Meet your MEAT

First of all, a warning to any vegetarians about to read this article: We know there are many of you out there who make the decision not to eat meat, often for religious, ethical or health reasons. We understand and respect your beliefs. This article is not for you.

It’s for the rest of us, the ones whose mouths water at the first scent of a juicy steak grilling over an open fl ame. Welcome to the first installment in a series dedicated to the king of the BBQ, the centrepiece of Sunday dinner, the main reason you love your main course. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to meet your meat.

We begin our series with beef, perhaps the most familiar of meats. From the humble hamburger to a perfect prime rib, there’s a cut of beef out there for every taste and budget. But do you know how to select the perfect steak? Neither did we, so CHILL went to the experts to find out.

William Leavoy Jr. Is a custom meat tailor, working with the Leavoy Rowe Beef Co. To supply the finest quality meats to Ontario’s top restaurants.

Anthony Walsh is one of Canada’s best-known chefs.

As Corporate Executive Chef at the Oliver & Bonacini group, he oversees several of the country’s finest five-star restaurants, including Toronto’s Canoe.

Leavoy says buying the best beef is all about understanding grading and marbling, aging, and cuts.

MAKING THE GRADE

The grades given to beef refer to eating quality, with most beef sold at supermarkets and restaurants rating Canada A or higher. “Grading is all about the marbling,” says Leavoy. “That’s the amount of fat running through the meat. The more fat, the more flavourful and tender your meat is going to be.” Canada A – trace marbling Canada AA – slight marbling Canada AAA – small marbling Canada Prime – slightly abundant marbling

BETTER WITH AGE “Aging” refers to the length of time beef is stored under carefully controlled conditions before being processed.

Aging beef is proven to signifi cantly increase tenderness During the aging process, enzymes within the meat break down the tougher connective tissues Aging times vary from three to 21 days Chef Walsh shared his secret for aging your own beef at home: “Keep steaks uncovered in the coldest part of your fridge on a racked plate. Turn them regularly (once or twice a day) for three to five days.”

BEFRIEND YOUR BUTCHER

Whether you’re looking for the best piece of meat, or simply the best cut for your budget, Leavoy has one simple piece of advice: “Get to know your local butcher.

Find out how long they’ve been in business, where they get their beef, how long it’s been aged and ask them for recommendations. Make sure they are HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) certified. Your butcher is your local meat expert.” “Getting to know your butcher is great,” adds Walsh. “Getting to know the farmer is even better. The relationship in itself will further your knowledge of meat, how to treat it and most importantly, how to cook it.

LESS IS MORE

“Some cuts need more coaxing than others as far as seasoning goes,” says Walsh. “That said, the adage that less is more is absolutely true when talking about incredible beef.” While simple salt and pepper are all you need, Walsh stresses that quality is important and recommends kosher salt to season and sea salt to finish. Canoe uses a custom blend of white, black and long peppers, slowly roasted then ground to a medium texture.

TIPS AND TRICKS FROM THE PROS:
Always use FRESH beef, never frozen
Bring beef to room temperature before cooking
A great steak needs nothing but cracked black pepper and a little kosher salt before cooking
Always let your meat rest for 10 minutes after cooking before slicing it

BUT IS IT GOOD FOR YOU?

When animal fats were fingered as a potential culprit behind heart disease, meat got a bad rap. In fact Canadian beef is a nutritional powerhouse. 100 grams of cooked lean beef is considered a good or excellent source of the following key nutrients: PROTEIN: 34.6g IRON: 3.3mg MAGNESIUM: 26mg POTASSIUM: 294mg ZINC: 8.6mg

THE PERFECT PAIRING Beef up your meal with these beer suggestions from Roger Mittag, aka The Professor of Beer: STEAK a full-bodied Trappist style beer ROAST BEEF a British style pale ale BEEF STEW an amber lager or ale HAMBURGER traditional Pilsner Thirsty for more suggestions?

Visit thristforknowledge.ca or drop by The Beer Store to choose from over 350 brands of beer!

TRY THIS AT HOME CHILLTM persuaded Chef Walsh to part with one of his best beef recipes, a delicious dry rub that will season your steak to new heights.

Spiced Dry Rub
INGREDIENTS
2 tsp each of toasted fennel seed,
coriander seed and white pepper
1 tsp dried chili flakes
2 tbsp dried morels or porcini mushrooms
1 ½ cup brown sugar
¾ cups kosher salt
Any large steak, preferably a Porterhouse or bone in rib eye

METHOD Combine all ingredients.
Season steak liberally with dry rub before cooking.

TIPS Bring steak up to room temperature before seasoning.
Use a charcoal or wood grill for authentic flavour.

DID YOU KNOW?

In 2007, Canadians consumed 49.2 lbs
(22. 3kg) of beef per person There are 83,000 farms and ranches with beef cattle in Canada Canada produced 3.5 billion pounds of beef in 2007 Beef production contributed $25 billion to Canada’s economy in 2007