How to Make Inexpensive Meat Taste Gourmet

Supply chain issues and grocery prices skyrocketing have us all scrambling to get the best cuts of meat at the lowest prices. We get some help from Chef Gretchen Hanson. She shows us how to make the cheapest cut of meat taste expensive.

CUT ACROSS THE GRAIN

Slice very thinly across and diagonally from the grain of the meat

COOK IN FAT

Submerge in fat and cook slowly over a period of many hours

COOK SLOW

Slower the better as far as I’m concerned. You can cook at temperatures as low as 150 in most ovens and leave roasts in overnight for falling off the bone goodness. This is the favored techniques for brisket and barbeque already but works with the leaner cuts as well

CONTAINER COOKING

Tagines, claypot cooking paper bag cooking or even Reynolds oven bags hold all the flavor in and allow you to cook slowly over long periods of time without drying out proteins.

POUND IT OUT

Cheap steak cuts are hit with a technique called ‘Swissing’ in a grocery store. A meat mallet breaks down all those tendons and sinews left behind.

AND DRY BRINE IT IN WITH A SALT, SUGAR & SPICE DRY RUB

Salt seals in the flavor, (make sure you use a coarse salt and not a fine grind which will overcoat) sugar hits that flavor center with a wow and spice completes a trio which only needs sour flavors for the complete umami wow.

MARINATE

Beware of the acid and alcohol marinades (citrus, vinegar and wine) since acid tightens proteins and opt for an enzymatic papaya or pineapple based marinades instead. Don’t let sit too long and don’t be afraid of some of the more funky enzymatic lactic acid marinades like yogurt or buttermilk.

The recipes here are good enough to serve for a dinner party or special occasion.

RECIPES

BRACIOLE

Chuck steak, eye of round, cube steak, beef shoulder. London broil bottom center roast top round minute steak

Salt

White pepper

Sugar

Rosemary

Oregano

Bread crumbs

Asiago/Parmesan blend

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