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Ingredients
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Cherry Coke
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Greek Seasoning Blend (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Approximately 10 pounds boneless prime rib
Instructions
In a bowl, combine olive oil, Cherry Coke, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon Greek Seasoning Blend. Add oregano, thyme, onion powder and garlic. Mix well. Place meat in a large roasting pan. Add marinade, and massage meat with it, turning meat to coat it well. Place meat and marinade in an extra-large ziptop plastic bag (or wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap) and seal well. Refrigerate overnight.
Light a charcoal fire. Soak 4 to 6 cups of hickory or cherry wood chips, or both, in water. When coals are white, divide them, pushing each half to opposite sides of grill. Top each pile with a few wood chips. Position grill rack over coals, and cover grill.
Poke small holes in a large disposable aluminum roasting pan and add meat. Place pan above center of grill, cover grill and adjust ventilation so it is slightly open. Temperature in grill should be about 225 degrees F.; insert instant-read thermometer through a ventilation hole in grill cover. Adjust ventilation to regulate temperature.
Cook meat until instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 130 degrees F., 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Keep fire going by adding coals to each side every 30 minutes, or as necessary. Add more wet wood chips when needed to keep fire smoking.
Remove meat and wrap in foil. Allow it to come to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
To serve, light a charcoal fire. When coals are white, spread evenly across bottom of grill. Cut 3/8-inch to 1-inch thick steaks from meat, and dust with remaining Greek Seasoning Blend to taste. Grill over very hot coals to taste, about 1 minute per side. Serve immediately.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
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Tougher cuts of beef from the round, brisket, flank, plate, shank, and chuck are best cooked by moist heat cooking methods, such as braising, pot-roasting, and stewing. (Some of the tougher cuts may be prepared by dry heat methods given they are tenderized first with a marinade).
Stewing: Stewing involves immersing the entire cut of beef in a liquid.
Braising: Braising involves cooking meats, covered, with small amounts of liquids (usually seasoned or flavored). Unlike stewing, meat cooked via braising is not fully immersed in liquid.
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Tender cuts of beef from the loin and rib are best cooked via dry cooking methods, such as grilling, broiling, roasting, and sautéing.
Grilling: Grilling is characterized by cooking the beef over a high heat source; generally in excess of 650°F (343°C). This leads to searing of the surface of the beef, which creates a flavorful crust. In the Australia, US, Canada and the UK grilling is known as "Barbecueing".
Broiling: Broiling is similar to grilling, except where grilling is performed with the heat source under the beef, broiling is usually performed in an oven with the heat source above the beef. In the UK and Australia, broiling is known as "grilling".
Roasting: Roasting is a particularly British way of cooking meat which produces the iconic British dish - Roast beef. British roasting is very similar to American broiling, although the heating is from hot air and the meat is cooked all around. Little if any liquid is added. The liquid produced during cooking is decanted from the fat and usually made into a gravy to serve with the sliced beef.
Carpaccio: Raw beef from the finest cuts may be prepared with the option of searing the sides of the fillet for a few seconds before thinly slicing. This is usually served with lemon slices, which when squeezed over the raw beef 'cooks' it.
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The method of cooking beef is largely determined by the cut of beef to be cooked. For example, tender (and generally more expensive) cuts of meat benefit from fast, high-heat cooking while tough cuts benefit from a slower and longer cooking method.
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Beef is first divided into primal cuts. These are basic sections from which steaks and other subdivisions are cut. When looking at a diagrams such as the ones below, note that the closer to the middle back, the more tender the meat is. Since the animal's legs and neck muscles do the most work, they are the toughest; the meat becomes progressively more tender as distance from "hoof and horn" increases. There are different systems of naming for cuts in America, Britain and France.
See the external links section below for links to more beef cut charts and diagrams.
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In the United States, the USDA operates a voluntary beef grading program. The meat processor pays for the presence of a highly trained USDA meat grader at the abattoir who grades the whole carcass prior to fabrication. The carcass grade is stamped on each primal cut (six stamps) and applied with roller stamp to each side as well. Traces of the USDA grading stamp are sometimes visible on boxed primal cuts.
The grades are based on two main criteria, the degree of marbling (intramuscular fat) in the beef rib eye and the age of the animal prior to slaughter. Some meat scientists object to the current scheme of USDA grading since it does not take tenderness into account. Most other countries' beef grading systems mirror the US model. Most beef offered for sale in supermarkets is graded choice or select. Prime beef is sold to hotels and upscale restaurants. Beef that would rate as Standard or leaner is almost never offered for grading.
Inspected carcasses tagged by the USDAPrime — highest in intramuscular fat. Currently, only three percent of the steaks sold are USDA certified Prime.
Choice
Select — the leanest grade commonly sold
Standard
Commercial
Utility
Cutter
Canner
Traditionally, beef sold in steakhouses and supermarkets has been advertised by its USDA grading; however, many restaurants and retailers have recently begun advertising beef on the strength of brand names and the reputation of a specific breed of cattle, such as black angus.
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Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon beef-flavored bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and transfer to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark place.
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Club Steak: Sometimes called Delmonico, after the famed 19th century New York dining club that specialized in this steak, the club steak is triangular, smaller than a T-bone, but with the same large "eye" section. It is cut from the short loin, next to the rib end, and when cut properly, it is a delicious and tender steak. You can tell the quality by looking at the steak's "eye"--the meat should be fine in texture with delicate marbling; avoid cuts that seem coarse or contain fat chunks.
Filet Strip: Filet strips are removed from the short loin before any other steaks are cut. A whole filet strip can be broiled and then cut into individual portions, or covered with pastry and baked, as in Beef Wellington. The tenderloin is the most tender of all steaks. But no matter how delicious and tender, some find the texture too soft.
Porterhouse Steak: This is one of the most popular steak cuts, perhaps because it has a generous section of tenderloin. The porterhouse got its moniker when it was first served in the drinking houses where porter, ale, and stout were featured. A large, flavorful steak cut from the short loin, nearest the sirloin. Fine-grained with a characteristic portion of fat, it is usually cut from 1 1/4" to 3" thick. The tenderloin portion can be removed and served separately as a filet mignon.
Rib Steak: This is similar in appearance to club steak and is sometimes sold as such, even though it is less tender and more fatty. Rib steaks have an excellent flavor and, of course, come from the rib section. This cut is often sold in kosher meat shops.
Shell Steak,
Strip Steak: When the tenderloin strip has been removed from the short loin, the remaining meat is known as a shell steak. Shell steaks are called by a variety of names, such as strip, New York strip and Kansas City strip. Ideal for one person, these steaks can be cut in any thickness you wish, usually from 1 to 2 1/2 inches. Lobel's Prime Meats often remove the bone for their customers so the steak can be easily sliced on the diagonal.
Sirloin Steak: The sirloin is a large steak, which makes it suitable for families or parties. Usually cut from 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" thick, with a small amount of wedge bone. Sirloins vary in shape and bone size. Sirloins come in the pin-bone or hip-bone, flat-bone, and round-bone varieties; the bone adds flavor to the meat. These can be cut from 1" to 3" thick. Any sirloin steak is tender, delicious, and excellent when broiled in the oven or barbecued. The thinner cuts may be pan-broiled. Sirloin Tip Steak or Boneless Sirloin: This cut comes from the bottom tip of the sirloin section. It is less tender than the sirloins with bones, but it has a delicious flavor. Lobel's Prime Meats usually cuts it about 2 inches thick and suggest that it be braised for a half hour.
T-Bone Steak: This steak is easily identified by its T-shape bone. It comes from the center section of the short loin, between the porterhouse and club. Similar to the porterhouse, but with a smaller section of tenderloin and a smaller tail, with a fine-grained shell. Should be cut from 1 to 3 inches thick. Broiling is the best cooking method, pan-broiling for thinner cuts.
Tenderloin Steak Filet Mignon: The popular name for this steak is filet mignon.
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