Slow-Cooked
HEARTY
T H E ISSUE
b eef
B E E F 03
reci p es
to
ins p ire
L O V E R S WINTER
2013
you
IN
THE
k itchen
J O U R N A L FREE
I N S I D E Beef Cheeks Bourguignon, p . 16
Front cover:
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How MSA Labelling Helps You Find Consistent Quality Beef, p . 22
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Stuart Barrett Talks About Paddock-to-Plate Farming, p . 18 1
W E LCO M E to themainmeal.com.au’s winter edition of Meat & Co, a magazine dedicated to exploring the wonder of Australian beef. In this issue, we’re excited to introduce you to the enticing world of hearty, slow-cooked beef. Producing a heavenly tenderness and intense rich aromas, you’ll be inspired by our six warming recipes, destined to become your go-to family favourites this winter.
the team at: themainmeal.com.au
I N T R OD U C T I O N
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We’re also delighted to introduce Queensland grazier Stuart Bennett, one of the many Aussie farmers espousing the benefits of sustainable farming practices to farmers and beef lovers. We celebrate the humble and comforting slow-cooked corned beef dinner, explain the eating quality grading system (MSA), reveal the secrets to serving melt-in-the-mouth delicious veal and provide inspiring recipes to get you stirred up about your next home-cooked feast. Stay warm, create and enjoy!
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Address: Level 1, 40 Mount Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060 Phone 02-9463-9333 Email: themainmeal@mla.com.au Website: themainmeal.com.au Editor: Evelyn Lloveda elloveda@mla.com.au Art Direction and Design: Mash mashdesign.com.au Printing: Southern Colour (Vic) Pty Ltd southerncolour.com.au Paper Stock: Cover: Nordset 250gsm by Raleigh Paper Text: Grange Laser 120gsm by K.W. Doggett Food Stylist: Simon Bajada simonbajada.com & Deborah Kaloper deborahkaloper@me.com Food Photography: John Laurie johnlauriephoto.com Prop Stylist Sonia Rentsch soniarentsch.com Illustration: Bradley Jay bradleyjay.co.uk
The paper stock is an environmentally-responsible paper sourced from well-managed forests and is Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF). • This publication is published by Meat & Livestock Australia Limited ABN 39 081 678 364 (MLA). Care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information in the publication; however, MLA cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained in the publication. Readers should rely on their own enquiries when making decisions concerning their interests. Reproduction in whole or in part of this publication is prohibited without the prior written consent of MLA. © 2013 • Published August 2013
CREDITS
Contents Issue N O. 3 –– Winter ‘13
14 Know Your Beef Cuts
3 Introduction
18 In Conversation –– From Paddock to Plate
Recipes
22 Labelling Beefs Up Confidence In Quality (MSA)
8 The Classic Corned Beef image left: –– Coffee Encrusted Eye Rump Steak 6
CONTENTS
24 Veal: Secrets to Success
05
Coffee Encrusted Eye Rump Steak 6 Slow-Simmered Chuck Eye Steaks 10 Slow-Cooked Beef Shin 12 Beef Cheeks Bourguignon 16 Slow Cooked Eye of Rump 20 Braised Veal Breast 26
Serves ––––– 1
Coffee Encrusted Eye Rump Steak with Blueberry Jus and Charred Eggplant PurÉe COFFEE ENCRUSTED STEAK 220gm Eye Rump Side steak 1 tbsp coffee, dark roast, freshly ground 1 tsp salt, Kosher, or ½ tsp table salt 1½ tsp pepper, black ground, freshly ground CHARRED EGGPLANT PURÉE 06
2 large eggplants 2 tbsp olive oil
◆◆◆ CO F F EE ENCR U S TE D S TE A K
Method: Combine ground coffee, 1 teaspoon salt and 1¼ teaspoons pepper; gently press onto beef. Cook to required degree of doneness. Rest. B L U E B ERR Y J U S
Method: To make the blueberry jus, combine beef stock with berries and reduce to a jus. Remove berries to serve. C H A RRE D E G G P L A NT P U R É E
(Makes enough puree for 4 serves.) Method: Place the washed eggplant directly on a high flame and scorch the surface. This will take between 8–15 minutes. Remove the stalks. Purée eggplants in a blender. Once mixture is removed from the blender, stir through olive oil, then season. TO S ERVE
Plate meat with charred eggplant, pour over blueberry jus.
RECIPES
The coffee crust intensifies the flavour of this naturally tender cut.
7
Embrace hearty comfort food with –– The Classic Corned Beef As the final days of winter wrap around us, it’s the perfect time to bunker down and keep the home fires burning. For warmth both inside and out, choose a home-cooked classic that’s loved by even the most discerning home chefs. Cloaked in a delicious creamy white sauce and accompanied by lightly cooked vegetables, hot Corned Beef that literally melts off the fork evokes a heartwarming tableau of satisfying childhood meals. And when you want to achieve that hearty velvety-soft texture, try slow cooking your Corned Beef, releasing aromas that will have them salivating long before it reaches the table.
2.
Meat & Co Secrets to Success:
Bring the pot to the boil, remove the grey foam that floats to the surface, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.
The best cuts for your perfect Corned Beef: Corned Brisket, Corned Silverside or Corned Girello/Eye of Silverside.
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◆ Chef 's Tips: Do not let the meat boil. If the meat is left to boil on high, it will become dry and stringy.
1.
Place the meat into a heavy-based pot and cover with cold water.
◆ Chef 's Tips: Keeping your meat submerged will ensure it stays moist and tender.
THE
CLASSIC
CORNED
BEEF
3.
4.
Add large chunks of carrot, celery and onion that will retain their shape, together with herbs and peppercorns. These will delicately flavour the meat.
Keep the heat at simmering point so that small bubbles occasionally rise to the surface. Adjust the heat throughout the cooking time and allow about 25 to 30 minutes simmering time for each 500g of meat. ◆ Chef 's Tips: A fork should easily penetrate to the centre of the meat when it’s done. When cooked, remove the pot from the heat, leaving the meat to rest in the cooling liquid until the steam stops rising.
Meat & Co Secrets to Success:
Carve your Corned Beef by placing it fat side up on the carving board with the tip to the right of the carver. Begin at the tip slicing across the grain – if you’re not sure how the grain runs, cut off a thin slice to be sure. Then cut across the long thin strips of beef rather than with them.
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5.
Always draw out excess salt. In most supermarkets, Corned Beef is sold in vacuumsealed bags containing brine. To remove the salt, rinse in cold running water before cooking, or soak your corned meat in a large bowl covered with fresh cold water overnight.
6.
◆ Chef 's Tips: As the grain changes, turn the meat so that you’re always cutting across the grain to ensure tenderness.
THE
CLASSIC
Devour with gusto. Then, enjoy making hearty sandwiches for lunchboxes and dinner plates with what’s leftover. ◆ Chef 's Tips: Cover the remainder with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately. Don’t leave it to cool completely on the kitchen bench.
CORNED
BEEF
Serves ––––– 4
10
Slow-Simmered Chuck Eye Steaks with Onions and Bacon
CHUCK EYE 4 x 250g Chuck Eye Steaks ONIONS & BACON 4 bacon slices ½ cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper 2 cups onion, thinly sliced 1 cup water ◆◆◆
TO P RE P A RE
Method: Pound steaks between sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder. Snip through any gristle with kitchen shears (to prevent curling), then pat steaks dry. Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving fat in skillet. Crumble the bacon. Mix together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and dredge steaks on all sides, shaking off excess. Heat reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown steaks on both sides in batches; transfer to a plate. Add onion to skillet, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping up brown bits, until softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Add steaks and any meat juices to the skillet. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer, tightly covered, over low heat until meat is very tender, about 1¼ hours. If sauce is thin, transfer meat to a platter and boil until reduced to about 1 cup. Season steaks with salt and pepper. TO S ERVE
Serve with sauce, onions and bacon. 11
The often overlooked Chuck Eye Steak shares many characteristics with the Rib Eye. You might not think it’s the prettiest of meats, but its excellent marbling and tenderness makes it a handsomely tasty meat that benefits from slow and steady cooking. > C H E F’s T ip: Chuck Eye Steak is often braised because it has some gristle, but it takes happily to the grill if it’s not overcooked.
RECIPES
Serves ––––– 4 6 to
12
Slow-Cooked Beef Shin with Pappardelle
RECIPES
TO P RE P A RE
Method: Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add oil and brown beef shin well. Remove beef and sauté carrot, onion & celery. Add garlic and herbs then deglaze with red wine and reduce. Add vegetable stock and tomato. Gently simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on. After 15 minutes, submerge the beef. Replace lid and cook slowly in the oven at 160°C for 3 hours. Remove from oven and remove beef. Leave lid off the pot and place on burner. Shred the beef with tongs or two forks and return to the pot. Continue to cook to reduce sauce to the desired consistency. Blanch the pappardelle half cooked then add to the pot. Toss the pasta through to finish cooking and fully coat pasta with sauce. TO S ERVE
SLOW-COOKED BEEF 1kg Beef Shin 100ml olive oil 250g carrot, diced 250g onion, diced ½ celery stick, diced 4 cloves
garlic,chopped 4 bay leaves 1 bunch thyme, chopped 1 bunch parsley, chopped 1 bunch sage, chopped 200ml red wine merlot 2lt vegetable stock 2kg tomato, seeds removed and diced PAPPARDELLE
Just before serving, check the seasoning and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and either shaved Manchego or Pecorino.
360g Italian flour 10 egg yolks 2 whole eggs
H A N D M A D E PA P PA R D E L L E
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This aromatic, one-pot wonder is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, producing beef that literally melts in the mouth. REC I P E B Y
Chef Michael Acevedo, Greengate Hotel, N.S.W. RECIPES
13
Method: Place flour in a medium-sized bowl or directly on the workbench. Make a well in the centre. In a small bowl, mix egg yolks and egg together. Pour all eggs into the well in the flour. Alternatively, break eggs directly into the flour well. Begin to mix, slowly drawing in flour from the sides gradually to make a paste. This can be done with your fingers or with a fork. As the mixture begins to thicken up, begin to mix with your hand or a dough scraper. Once all of the flour is incorporated and the dough has formed, turn out onto the bench. Clean your hands and begin to knead the pasta dough. The dough will become very smooth and elastic. This will take 5-15 minutes. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to rest before rolling. Roll through your pasta machine stopping at the third setting. Hand cut 2cm wide. Set aside.
Know Your Beef Cuts: 1 Rump 2 Striploin 3 Tenderl 8 Blade 9 Brisket 10 Shin 11 Skirt 12 Hanger 13 F 1 17
2
3
14
16
15
12 13
14
KNOW
YOUR
BEEF
CUTS
11
loin 4 Rib Eye 5 Short Ribs 6 Chuck 7 Beef Cheek Flank 14 Shin 15 Knuckle 16 Silverside 17 Oxtail 4
5 6
8
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10 BEEF RECIPES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Eye of Rump: Coffee Encrusted Eye Rump Steak (p6): Slow Cooked Eye of Rump (p20) / Chuck: Chuck Eye Steaks with Onions and Bacon (p10) / Shin: Slow Cooked Beef Shin with Pappardelle (p12) / Beef Cheek: Beef Cheeks Bourguignon (p16)
KNOW
YOUR
BEEF
CUTS
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7
Serves ––––– 6
Beef Cheeks Bourguignon
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TO P RE P A RE
Method: Brown the beef cheeks and diced beef neck. Add the carrot, garlic cloves and bouquet garni. Cover and leave to cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Heat the wine in a large saucepan and flame it. Once the flame has disappeared, add the beef stock, salt and pepper and a sugar cube. Add some flour to the saucepan and coat the meat well. Stir in the wine and stock mixture, check the seasoning and cook in the oven for 2 hours at 160°C. Peel the pearl onions and put them in a saucepan. Cover them with water and add some salt and pepper, as well as a tablespoon of sugar. Cover the saucepan with some baking paper to reduce until the onions start to caramelise. Set aside. Cut the bacon into small squares and put these into some cold water. Bring the water to the boil and then cool the bacon in cold water. Sauté them in a frying pan along with some butter and oil. Drain and set aside. Once the meat is tender, remove the bouquet garni and each piece of meat, one by one. Blend the sauce and pour it into another dish. Add the meat, the onions and the bacon cubes and toss gently to coat and warm through.
BEEF CHEEKS
1kg Beef Cheek 600g Beef Neck (aka Chuck); diced 1 carrot, diced 2 garlic cloves 1 bouquet garni 1lt dry red wine 1 lt beef stock
salt and pepper sugar 80g flour 18 pearl onions 150g fresh bacon
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TO S ERVE
Serve with a Jerusalem artichoke or celeriac mash.
Deliciously rich and wonderfully tender, this hearty slow-cooked beef dish really stokes the family fire. RECIPES
> CELERIAC M A S H: See our recipe on Page 21
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RECIPES
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Stuart Barrett runs a 6,885 hectare beef farm called Drumburle near Rockhampton in Queensland and represents the many Australian agriculturalists investing in sustainable paddock-to-plate farming practices. Here, he talks to Meat & Co. about the relationship between the land, the quality of the beef and the growing desire among Australians for information about the origins of their meat.
in conversation
fro m Pa d d o ck t o Pl ate IN
CONVERSATION
Wo rds b y Stua r t Ba r rett
My family has been farming this land since the 1870s and as a fifth-generation farmer, I love living in the bush. I’m passionate about the beef industry, which means I have a vested interest in the agricultural land that supports beef production. A healthy environment means a healthy business, ultimately producing consistently superb quality beef that’s always tender and full of flavour.
People want to know the origins of their food and there’s a growing desire among them for more information about the meat they’re buying and eating. People are in touch with me about our farming practices and frequently ask about what’s involved in delivering the best beef to their butchers and supermarkets.
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The Australian climate is harsh and it’s not always easy for farmers. But it’s interesting that these climate extremes have also bred some of the most creative and successful initiatives. It’s all about adapting our farming practices and putting the measures in place so we’re prepared for these climate extremes – a fully sustainable future leads to a consistent supply of beautiful quality beef.
Asking a beef farmer his favourite beef meal is hard! But if I had to pick one, I would choose traditional corned beef (silverside or brisket) with vegetables boiled in the brine and white sauce, plus mustard on the side. It’s a winner, especially when I’m out on the land all day working up a sweat as the salty flavour is really welcome. It takes me back to those comfort-food meal times I loved as a kid. The cold meat’s great for me to take out in sandwiches the next day and I also make a mean weekend breakfast special – corned beef, tomato and onion fritters.
We’re custodians of the land and my hope for the future is that all farmers are actively managing the environment as best they can and that urban Australians trust and appreciate that we’re doing the right thing. The land is not a resource you deplete for your own gain, but a resource you need to sustain for future generations and tending to this resource in the right way leads to the most consistently beautiful beef imaginable.
Stuart is part of the Target 100 Initiative, which aims to deliver sustainable cattle and sheep farming by 2020. It is also a platform for the urban community to connect with farmers like Stuart and learn more about the source of the meat they’re buying and cooking. To connect with Australian farmers visit: target100.com.au
IN
CONVERSATION
Serves ––––– 4
20
Slow Cooked Eye of Rump with Celeriac MASH, Heirloom Carrot and Radish Salad
RECIPES
EYE OF RUMP
Clean and remove any sinew from beef, truss with butcher’s string. Cook using either Sous Vide or Roast methods. SOUS VIDE
Season with salt and pepper and seal in a warm pan until golden brown. Cool, and place in a sous vide bag with thyme, oil and garlic. Cook in a water bath at 60°c until internal temperature of the meat is 55°c. Remove from water and rest for 20 minutes. Remove the beef from the sous vide bag and gently caramelise in a pan once again, just to attain that ‘roasty' flavour once more. RO A S T
Pre-heat oven to 200°C. Season beef with salt and pepper and seal in a warm pan until golden brown. Roast meat for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for 15 minutes.
EYE OF RUMP 1 x 1–1.2gm Eye
Rump Side SALAD 4 x black radishes 4 x red radishes 4 x heirloom carrots
Extra virgin olive oil Micro parsley CELERIAC MASH
500gm celeriac head,
peeled and cut in chunks 250ml milk sea salt pepper 100gm unsalted butter, cut into cubes ◆◆◆
H E I R L OO M C A RROT & R A D I S H S A L A D
CE L ER I A C M A S H
Place celeriac in a pan with the milk and water to just cover. Add salt and cook until soft, testing with a knife. Drain the celeriac, put back in the pan and mash, adding the butter piece by piece. Season to taste. TO S ERVE
Slice beef into nice thick steaks, approx 6-8cms and serve in the middle of the plate on top of a celeriac mash. Sauce the plate with a red wine sauce finished with red wine vinegar and split with some lemon olive oil. Decorate with salad.
Eye of Rump is the most tender roast and slow-cooking gives it a velvety-soft, top-notch finish. REC I P E B Y
Scott Pickett, The Estelle, VIC.
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Slice the black radish and red radish and place in ice water to crisp. Slice some baby heirloom carrots on a long angle and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Dress the salad with oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper, and add some micro parsley. The salad should be colourful, crispy and slightly acidic to cut through the meat and mash.
La b e l l i n g
22
BEEFS UP CONFIDENCE IN QUALITY
MEAT
STANDARDS
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIANS love their beef. And we expect tender, tasty, juicy beef every time we eat it. So how can you identify consistently great quality beef every time you shop? Meat Standards Australia (MSA) has developed a program to ensure your beef meets your expectations every time. The MSA quality system was initiated in 2000, and was developed by an independent testing panel of consumers. More than 86,000 consumers taste-tested over 600,000 beef samples to set the definition of ‘quality’ based on the key factors that determine tenderness, juiciness and flavour. MSA graded beef is labelled with The Meat Standards Australia (MSA) symbol. In some instances, the symbol includes a grade and a recommended cooking method, helping you to find the right one for the meal you've planned to prepare. The MSA symbol is now used by over 600 butchers and a number of supermarkets to identify beef that has met the quality standards, allowing you to easily identify consistent quality beef when you shop. With a grading system sets the supply chain standards for best practice - from the paddock to the plate – MSA is widely recognised as the world's leading eating quality program for beef.
◆◆◆ Snapshot of Meat Standards Australia (MSA) ◆ 86,000 Australians taste-tested over 600,000 beef samples cooked using eight different methods. ◆ They set the definition for “quality” based on the beef’s tenderness, juiciness and flavour. ◆ MSA is considered the world’s leading eating quality program for red meat. ◆ Look for the MSA symbol on-pack, and take the guesswork out of buying and cooking quality Australian beef.
MEAT
STANDARDS
AUSTRALIA
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To find a butcher or supermarket that stocks MSA beef in your area visit: themainmeal.com.au/msalocator
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Chef ’s Tips: 1 . Veal is the meat of young cattle and is a great red meat alternative to chicken. Lean, light, succulent and very tender, veal will beautifully absorb natural flavourings such as lemon and fresh herbs. 2 . Take care not to overcook your veal. To present perfectly cooked veal, remove it from the heat just a few minutes short of its completed time as it will continue to cook while it rests. 3. To stop your veal cutlets or medallions drying out, baste them with a mix of olive oil, herbs and lemon juice before barbecuing or char-grilling them.
V
Secrets
E
A
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S U CCE S S
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◆ Butcher's Tips 1. When buying veal, talk to your butcher about the different cuts and what kind of dish you’re planning to cook. Like beef, there are different cuts such as rump and leg, which all require different cooking techniques. 2. Schnitzels, roasts and scaloppini are ideal for grill-style cooking methods. 3. The more pronounced flavours of diced veal and osso buco cuts make them ideal for braises and stews. Slow-simmering will bring out their tenderness and delicious flavour.
VEAL:
SECRETS
TO
SUCCESS
See recipe on pg.26
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Serves ––––– 6
BRAISED VEAL BREAST with ARTICHOKE HEARTS
26
VE A L
Method: Heat oven to 135˚C and season veal. Melt butter and 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Brown ribs in batches. Rest and reserve liquid. Return pot to medium heat; add garlic, thyme, sage, onion, celery and rosemary and cook until browned. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Add wine and boil until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup, add veal ribs, along with the reserved liquid. Bring to the simmer, cover and bake until veal is tender (2 hours). Take veal out of liquid and rest. Skim fat from the surface of the cooking liquid and strain through a sieve into a saucepan. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and then simmer until the liquid is thickened. Season and set aside to keep warm. A RT I C H O K E S
Method: Put artichokes and lemon juice in a pot and bring to boil. Simmer until tender. Drain and slice lengthways into thick strips. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and sauté artichoke strips until golden brown. Season and set aside to keep warm. TO S ERVE
Brush veal with reserved cooking liquid and grill until caramelised. Divide onto 6 serving plates and drizzle the rest of the reserved liquid over. Serve with the artichoke hearts and a watercress salad.
VEAL 12 individual Veal
ribs (bone-in) 4 tbsp of unsalted butter 2 tbsp of olive oil 12 cloves of garlic 5 sprigs of thyme 5 sage leaves 4 golden onions 2 celery stalks 1 sprig of rosemary 4 cans of tomatoes 2 cups of white wine ARTICHOKES 4 large artichokes,
Bringing the most succulent and tender result, it’s a hearty and delicious meal, guaranteed to please all palates. VEAL:
SECRETS
TO
trimmed with stems still attached Juice of 1 lemon ◆◆◆
SUCCESS
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f o r m o re inf o rmati o n an d reci p es visit :
the m ain m eal . c o m . au