CHOOSING THE RIGHT CUT OF MEAT

What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef. A cow with three legs? Lean beef. Okay, okay. Choosing the right cut of meat is no joke. In fact, it can be downright tough … especially if you don’t know how to cook it. So, here are a few tips to take the mystery out of meat:

Beef

We know … You just want a good steak, not an anatomy lesson. But if you’re looking for tenderness, it depends on the anatomical origin of the cut. Cuts from the less-used muscles of the animal (the rib and loin sections) are the most tender. Cuts from more active muscles, such as the round and the flank, are less tender. And the hardest working muscles, such as the shoulder (or chuck) and neck, provide relatively tough meat. Price — and cooking method — are usually determined by tenderness. Check out these popular cuts and preparation tips:

Roasts

• Rib, sirloin and tenderloin are premium roasts. Simply roast in the oven, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan without lid.
• Other oven roasts include inside round, outside round, eye of round, sirloin tip and rump. Roast in oven, fat side up, on a rack over water in pan.
• Cross rib, blade, shoulder, short rib and brisket cuts are considered good pot roasts. Add 1 to 2 cups of liquid, cover and simmer on stove or in oven until tender.
• These cuts require a considerable amount of cooking time, but hey, just think of the leftover potential…

Steaks

• Rib, ribeye, tenderloin/filet mignon, T-bone/porterhouse, strip loin (a.k.a. New York Strip or Kansas City Steak), and sirloin steaks are excellent for grilling or broiling.
• Inside round, outside round, eye of round, sirloin tip and flank steaks can be marinated to improve tenderness before grilling or broiling.
• Blade and cross-rib cuts are best simmered on the stove or in the oven.

Stew Beef/Short Ribs

• For stew, beef cubes or short ribs are usually browned in oil before simmering in liquid with vegetables.
• Beef short ribs may be browned on a rack in the oven.

Quick-Service Beef - Strips, Cubes, Minute Steaks and Ground Beef

• Strips or cubes are great for stir-fry, fajitas, stroganoff and kabobs.
• Minute steaks are quick to pan-fry.
• Choose ground beef to crumble in recipes or make hamburger patties — it has so many possibilities, you could serve it every night of the week. After all, isn’t beef supposed to be “What’s For Dinner”?

Pork

Pork is now bred to have considerably less fat than it used to. This means that pork is much less variable in tenderness than beef, so there are lots of tasty choices out there:

Chops

• Pork chops come in a variety of cuts: centre loin, rib chops, sirloin chops, boneless or bone-in.
• Prepare by pan-broiling, grilling, baking, braising or sauteing.
• Thin chops (1/4" to 3/8") are best sauteed.
• Boneless chops cook more quickly than bone-in chops.
  

Ribs

• Available as spareribs, back ribs and country-style ribs.
• Spareribs come from the belly portion, while back ribs and country-style ribs come from the loin.
• All three styles can be braised or roasted in the oven or on the barbecue grill.
• Slow-cooking produces the most tender and flavourful results.
• Don't forget the moist towelettes. This ain’t the daintiest cut to eat.
  

Tenderloins

• Considered to be the most tender and tasty cut of pork, and are extremely lean.
• Can be roasted whole, cut into cubes for kabobs or into strips for stir-fry, or sliced for scaloppine or medallions.

Roasts

• Good for when you’re entertaining and have several other dishes to prepare, because it requires very little attention once it’s in the oven.
• Can be broiled in the oven with a savoury sauce to top it, or seasoned with a rub and grilled over indirect heat.