Post by BBQ Butcher on Mar 30, 2008 6:51:39 GMT -5
11/04/07
The BBQ Butcher #15
“Why do steaks turn brown after opening the package?”
It has to do with oxygen and a scientific word called "myoglobin".
When steaks are first cut they are a deep red, or purple color, and after a few minutes of exposure to oxygen they turn a nice bright red. This is called "blooming". Over a period of a few days, the myoglobin protein loses its ability to hold the oxygen and the meat will turn brown. By the way, the steaks are not aging, they are just getting old.
On occasion, the myoglobin protein and exposure to the light will cause steaks to have a "bluish/green" tinge when held to the light at a certain angle. This is most prevalent on Top Round and Eye Round steaks. Yes, the steaks are fine to eat.
Sometimes certain markets will pack steaks on top of each other without using steak paper in between the steaks. Where meat touches meat, they will turn dark. Again, it’s the lack of oxygen that causes the darkness.
The same process will turn the inside of hamburger brown. How many times have you bought a pound of nice bright red hamburger only to open it up and the inside is a dark brown? No, the meat department did not wrap NEW burger around the OLD burger and try to sell it!
It’s the lack of oxygen to the meat in the center. If the burger is packed loosely, the center will stay somewhat red for a day, maybe two, but after that it starts turning color. Some meat cutters, or meat packers, will cram as much hamburger into a package as possible. When this happens, the center can turn dark in a matter of a few hours.
As long as the hamburger meat is only a couple days old, it’s fine to use and eat.
“Just wondering if you might have a recipe on how to roast beef like what you would get at a deli as lunch meat slices?”
Duplicating Deli Roast Beef is quite easy. Buy a Top Round, Rump, Eye Round or Sirloin TIP Roast.
Mix together about a half cup of Dale's Sauce (Moore's, Johnny Fleeman's or Allegro)* and a half cup of water or weak beef broth. Inject most of this into the roast, leaving a little bit for rubbing on the outside.
Rub the outside with the remaining liquid and sprinkle liberally with Kosher Salt, black pepper and some granulated garlic. If possible, put into a bag and let it sit over night in the fridge.
Cook indirect at 400° for about 30 minutes (smoke is optional) and then lower the temperature to 325-350° and finish cooking until the internal temp of the meat reaches 125-130°. If cooking on your grill, use a drip pan. If cooking in an oven be sure to use a rack in your baking pan.
Let cool, cover and place in the fridge to get cold. Slice THIN using a meat slicer or as thin as you can get with a knife. Enjoy....
*These can be found in the barbecue and condiment section of your grocery store.
Here are a couple other recipes that give good results, as well.
Pit Style Beef
Sirloin Tip Roast Beef
Thanksgiving is almost around the corner and next week I’ll touch on a few turkey basics that will help you to cook it, as well as a few tips on brining the bird and a few tried and true recipes.
Speaking of recipes, I’d like to share this one with you today. It’s a side dish called “Strawberry Pretzel Salad” which can also be used as a dessert.
A big thank you to ThatsmyQ from the Addicted To BBQ forum
Addicted To BBQ
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
This is a yummy side dish that always makes the menu at our holiday dinners. It adds the just right mix of sweet/salty, crispy/soft.
Crust Mix:
2 cups coarse crushed pretzels
4 Tbs sugar
3/4 cup melted margarine or butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Spread in 9x13 pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.
Mix:
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
8 oz carton cool whip.
Pour on top of crust when cooled. Spread. Refrigerate.
Dissolve 6 oz package of strawberry Jell-O in 2 cups of boiling water. Let cool in fridge for a few minutes then add:
2 - 10 oz pkgs of frozen strawberries (thawed).
1 small can of crushed pineapple (drained)
Chill until almost congealed. Spread on top of cream cheese mixture above. Return to fridge until ready to serve.
For those of you watching your sugar, here is a nearly sugar-free alternative.
Nearly sugar free - Pretzel Salad
1st Layer –
2 cups course crushed pretzels
1/2 cup Splenda – NOT sugar
1 cup butter melted
Mix together and spread in 9 x 13 glass pan (glass to show how pretty it is)
Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 6 minutes…. “Let cool”. Over night in fridge is best.
2nd layer -
1/2 cup Splenda – NOT sugar
8 ounce cream cheese
8 ounce Heavy Whipping Cream – NOT cool whip
Mix together and spread over the 1st layer. Chill for 1 hour.
3rd layer –
6 ounce Sugar free Jell-O
(2) 10 ounce frozen strawberries ***
*** if unsweetened add Splenda – NOT sugar to taste.
Pour over layer 2 and chill several hours (over night) for best results.
The BBQ Butcher #15
“Why do steaks turn brown after opening the package?”
It has to do with oxygen and a scientific word called "myoglobin".
When steaks are first cut they are a deep red, or purple color, and after a few minutes of exposure to oxygen they turn a nice bright red. This is called "blooming". Over a period of a few days, the myoglobin protein loses its ability to hold the oxygen and the meat will turn brown. By the way, the steaks are not aging, they are just getting old.
On occasion, the myoglobin protein and exposure to the light will cause steaks to have a "bluish/green" tinge when held to the light at a certain angle. This is most prevalent on Top Round and Eye Round steaks. Yes, the steaks are fine to eat.
Sometimes certain markets will pack steaks on top of each other without using steak paper in between the steaks. Where meat touches meat, they will turn dark. Again, it’s the lack of oxygen that causes the darkness.
The same process will turn the inside of hamburger brown. How many times have you bought a pound of nice bright red hamburger only to open it up and the inside is a dark brown? No, the meat department did not wrap NEW burger around the OLD burger and try to sell it!
It’s the lack of oxygen to the meat in the center. If the burger is packed loosely, the center will stay somewhat red for a day, maybe two, but after that it starts turning color. Some meat cutters, or meat packers, will cram as much hamburger into a package as possible. When this happens, the center can turn dark in a matter of a few hours.
As long as the hamburger meat is only a couple days old, it’s fine to use and eat.
“Just wondering if you might have a recipe on how to roast beef like what you would get at a deli as lunch meat slices?”
Duplicating Deli Roast Beef is quite easy. Buy a Top Round, Rump, Eye Round or Sirloin TIP Roast.
Mix together about a half cup of Dale's Sauce (Moore's, Johnny Fleeman's or Allegro)* and a half cup of water or weak beef broth. Inject most of this into the roast, leaving a little bit for rubbing on the outside.
Rub the outside with the remaining liquid and sprinkle liberally with Kosher Salt, black pepper and some granulated garlic. If possible, put into a bag and let it sit over night in the fridge.
Cook indirect at 400° for about 30 minutes (smoke is optional) and then lower the temperature to 325-350° and finish cooking until the internal temp of the meat reaches 125-130°. If cooking on your grill, use a drip pan. If cooking in an oven be sure to use a rack in your baking pan.
Let cool, cover and place in the fridge to get cold. Slice THIN using a meat slicer or as thin as you can get with a knife. Enjoy....
*These can be found in the barbecue and condiment section of your grocery store.
Here are a couple other recipes that give good results, as well.
Pit Style Beef
Sirloin Tip Roast Beef
Thanksgiving is almost around the corner and next week I’ll touch on a few turkey basics that will help you to cook it, as well as a few tips on brining the bird and a few tried and true recipes.
Speaking of recipes, I’d like to share this one with you today. It’s a side dish called “Strawberry Pretzel Salad” which can also be used as a dessert.
A big thank you to ThatsmyQ from the Addicted To BBQ forum
Addicted To BBQ
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
This is a yummy side dish that always makes the menu at our holiday dinners. It adds the just right mix of sweet/salty, crispy/soft.
Crust Mix:
2 cups coarse crushed pretzels
4 Tbs sugar
3/4 cup melted margarine or butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Spread in 9x13 pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.
Mix:
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
8 oz carton cool whip.
Pour on top of crust when cooled. Spread. Refrigerate.
Dissolve 6 oz package of strawberry Jell-O in 2 cups of boiling water. Let cool in fridge for a few minutes then add:
2 - 10 oz pkgs of frozen strawberries (thawed).
1 small can of crushed pineapple (drained)
Chill until almost congealed. Spread on top of cream cheese mixture above. Return to fridge until ready to serve.
For those of you watching your sugar, here is a nearly sugar-free alternative.
Nearly sugar free - Pretzel Salad
1st Layer –
2 cups course crushed pretzels
1/2 cup Splenda – NOT sugar
1 cup butter melted
Mix together and spread in 9 x 13 glass pan (glass to show how pretty it is)
Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 6 minutes…. “Let cool”. Over night in fridge is best.
2nd layer -
1/2 cup Splenda – NOT sugar
8 ounce cream cheese
8 ounce Heavy Whipping Cream – NOT cool whip
Mix together and spread over the 1st layer. Chill for 1 hour.
3rd layer –
6 ounce Sugar free Jell-O
(2) 10 ounce frozen strawberries ***
*** if unsweetened add Splenda – NOT sugar to taste.
Pour over layer 2 and chill several hours (over night) for best results.