Slow-cooking meat is an easy and popular way to cook cheaper cuts. This method guarantees delicious melt-in-the-mouth dishes and meat.
Here are some tips on how to slow-cook beef, including the best cuts of meat.
Which cuts of meat are best for slow cooking?
LEG and SHIN
Cuts with a lot of flavor and is made from very lean muscle.
BLADE and CHUCK
This is the most common type of braised steak and what many recipes refer to when they mention it. This is a very tasty beef cut that can be diced or sliced.
MIDDLE RIBS
This joint is perfect for pot roasting when it’s rolled and boned. You can also slice or dice it for casseroles.
BRISKET
This is the part of the animal that comes from the stomach. It can be quite fatty, but it adds flavor to the stock when cooking. This joint is cylindrical and makes for neat, clean slices when cut.
SHORT RIG
Short ribs, a traditional American cut called “oven-busters” here, are gaining popularity. Braised slowly in wine or beer, with aromatics and vegetables, the short ribs become tender, almost velvety, and have a great flavor.
NEC MINCED K, and FLANK
The mince made from tougher cuts is best for dishes that require slow cooking. The mince from prime cuts, such as the tail of a fillet, is usually served raw in dishes like steak tartare.
SKIRT
Steak and kidney puddings or Cornish Pasties are usually slow-cooked.
SILVERSIDE
A neat, cylindrical joint that is ideal for braising or pot roasting.
OXTAIL
Off-cuts of beef are tough and require long, slow cooking in order to be tender. It is an off-cut beef that has a great deal of flavor because it’s still on the bones and contains cartilage, fat, and marrow. This is the cut that you should use to make osso Bucco.
Tips for Slow Cooking
- To maintain a high temperature in the pan, brown the beef in small batches if needed. This caramelizes the juices and adds flavor to the dish. It would help if you did this in the pot that you’ll be cooking in.
- You can toss some flour on the beef before you brown it, but make sure that the meat is not too wet. Only a light coating should remain on the surface. This will give the heart a nice color.
- Start lightly when seasoning slow-cooked meals. The liquid will be reduced, and the sauce will become more concentrated. The seasoning can be adjusted at the end.
- Start cooking the beef at the right temperature. The liquid should not bubble vigorously in the pan but only tremble at the center. The meat will become soft and melt in your mouth, but it won’t fall apart.
- It is important to cover the dish with a lid or foil that fits tightly, especially when cooking certain braised dishes where the meat is cooked with relatively little liquid. This prevents the sauce from reducing too much.
- A slow-cooked meal prepared the day before improves the taste tremendously. It can be chilled overnight and then heated gently for as little time as possible.