan out with cold water. Add the wine and the meat glaze to the pan and boil down by half. Whisk in the mustard, parsley, and cornichons and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve.
Veal chops are such an extravagance that you might as well pull out all the stops and serve them with wild mushrooms. Veal chops come in two varieties: loin chops and rib chops. Both are of the same quality, but the loin chop contains the tenderloin muscle and the rib chop has a decorative rib. Rib chops are the most dramatic to serve but they are, for this very reason, often more expensive. If you decide to serve rib chops, you may want to have the butcher french the bones—trim the meat off the ends of the ribs—to make them look more dramatic. When buying rib chops, ask for the chops nearest the loin end; when buying loin chops, ask for the chops nearest the rib section. These tend to have neater arrangements of meat and are easier to eat.
You can buy assorted fresh wild mushrooms or just buy one kind. If you are using dried mushrooms, choose either morels and porcini, or a combination of the two.
Makes 4 main-course servings
4 loin or rib veal chops, each about ¾ inch thick
Salt
Pepper
1 pound assorted wild mushrooms, trimmed, or 1 ounce dried morels or porcini
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
Season the veal chops with salt and pepper and let come to room temperature. If you are using dried mushrooms, soak them for 30 minutes in just enough water to cover.
In a skillet just large enough to hold the chops in a single layer, heat the oil over high heat until it begins to ripple. Pat the chops dry and slide them gently into the hot oil. Brown for about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
While the veal is browning, heat the butter in a medium skillet until it froths. If you’re using dried mushrooms, wring out the water they’ve absorbed. Toss in the mushrooms. Toss or gently stir the mushrooms until they soften and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the soaking liquid, leaving any grit behind, and boil down until dry.
To serve, transfer the veal to heated plates and top with the sautéed mushrooms.
While a veal roast is hardly typical Wednesday night fare, it’s so easy to prepare that you might be tempted to make it after a busy day at the office. The only complicated part is making it clear to the butcher what you want.
The shoulder clod is a meaty piece of the shoulder that weighs usually 4 to 5 pounds and will comfortably serve ten. While never cheap, veal shoulder clod is inexpensive for veal—only the breast is cheaper. You won’t find veal shoulder clod at the supermarket, you’ll have to go to a butcher. Most butchers should know what you’re talking about, but if not, ask for NAMP (National Association of Meat Purveyors) #310. Ask the butcher to season the inside of the roast and then tie it up for you.
Makes 8 to 10 main-course servings
One 4- to 5-pound veal shoulder clod, tied
Salt
Pepper
Season the shoulder clod with salt and pepper and let it come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Put the clod in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it and slide it into the oven. Roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 300°F. Roast until juices form on the bottom of the roasting pan, about 30 minutes more, or to an internal temperature of 130°F.
Transfer the roast to a plate or platter and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes. Serve in ¼- to ½-inch-thick slices.
