If there’s one kitchen skill that is in demand, it’s flavoring meats. It’s a fine art, much more than just cooking meat in a frying pan or the oven, which is why you’ve got to know how to handle it properly. Right now, the cost of meat has surged all over the world, so if you are looking to make your money go further, you can benefit from opting for cheaper cuts of meat and making it tastier. Let’s show you some methods to create restaurant-level meat without breaking the bank.
Cooking It Slowly
If you’ve got tough cuts of meat like pork shoulder and beef brisket, the best thing to do is to cook these cuts of meat really slowly. For anyone learning how to make beef stroganoff in a crock pot or want to know how to make the most of a cheaper cut of meat, slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue, making it ready to eat and providing that melt-in-the-mouth flavor we’re all looking for.
Adding Baking Soda
If you need to tenderize a piece of beef, submerging a small piece in a solution of water and baking soda or rubbing larger pieces with baking soda before letting it rest in the refrigerator for a few hours can make the beef easier on the palate. However, you need to rinse the beef properly before you start cooking, and it can create an off-flavor, so it’s worth experimenting with a cheaper cut that you can afford to throw away if it doesn’t please the clientele!
Marinating
Marinating your meat adds flavor and tenderizes the meat because the acids in the marinade can cook or break down the meat before you put it in the oven or frying pan. However, it’s important not to over-marinate it as it can over-tenderize the meat. When marinating, make sure that overnight is the upper limit. You should also choose your marinade carefully. The two most popular types are either acidic, which is made with wine vinegar or citrus fruits, or enzymatic, which is made with ingredients like papaya. If the marinade is too acidic, it can toughen the food, and enzymatic ones can over-tenderize, turning it to mush. This is why timing is so important.
Salting the Meat Before Cooking
An option like dry brining, where you salt the meat way before you start cooking, can tenderize the meat and increase its flavor. How long you should salt the meat before cooking will depend on what you are eating. For example, if you’ve got cheap cuts of steak, salting them at least 40 minutes before you start cooking and leaving them overnight (at most) in the fridge can produce great results.
We’re all trying to make the most of what little we have right now. As the cost of meat has gone up, we’ve got to start being more creative in the kitchen. Rather than looking for high-quality meat on the supermarket shelf, it’s now time to learn some of the tricks of the trade!
