A valuable source of nutrients
As confirmed by the food composition tables, for every 100 grams of beef (sirloin, fat-free and raw) we find 20.2 grams of proteins of high biological value, necessary for the formation and maintenance of muscle mass and many others vital functions.
It is also rich in iron (1.7 mg), selenium (8.7) and zinc (3.1), which are highly available.
In addition, it is an important source of vitamin B12 (1.6 micrograms), key for the formation of red blood cells and the normal functioning of the nervous system.
In recent years, the consumption of red meat has been questioned due to its contribution to greenhouse gases (due to the methane produced in the digestion of livestock) and the need for large amounts of water and land for growing pastures and cereals for their food.
In the Mediterranean diet, a healthy eating pattern par excellence and whose adherence is associated with a lower cardiovascular risk, a maximum of one serving a week is recommended, in small quantities and preferably lean, and forming part of dishes based on vegetables, legumes or cereals.
The excessive and habitual consumption of red meat (lamb, beef, pork) and its derivatives is associated with a greater risk of diseases.
In Spain, it is consumed more than double what is recommended.
This recommendation is aligned with the one recently made by the EAT The Lancet commission for a sustainable diet, which limits overall meat consumption to no more than 43 grams a day, about 300 grams a week.
Learn to read the label
Imagine the concept of 'beef' as a great kingdom made up, on the one hand, by lustrous animals, but with no known lineage, and, on the other, by different renowned dynasties.
These seconds are the Differentiated Quality seals: the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Guaranteed Traditional Specialty (TSG).
So we can have the Galician veal, that of Ávila, Aliste, Beef from the Basque Country ...
Organic meat is free.
It is not associated with a breed or a territory, but rather with specific breeding conditions: diet based on pastures or organic feed, drastic reduction in the use of veterinary drugs, less housing and more time in the open air ... That is, animal welfare .
Within each clan, there are different pieces according to the part of the animal from which they come (sirloin, hip, high back, tail, blood sausage, round….).
Age also matters: below eight months it will be white veal;
between eight and 12, veal;
from 12 to 24 he is considered a yearling and from 24 to 48, a bull.
Above that age it is ox, bull or cow.
One last deciding factor remains to have the full name: the age of the animal.
Below eight months it will be 'white veal' (very light, tender and juicy meat).
Between eight and 12 months it is considered 'veal' (tender and pink).
The 'yearling' is the animal slaughtered between 12 and 24 months (red, tender, marbled and tasty).
The 'steer', between 24 and 48 months (red and tasty).
Above that age, it is considered 'ox', 'bull' or 'cow' (very red and tasty).
The differences between the last name of the cattle, the age, the way of raising and the origin of the piece determine the final price, the fatty acid content and the flavor and texture of the product.
For steaks or for stew?
Choose well
Before launching into the most expensive in the establishment, consider how you are going to cook it.
Do you want a tender white steak?
Take beef.
The younger the animal, the less connective tissue the lean areas have (the muscle, which is what you eat) and, therefore, the more tender it is.
It also contains less fat.
The older it is, it is harder, rich in fat and flavorful.
If it is grass, it will be darker and with a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in its composition.
Is it too much trouble for you to ask about the age and diet of the animal?
Sorting by categories paves the way for you.
The different pieces are classified as Extra, 1st A, 1st B, 2nd, 3rd ... according to the greater or lesser amount of connective tissue or nerves.
The cleaner, the higher the category (and the price), which is also associated with the differentiated quality and animal welfare stamps.
For steaks, look for higher categories like sirloin, tenderloin, or marlin.
If you are going to cook them or cook in sauce, go for juicier meats such as fin or black pudding.
Cooking will take care of softening them.
Ripening also conditions the texture.
As soon as you sacrifice yourself, your muscles are too tough for consumption.
Unless it has a powerful jaw, it is necessary to leave the meat hanging for a few days (between 2 and 15 depending on the piece), an operation that is done in ripening rooms and in controlled conditions of temperature and humidity.
In this way, the acidity level decreases, the aroma improves and enzymes come into play.
that will soften the proteins into a palatable snack.
An accurate cut will make a good piece a juicy delicacy;
a bad one, reduce a sirloin to a piece of cork.
The key is in the direction of the cut: perpendicular to the muscle fiber.
If the fiber lines are visible, it will be a beautiful bite to look at, but hard and dry on the palate.
Do not look suspiciously at the brown areas of what is on the plate.
From the OCU they launch a reassuring message: “It must
to the absence of oxygen.
Its normal color will return shortly after keeping it open.
It does not mean they are bad.
This also happens when the fillets are placed on top of each other: the ones below are dark due to lack of oxygen ”.
To the refrigerator in a hurry
Fresh meat has a very short life.
Even stored in the refrigerator, it must be cooked within 72 hours.
If it is minced meat, cook it in the form of bolognese, meatballs or hamburgers within 24 hours.
This will reduce the risk of intrusive bacteria such as salmonella, listeria or E.coli accompanying you to the table.
And always making sure that the cooking temperature is greater than 70º and the refrigeration temperature does not exceed 5ºC.
Store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, in a tight container with a rack to separate it from juices, preserve all its qualities and prevent contamination with other cooked foods.
If you plan to freeze it, do so at a minimum temperature of -18ºC.
Frozen fillets can last up to 12 months without problems;
between one and two months if it is minced meat;
and up to four months the meat once cooked.
When it comes to defrosting, avoid the microwave as much as possible: eventually some areas are cooked.
Better take them out early and let them thaw little by little in the refrigerator.
In this way, excessive exudation with which part of the nutrients are removed is avoided.
Never again will you get a tough, tasteless steak
Do you already have a shiny steak?
Don't screw it up at the last minute.
Do like the great chefs: let it heat up for a few minutes outside the fridge to prevent the
thermal
shock
when putting it in the pan from hardening it.
And always cook the meat with its fat, so it is juicier.
Remove it before sinking the tooth and you're done.
Forget prejudice and jump into the fusion of flavors and the enjoyment of this special moment.
Big meat eaters, like the Texan Producers Council, suggest taking advantage of the umami qualities of red meat.
Recommended mixes include mustard, red wine, aged cheeses, onion, thyme, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
"And avoid
steak sauce
by all means
," they warn.
And with the drink?
Tradition suggests red wine, but dark beer and tea are also good companions.
The laboratory thing is not beef (no matter how eco-friendly it may be)
Its production frees the planet from 96% of the greenhouse gases that inevitably cause flatulence in cows.
“It is not vegan meat.
It is born (and grows) in a laboratory Petri dish from stem cells from lean beef tissues.
For now it is expensive and organoleptically cheap, because it is obtained from exclusively muscle cells.
The challenge is to also include other fabrics that broaden the range of flavors, such as fatty tissue, ”explains Beatriz Robles, food technologist.
The first samples did not go below 1,200,000 dollars, but they work hard to improve their taste, lower the price of production and take it to the markets by 2021 without ruining the shopping basket.
By then it is estimated that the price of the so-called 'clean hamburgers' would be around $ 50 or even less, since production could be massive.