Meat Tip of the Week
16 August 2010

"Oh, honey, that's waaaay too much food!"

I always hear that when I'm cooking for company. If we're having 4 guests, I cook for 10; if we're having 8, I cook for 15-20. I simply won't have anyone at my table not getting all they want. We always have loads of leftovers.

What could be more un-appetizing than re-heated meat? It depends on how you re-heat it.

The next time you have left-over beef, pork or chicken, try putting it in a steamer basket and steaming it for a few minutes, just until it's heated through. Whether it's left-over barbecued spare ribs, beef roast, pork roast or your half eaten steak, you'll be happily surprised at how the full, untainted original flavor is fully restored, if not further enhanced.

We've been tempted to actually barbecue spare-ribs the day before we intend to serve them. The full flavor is even more intensified the next day. Steamed, spare ribs are more tender, and we always think they're better a day or two later than when they first came off the grill.

Give it a try the next time you have left-over meat. You're going to like it!

Meat Tip of the Week
09 August 2010

You'll be amazed at the flavor difference in your chicken if you brine it first. You have no doubt heard of brining (immersing in salt water) a turkey before cooking it. The brine (salty water) has the affect of breaking down the cell walls, which makes the meat more tender and juicy.

You've also no doubt had boneless, skinless chicken breast, which is generally so dry you've nearly choked on it. Apply the same logic to boneless, skinless chicken breast and you'll find it's moist and juicy - and much more flavorful every time. Chicken breasts should be brined at least 6 hours.

Whether we are going to roast a whole chicken, cut one up for frying or baking, I always brine it first. If I'm going to make "Hot wings" or fried chicken, I'll put the parts in the brine either the night before or in the morning. If I'm going to smoke, roast or barbecue a whole chicken, I brine it for at least 24 hours.

The formula is one cup of salt per gallon of water. The kind of salt you use is important. I use either kosher salt, which has no anti-caking agents, pickling salt or purified salt. You don't want any additives at all, just pure salt. Some brands of kosher salt have additives, so you'll want to find one that doesn't, such as "Diamond Crystal". Pickling salt is also free of additives.

Meat Tip of the Week
02 August 2010

One of the major grocery chains has an ad on the first page, “Whole Tri-Tip” for $2.47 lb. The finer print says they’re “Untrimmed USDA Select, Beef Loin.” I usually buy a few when they’re in that price range, age and then freeze some for later use.

When this chain has had Tri-Tips on sale in the past, they have always been very large, usually about double the normal 1.5 to 2.25 lbs., and weigh from 3 to 4.5 lbs. each. They usually require some trimming of excess fat, but I don’t do that until after I’ve aged them.

The large size invariably means they came from very large steers, which is even more apparent when you cut into them and see much more internal fat, or marbling, interspersed throughout the muscle fibers. That means they’re going to have great flavor and be nice and juicy when grilled or broiled.

On page 2 of this store’s ad, you find the same USDA Select, Tri-Tip steaks for $3.49 lb. These would be sliced and trimmed of excess fat. Except for the little bit of fat you might want to trim off, why not simply buy a whole one, slice whatever steaks you want to use for dinner? Why not age the rest of the Tri-Tip, or slice it all into steaks, double wrap them tightly in plastic food wrap, put them in a self-sealing freezer bag, and have them another time?

If you do slice them you’ll have some small steaks left over toward the small end of the Tri-Tip.

Now the competing grocery chain store down the street has “Beef Petite Tenders” for $5.99 lb. In the finer print it says, “Or Beef Tri Tip Roast, Selected varieties.” The photo of those “Beef Petite Tenders” is exactly what you’ll wind up with if you slice one of those, probably better, $2.47 lb. Tri-Tips.

Apparently those little steaks you’ll have at the end of that Tri-Tip are very valuable!