Lots of people believe that a tough piece of meat will be made tender by a good marinade, so they buy cheaper grades than they should. Unfortunately, that is not really the case. Good meat has to start out as good meat, and while many marinades taste great, they do not tenderize all that much. Let us look at three major categories of marinade and see how they work.
Marinades come in three basic types – acidic, enzymatic, and dairy. Acidic marinades that are too strong can make your food tough, while enzymatic marinades at an overly high strength will turn many steaks to mush. Dairy marinades can improve the tenderness of meat, but they are not necessarily suited to certain kinds of cooking.
Acid marinades are among the most common in Western cooking, and use vinegar, wine and citrus to denature the proteins in the meat, unwinding them and tangling them back together. The same general process occurs when we heat food. This mesh of proteins will trap water initially, and the steak will be more tender. However, highly acidic marinades will tighten those bonds further, forcing out the water and making the food tougher.
Milder acid marinades are preferable to really strong ones, since they allow us to add plenty of flavor without the danger of tightening the meat and toughening it. Meats that start out with a closer grain, including flank steak, will do okay in a stronger acidic marinade, but they are also tougher to being with.
Enzyme marinades actually have the ability to break down animal tissue, including muscle fiber and connective tissue. Many fruits contain enzymes that can break down protein, but papaya and pineapple are probably the most common. Overuse them, and they will create a mushy, unappealing piece of meat. The same thing happens if you use them too long. This kind of activity is present in commercial meat tenderizers, too.
The last category of easy steak marinades is based on mildly acidic dairy products, like yogurt or buttermilk. These are commonly used in India for goat and lamb, as well as for southern fried chicken.
Steaks can be interesting in this kind of marinade, but you may need to look at how you are cooking them, since this is not the most common type of marinade used for them. Try curry flavors along with your marinade for a good result.
Marinades do not have to be complicated, and if you know the kind of results to expect from your ingredients, you will have no problem getting a great end product every time. Take a little while to investigate the different varieties of marinades to find the one that is likely to go best with your steak. The results might surprise you.
Knowing the different types of marinades makes it easy and fun to make great steak every time you set out to make great steak. Just like there are different types of steak, there are different types of marinades and using the right marinade with the right cut of meat is a must but if you pair these two together properly, the results will be well worth the time and effort it takes to learn these tricks.
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The natural tenderizing process for sirloin steak as well as many others produces dry aged beef. Usually, the beef whether a sirloin tip roast or not, is aged from two weeks to just over three weeks in a very expensive process. But if you are a fan of dry aged beef, it is definitely worth every penny. And for those that are true lovers of this kind of aging process, they will travel far and wide to find a restaurant that serves this kind of beef. They will also scour the internet to discover the best beef aged with this process that they can find.
The cut of beef is placed in a temperature that is closely controlled along with the humidity. The moisture in the beef, whether it’s a sirloin steak, porterhouse or whatever, is evaporated which concentrates the flavor in the steak. When that happens, the sirloin tip roast or other cut of beef has natural enzymes that break the tissue down and creates a tenderer cut of meat. After the dry aged beef process is over, the butcher now has to trim the crust off the meat that has built up and that is why this smaller piece of meat is more expensive than a normally aged sirloin steak, T-bone or whatever.
Since dry aged beef has a much stronger flavor than wet aged, many people grow to love it so much that they refuse to eat anything but that. And the longer the meat is aged, the stronger the flavor will be. For example, a sirloin steak that is dry aged for 3 weeks will have a stronger beef flavor than one that is aged for two weeks. The same with sirloin tip roast or any other cut of beef. (10)
Amongst true steak lovers and those that will not eat anything but dry aged beef, there is no question that this method of aging is superior to anything else. But there is a debate. Many think that perhaps dry aged beef is over-rated and is actually much too gamey to the taste. Of course, if you’ve ever had this kind of sirloin steak, you might never go back and soon become a believer then you will also only want your steak aged in this fashion. Beef is definitely not all created equal.
For more resources regarding Sirloin Tip Steak or even about Filet Mignon Cut and especially about Buy New York Strip Steak please review these pages.
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Filed under Source by on Nov 10th, 2009. Comment.
Many of us have trouble determining which steak is the right one for you, especially if we mostly see steak on our plate in a restaurant. This can make it seem pretty intimidating for those of us who would like to start cooking our own steaks at home. Let us take a look at some of the steaks we can buy, and the best way to prepare them.
Rib Eye – A good cut for beginners and popular all round choice in restaurants, this fatty steak is flavorful and juicy, and works well in most cooking situations, whether broiled, grilled, or pan-fried.
New York Strip – A tender, versatile cut that has a reasonably good level of flavor, this steak grills, or pan cooks well, but do not bother broiling it. Trim fat only after cooking to preserve the greatest amount of flavor.
Tenderloin – Steaks from the tenderloin are among the most expensive cuts available, but are lean and extremely tender, due to the limited use these muscles receive. The low fat of this steak causes many people to wrap it in bacon before cooking or sear it in butter. High in price, tenderloin is usually a choice for important occasions.
T-Bone – We have all heard of the t-bone, a combination tenderloin and New York Strip. Porterhouse steaks are a kind of large, tender t-bone steak that is cut further up the loin. They can be pretty tricky to cook, since the bone makes it hard to cook evenly throughout. This is not a steak for those who prefer their meat well done, and it does not sear or pan fry well. Try broiling or grilling a t-bone for best results.
Flank Steak – This long thin cup of meat is traditionally used for making London Broil. Many people like it during grilling season, as it is a good choice for large groups. This steak is more flavorful but tougher than the above steaks, and should be marinated, grilled or broiled whole, and sliced across the grain on the diagonal.
Skirt Steak – A lot like a flank steak, this is a piece of meat that can be cooked a number of different ways. Many choose a pan, but cooking steak on a grill works well here, too. Use this kind of steak in traditional fajitas and have a great Mexican or Tex-Mex themed cookout.
Top Sirloin – This popular steak is affordable, and more tender than flank and skirt steaks. It is tougher than the fanciest cuts, however, and is very lean. Pound and marinate it for cooking on the grill, or use it in kebabs.
Now that you have a better idea of the many different cuts of steak and their various cooking methods, you will be better informed the next time you are shopping for a good steak for dinner. Picking great steaks does not have to be difficult if you keep the information in this article in mind when making your decision. Once you have some experience at this, it becomes almost second nature and you will be amazed at the difference in your guest and family’s reaction to the steak choice of old.
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Filed under Source by on Sep 28th, 2009. Comment.
