How long does it take to cook beef and how to cook it correctly?

Beef is a very healthy product. Reduces cholesterol, restores strength, increases hemoglobin. And if you know how to cook beef correctly, it makes very tasty dishes.

Every housewife knows how long to cook beef and how to do it correctly so that it is tasty and juicy. But in practice this is not always possible. Such a simple, at first glance, activity is fraught with many secrets and little secrets. If you miss one thing, the result is far from perfect.

How to choose meat?

You need to start with the main thing - with the choice of meat.

• Problem #1: Where to look?

An ideal option if someone you know in the village is slaughtering a calf or young bull. Then you have the best product - fresh veal. If a cow is slaughtered, that is also good, as long as it is not too old.

If you know a butcher, contact him. Of course, butchers know a lot about good meat. Maybe you will be lucky and buy fresh produce at the market from a farmer. Unfortunately, in stores, under the guise of “chilled” meat, instead of the promised fresh farm meat, there is often defrosted meat brought from somewhere far away.

• Problem No. 2. Appearance.

Pay attention to the color: the meat should be light red or just red, not with shades of red, not burgundy or brown, not with gasoline stains. And even more so there should not be any blackness or greenery on it.Fat streaks must be only white and in no case yellow.

The cut sites should not stick to the fingers, hands should remain dry after touching the meat - no mucus!

If you make a hole in the piece with your finger, it should smooth out quickly.

• Problem #3: Which piece will fit?

Not every piece of beef will make a good broth. Try to buy brisket, because this is what is most suitable for boiling. A very good option is a piece of meat on a sugar bone. Ribs and shanks work well too. Housewives often cook beef broth from the tail.

You can cook rump, shoulder, tender sirloin.

It is better not to cook broth from arable land or shanks.

If you do buy frozen meat, defrost it gradually, first in the refrigerator, keeping all the packages in it until it is tender. Then remove the piece from the packaging and hold it under running cold water.

• Problem No. 4. What to cook in?

We choose either an enameled pan or one with a thick bottom, or cast iron, but so that a piece of beef fits freely in it.

Today there are modern cooking devices such as pressure cookers and multicookers. Meat will also cook perfectly in them. Pressurized lids prevent flavors from escaping.

In the old days, in the village, fresh meat was simmered in a Russian stove in a cast-iron pot. And when it was ready, the hostess took out a piece onto a large dish, and the owner, using a pair of forks, disassembled the meat. And there was nothing tastier than eating it with a slice of black bread. And what an excellent broth it turned out to be, you'll lick your fingers! So if your country house still has a Russian stove, then you are lucky.

Next we will find out how long to cook beef.

How to cook?

Now decide what is more important to you - delicious broth or juicy meat. If we cook broth, we immerse the beef in cold water; if we want to get excellent meat, we put it in boiling water. But since we want good meat and clear broth so that we can enjoy it later, we still take cold water. The piece of meat should be completely covered with water.

Do you want the broth to be clear? Then there are 2 ways to boil meat.

• Option 1.

After the piece of meat is immersed in cold water, place the pan on the stove over the highest heat. Now the main thing is to remove the foam in time.

Today, there are various devices so that, without human intervention, the foam itself collects on a certain area. But we cook the old fashioned way. We will remove the foam with a slotted spoon, a spoon with holes, a regular spoon or fork.

As soon as the foam begins to rise actively, carefully remove it. This process may take several minutes. As soon as you notice that the broth has boiled, reduce the heat of the burner as much as possible (if there are 9 divisions, set it to 3) and continue skimming off the foam. How long should you stand at the stove and control the foam? If you think that it is no longer there, close the lid loosely and wait a short time. Soon you will see that it has appeared again. Stand by the stove for a few minutes, then you can close the lid tightly and relax.

Advice

If you still miss the foam and you can’t catch the gray flakes with either a spoon or a slotted spoon, there is no need to despair. Everything can still be saved. Pour a mug of cold water into the pan. One is not enough - you pour in two. Your task is to stop the boiling. If there is too much liquid, drain a cup or two. Now don't take your eyes off the broth.Because it will begin to boil again, and foam will rise to the surface again. And now don't make a mistake. Until you remove all the foam, do not leave the stove.

• Option 2.

Do not remove the foam, let the piece of meat boil for 5-7 minutes over high heat, then completely drain the water noisily, rinse the meat under running cold water and put it back in clean cold water for cooking. This method is called “Second Broth”; it turns out very tender and dietary.

How long to cook the broth?

Housewives often ask the question: “How long to cook beef?” The answer to this question depends on two circumstances:

• on the age of the slaughtered animal (the older it is, the longer the product needs to be cooked);
• according to your taste. Some people prefer to tear a piece with their teeth, then an hour of cooking is enough. Some people like the meat to literally fall off the bone, then it will take longer.

Culinary experts say that it is correct to cook the broth over very low heat for 2-3 hours. It should simmer, the boil should be barely noticeable. Otherwise, you won't get a clear broth.

A few more points

Now you know how and how much to cook beef. There are a couple more tips from professionals on this topic.

• It is correct to cook meat in one piece, 1.5–2 kg. If desired, the housewife can cut it into smaller pieces, but a large piece will turn out more juicy. It is much easier to remove foam when a large piece of meat is cooked.
• Spices are a matter of taste. Classic - 30 minutes before the end of cooking, salt the broth, put a large onion into the pan (you don’t have to peel it completely, then the broth will acquire a bright golden hue), coarsely chopped carrots and parsley root.If you like, you can add black peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves and any roots of your choice. Or you can generally limit yourself to just salt.

There are lovers who, before cooking meat, first fry a piece in butter until crusty, add salt and spices, pour boiling water over it and start cooking. Periodically removing the foam, cook for up to 3 hours over low heat. Don't want to try it? It will turn out very tasty.

The meat is ready! And with broth you can cook any soup, stew potatoes, cook delicious rice or buckwheat porridge.

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