Beef - I need educating

[Chocolate Rose]

I posted on another thread that I've had to radically change my diet. I am now eating very low carb/high fat. I've stayed away from this board for several months but really miss it. I'm hoping that I can stay and glean whatever I can and not be tempted by the majority of the awesome recipes.

I have been pretty much beef-free for more than 25 years. But, I'm having a hard time getting in enough fat with just chicken and fish. I think I'm ready to add some beef back in to my diet. I need some recommendations on what to buy. I have no idea on what kind of steaks are good or what other cuts I should try. I was at Costco this morning and was overwhelmed, both by the choices and by the number of people trying to select what they were going to cook for Father's Day tomorrow. I did buy a Cuisinart Griddler ($15 off) and am looking forward to giving it a try.

I almost bought some pork chops, but whenever I tried cooking them they turned out dry.

So, hit me with your best beef (or pork) recommendations! And, if you have any suggestions on preparing it, that would be awesome, too!

[wallycat]

When I went off vegetarian, I started with ground beef. It was easy to incorporate into recipes I had used for tofu or beans.

Steak cuts are a personal preference (I love tenderloin but cannot get it for the price I used to get in WI, so I get NY strips, flank steak and flat iron steaks when they go on sale).

Pork chops are tricky and I have learned that if I brine them, they never get dried out. You also do not need to cook pork to death like days of old.

Fish like salmon and halibut have good fat profiles. I adore sardines, which I know not many people do, and a can a week can keep up the omega-3s in your body without supplements.

I too am a low carber...I use butter (Kerrygold since it is grass fed) freely and have added coconut oil. I use the expeller pressed for cooking, not the extra virgin, and it has no coconut taste. I love coconut, but not in everything.
I buy everything I can in full fat (yogurt, cheese, sour creams), which helps with fat.

[Meganator]

You might not want to buy Costco-size packs until you are sure what you like.

For pork chops, I buy the thick ones (~1) and use a probe thermometer to make sure that I don't overcook them. An internal temp of ~145 is about right. Something like Boston butt is a relatively high-fat pork cut that requires long cooking time. You CAN overcook it, but it is more forgiving than pork chops. And then there is always pork sausage...

[Canice]

I don't cook beef at home but do cook pork once in a while. A chop maybe once a year, butt (in stew) more often. I agree that the latter may be the better option, for several reasons. I like it because I'm not crazy about meat, so can load it up with peppers and onions and beans, and I like the texture. Plus, it's fun to make and good to have on hand for quick meals - I'd definitely consider starting with a stew.

[amarante]

If you need fat in your diet pork chops and tenderloin beef is probably not the way to go. As I recall, the stats show them has having less fat than chicken breasts.

If you want fat, then go for the well marbled cuts like rib eye. Brisket is a fattier cut and of course a stew made with chuck is extremely fatty.

With a pork, a chop can be rendered juicy by brining but really doesn't have fat because pork farmers breed pigs for leanness. Roast loin of pork is fatty - pork tenderloin is very lean. Spareribs are fatty of course and delicious - especially done Asian style.

Duck is a fatty bird - much fattier than chicken or turkeys.

[wallycat]

I forgot to add that I also eat all of the chicken--livers, skin, dark meat, which adds a lot of fat.
If you have good quality oils/fats, you can add them to your meals. A nice sauce with good fats will go a long way. Prime beef is really hard to find (and expensive as hell if you do find it) because of the fat phobia and the stores stocking mostly choice items.
Do you have any good butchers in your area that you can specify what you want?

OH YUMMY on duck!!! and crisp skin

[Chocolate Rose]

When I went off vegetarian, I started with ground beef. It was easy to incorporate into recipes I had used for tofu or beans. big snip

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm not quite ready to make the transition from ground turkey to ground beef. Maybe in a few months. Right now, I brown the ground turkey in either butter or coconut oil to add in some fat.
I hadn't even thought about brining pork chops. I'll have to give that a go. We do eat salmon, but halibut is usually out of our price range. Dh loves sardines, but they are just not for me.
I do use full-fat everything.
It's funny that you mention Kerrygold. I just "discovered" Dubliner cheese and LOVE it. Costco even has bags of the individual serving sizes that I have for breakfast and sometimes snacks. YUM.

[Chocolate Rose]

You might not want to buy Costco-size packs until you are sure what you like.

For pork chops, I buy the thick ones (~1) and use a probe thermometer to make sure that I don't overcook them. An internal temp of ~145 is about right. Something like Boston butt is a relatively high-fat pork cut that requires long cooking time. You CAN overcook it, but it is more forgiving than pork chops. And then there is always pork sausage...

You're probably right about the Costco-size packs. I always figure that their quality and price is better than regular grocery stores. But, I sure don't want to get stuck with an army size pack of something I don't like.
Yes, sausage is my friend. In fact, one of my "regular" items to take with me to work is Sausage Balls. Just combine sausage with cheese, roll into balls and bake.

[Chocolate Rose]

I don't cook beef at home but do cook pork once in a while. A chop maybe once a year, butt (in stew) more often. I agree that the latter may be the better option, for several reasons. I like it because I'm not crazy about meat, so can load it up with peppers and onions and beans, and I like the texture. Plus, it's fun to make and good to have on hand for quick meals - I'd definitely consider starting with a stew.

I've never cared for stew (boy, I sound like a spoiled brat with all my likes and dislikes). There's something about the texture and flavor that I just don't care for. Is there anything else that I could do with a butt?

[Chocolate Rose]

If you need fat in your diet pork chops and tenderloin beef is probably not the way to go. As I recall, the stats show them has having less fat than chicken breasts.

If you want fat, then go for the well marbled cuts like rib eye. Brisket is a fattier cut and of course a stew made with chuck is extremely fatty.

With a pork, a chop can be rendered juicy by brining but really doesn't have fat because pork farmers breed pigs for leanness. Roast loin of pork is fatty - pork tenderloin is very lean. Spareribs are fatty of course and delicious - especially done Asian style.

Duck is a fatty bird - much fattier than chicken or turkeys.

Great information! I just assumed that pork would be fattier. How would I prepare a rib eye. Is it considered a steak? What about brisket? Is it just a roast that you bake (roast)? I'll have to try a roast loin of pork, too.

Duck? Hmmm, I don't think I could eat duck. I know it's fatty but I just don't know. We raised ducks as pets and they were also our bug and slug patrol in our garden. Ducks are our friends.

[Chocolate Rose]

I forgot to add that I also eat all of the chicken--livers, skin, dark meat, which adds a lot of fat.
If you have good quality oils/fats, you can add them to your meals. A nice sauce with good fats will go a long way. Prime beef is really hard to find (and expensive as hell if you do find it) because of the fat phobia and the stores stocking mostly choice items.
Do you have any good butchers in your area that you can specify what you want?

OH YUMMY on duck!!! and crisp skin

I do eat chicken skin and dark meat. In fact, that's what I had for dinner tonight. I brought home a Costco roast chicken. Dh and dd had the breast meat and I had a leg and thigh and skin. YUM!
I've kind of given up on sauces as I'm so limited as far as ingredients. I can't use flour (other than coconut or almond) or cornstarch as a thickener. I can't have anything with any kind of sugar in it or fruit. It pretty much has to be carb free. Maybe I need to do some research on sauces.

When you say "prime beef" is that a specific cut of meat or is it quality? Are there any other cuts that I should like for that have more fat?
Butcher? I have no idea. I've never had a need for one, so I don't know what's out there.

[Canice]

I've never cared for stew (boy, I sound like a spoiled brat with all my likes and dislikes). There's something about the texture and flavor that I just don't care for. Is there anything else that I could do with a butt?

Hm, can't say as it's the only way I've ever prepared it or remember seeing it prepared. It's a fatty cut so requires slow cooking to render out. But really, there's no such thing as a stew "flavor"; if it's the brothyness you don't like, you could always cut way back on the broth to make it more dense, just focus on the vegetables and flavorings you like. (Hah, and now guess what I'm making tomorrow!)

I don't know why I didn't think of the obvious fact that pork has been bread to be lean, so chops are not a good choice if you're looking for fat. That said, I've never had a problem with them drying out: I buy thicker ones, on the bone, and am not skeeved by a little pinkness in the center.

[wallycat]

Prime and Choice are grades of meat (set up by the USDA) that distinguishes how much fat the meat has; prime is fattier (and typically restaurant quality) and choice is found in the grocery stores, typically.
I have never found Prime except for Prime Ribs.

I usually use cream and cheese to make any sauces I want.
Occasionally, a tiny amount of corn starch (like for egg foo yung sauce for DH) and I do have Chana Dal (the black) which has the lowest glycemic index of any bean out there. You can buy it ground like flour or split (it looks sort of like a cross between a shrunken garbanzo and a yellow split pea).

Brisket you could make in the crockpot or roasted in the oven.
The problem with long cooked meats is that they melt off the fat and unless you use the drippings in anything, you lose all that great fat.

I have used chuck roasts in the crockpot for things like the shredded italain beef recipe, then I just shred and stir everything together and get the fat that way.

Make the butcher your friend and see what they can suggest.

[amarante]

Rib eye is a steak cut which many people consider to be the best steak cut because it is marbled (i.e. the fat is in the meat and not just in one place).

You could also do a classic braise with short ribs.

As posted, over the course of cooking the collagen and fat does come out of the meat but many recipes traditionally have vegetables cooked with the meat which retain the fat (and flavor) and/or use the sauce with the fat as gravy or au jus.

You just wouldn't do the "light" method of taking off all the fat but leave it in.

[patt]

Is there anything else that I could do with a butt?

Boston butt is one of my favorite pork cuts. Make a rub that highlights your favorite seasonings and rub it over the roast. WRap it in banana leaves and barbecue or hot smoke it for 6 hours. Otherwise, roast it in a 350 degree oven for about 3 hours. Put it in a roasting pan with a cup of water, squeeze the juice from 2 oranges over the top of it and tent it loosely with foil for the first 1/2 of the cooking. Remove the foil, turn the roast over and finish cooking. The crunchy browned part sets off the meat, which should be pull-off-the-bone tender when done. If you want specifics, look up the recipes for either Carnitas or Coquinita de Pibil and adapt to your cooking style.

Now I'm hungry.

Patt

[Andrea_2]

Does Costco sell any grass-fed beef? I won't touch the stuff from feed lots anymore. Yuck.

[wallycat]

Costco sells organic ground beef. An article in the "connection" they printed that they have 3 sources for their beef (South America, Australia, and USA) and only the USA is not grass finished but the other 2 are...and all start out grass fed.

[Anne]

I can't use flour (other than coconut or almond) or cornstarch as a thickener. I can't have anything with any kind of sugar in it or fruit. It pretty much has to be carb free. Maybe I need to do some research on sauces.

Can you use arrowroot as a thickener? I don't know what the carb content is but it must be better than corn starch. It won't give you as clear a result as cornstarch but I much prefer it.

[patt]

You could use cream as a thickener depending on the recipe.

Patt

[bobhaas]

Yeah definitely go for organic grass fed beef as much as possible. The fat in organic beef is actually pretty healthy. But if you really want to add more healthy fats to your diet, don't forget nuts and nut butters.

[Suzan25]

My favorite fat is BACON!!
Suzanne

[Chocolate Rose]

Rib eye is a steak cut which many people consider to be the best steak cut because it is marbled (i.e. the fat is in the meat and not just in one place).

You could also do a classic braise with short ribs.

As posted, over the course of cooking the collagen and fat does come out of the meat but many recipes traditionally have vegetables cooked with the meat which retain the fat (and flavor) and/or use the sauce with the fat as gravy or au jus.

You just wouldn't do the "light" method of taking off all the fat but leave it in.

I went and "looked" at rib-eye steaks. I'd actually gone to the store with the intention of buying one or two. I guess I'll have to wait for a sale. They are way out of my budget.
Thanks for the additional suggestions!

[Chocolate Rose]

Boston butt is one of my favorite pork cuts. Make a rub that highlights your favorite seasonings and rub it over the roast. WRap it in banana leaves and barbecue or hot smoke it for 6 hours. Otherwise, roast it in a 350 degree oven for about 3 hours. Put it in a roasting pan with a cup of water, squeeze the juice from 2 oranges over the top of it and tent it loosely with foil for the first 1/2 of the cooking. Remove the foil, turn the roast over and finish cooking. The crunchy browned part sets off the meat, which should be pull-off-the-bone tender when done. If you want specifics, look up the recipes for either Carnitas or Coquinita de Pibil and adapt to your cooking style.

Now I'm hungry.

Patt

Thanks, Patt! That sounds awesome.

[Chocolate Rose]

Can you use arrowroot as a thickener? I don't know what the carb content is but it must be better than corn starch. It won't give you as clear a result as cornstarch but I much prefer it.

Right now, I need to stay away from all carbs (except a few veggies). Hopefully at some point, I can add a little back in, and this would be a possibility.

[Chocolate Rose]

You could use cream as a thickener depending on the recipe.

Patt

Yep, this is what I'm doing right now. And, for some recipes I add cream cheese, too. It's not quite the same as using a roux, but it's better than nothing.

[Chocolate Rose]

Yeah definitely go for organic grass fed beef as much as possible. The fat in organic beef is actually pretty healthy. But if you really want to add more healthy fats to your diet, don't forget nuts and nut butters.

I'm eating way more nuts and nut butters than I have ever done before.
In fact, I made a "bread" using peanut butter (could also use almond butter) and eggs. It is the BEST low carb bread I have had. I made the first sandwich I've had in 4 months for my lunch yesterday using this bread. YUM! I actually made it in a muffin-top pan instead of a loaf pan. So, I have buns!

[Chocolate Rose]

My favorite fat is BACON!!
Suzanne

Bacon is one of my food groups right now.

[Canice]

Heh, thanks for the inspiration, CR -- I did make a tasty stew Sunday night, using pork butt! I typically make a Mexican-inspired stew, with loads of peppers and beans, but decided to take it in a different direction this time, so went with fennel and carrots and white onions and white beans. Lots of fresh herbs, and little cider vinegar to balance it all. Nice

As for the $$$ ribeye, that's one of the several reasons I don't eat meat at home. I refuse to buy the factory farmed/CAFO stuff and don't like the cheap cuts (which still aren't cheap if you aren't buying factory) so I just limit it to restaurants, where the price is a little higher but the presentation and cooking is much better than I could do at home.

Hope you enjoy experimenting with your new diet -- whether it's adding or eliminating items, it's always interesting to mix it up.

[margeslp]

This is absolutely delicious but not for my diet. Sounds just up your alley:

Calves Liver Pate
Source of Recipe

My memory

Years ago I served a pate that I think was from a Scandinavian meal at Gourmet CLub. It was origianlly made with ground suet and baked in oven. I searched for 2 years and never found the original recipe but think I have nailed it. I used the amount of wine and fat found in other recipes. This is beautiful to serve on a smorgasbord table with a wide variety of other flavors such as great blue cheese on cocktail rye.

1 lb. calves’ liver
1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cups port wine
1 t. oregano
2 T dried minced onion

Cut liver into small strips.
Melt 1 T butter in frying pan.
Brown liver pieces on all sides.
Add 1 cup port, oregano and onion to pan.
Simmer on low for 15 min. or until throughly cooked.
Cut remaining butter into small pieces.
Place 1/4 liver and juices and butter in blender or food processor.
Blend on high speed till pureed.
Add 1/4 more liver and butter and blend.
Add remaining 1/2 cup port and blend.
Continue to add pieces of liver and butter until blended to smooth paste.
Be careful to rest blender from time to time so that motor is not taxed.
Put into serving dish and serve with crackers.