Let's play house. [Cooking my dinner]

Moobly

It's a short one. I've gotta a rather shit cut of beef, chuck eye-steak. The grill for my building is in disrepair as of last weekend. What's a good way to cook this thing or should I just trash it, and the $2 it cost, and eat a ham sandwhich?

Quid

Pan frying meat is under rated. Give that a try.

Qingu

Do not under any circumstances grill, roast, or pan-fry that chuck roast.

Here is why: chuck is a very tough cut of beef, but it has a lot of connective tissue. If you cook it quickly with high heat (any of the above methods), the connective tissue contracts and it stays tough. If, however, you cook the beef slowly, in a braise or stew, the connective tissue converts to gelatin and melts, making the meat fork-tender.

Beef stews and pot roasts are often made with chuck roasts, and they are some of the most delicious things you can make. They're not quick, but they're also not hard. You can cut up the meat or leave it whole. Sear it in oil (or bacon fat) to carmelize its exterior and develop fond (if cut up, you should do this in batches, and don't crowd it or it will steam and not sear). Remove, then add some onions, and whole cloves of garlic, and saute until browned. Add a few tablespoons of flour to the fat and vegetables (which will thicken the sauce), cook for a minute or two, then add red wine and chicken and/or beef broth (enough to cover beef after adding it back). Stir to release the fond, add a tablespoon of tomato paste and some thyme, and simmer for like 3 hours until the meat is fork-tender. (if your pot is oven-safe, do this in a 300-degree oven, covered, stirring occasionally) During the last hour of cooking, you can add other shit like potatoes and carrots.

That's just a basic recipe. If you want the emperor of all beef stew recipes, here it is: Beef Burgundy (from Cook's Illustrated).

Note: If you cannot find salt pork, thick-cut bacon can be substituted. Cut it crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces and treat it just as you would salt pork, but note that you will have no rind to include in the vegetable and herb bouquet. To make this dish a day or two in advance, see “Advance Preparation of Beef Burgundy,” below. Boiled potatoes are the traditional accompaniment, but mashed potatoes or buttered noodles are nice as well.

Ingredients

For Beef Braise:
6 ounces salt pork , trimmed of rind (see Step 1 below), rind reserved, and salt pork cut into 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch by 1-inch pieces
10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves , torn into quarters
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 medium onions , chopped coarse
2 medium carrots , chopped coarse
1 medium head garlic , cloves separated and crushed but unpeeled
2 bay leaves , crumbled
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms , rinsed (optional)
4 - 4 1/4 pounds beef chuck roast , prepared as described in Steps 2, 3, and 4 below
Table salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 bottle red burgundy wine (750 ml) or Pinot Noir
1 teaspoon tomato paste

For Onion and Mushroom Garnish:
36 frozen pearl onions (about 7 ounces)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
10 ounces white mushrooms , whole if small, halved if medium, quartered if large
2 tablespoons brandy
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Instructions:

1. Bring salt pork, reserved salt pork rind, and 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Boil 2 minutes, then drain well.

2. Cut two 22-inch lengths cheesecloth. Following "Making The Vegetable and Herb Bouquet," below, wrap parsley, thyme, onions, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, porcini mushrooms, and blanched salt pork rind in cheesecloth and set in 8-quart nonreactive Dutch oven. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

3. Set 12-inch skillet with salt pork over medium heat; sauté until lightly brown and crisp, about 12 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to Dutch oven; pour off all but 2 teaspoons fat and reserve. Season beef with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and brown half of beef in single layer, turning once or twice, until deep brown, about 7 minutes; transfer browned beef to Dutch oven. Pour 1/2 cup water into skillet and scrape pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; when pan bottom is clean, pour liquid into Dutch oven.

4. Return skillet to high heat and add 2 teaspoons reserved pork fat; swirl to coat pan bottom. When fat begins to smoke, brown remaining beef in single layer, turning once or twice, until deep brown, about 7 minutes; transfer browned beef to Dutch oven. Pour 1/2 cup water into skillet and scrape pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; when pan bottom is clean, pour liquid into Dutch oven.

5. Set now-empty skillet over medium heat; add butter. When foaming subsides, whisk in flour until evenly moistened and pasty. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture has toasty aroma and resembles light-colored peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups water; increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened. Pour mixture into Dutch oven. Add 3 cups wine, tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste to Dutch oven and stir to combine. Set Dutch oven over high heat and bring to boil. Cover and set pot in oven; cook until meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

6. Remove Dutch oven from oven and, using tongs, transfer vegetable and herb bouquet to strainer set over pot. Press out liquid into pot and discard bouquet. With slotted spoon, remove beef to medium bowl; set aside. Allow braising liquid to settle about 15 minutes, then, with wide shallow spoon, skim fat off surface and discard.

7. Bring liquid in Dutch oven to boil over medium-high heat. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally to ensure that bottom is not burning, until sauce is reduced to about 3 cups and thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, 15 to 25 minutes.

8. While sauce is reducing, bring pearl onions, butter, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup water to boil in medium skillet over high heat; cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, shaking pan occasionally, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and simmer until all liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid released by mushrooms evaporates and vegetables are browned and glazed, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large plate and set aside. Add 1/4 cup water to skillet and stir with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. When pan bottom and sides are clean, add liquid to reducing sauce.

9. When sauce has reduced to about 3 cups and thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, reduce heat to medium-low; stir in beef, mushrooms and onions (and any accumulated juices), remaining wine from bottle, and brandy into Dutch oven. Cover pot and cook until just heated through, 5 to 8 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve, sprinkling individual servings with minced parsley.

Falx

Cut it into strips and stir-fry it with some veggies, you can keep it for leftovers for a few days too.

starmanbrand

I refuse to eat chuck dry-cooked because I have never had it done well.

I recently made some crock pot barbacoa with a chuck roast that you could probably do with this, but it would take all night probably.

Crockpot or stove on low heat- Some peppercorns, water to cover, a little vinegar, onions.

After it has cooked to hell, strain the broth and shred the beef. Put a little broth in the pot the moisten it, toss in a jar of salsa that you like, some diced green roasted peppers, some chili powder. Whatever. Eat it in burritos or sandwiches for the next week. Its delicious and cheap.