Derived from the Latin word bos , meat from the cattle is known as ‘beef’. Beef muscle meat can be cut into steak, roasts or short ribs.
Usage
Beef can be boiled, braised, grilled, marinated, pot-roasted, spit-roasted and stewed. The method of cooking depends on the beef cut. For instance, tender cuts of meat require fast, high-heat cooking while tough cuts require slower and longer cooking methods.
Beef should be stored in the coldest part of the fridge loosely wrapped to keep its surface dry and allow access of air which will prevent bacterial growth.
Types
The wide range of cuts available make beef a very versatile meat. While buying any cut you should look out for firm meat that should be moist. The meat should also be marbled which means that it should have thin streaks of fat. The fat around the beef should be cream-like in colour. If its pale yellow, the meat could be stale. For roating use rib, sirloin or fillet. If you're short on time use rib eye, sirloin or fillet. Minced meat is great to make burger patties. Grass-fed or organic beef is naturally more expensive.
Nutritional Value
1. Beef is great source of protein.
2. Beef contains a variety of minerals like zinc, iron, selenium and magnesium potassium.
3. Beef is also rich in essential vitamins like B12, B6, riboflavin, thiamin.
4. Beef is high in saturated animal fat. Round steaks, sirloin steaks, briskets, chuck roasts and flank steaks are some of the lean cuts of beef that you should opt for.
5. Beef is packed with a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid which is a heart healthy fat, also found in olive oil.