Do you know your beef?

Stuck in a rut of cooking rump steaks and topside joints? Here’s the lowdown on our homegrown beef and the top cuts to try.

You’d be hard pushed to find many menus across the UK that don’t contain at least one beef dish. We are a nation of beef lovers – from steaks and burgers to spaghetti bolognese. However, in recent years red meat has received negative press for its environmental impact. Is it really all that bad? When you look into our homegrown British beef, the story is a little brighter.

British beef vs imported

UK beef is actually better for the environment than the majority of imported beef. A Climate Change Committee report states that greenhouse gas emissions from our beef are about half the global average. Our grassy lands are perfect for animal grazing, too.

Our cows are well looked after too. Love British Food says: “In Britain, some of the highest welfare standards in the world regulate the way that our beef is produced. Every animal can be traced to its mother and place of birth with the British cattle passport system.”

Buy well and cook well

With this in mind, one thing is certain – buy British where you can and treat it with respect. By knowing the best ways to use the different cuts, you can make the most of beef and do it justice. We speak to meat expert, Chef and Chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs Matt Owens to get his advice on how to cook beef cuts and the dishes that let them shine.

“65% of UK farmland is best suited to growing grass rather than other crops.”

- Defra government report

Fillet

“It’s known as the most expensive steak on the menu as it’s so tender, however, you can get better value from it by buying a whole fillet. The top part can be your special-occasion chateaubriand, the mid-section your steaks and then the tail-end can be sliced and quickly fried for stroganoffs or Asian stir fries. There is a chain of meat that runs along the side of the fillet – try cutting that out and making a deep-fried chilli beef dish.”

Shin

“Beef shin has done a lot of work as part of the animal, however, you can get amazing results from it if treated well. Slow cook with stock, wine and herbs as a large piece or big chunks, and leave on the fat for flavour. Remove any fatty bits once cooked. For something a bit different – once it has cooled slightly, shred to make pulled beef. Then roll into a barrel in cling fi lm, let it cool further and slice into thick cylinders. When ready to serve, warm it through in the oven. This gives the appearance of a fillet steak but it is actually tasty shin meat. You could also make a bonbon by forming the pulled shin into a ball, breadcrumbing it and deep frying. Serve this with a small steak, to give different textures and flavours in a distinct dish, that is also good value.”

Rib

“This is my favourite for a roast. With the bones in, it looks impressive when served to customers, plus the bones give great depth to the meat. Be sure to get nice caramelisation of the fat and colour on the bones. Cook it medium, as the fat running through it will render down, making it juicy. This cut is a more expensive option for a roast, however it provides your customers with a quality offering for the perfect Sunday roast.”

Brisket

“Used a lot in America, brisket comes from the lower chest and has good levels of fat, so is best cooked low and slow. It’s especially good cooked on the BBQ for a long period of time. Marinate overnight to break down the tissues and help the flavours penetrate. Cook it as one big piece and baste regularly to retain the moisture. The meat pulls apart easily, so is fantastic stuff ed into buns with pickles or in wraps and tacos.”

Onglet

“Onglet comes from the lower belly of the cow and is a cheaper cut. In France, it is a very common steak. The chewier texture has more of a bite to it, similar to rump. Quickly fry in a pan until rare to get the best from it. The onglet takes on marinades and flavours very well. Use in a Korean beef bulgogi – a marinated BBQ dish. This cut is also great as a steak with puréed or mashed potato, mushrooms and a red wine sauce.”

Silverside

“For a cheaper roast at those establishments on a budget, choose silverside. Ask your butcher to put a cap of fat on it – it’ll help keep the joint moist and avoid it getting too dry. Fry it off in a pan first to seal in those juices and get a good colour. Baste regularly in the oven with stock and cook until medium for best results. Always rest it afterwards for at least 30 minutes, so the juices stay within the beef.”

Skirt

“The skirt is from the diaphragm area of the cow, which means it should be cooked on a high heat and quickly. Although it’s the meat of choice in Cornish pasties, it’s otherwise underused in the UK. In South America, skirt often features in dishes such as fajitas as it takes on spices and citrus marinades so well – make your own fajitas to get a feel for cooking it. Cut into thick strips against the grain to keep it tender and make sure to remove the tough sinew.”

“Always rest beef after cooking. Cover lightly with foil. If cut straight away, the juices will be lost and it’ll be dry.”

- Matt Owens Chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs

Did you know?

Cuts of beef can go by many different names. Look out for these when you’re next at the butchers, so you know what you’re buying!

• Skirt aka plate, inside or outside skirt or entraña steak

• Ribeye aka Scotch fillet

• Fillet aka eye fillet or tenderloin

• Sirloin aka porterhouse, New York strip or striploin

• Onglet steak aka hanger, butcher’s steak or hanging tenderloin

• Flank steak aka London broil, plank steak, jiffy steak or bavette

• Rump cap aka rump cover, sirloin cap, picanha steak or coulotte steak

• Brisket aka point end brisket, packer brisket, beef navel or beef belly

• Flat iron aka butler’s steak, top

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