Marble beef - what is it? Marble meat - a natural delicacy

Beef meat is very popular and has a wide distribution. One of the most famous delicacies in the world is marbled beef, which is not so difficult to cook, the main thing is to choose the right recipe with a photo. A competent approach and fresh high-quality meat are the components that will help to prepare a delicious meal. Gobies and cows that produce marbled meat are raised using a special livestock fattening technology. Such beef is produced in many countries of the world, for example, in Russia, the USA, Australia, Argentina, Chile, etc.

What is marbled beef

Buying marbled beef today is not problematic, because. it is sold by a large number of butcher shops and specialized stores. Before making such a purchase, find out what the product is. They call it marble because there is a characteristic marble pattern on the red cut, which resembles a stone dotted with lines. It differs from ordinary beef in that the muscle tissue contains thin streaks of fat. Thanks to this, such red meat is surprisingly juicy and tender.

How to cook marbled beef

Before you make a medium or light marbled beef steak, familiarize yourself with the specifics of the preparation. First you need to buy marbled meat. At the same time, keep in mind that veal is not very prone to the formation of "marbling", because. young cattle develop subcutaneous fat first rather than intermuscular fat. Check out the tips to help you make delicious meat dish.

• Such a product can not be pickled, because. and so it turns out soft, juicy.
• If you want to give beef original flavor notes, you can make a marinade.
• Thick pieces are recommended to be cooked on the grill, and for tenderloin, a frying pan is an ideal choice. In addition, dishes can be baked in the oven or on a special large stove.
• Duration is important heat treatment. If during cooking steak overexpose on fire, it will become rubber.
• The product can be supplemented with olive oil, basil, rosemary.
• The best thing ready meal Pairs with fruit and vegetable side dishes. Can be served different sauces.
• Salt should be relatively small. Some chefs recommend adding it at the beginning of a heat treatment or at the end.

Marbled beef dishes

Having decided to cook marbled beef in a pan, grill or in the oven, choose a recipe according to the level of your culinary skills. Marble meat is a delicacy due to its small share in the total volume of meat produced. In addition, its cost is an order of magnitude higher than that of ordinary beef. Having bought the pulp of the thigh, shoulder blade or tenderloin, you can cook not only a barbecue or chop, but also other dishes:

• schnitzel;
• cutlets;
• ribeye steak;
• marinated teebone steaks;
• burger and others

Marbled beef steak

• Time: 1 hour.
• Servings: 4 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 175 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for dinner festive table.
• Cuisine: European.
• Difficulty: easy.

Having bought slices of beef for steaks, first wash the meat thoroughly and dry it. The resulting dish will be a real delicacy both in taste and aroma. You can treat them not only to your relatives during a family dinner, but also to guests whom you invite on the occasion of any celebration. All you need to have on hand is meat pieces 3-5 cm thick (optional) and some seasonings.

Ingredients:

• marbled beef - 1 kg;
• herb mix, olive oil- taste;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. After washing and drying the base, pepper it abundantly. Rub salt with herbs into it. Don't forget to brush with olive oil.
2. Turn the oven on to high, and while it's preheating, preheat the skillet. Put pieces of the main ingredient on it.
3. You need to fry for 3 minutes. Turn the meat over and fry on the other side for 3 minutes.
4. Send future steaks to the oven - about 5 minutes.
5. Check doneness with a knife and fork. If the degree of roasting is insufficient, then return the steaks to the oven for another 2-3 minutes.

Beef in a pan

• Time: 30 minutes.
• Servings: 5 persons.
• Cuisine: European.
• Difficulty: easy.

Often there are questions related to the preparation of meat for frying in a pan. It's very simple - never send beef to the grill or pan, which until recently was in the refrigerator. Raw steak should be warmed to a temperature that is close to room temperature. Otherwise, the steaks will acquire an appetizing crust, but will be unevenly fried from the inside.

Ingredients:

• steak "New York" Primebeef - 800 g;
• oil (olive) - 3 tablespoons;
• a mixture of peppers, salt - to taste;
• seasonings (thyme, rosemary, basil) - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Wipe the steak dry with paper towels, leave it on the table to oxygenate it. Let the meat warm up a bit room temperature- This is necessary for even frying.
2. Rub the steaks with a mixture of peppers, salt and olive oil. Heat up the pan.
3. Put a piece on a heated surface, press with a spatula. Fry each side for about 2.5 minutes. Don't forget to keep turning.
4. At the end of the process, add aromatic herbs. Turn the steak 4 more times. With a piece thickness of no more than 3 cm, this is quite enough to obtain the ideal degree of readiness.
5. Shift the resulting gourmet dish from a frying pan to a plate.

Meat in the oven

• Time: 3 hours.
• Servings: 5-6 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 218 kcal per 100 g.
• Cuisine: European.
• Difficulty: medium.

To cook marbled beef in the oven, you will need much more time than with a simple frying in a pan. Before you bake such meat, you need to buy beef on the ribs. Some recipes use soy sauce, but in general, you can do without it. The cooking process itself is relatively simple.

Ingredients:

• beef on the ribs - 2.5 kg;
• oil (olive) - 3-4 tablespoons;
• salt, a mixture of aromatic herbs - 1 tsp. (oregano, rosemary, basil);
• black pepper (ground) - 1/4 tsp

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the meat thoroughly, blot with paper towels and tie with a thread (culinary). Due to this, during baking, the piece will retain its original shape.
2. Brush the base with oil, sprinkle with a mixture of pepper, herbs and salt. Then place in a baking dish with the ribs down.
3. Send to the oven preheated to 200 degrees for about 20 minutes. Let a crust form on the piece, which will not allow the meat juice to flow out.
4. Cover the piece with foil, reduce the temperature to 160 degrees. Continue to bake the dish for about an hour, every half hour check its readiness with a fork and knife.
5. Once the meat is ready, take it out and let it sit for 15 minutes. Only after that you can cut and serve.

Marbled beef chops

• Time: 45 minutes.
• Servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 170 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for dinner, festive table.
• Cuisine: European.
• Difficulty: medium.

Despite the fact that beef is a very high-calorie product, it is useful for the normal functioning of the human body. The composition of such meat is rich in proteins, amino acids and minerals. In addition, beef is able to neutralize hydrochloric acid and other irritants contained in gastric juice. If you decide to do something original, pay attention to the recipe for chops in white wine.

Ingredients:

• beef (neck part) - at your discretion;
• onions - 3 pcs.;
• confectionery sugar - 2 pinches;
• salt, sunflower oil, allspice (ground) - to taste;
• white dry wine(table) - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Prepare the meat, beat it well.
2. Cut the onion into half rings.
3. Sprinkle the marbled meat with salt and pepper.
4. After heating the pan, add sunflower oil and lay out the meat.
5. You can fry over medium heat. Once the meat is ready, transfer it to a plate.
6. Fry the onion, pour white wine and add sugar to it.
7. Put the resulting mass on top of the meat and let the dish brew a little.

Burger

• Time: 30 minutes.
• Servings: 3 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: about 250 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: European.
• Difficulty: medium.

Juicy and tasty burger marble meat, cooked by yourself - this is not fast food, but the most natural delicacy. It is prepared relatively quickly, like most other dishes from this base. The following recipe is one of the easiest and most quick ways feed all your household members, especially since the burger turns out to be very tasty and satisfying.

Ingredients:

• marble meat - 500 g;
• red onion (sweet), tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
• salted / pickled cucumber - 1-2 pcs.;
• cheese (cheddar), bacon - 75 g each;
• burger buns - 3 pcs.;
• lettuce leaves - 5-6 pieces;
• tomato sauce, mayonnaise, olive oil - 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt - 1/3 tsp;
• black pepper (ground) - 1-2 pinches.

Cooking method:

1. Pass the main ingredient along with the peeled onion through a meat grinder with a large mesh.
2. Add salt and pepper, mix, put in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
3. Fry the bacon strips until crispy. Lay out on a paper towel.
4. Take a cooking ring and form patties. Their thickness should be no more than 2 cm. Give them a slightly concave shape and brush with oil.
5. Fry the cutlets on each side, remove to a plate, cover with foil.
6. Mix mayonnaise and hot tomato sauce. Cut the buns in half, lightly fry, then grease with the resulting sauce.
7. Put the cutlet, brush with sauce. Top with cheese slices, tomato circle, onion rings. Then - bacon with slices of cucumbers.
8. Cover everything with lettuce and the second half of the bun - pre-lubricate it with sauce. Secure everything with a wooden skewer.

Schnitzel

• Time: 30 minutes.
• Servings: 2-3 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 200 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner, festive table.
• Cuisine: Austrian.
• Difficulty: medium.

Such a wonderful dish as schnitzel is appreciated in different countries peace. The inhabitants of Europe have a special love for him. For the preparation of this dish, both pork and chicken, as well as turkey, and beef are used. The marble variety of the latter product will help make the schnitzel more tasty and juicy. The main secret of cooking such beef is fast heat treatment.

Ingredients:

• marbled meat - at your discretion;
• vegetable oil (refined) - 1 tbsp;
• onions - 1 pc.;
• parsley, green onion(feather) - 1 bunch each;
• rosemary, thyme - 10 branches each;
• butter - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Buy meat that is sold in a vacuum package already cut into plates (about 1 cm thick) in the form. Blot with a napkin, let lie down for about half an hour.
2. Lightly brush the schnitzel with oil.
3. Put the meat on a dry, but heated frying pan. Fry on each side for about 1 minute.
4. Salt and pepper after cooking. Put a few grams on each piece butter, sprinkle with chives and parsley.
5. Let the schnitzels "rest" for a few minutes until the butter melts and the meat itself cools slightly. You can serve the dish on lettuce leaves.

Beef- dietary meat, which should dominate the tables of every family. Since it is rich in iron and other useful trace elements. In this article, let's talk about marbled beef. How does it differ from ordinary meat, and why is it so interestingly called marbled beef.

What is marbled beef?

Marble beef is called red meat of cattle, in which there is a beautiful fatty layer. It is these white layers of fat located between the muscle fibers that give this meat marbling. Thanks to this combination, the meat turns out to be surprisingly juicy, and its taste when cooked is tender and light.

What can be marbled beef? Quality scale

According to the developed standards of the US Department of Agriculture, there are 8 degrees of meat marbling (quality scale). But only:

• three of them ( prime,Choice,select) are considered extra-class beef;
• two ( standard,commercial) available in free sale, in supermarkets;
• three ( utility,Cutter,canner), in most cases, go for further processing.

These standards are used all over the world. The first three degrees are elite beef with varying degrees of marbling. It is produced from special breeds of bulls up to 3 years old. Other degrees of marbling are more budgetary and can be purchased at the supermarket.

How is beef marbling assessed?

To evaluate how beef marbled steak a cut of ribeye is taken, which is cut strictly along the 12th rib. After the resulting slice is compared with the reference template. After comparison, the meat is assigned a degree of marbling. The age of the animal is also taken into account. There are 5 categories of quality (meat rank) by age:

1. "A" -9-30 months;
2. "B" - 2.5–3.5 years;
3. "C" - 3.5-6 years;
4. "D" -6-8 years;
5. "E" - over 8 years old.

The combination of maximum marbling and minimum age gives the meat the right to be called elite.

What is extra-class marbled beef?

As already figured out, elite varieties include three degrees of meat marbling:

• Prime (maximum marbling). This meat has 1 degree of marbling. Get it from young fattened bulls. It is considered an extra-class meat with the highest degree of intermuscular fat content, which is evenly distributed throughout all tissues. It is used in the best restaurants and it is very expensive.
• Choice (golden mean). Such meat is classified by the degree of marbling from 2 to 4. It is also considered high-class marbled beef, but there are much fewer fat layers between the fibers. It can be found on sale, in elite supermarkets.
• Select (moderately bold). The marbling of this degree is calculated from 5 to 6. It is considered the most budgetary of the extra-class category. Differs in inconspicuous streaks of fat.

A few words about the meat itself

It should be noted that the best pieces are those muscle groups that were not involved in the movement. Marbled beef is not recommended to be cut into pieces for cooking (steak) less than 3 cm and more than 5 cm. Before using marbled beef, it must be allowed to mature up to 23 days. During this time, the fermentation process will take place, which will make the meat fibers more loose and tender.

Now you know what marbled beef is. Cook it with love and bon appetit.

Marble beef - the most famous meat delicacy worldwide. The name was given to the product due to its extraordinary resemblance to a beautiful stone: dozens of veins can be seen on the cut. Growing marbled beef is a labor-intensive task, so the cost of the product cannot be called low. However, meat dishes with thin layers of adipose tissue have been appreciated by many gourmets: the steaks are tender and juicy.

Story

The technology for growing bulls for marbled beef was developed in Japan, then came to Australia and other countries. The taste of this delicacy in the Soviet Union was discovered by Nikita Khrushchev during a trip to North America. There he tried a real steak and was amazed by it. palatability. After that, the Kremlin chef was given the task of preparing the same dish, but the result did not meet the expectations of the Secretary General. Then it turned out that the success of cooking depends on the meat.

Then a farm was equipped in Ukraine, on the territory of which bulls of a special breed were grown. Animals were brought there from Great Britain, the technology of their cultivation was learned in the USA. Until 8 months old, calves were not separated from cows, they were kept on pastures. Then they were transported to a farm in the Crimea, where they were fattened with food based on wheat and corn.

Where is marbled beef grown?

There are several countries that have succeeded in making marbled beef. First, this is the USA. The Americans took a very meticulous approach to the production of this delicacy: they developed standards, described them, and even published catalogs that could be used to order marbled meat.

Another state, which, in fact, is the birthplace of the production of marbled beef, is Japan. The old Kobe technology was widely used there. The cost of Japanese beef is incredibly high: the price for 1 kg reaches 500 dollars.

At present, Australia is the leader in the marbled meat supply market to the CIS countries.

Differences from regular beef

Marble meat is a small piece of red fillet. It contains a large amount of intramuscular fat. It is arranged in such a way that it resembles patterns on marble.

A special technology for the production of marbled beef allows you to get a high-quality product. What is the difference between such meat and ordinary meat?

• First, the price. The cost of marbled meat is several times higher than the cost of fillet, which is sold in markets and supermarkets.
• Secondly, this product is obtained only from meat breeds of cows.
• Thirdly, the meat is very juicy, tender and soft.
• Fourthly, marbled beef is cooked very quickly, as it is soft.

Breed

The peculiarity of marbled beef is that it can only be obtained from the carcass of young animals that are fed using a special technology.

The delicacy is obtained from representatives of meat breeds. In Russia, for example, Aberdeen Angus bulls are grown for this purpose. The production of marbled beef in our country is carried out by the Zarechnoye company, whose products are sold under the Primebeef brand. Animals are kept on the territory of the Voronezh and Kaluga regions.

Aberdeen Angus breed

How is an animal raised for marbled beef? First of all, you need to choose the right breed of cow. Not all varieties of gobies are suitable for these purposes. One of the most popular breeds with a high degree of marbling is the Aberdeen Angus. The appearance of fatty layers is due to the genetic characteristics of animals.

Black gobies have rather short but strong limbs. The growth of males is on average 150 cm, female - 130. An adult bull reaches a weight of 1 ton, the body weight of a cow is 200 kg less. It is believed that the optimal age for slaughtering representatives of this breed is 18 months. If you do this later, the muscle fibers will coarsen, and the marble pattern will become blurry. They contain representatives of the Aberdeen Angus breed in a free way.

Hereford breed

We will look at how to grow marbled beef a little later. For now, we continue the story about the breeds that are best suited for obtaining this delicacy. One of them is Hereford.

Low animals (about 125 cm at the withers) have a muscular body. They are kept in pastures. Representatives of this breed are distinguished by good cold resistance, but at low temperatures they are still placed in closed pens. Animals are slaughtered at the age of 19-20 months, before that they have been fed with cereals and hay.

Wagyu

This term generalizes several breeds that were specially bred to produce marbled beef. These are Japanese black, brown and short-horned cows. Their meat is of the highest quality, it contains a large amount of fatty acids, for example, omega-3 and omega-6, while the percentage of cholesterol is very low. Wagyu gobies are grown exclusively in Japan. For a steak from such meat, you will have to pay at least 9,000 rubles, and for a burger - 2,500.

Growing Features

So, how about marbled beef? It is very important to take good care of the animals. Throughout the year they are kept free range, allowing them to be in an environment close to natural. There they feed on meadow grasses and gain strength.

Then, about 3-4 months before slaughter, they are transferred to feedlots. During this time, the animals are fed a special cereal mixture, the main ingredient of which is wet corn. At the same time, cows and bulls are limited in movement. We briefly reviewed how to grow marbled beef, now we will dwell in more detail on the main aspects of this process and list the factors that affect meat marbling.

Factors

The term "marbling" is used to identify the presence of intramuscular fat in meat. Professionals evaluate the volume and distribution of fat in the muscles of the back in the area between the 12th and 13th ribs. What affects the degree of marbling of meat?

• Nutrition. If you feed livestock with high-calorie feed for a long time, then the beef will turn out to be of high quality, but there will be little marble tenderloin. On the contrary, when feeding animals with grains, the chances of getting marbled meat are quite high.
• Lack of physical activity. The softness of muscle mass depends on the level of physical activity of cows. In individuals that are kept in a stall, the meat is softer than that of their relatives, who freely roam the pasture.

The production of marbled beef takes a long time. First, young bulls are released into the pasture, where they walk a lot and feed on meadow grasses. Representatives of some breeds are fed with milk and only after that they are transferred to free range.

When the cattle grows up, individuals are placed in individual rooms, the walls of which are soundproof. There, animals are hung on reins. This allows you to limit the physical activity of the cows, but at the same time does not allow them to lie down. Gobies during this period are fed with selected grain and even high-quality beer to improve their appetite. On average, grain fattening lasts 200-300 days. Sometimes animals are given vibration massage. This is necessary in order for the fat to penetrate deep into the muscle tissue.

grazing

For the production of marbled beef, representatives of meat breeds are used. They are distinguished by endurance, able to travel long distances in search of food. Therefore one of milestones in the production of an expensive delicacy - grazing animals. It is carried out before fattening, as it allows the bulls to gain muscle mass. For grazing, you need to prepare a spacious pasture with useful herbs.

grass fed

There are several schemes for fattening animals. Each farmer independently selects the most suitable way to grow marbled beef.

The first way of fattening is herbal. What he really is? During the first 6 months of life, the bulls are soldered with milk, after which they are released to the pasture, where they are kept for up to 15 months. They put on weight there. They are then transferred to stalls to limit physical activity. The diet during this period consists of corn, wheat, alfalfa. Vitamins are added to the food. Bulls are slaughtered at the age of 19-30 months.

grain feeding

If you are wondering “How to grow marbled beef quickly?”, then this fattening scheme is perfect for you. First you need to solder the calves with milk. At the age of six months, bulls are transferred to grain feeding, that is, the stage of free grazing is completely excluded. Using this technology, slaughter can be carried out after 10-11 months.

Japanese technology "Kobe"

How is Japanese Kobe marbled beef grown? By special technology. First, the bulls are fed with mother's milk, then they are released into green meadows, then they are transferred to corn grain. The most important thing, according to Japanese farmers, is to keep animals in comfortable conditions.

There are many myths about how marbled beef is grown in Japan. In fact, they are not so far from reality: classical music really plays in the stalls, bulls are massaged using special combs. Leather straps are used to keep them in the stall. The most surprising thing is that the diet of cows includes rice cake from sake production, as well as brewing products. The Japanese are sure that they contain many amino acids and vitamins.

Care rules

To summarize the above, you can list the basic rules on how to grow marbled beef.

• Do not wean calves from their mother, as they must be fed milk during the first 6 months of life.
• Do not let the calves lie down during fattening, because this will adversely affect the palatability of the meat.
• Add vitamins and other beneficial substances to the feed.
• Perform vibration massage during the fattening period. This will contribute to an even distribution of the fat layer.

Beef maturation

Now you know how to grow marbled beef. Meat also needs to be processed. It is an integral part of the production process. Beef that meets world requirements undergoes a maturation process, as a result of which the meat acquires an excellent taste and becomes softer.

The first way of ripening is wet. The fillet without blood is packed in vacuum bags, having previously cooled it to 0 ° C. Then, within 10-21 days, it ripens without oxygen. Dry ripening is a more labor intensive process. In this case, the meat is hung by the bones in a refrigeration room, while neither skin nor fat is removed from it.

What can be cooked from marbled beef?

Our material provided information on how cows are raised for marbled beef. Now we will look at how this meat can be used. The most popular dish is steak, for which only a tenth of a cow's carcass can be used. There are several types of such a dish:

• Crab steak, which is cut from the edge of the longest back muscle.
• Ribeye, for the preparation of which meat is taken from the subscapular part of the body. It contains a large amount of fat.
• The teebone is a T-shaped bone with meat. It is cut between the lower back and the back, which is why it contains two types of beef fillet.
• Striploin, which is cut from the lumbar region. It has no bones.
• Roundramb is obtained from the hip part of the body, namely from its upper part.
• Porterhouse is also cut from the lower back.
• Skrit steak is marbled meat obtained from the diaphragm of a cow.
• Filet Mignon - steak with the most tender fillet.
• Tornedos are slices of meat from which the so-called medallions are prepared.
• Chateaubriand is almost the same as filet mignon. The main difference between these steaks is the serving: Chateaubriand is laid out lengthwise on a platter, while the filet mignon is placed vertically.

How to cook marbled beef?

Marble fillet can be fried in a pan or grill. For this, juicy and fatty tenderloin from the rib part is best suited. In restaurants, such dishes are served most often. The steak is thoroughly fried at a temperature of 160 ° C. The meat is cooked over low heat. To heat it evenly from all sides, you need to turn the product often. This will allow the steak to fry well from the inside and achieve a golden crust. The fat border is cut off only after the meat is completely cooked. As a side dish, marbled beef is served with potatoes and other vegetables.

Marble beef considered a delicacy of meat. It got its name because it really resembles a stone when cut. The impression is created by small streaks of thin fatty layers, which make this meat unusually tasty, juicy and tender. Per 100 g beef accounts for 18 g of protein and only 10 g of fat, as well as contains much more than the usual substances that strengthen the secretory function of the digestive system, easily digestible iron and substances that prevent the formation of cholesterol, B vitamins, phosphorus, sulfur, zinc and other metals.

It has been found that marble meat prevents the development of cancer.

How marbled beef is grown
The veins that distinguish marbled beef are formed as a result of a special regime for fattening and rearing young bulls.
Several factors play an important role in obtaining real marbled beef:
1. The right choice of breed of calves. The meat breeds of Aberdeen, Hereford, etc., which are genetically prone to veining, are used.
2. A special way of fattening calves throughout their lives.
Nutrition of animals, depending on age, is organized according to certain schemes.

One of the schemes is "grass" fattening.
1. from birth to six months, bulls feed on milk,
2. then up to 15 months they are in pastures with organic herbs, gain weight,
3. from 15-19 months old bulls are kept in stalls, limiting their movement. They are fed at this time with corn mixed with wheat and alfalfa with the addition of vitamin complexes and trace elements.
It is on the basis of such nutrition that blotches of light fat are formed in the muscle structure, and the meat acquires a resemblance to marble.

Gobies are slaughtered at the age of 9-30 months. The meat is quite lean.

The second feeding method grain feeding.
1. From birth to six months, calves are fed with milk,
2. Then the bulls are fed exclusively with grain and quickly gain weight.
Gobies are slaughtered at 10-11 months.

The third way is ancient Japanese technology "Kobe". It gives the most valuable types of marbled beef. This technology is used to fatten calves of a special breed of Wagyu, which is a national treasure of Japan.
The meat of fattened gobies has certain degrees of quality, of which the highest categories are Prime, Choise, and then several categories of ordinary marbled meat - Select, Standard, Commercial. Meat of lower categories is used for processing.

Features of cooking dishes from marbled beef
In Japanese restaurants, marbled meat is cooked in front of customers. It is fried on vegetable oil with sesame seeds and spices.
Beef is used to prepare shabu-shabu - a dish of boiled thin pieces of meat, vegetables and noodles, as well as sukiyaki - also from boiled meat, vegetables and noodles with the addition of bean curd and raw eggs.
Elsewhere in the world, marbled beef is used to cook steaks with a side dish of vegetables or green salads.
Tender marbled beef does not require long-term heat treatment.

The meat is prepared for frying in the following sequence:
1. defrost, without removing from the refrigerator, at a temperature not higher than + 4,
2. remove the vacuum packaging, wipe with a napkin (do not wash in water), let the meat stand for 15 minutes,
3. cut across the fibers into pieces at least 2–2.5 cm thick.
The steaks are not beaten, quickly fried with a little oil on all sides, then salted and peppered.

How marbled beef (semi-finished products) is sold
To preserve and sell marbled beef, it is subjected to cooling or freezing.
Prepare semi-finished products - steaks - from frozen meat, which is stored at a temperature not lower than -1.5 °. In this case, the quality and properties of meat after defrosting are fully restored.
To increase the shelf life to 8-10 weeks (maximum 120 days from the date of slaughter), storage is used chilled meat vacuum packed with inert gas.
Marbled beef grown according to the rules is very expensive. The delicacy is supplied mainly from the United States and Australia, where fattening technology is simpler and cheaper than in Japan.

V. P. Yaremchuk, Ph.D. Sci., V. I. Rodin, D. V. PhD, MGUPP

Cattle of beef breeds are characterized by precocity, a characteristic physique (wide body, well-developed muscles of the back and lower back). By the age of 15-20 months, young growth reaches a weight of 450 kg, and with intensive fattening - up to 600 kg. The slaughter yield of meat from the carcass of the meat direction is 52-58%. Unlike breeds of other directions, in beef cattle, fat is deposited not only under the skin, in the omentum and near the kidneys, but also in the intermuscular space. As a result, the meat of such animals, with good fatness, acquires marbling, i.e. sectional view, reminiscent of the texture of a noble stone.

Marbling is achieved by a special technology of fattening livestock (besides cattle, pork, and even lamb are marbling). The diet of animals includes a special feed mixture containing a large amount of corn, grain, alfalfa. Marble meat is obtained from animals of various meat breeds, which are grown in many countries of the world: in the USA, Australia, Japan, France, South America (Argentina, Chile, Ecuador), etc. Beef cattle in Russia are represented by such breeds as the Kalmyk, Kazakh white-headed , Hereford, Shorthorn, Charolais, limousine, etc.

Properties of marbled meat

Marble meat rightfully belongs to the delicacies, as it has a special taste due to intramuscular fat, evenly distributed in the form of fatty layers between the muscle fibers. During the heat treatment of products from such meat, the fat layers melt, filling the meat with juice, and it acquires a unique softness and tenderness. Marbling has its own gradations depending on the intensity, i.e. the frequency of white inclusions in the fibers. The higher the marbling, the more tender the steak. American statisticians have calculated the steak quality coefficients depending on the degree of marbling of meat raw materials. The American gradation of meat suggests three degrees of marbling (in order of increasing): select, choice, premium.

Japan is the main consumer and homeland of marbled meat

Marble meat appeared in Japan in the 60s of the XIX century. For fattening for marbled meat, the Japanese use animals called Wagyu. The term Wagyu refers to calves of a family of several breeds that are genetically predisposed to intense marbling of meat. The etymology of the word Wagyu: Wa means "Japanese", gyu - cattle; together it turns out Wagyu - "Japanese cow". The most famous Japanese breeds of the Wagyu group are Tajima, Tottori, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto. These breeds are genetically predisposed to the appearance of fatty layers in the meat. Gobies of "marble" breeds are especially inactive, complacent and phlegmatic. Breeds of the Wagyu group are bred by crossing local meat breeds of cattle with British ones.

It is from Tajima gobies that Kobe is made - ready-to-eat marbled meat of animals that have been raised and killed under certain conditions. Japanese herders explain that a live bull cannot yet be called Kobe, it should be called Tajima, but a piece raw meat- this is Kobe. Thus, Kobe is not a breed, but an old Japanese technology: a set of methods for raising and slaughtering Tajima bulls.

Secrets of the production of marbled meat

The exclusivity of "marble" meat is achieved by the Japanese with the help of a special technology for growing bulls - Kobe. According to this technology, calves are fed with milk for up to 4-6 months, and then they are transferred to pasture grazing, where they live a free life, with little or no human intervention. Bulls grown up on pastures up to a certain body weight are placed in individual rooms with soundproof walls and hung on reins. This is done so that the bulls cannot move, but do not lie, since the muscles of the animal must be in tension to evenly distribute the fat layers in the muscle tissues.

During this period, bulls are fed with selected grains and high-quality beer is drunk to improve their appetite. The combination of vitamin B1 contained in the feed with mild alcohol enhances fat deposition. The longer the bull is fed with grain, the greater the "marbling" of its meat. Average grain feeding standard: 200-300 days. In order for the fat to go deep into the muscles and form thin streaks in the muscle tissue, the bull is given a vibromassage, the techniques of which resemble beating. To improve digestion in animals, Japanese classical music is played indoors.
But in all other countries of the world, this technology is prohibited by law: it is impossible to buy real marbled meat in stores in Russia and Europe. In addition, this technology is very complex and expensive (according to some reports, even in Japan itself, the price of such meat can exceed $500 per kg). Therefore, it is not necessary to talk about the industrial scale of the production of marbled meat.

Marble meat in the world

The main suppliers to the world market of marbled beef are the USA and Australia. Farms in these countries use a fattening system that is simpler and cheaper than in Japan. The same free grazing of young animals on pastures is used. Then the animals are immobilized and fattened with grain (not always wheat, more often corn and mixed fodder). The average grain fattening standard is 120-150 days.

Sometimes dry wine, milk and even honey are added to the diet (at least in ecologically clean Australia). Honey fattening determines the accumulation of substances in the muscles that contribute not only to greater "friability" and softness of meat, but also to the formation of a crust during frying, which leads to greater safety useful substances in the finished product. True, the world leaders in the production of "marble" meat use cheaper chemical additives to achieve the same goals. It should also be said about grass fattening, when animals are fattened on pastures all the time after weaning from the cow until slaughter. The meat in this case is more lean. In this case, the emphasis is mainly on the genetic predisposition to marbling. The cost of marbled meat produced using this technology does not exceed 200 euros/kg.

In most cases, “American-style” marbled meat is the meat of young bulls of specially bred meat breeds: Angus, Aberdeen, Hereford, Charolais, Limousine, which are grown in ecologically clean meadows and fed with corn grain according to a special program. The most popular among marble rocks enjoys black angus (Black Angus). Animals of this breed are undemanding, adapt well to external conditions, resistant to diseases, obedient, prolific.

Post-slaughter maturation of marbled meat

After the slaughter of an animal, the marbled meat is not immediately ready for sale and consumption. Intramuscular fat distributed in meat tissues becomes clearly visible only if fresh meat is kept in refrigerated rooms for at least 24 hours. present in meat, activate chemical processes that destroy muscle fibers. Under the influence of enzymes, the meat becomes more tender, its flavor “bouquet” is finally formed. After maturation, the carcass is cut into parts according to accepted standards, all cut parts are vacuum-packed and sent to the consumer either frozen (in sea containers) or chilled (in air containers).

Modern knowledge of marbled meat

Modern medical research shows that "marbled" meat is significantly ahead of ordinary beef in terms of the content of nitrogenous extractives, pantothenic acid, and biotin. These substances enhance the secretory function of the digestive apparatus and contribute to better digestibility of products.

"Marble" meat contains iron in an easily digestible form, as well as compounds that prevent the formation of cholesterol. "Marble" meat actively contributes to the excretion of substances that provoke cancer from the body. No wonder the administrations of all children's educational institutions in Japan are required to feed children meat products only increased "marbling".