First, a little about how things stand with knowledge not among us, consumers, but among those who call themselves professionals.
1. Ignorance of Moscow restaurants
During these 3 years, I visited many restaurants in Moscow and not only, where I paid attention to what they write on the menu about the proposed steaks, and concluded that only some Moscow establishments correctly present culture marble meat. That is, if you open an institution where you serve a steak and mention such terms as “Wagoo” or “Kobi” on the menu, it is your duty to tell the guest what it is. If you don't want to bother, just write "marble meat, Australia". Since the ignorance of the restaurant is picked up by the guest and, foaming at the mouth, then tells his friends that he ate Vagu in the restaurant and that this is the coolest meat. Friends tell their friends. Information is overgrown with rumors and as a result we have uneducated guests and all sorts of myths that an acquaintance of an acquaintance ate magic beef from a bull in some restaurant in Moscow, who lived in a spa in Japan, he was given a massage, and then he was delivered first class to Moscow to be eaten. Such uneducated guests then come with the haughty air of a connoisseur and treat the waiter with their pseudo-knowledge of Vagu meat. Thus, there is only one conclusion - the guest should be unobtrusively educated, interested, and the guest should not be told stories.
2. Ignorance of Moscow suppliers
The normal desire of a restaurant is to get the best from suppliers. You have to fight for this, especially if you have a small and start-up enterprise. The best goes to the network monsters. In this fight, literally, for a piece of meat, I constantly tried to understand why one supply is better than another, asked many questions to suppliers, read about meat. And besides other conclusions, he made this - managers who work with restaurant clients do not have the correct system of knowledge about their product - marbled meat. This applies to such monsters as MARR Russia, the Australian Trading House, Snow World, East-West. Not a single manager with whom I worked from these companies could clearly explain to me what is the difference between Australian, American and Japanese meat, which is better, why Kobi is from Australia, how is Kobi or Kobo correct, and Kobo is better than Wagyu or Wagyu, etc. .d. They all got off with a rude sale of what they had, and they knew little about what they had.
3. What is marbled meat?
I am sure that I will not reveal the secret by answering this question. But it's worth telling. Marbling means only one thing - the presence of a sufficient amount of fatty inclusions in meat fibers. Marble meat does not mean that the bull was mocked: hung up, massaged and turned on Cafe del Mar. And it doesn't have to be from Japan. Marble meat of different breeds, including chile and Japanese breeds, is grown in different countries: in the USA, Australia, Japan, South America (Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, France, etc.) Marbling is achieved by a special technology of cattle fattening. The diet of animals includes a special feed mixture containing a large amount of corn, grain, alfalfa. Marbling has its own gradations depending on its intensity, that is, the frequency of white inclusions in the fibers. The higher the marbling, the more tender the steak. American statistics even calculated the coefficients of customers dissatisfied with the quality of the steak, depending on the degree of marbling. The American gradation of meat suggests three degrees of marbling: select, choice, premium.
4. Magical Japanese meat: what are Wagu and Kobi, why do Moscow restaurants call beef from America and Australia "Kobi"?
1) Real Kobi can only be from Japan and must meet the following conditions:
a) Tajima bull born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Kinki region on Honshu Island, whose capital is Kobi;
b) The steer must be fed in Hyōgo Prefecture
c) The bull must be castrated or be a virgin, which makes the meat cleaner (as Anatole said, after castration, the animal gains weight, and plus - the meat does not stink)
d) The steer must be killed in one of these cities in Hyōgo Prefecture: Kobe, Nishinomiya, Sanda, Kakogawa, or Himeji.
e) On the Japanese marbling scale (called BMS), beef must be graded 6 or higher.
f) The quality of the meat according to the Japanese gradation must be A or B
g) The total weight of the bull must not exceed 470 kg.
2) The term Wagyu primarily means a family of several breeds of bulls that are genetically predisposed to intense marbling of meat. The most famous Japanese breeds of the Wagyu group are Tajima, Tottori, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto. It is from the Tajima breed that Kobi is made. Thus, the term Wagyu is broader than Kobe. Kobi is the finished meat of an already slaughtered Tajima steer that has been reared and slaughtered under certain conditions (see point 1). Thus, Kobi is not a bull breed, but a combination of methods for rearing and slaughtering Tajima bulls. That is, a live bull cannot be called Kobe, it must be called Tajima, but a piece raw meat is Kobe. Wagyu etymologists: "WA" means "Japanese", and "GU" - cattle, that is, "WAGU" is a JAPANESE COW.
3) Why do Moscow restaurants and suppliers call beef from America and Australia "Kobi"?
When calves of the Wagyu family were brought to America, they were crossed with Angus calves for the following reasons: 1) in order for the animals to survive in the American climate; 2) in order to find the optimal balance of marbling for the American buyer, as the average American buyer called the meat of the original Wagyu - "too white". The resulting bull, in agreement with Japan, was called not "Kobi" or "Wagu", but "American Style Kobe Beef". The diet of such a bull: a mix of corn, pearl barley, alfalfa, wheat straw. The bull is usually slaughtered at the age of 30-35 months. Australians breed both purebred Wagyu and crossbreds, and the Australian Wagyu Association is the largest Wagyu breeder association outside of Japan.
THEREFORE, THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DONE:
1) Beef can only be called Kobe if it fits all Japanese conditions, simply put, Kobe is only Japanese beef;
2) You can not call beef Kobe or Wag if it is from America, the correct name for it is American Style Kobe Beef or "Kobe in the American manner."
3) Purebred Wagu except Japan are exported ONLY from Australia! And they are cheaper than Wagu gobies from Japan. So if you want purebred VAGU, but cheap - eat VAGU from Australia.
Everyone tried it in restaurants, but almost no one cooked it on their own. What are we talking about? Oh yes, marbled beef! After all, joking aside: how often have you had to serve this delicacy product for dinner at home? Not? And absolutely in vain! After all, cooked at home steak conditions from marbled meat contains a unique ingredient that not every restaurant chef has. We are talking about a piece of soul and mood that you put into a dish made by yourself. And if you add a little more “knowledge of the matter” to this, then the success of the venture is guaranteed.
For those who are just discovering such a delicious delicacy as marbled beef and want to learn how to cook it in their kitchen, we have prepared a series of articles. In the first of them, we will tell you why marbled beef is so famous and why it cannot be compared with the meat of an ordinary cow, which is sold on the market.
Believe it or not, you want it, but it was like this
It is considered that marble cows appeared in Japan. According to an ancient legend, this happened even before our era with the light hand of a certain local goddess. Like it or not, it has not been established for certain. However, there is still a certain historical clue: references to this wonderful animal are contained in the chronicles of the Land of the Rising Sun a thousand years ago.
Since then, the breeding of this variety of cattle has become a real cult. All the Japanese dreamed of tasting this “divine” cow meat, but only a few representatives of the authorities were awarded such an honor. And only at the end of the 17th century, when Buddhism became the state religion of the country and eating beef was banned, interest in this topic subsided. But, as it turned out, not for long. Changes in the cultural and political life of the country allowed the tradition to revive: in the 1860s, during the Meiji Revolution, marble animal husbandry began to develop rapidly again. And today the country supplies more than 120 varieties of similar meat products to the world market.
There is an opinion that one of the first statesmen who became interested in her was N. S. Khrushchev. During an official visit to the United States, he happened to taste a surprisingly fragrant beef steak. Khrushchev liked the taste of this dish so much that, upon returning home, he asked his chef to conduct a gastronomic experiment. And then everyone was in for a surprise. It turned out that the recipe for the preparation of the dish did not play a primary role. Much more important was the type of meat from which such a steak was made. And the necessary beef in the USSR of those times was simply not found. Therefore, the Secretary of State had to open a special farm, where special bulls of meat breeds were imported from abroad.
Marble vs. "regular" beef: the difference is significant
“This is all understandable, but what is worse than the meat of an ordinary cow, which I can buy cheaper at the nearest market?” - you ask. And we will explain to you that it differs in everything, from the quality of the product to its taste. The fact is that there are cows of dairy and meat breeds.
- As the name suggests, the first designed to give milk. This is what they do all their lives. And when a dairy cow becomes old, it is allowed to be slaughtered. Do not throw away such "valuable" meat! You can easily find such a product in the market or in the nearest supermarket. Even after a long heat treatment(boiling or stewing) dishes from it remain tough, hard to chew and have a characteristic aftertaste.
- Meat breeds of beef are bred precisely in order to get to your table after a certain period of fattening - grass or grain. These animals are genetically predisposed to the formation of an intramuscular fat layer. Thanks to this, a marble pattern appears in the texture of their meat, according to which such beef is easy to distinguish visually. It is incredibly juicy and tender, because bulls are slaughtered at a young age. Therefore, steak and other marbled beef dishes are cooked very quickly - in just a few minutes.
There is a market for marbled beef in modern Russia!
One of the leaders in this agricultural segment is the Zarechnoye group of innovative companies, whose products are known under the brand. This meat is a high degree of marbling - Choice, Top Choice and Prime, which is obtained from bulls of the Aberdeen Angus breed. Animals are grazed and fattened in ecologically clean areas of the Voronezh and Kaluga regions. For 10-12 months they simply live in an environment close to natural and eat meadow grasses. Then young bulls are transferred to feedlots, where they are given a special 4-component grain mixture based on wet corn for 180 days. No hormones or chemicals! The output is amazing world-class quality marbled meat, from which juicy and fragrant steaks are made. And in order to fully reveal the taste of beef, before getting on the cutting board to the chef, the product undergoes a 2-week wet ripening procedure.
We can talk for a long time about the "evolution" of marbled beef in Russia and in the world, provide information from history and genetics. But the facts are inedible ... What can not be said about or any other dish of marbled meat. So treat yourself to it tonight, just like that! And you yourself will feel and understand.
Marble beef is rightfully considered the queen meat delicacies. Perhaps that is why there are many legends about this type of meat. For example, in order to obtain marbled beef, bulls are hung from the ceiling on reins, soldered with beer, and massaged to maintain a good emotional state. At the same time, the entire growing process takes place to the sounds of classical music. Production technology marbled beef is indeed complex, but still not to the extent that it may seem to many at first glance.
Marble beef
Marble, beef meat, is called due to the fact that in its own way appearance really looks like marble, dotted with white layers. These fatty inclusions are formed in the thickness of the muscle mass of bulls of certain breeds as a result of very complex process cultivation. The more fatty inclusions in the meat structure, the juicier and better it is, because during heat treatment this fat enters the structure of the meat, and it becomes soft, juicy and tender. In our country, this meat is just beginning to appear, but many restaurants already work with this meat.
A bit of history
It is curious that Nikita Khrushchev was the first in the Soviet Union to discover the taste of marbled beef. During his first trip to the US, the Soviet General Secretary tasted a real American steak. His taste qualities Khrushchev was so impressed that he challenged a Kremlin chef to learn the recipe and cook a steak in the Soviet Union. The chef completed the task - learned and cooked. Khrushchev was disappointed: the dish did not live up to his expectations. It was then that it turned out that the matter was not in the recipe, but exclusively in the meat. Americans used to cook steak marbled beef produced from special breeds of livestock.
Marble beef - delicacy meat
And then, on the orders of Khrushchev, a strictly secret farm was equipped in the north of Ukraine, where gobies of a special breed were brought from the UK, and the technology of their cultivation was learned in the USA. According to her, calves were not separated from cows until 8 months old, they grew up on free pasture, and grown bulls were transported to a farm located in the Crimea. Here, in a warmer climate, bulls were fed in stalls with a strictly balanced diet based on corn and wheat. The meat was sent by plane straight to the Kremlin...
What breeds are marbled beef from?
There are many different breeds of cattle. However, it is impossible to obtain real marbled beef from animal dairy breeds; it is produced exclusively from animal meat breeds of cattle.
The best breed suitable for obtaining marbled beef is considered to be the meat breed of black hornless bulls of the Aberdeen Angus breed. It was bred in the north of Scotland in the counties of Aberdeen and Angus in 1879. In the UK, this delicacy has become a cult food, and the Americans very quickly adapted it to their culinary culture. Now the Aberdeen Angus breed is bred all over the world.
Gobies of meat breeds
Another British meat breed is the Hereford (or Hereford). These white-headed red-colored bulls were bred in Herefordshire and also spread throughout the world.
Goby fattening and maturation
The second component of the production of high quality marbled beef is the fattening of bulls. Throughout the entire growing period (such bulls are slaughtered at a young age), fattening must be correct and balanced. Particular attention is paid to the last 3-4 months: then a certain complex diet is developed and maintained for animals, including grain, corn, alfalfa and many other components.
But in order for beef to meet the highest requirements, it must go through a ripening process. It is then that the meat becomes softer and acquires an excellent taste. Ripening can be wet or dry.
For the production of marbled meat, bulls require special care
When wet maturing, the meat is packed in vacuum bags without the presence of blood. Before packaging, it is cooled to 0 ° C. The process takes place without access to oxygen and lasts from 10 to 21 days, depending on the manufacturer's technology.
The process of dry maturation is more laborious: the meat is hung on the bones in a refrigerated room at the right temperature. At the same time, fat or skin should remain on it, which will then be removed.
Producing countries of marbled beef
A couple of years ago, virtually everything supplied to the CIS countries was imported from North America. It was there that the technology for growing meat bulls with intramuscular fat inclusions was fully developed.
American farmers have approached the issue of beef production very scrupulously. They divided its marbling into several categories. The highest category in America is prime. Next comes choice. Angus is also divided into prime and choice. And then select, standard, commertion follow. The meat is classified by independent experts. The work of marbling classifiers is very prestigious and highly paid.
The Americans have described and standardized literally every beef part, from cuts and steak sizes to offal. They have issued specialized catalogs on this subject. Therefore, it was very convenient to work with the USA: orders could be made simply from the catalog. Most Russian companies have begun to order American marbled meat.
Marble meat is considered dietary product
But in the fall of 2003, mad cow disease was discovered in one of the US farms, and virtually all countries closed their borders to American beef. In December 2003, a ban on the trade in American beef was also introduced in Russia.
Marbled beef is also produced in Japan, but this is a small country in terms of area, it is there that all myths can come true, and it is there, according to the old kobe technology, gobies can be reared in limbo by giving them beer for appetite. And although the cost of marbled beef is high even without it (it starts from 1 thousand rubles per 1 kg), the cost of meat grown using this technology is incredibly high even by restaurant standards: the price of 1 kg reaches $ 500 and more. Today, Australia is the leader in the supply of marbled beef to the CIS markets.
What is done with marbled meat
Australian marbled beef Green Fed (grain-fed) is also classified by the degree of marbling (Marbling, abbreviated as MB) from 1 to 9, but the market is mainly represented by categories MB 1/2 or MB 3/4 (the cost of 1 kg of such tenderloin is 1200 rubles .). It is extremely rare for restaurants to order marbled meat of the MB 5/6 and 7/8 categories. It is very expensive - up to $ 200 per 1 kg.
Cuts also have their own categories: tenderloin (tenderloin), rib eye (thick edge), striploin (thin edge) and T-Bone steak. The T-Bone-steak combines meat, different in structure and degree of marbling: this is portioned meat on a T-shaped bone, where a thin edge passes on one side, and a tenderloin on the other.
Marble meat must be thawed in the package and in a chilled chamber and is strictly prohibited in microwave oven. It needs to be defrosted only a little, not completely, and immediately portioned so that all the juice remains in the meat.
Marble meat dishes are very tasty and varied.
There are several degrees of frying meat. Very rare and Rare (fry at a temperature of about 55 and 60 ° C, respectively) - the steak is very raw or raw, the meat is red in the cut, with blood. Medium rare and Medium (frying temperature is about 63 and 71 ° C, respectively) - medium raw and medium steak, medium rare meat, grayish-pink in section, with a translucent blood bud. Well done and Very well done (temperature about 77 and 82 ° C) - the steak is completely ready and overcooked, the meat is completely fried, gray in the cut, with a transparent juice. Since marbled beef meets all sanitary standards, it has passed all the checks, it can be safely eaten with blood.
This meat is served in restaurants of the highest category, it is cooked to order - it is fried only when the guest has said what degree of frying he prefers. Most often they order a medium degree of readiness.
Nowadays, there is a growing trend towards the development of beef farming for the production of marbled beef. It has become fashionable, because now a lot of people travel abroad, try marbled beef there and want to see it here.
There are many varieties meat products. But not all of them are equally valuable and useful. Marbled beef can play an important role in the modern diet, so consumers need to clearly understand what its features are.
What is it and how is it obtained?
Real marbled beef is notable for its high cost: if “something like that” is sold at the lowest price, they are probably offering a fake. This type of meat got its name because of the way it looks. Fat veins form a kind of ornament, which evokes associations with the appearance of a marble slab. But the high popularity and excellent culinary ratings are associated not only with an unusual external appearance.
This type of meat has an unusual taste - ordinary beef is simply not so tender.
Farmers do not produce "marbled" pork, mutton or other meat. Only scammers sell such a product.
But there is one more nuance: knowing the name of the breed of cows (“Altai” or any other), which gives marbled meat, is not enough for success. It is necessary to create special conditions. In the past, marbled beef was produced only by Japanese peasants. For this purpose, they raised bulls and cows of a strictly defined breed. Such great importance of these animals was the source of the ban on their export. Only in recent decades has the ban been broken. And yet, the practice developed over the centuries makes itself felt - Japanese marbled meat remains the most valuable in the 21st century. The method of raising livestock, as already noted, means a lot.
Carefully developed methodology includes:
- special food;
- minimization of motor activity of cows;
- special manipulations that are not practiced with other breeds.
Cows stand in the most narrow stalls: the less space they have, the less often they move. Therefore, the share of muscles is reduced and the tasty part of the carcass increases. But bedsores and other manifestations of insufficient mobility can also adversely affect the finished product. Therefore, in cowsheds where marbled meat is produced, vibration massage is mandatory for animals. Some farms even play classical music to keep the cows calm.
But the content regime is not everything. Unlike conventional farms, they do not seek to transfer livestock to "adult" feed as soon as possible. In the first 6 months of life, cows are given exclusively milk and are carefully monitored to ensure that there are no other components in their diet. When the time comes for full grazing, only wild meadows are used for this purpose. There, at rest and away from sources of pollution, it turns out to achieve an optimal result.
Later, the cows are moved to special pens. Now they are given first-class grain, and to stimulate their appetite, they drink alcohol. This is generally standard technology. However, all firms have original approaches that will obviously not be disclosed publicly. The secret of those treatments that are used after the slaughter of cattle is even more carefully guarded.
In addition to the Wagyu and Aberdeen Angus breeds, other types of cattle - Aquitaine and Hereford - can be used to produce marbled meat. In addition to Japan, marbled beef is also mass-produced in Argentina, Australia, the United States of America and New Zealand. Recently, this production has been mastered in Russia. True, due to the specific features of the technology, only large agricultural holdings can produce such a product. Specialists in the field of culinary arts have long figured out where samples of products of unsurpassed quality are obtained. They are not even supplied from all of Japan, but only from the area around the city of Kobe, which gave the name to this variety.
Aquitaine
Hereford
For 1 kg of such marbled meat, the owners of elite restaurants and chefs are ready to pay 200-700 dollars. And such a deal is clearly profitable. You can grow a bull for marbled meat in at least 2 years and 6 months. And direct preparation for slaughter - grain fattening, lasts from 200 to 300 days. The whole process is carefully controlled by veterinarians and other specialists.
Types of marbling
Marble meat in any case is not something homogeneous, it is divided into different types. The most well-fed young growth allows you to get beef of the "prime" variety. It has a lot of fat, in addition to a piece uniformly distributed over the volume. It is this product that is the most expensive in most restaurants. Marbled beef at this level is recommended for grilling, roasting, or other dry-roasting methods.
Somewhat inferior to her meat category "choice". It can also be considered very high quality, but the marbling is already noticeably less. A cut, as well as choise-type steaks, are always juicy, tender and fragrant. It is especially recommended to use pieces cut from the back and waist of a cow.
In principle, this meat can also be heated dry. However, time limits must be strictly observed.
Choice level marbled beef, if taken from other parts of the carcass, must be stewed or simmered. For this purpose, a frying pan is used, into which a small amount of liquid is poured. The pan must be completely covered with a lid. As for the marbled meat of the "select" group, the opinion of professional culinary specialists is unequivocal - only the most tender parts are suitable for dry heat treatment. Everything else should be soaked in marinades in advance, while deviating from the proportions indicated in the recipes is undesirable.
It is important to understand that "choice", "prime" and "select" are the levels of the American classification of marbled meat (other states have their own approaches). In the United States, beef is also distinguished as "standard" and "commercial". However, these two categories are not recommended by professional chefs for cooking steaks. Theoretically, this is possible, but the result is unlikely to cause delight. The taste of such a dish can hardly be called special.
The Japanese system distinguishes 5 groups of marbled meat. The 5th category is considered the most solid.
A similar product is sent only to high-end restaurants. Moreover, the orders of establishments in the Land of the Rising Sun are first fulfilled. Only then the goods are sent abroad. The 3rd and 4th categories are the same marbled meat, which can mainly be found in Europe and Asia. The last two categories are the most affordable.
But a product of comparable quality grown in other countries is even cheaper. Therefore, such meat is not in special demand. The Australian food industry uses a classification of marbling into 9 groups. The best among them is the ninth group. Naturally, a product of a higher class is less common.
How is it different from the usual?
But marbled beef, whatever grade it may be, has significant differences from ordinary meat. As you might guess, this product is obtained only from meat breeds. At the same time, livestock is slaughtered at an early age. A characteristic pattern similar to noble marble is not the only advantage of such beef. It cooks extremely quickly, you can get excellent steaks in a few minutes.
In Russia, Aberdeen Angus bulls are mainly used for the production of marbled meat. They are kept in the cleanest areas where they are fed with meadow herbs.
Animal nutrition does not contain any hormonal additives, and there are no medicines. After all, the cattle are perfectly healthy and are in ideal conditions for life. Therefore, there is simply no need to treat it. Often, before being sent to retail outlets and restaurant kitchens, marbled beef undergoes special processing for full maturation.
Compound
For 100 g of marbled beef, there are 10 g of fat and 18 g of protein. This is respectively 22.7 and 12% of daily allowance for adults engaged in moderately heavy work. But besides the main components, there are other substances, microelements in the meat. The concentration of saturated acids reaches 3.25 g.
41 mg of cholesterol is concentrated in 100 g of marbled beef, therefore its presence cannot be ignored.
This type of meat is saturated with water - its concentration is 69.3%. Thanks to 20 mg of calcium, the product is quite useful for the skeletal system and nervous tissue. 207 mg of phosphorus will help improve the functioning of the brain, which is extremely important in our turbulent times. Since meat contains significant amounts of magnesium and especially potassium, it helps to improve cardiac activity.
Of the other trace elements, it is worth noting the presence of:
- copper;
- Selena;
- magnesium;
- manganese;
- gland;
- zinc.
But in addition to inorganic substances, marbled beef contains quite a lot of vitamins. Among them it is worth noting:
Vitamins are present in smaller amounts:
- choline.
Benefit and harm
Marble beef, due to its low nutritional value, is one of the dietary meat products. The concentration of cholesterol in it is noticeably less than even in lean cow meat. Therefore, this type of food does not increase blood pressure, eliminates the likelihood of the formation of vascular plaques. The fat that occupies the spaces between the muscles is mainly composed of unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, it does not harm even with a significant likelihood of atherosclerotic and cardiovascular disorders.
The protein that is part of marbled meat is considered complete. That is, it contains 100% of vital amino acids.
Therefore, there is no need to compensate for the need for them by using other (less useful) products. Choline, aka B4, plays an important role in metabolism. This substance also improves the work of the autonomic nervous system, promotes the conduction of electrical impulses.
Thanks to cyanocobolamin, marbled meat activates hematopoiesis. Therefore, this product is deservedly considered useful for anemia.
As for vitamin B12, it helps to normalize the intestinal microflora and strengthen the immune system. Nicotinic acid has a positive effect on the state of various vessels. It is especially valuable for the vital activity of the heart and brain.
Marble meat, due to its high phosphorus content, helps to improve the production of various enzymes and hormonal regulation. This chemical element is also extremely valuable in the production of proteins, lipids, and other substances that form cell walls. Therefore, the recovery of the body is improved even after serious illnesses or exhausting operations. The iron in marbled beef differs in an accessible form for assimilation.
An excellent balance of substances, coupled with a limited calorie content, makes marbled meat a very healthy type of food. For those suffering from cardiac diseases, it is attractive not only because of the reduction in cholesterol levels. This product helps to stabilize the frequency of contractions of the indefatigable muscle. In addition, the expansion of peripheral vessels removes part of the load from it. With neurological disorders, a very serious advantage is the optimization of blood circulation in the brain.
It has been proven that eating marbled meat can increase the reaction rate. It is possible in some cases to cope with violations of the transmission of the nerve signal.
It is noted that this product helps to increase the level of hemoglobin.
Marble meat helps to recover faster after burns and serious infections. It is useful when hormonal dysfunction develops (if the work of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland is abnormal or if diabetes mellitus occurs).
For those and others, enrichment of the body will be attractive useful substances generally. Whether marbled meat protects against malignant neoplasms, experts have not figured it out yet. Some sources answer this question in the affirmative. Professionals note that this may be due to the high concentration of vitamins.
With all the positive characteristics of marbled beef, a certain risk cannot be ignored. A significant concentration of protein can increase the concentration of purine bases in the body. If it grows, then you can be afraid:
- renal colic;
- attacks of gout;
- exacerbation of osteochondrosis.
Oversaturation of the diet with fats sometimes causes exacerbation of cholecystitis and pancreatitis. Since elite meats contain many active substances, increased secretion of gastric juice is likely. Therefore, the condition of patients with peptic ulcer may worsen. Principal contraindications for the use of marbled beef are allergic reactions and intolerance to individual components. Taking into account these subtleties, 99% of the negative consequences can be eliminated; another 1% may be associated with the choice of low-quality meat and its improper storage.
Nutritional value and calorie content of meat
The energy value marbled beef is 170 kcal per 100 g. Therefore, this portion allows you to close 8% of the daily energy requirement. But it is important to understand that this is only an average figure. The actual value may depend on the specific source, on the method of production and breed of livestock, and even on the expiration date. And here's a big difference nutritional value marbled beef dishes do not.
Storage
You can buy marbled beef only in large retail chains. The minimum cost of the product starts from $ 25 per 1 kg. Russian products can be cheaper than imported ones, but by a maximum of 5-8%. Connoisseurs recommend purchasing only lumpy food that is vacuum-packed. It is necessary to carefully look at whether the characteristic pattern is clearly visible, therefore it is advisable to buy marbled meat in a transparent container.
Even experienced chefs and nutritionists advise reading labels. There, manufacturers must indicate:
- what breed of cattle was used;
- in what area (not the country as a whole!) animals grew;
- how long the cows or bulls have been slaughtered;
- marbling category;
- the method by which meat was brought to maturity.
Dry maturation mainly involves processing the meat along with the skin. The pieces are hung in the refrigerator at a temperature strictly from 1 to 4 degrees Celsius. The processing time is 15-28 days. When maturity is reached, the skin is removed and subcutaneous fat is removed, the product is divided into cuts. Wet technique includes:
- exsanguination;
- cooling down to 0 degrees;
- storage in a vacuum package in an industrial refrigerator (from 10 to 20 days).
Regardless of the production method, beef is recommended to be stored at temperatures from 1.5 to 0.5 degrees.
This mode prevents freezing and at the same time guarantees optimal cooling. Strict observance of such requirements still allows you to restore the original culinary characteristics of the product by 100%. The development of pathological bacteria is excluded, which is extremely important for food safety.
cooking recipes
Just keeping marbled beef is not enough. You still need to properly process it and get a delicious dish. The approach largely depends on the type of cut that is planned to be used. So, the flesh of the thigh has a rather high rigidity. Therefore, it is necessary to cook this part of the carcass longer than usual, then it will become much softer and more palatable.
Experienced chefs advise baking beef thigh. This processing method will significantly improve the taste and get an appetizing crispy crust. But even before cooking, it takes some time to just leave the meat alone. When it is removed from the vacuum package, it should be saturated with atmospheric oxygen.
If this requirement is not observed, it will not be possible to reveal its taste as it should.
The later baked beef is left to "relax" under a layer of foil. The residual heat will allow the juices to be evenly distributed throughout the piece. The temperature will become even. Such techniques are invariably used by haute cuisine chefs, even if they are in a hurry to bring the dish to the table. This is how the beef is cooked truly tender and juicy; but still it is worth improving its taste by preparing the sauce at your discretion.
Many are interested not only in baking, but also in the preparation of marbled beef in a slow cooker. With it, you can get an excellent steak. To do this, take a cut with a layer of 1.5 cm. The degree of roasting of the steak can be different. In any case, it is possible to get a fragrant, tasty dish, if only all standard rules are strictly observed. Processing beef steak, seasoned with coriander and rosemary, will take a maximum of 20 minutes.
To work, you need 250 g of meat and 25 g vegetable oil. Marinating a piece grated with a mixture of spices and salt lasts about 30 minutes. The multicooker is given the command to work in the mode of frying meat. It is not necessary to close the lid, it is required to turn the piece over 10 minutes after the start of cooking.
Provencal processing method involves languishing in own juice. This method is attractive in that there is no need to continuously monitor the state of the piece and rotate it periodically. Readiness control takes over the timer. In this recipe, 500 g of meat should have 60 g of sunflower and olive oils.
Beef meat according to the Provencal recipe is cooked in slices into portions. Marinating takes place in a film under the influence of a mixture of olive oil and a selection of Mediterranean herbs. It takes 24 hours to marinate a piece. It takes 4-5 minutes to fry marbled beef on 1 side. If the goal is to achieve a crispy crust, you need to fry for 7 minutes. Serve the dish on the table already slightly chilled.
The recommended side dish is made from fresh vegetables. In an effort to enhance and diversify the taste, you can combine different sets of seasonings, their proportions. But at the same time, one must remember about the compatibility of individual products and the fact that excessive saturation of taste can spoil the impression. When choosing the duration of cooking, it is worth considering the power of the multicooker.
Part of the lovers original dishes prefer red wine sauce. For him take (for 1 serving):
- 130 ml of wine;
- 200 ml of meat broth;
- 70 g cream;
- 100 g of cognac.
The onion is cut relatively finely and fried. By introducing cognac, pepper, the mixture is set on fire. As soon as the fire goes out, pour the cream. The mixture is boiled. Salt last, adjust the spiciness of salting to your liking.
It should be noted that you can also fry chop, cook schnitzels, meatballs and many other dishes from marbled beef. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to limit yourself to steaks alone. You should definitely try at least once and completely different options. First of all, we are talking about goulash with gravy. It is prepared using pieces of meat with a thickness of 3 to 5 cm. They use a little spices, but be sure to take mixtures of aromatic herbs and olive oil. The amount of oil, pepper and salt is selected individually. Frying in a pan on one side takes 3 minutes. Therefore, after 6 minutes, you can transfer the meat to the oven for another 5 minutes.
If, when pierced with a knife, a weakness of roasting is found, it is necessary to refine the beef in the oven in the same mode for another 2 or 3 minutes. But it should be borne in mind that the weakest and strongest roasting for marbled meat cannot be used.
You can use this product for classic European dishes such as tartare and carpaccio and even for regular roasts. However, with marbled meat, even the usual food is transformed.
How to make a delicious dish of marbled beef, see the following video.
Marble beef - what kind is this? Many users have not even heard of such meat, and all due to the fact that raising animals for the subsequent creation of marbled beef is an expensive process.
The variety of meat received an unusual name due to its special appearance: the streaks of fat are arranged in such a way that they are surprisingly similar to marble patterns. However, marbled beef steaks are valued not for their visual appeal, but for their unusual taste.
Do you know how marbled beef is obtained? Initially, only the Japanese produced a rare variety, using the meat of young tojima gobies and wagyu cows. Breeds of cattle were used to create elite beef.
Production of marbled beef
To get real marbled beef, bulls are kept in cramped stalls, similar to raising geese for foie gras. Only observance of a special regime, menu and procedures makes it possible to obtain excellent meat.
Until the age of six months, calves are fed exclusively with milk and herbs from wild meadows. Then, as they grow older, the livestock is placed separately and treated with grain. After slaughter, the meat is subjected to a special treatment, which is kept in the strictest confidence. For its unique taste, marbled meat is appreciated by all gourmets of the world.
How much does marbled beef cost? The price of marbled beef per kg is about 30 thousand rubles. Of course, not everyone can afford such a luxury: even at this price, you can buy marbled meat in Moscow only in a few specialized stores.
Degree of marbling: what is it?
Fat layers, which are distributed in a special way over a piece of meat, form marbling. The fat should be white and distributed evenly throughout the steak.
The high calorie content and impeccable taste of marbled beef have made it a popular dish. Oven marbled beef steak is a common order in the most expensive restaurants in the world.
The highest quality meat is in the back of the animal, as the muscles receive minimal stress. When a steak is cooked, the fat melts, giving the meat its flavor and tenderness. Marbling comes in three categories:
- prime;
- choice;
- select.
Select requires a gentle roast, and prime is fried over medium heat. Prime - the highest quality marbled beef steaks.
Marble meat: recipes for cooking in a slow cooker
Properly cooking marbled beef is easy. What is the difference between marbled beef and regular beef? Not only cost and taste, but cooking time. For example, in order to fry a steak, it will take only 20 minutes.
Marbled beef steak
Making a marbled beef steak is not difficult at all. Striploin, ribeye will do. The recipe requires the following ingredients:
- meat tenderloin - 250g;
- spices and salt;
- sunflower oil - 30 ml.
The meat should be washed and rubbed with spices and salt. Marinate the tenderloin for half an hour. Pour oil into the multicooker and put the meat. Cook beef in the "frying" mode without a lid. Flip the steak after 10 minutes for even roasting.
It is the open lid that allows you to get a crust. If the piece of meat is too thick, you will have to fry the meat from the sides. Then choose the "baking" mode to get the perfect taste. Leave the meat inside the multicooker for 30 minutes. Due to the destruction of tough connective tissue, marbled beef will become soft.
Steam Meat
You can steam the marbled beef steak. Surely you noticed a small number of ingredients for recipes. By itself, the taste of beef does not require additions. For creating delicious dish prepare:
- marble beef - 300g;
- olive oil - 1 tsp;
- spices, salt.
Rinse the meat and soak in salted water for several hours. Rinse the tenderloin and rub with spices. Drizzle with oil and place in a multicooker dish. Fill the cup hot water in the amount of 4 measuring cups.
Select steam mode and cook for 35 minutes. Steam meat with a side dish will leave an unforgettable impression. Cold meat is useful for slicing or as an ingredient for sandwiches.
And another rare recipe in a slow cooker especially for you
Classic marbled beef steak
To create this culinary masterpiece you need:
- beef - 200g;
- minced garlic;
- Sweet pepper;
- vegetable oil;
- tomato - 1 pc;
- salt, spices.
Chunks no more than 3 centimeters thick are rubbed with garlic, salt and spices. In the slow cooker, the "frying" mode is selected and the beef is cooked until an appetizing crust is formed. The inside of the steak should remain pink. Then the meat is cooked in the “stewing” mode for another 20 minutes.
Finely chopped onions, peppers are stewed for 10 minutes on the fat that remains after cooking the steak. fresh tomato cut into several pieces, and add to the vegetables. The steak is served hot with vegetables.
Italian sauce
To reveal the taste of meat, try to cook extraordinary gentle sauce. It will require the following ingredients:
Mix the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour the cooked meat over before serving and garnish with sprigs of mint and rosemary.
Lingonberry topping for marbled steak
Ideal accompaniment to meat premium becomes lingonberry topping. To prepare the sauce you need:
- spicy salt;
- prunes - 20g;
- lingonberries - 140g;
- dry red wine - 100g;
- balsamic vinegar;
- dried ginger - 3 gr.
Place cranberries in a pan, heat up. Add wine. Prunes are steamed in advance, also added to the topping. On the final stage put salt, ginger, vinegar. For 3 minutes, cook over low heat, and then grind into a puree with a blender.
Secrets of cooking marbled beef
In order not to spoil the delicacy, it is important to know some cooking rules. Marble meat does not have to be marinated. Its delicate texture does not require prolonged heat treatment. To add flavor notes, you can withstand the tenderloin in the marinade for no more than 6 hours.
Overheating the steak on the fire, you run the risk of turning the meat into "rubber". Thick pieces can be cooked in a pan, in the oven, in a slow cooker. Better undersalted than oversalted! During cooking, do not salt - this is done either before steaming, or already before serving.
Ideal ingredients for marbled meat are rosemary, basil and olive oil. Fruit and vegetable cuts will help to diversify the taste, savory sauces. Now knowing what marbled beef is, you can create culinary masterpieces on one's own.
