What's your beef?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

As we re-examine the annual standing rib roast post-Christmas, I reflect again on our family's beef preferences.   Years back, I roasted legitimate Prime grade standing rib roasts.   But family gradually complained that the meat was too rich.   So I downgraded to Choice grade.    Same response.    For a number of years, I have made an effort to buy an ungraded supermarket standing rib roast, roast it low and slow, and everyone was happy.    This year, my usual source upgraded to Choice.    i was already in the store and the selection was good so I went ahead and bought a nice looking 3-rib roast, roasted it high-low, and it was superb.   EXCEPT that family winced at its richness and asked that I return to a lower grade for our next roast.  

 

What does your table prefer, and how do you cook it?    Does this preference apply to all beef or just large cuts?

[&roid]

The fight we have is always about how cooked people like it. Half are happiest with it cooked medium but the (wrong) half insist on well done. This year I ended up splitting it into a two rib roast and a one rib version. Which was fine, but loses some of the drama of a big three rib piece 

[rotuts]

@Margaret Pilgrim 

 

//  an ungraded supermarket standing rib roast  ''

 

I was not aware supermarkets sol ungraded beef.

 

what is it called where you used to get it ?

 

and its appearance ?

[gfweb]

Meat being too rich is not a complaint I understand.

 

Maybe trim more fat?

[rotuts]

my beef would be this :

 

 

or

 

 

these are two Rib Eye Roasts , used on very recent America's Test Kitchen

 

top , and Cook's Country   both eps involved pulling // cutting along the central seam 

 

removing a lot of that fat , then trying back together  ( ATK , top : Rib Eye Roast , oven )

 

or tying each half separately ( to retain shape ) for a covered braise , in the oven.

 

I haven't searched around for meat in quite a while , but I Know My Meat.

 

I doubt these two hunks were pick up on a quite trip to Stop & Shop , RocheB etc

 

this is not a complaint about the show , its Stanged on pupose

 

but .....    has anyone seen any like this , at say Cosco ? 

 

these are two quality hunks of meat    

 

in your Meat Journeys , where does one get this sort of cut

 

as above ?

 

as I look at these two Hunks , they clearly are the same cut

 

the top , ie the been muscle on the top , @ 45 degrees 

 

of the bottom cut , is the bottom of the top cut.

 

the top of the first pic , is the same as the L over in the second pi

 

but trimmed of the bottom muscles , and ' classed up ' a bit.

 

my interest is trimmed up , retied as a whole hunk 

 

treated exactly like while brisket 

 

by the WHPS :   wonder both about the taste difference

 

and possible price difference .

Edited December 29, 2022 by rotuts (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

3 hours ago, rotuts said:

@Margaret Pilgrim 

 

//  an ungraded supermarket standing rib roast  ''

 

I was not aware supermarkets sol ungraded beef.

 

what is it called where you used to get it ?

 

and its appearance ?

Many supermarkets sell a "select" grade under store name and with a tender guarantee.   I.e., money back if not satisfied.

44 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Meat being too rich is not a complaint I understand.

 

Maybe trim more fat?

It's not external fat but too unctuous mouthfeel that they object to.

28 minutes ago, rotuts said:

:

 

That cut looks to me very close to chuck, maybe first rib?     I usually shop at a stand-alone butcher and could easily get this cut, especially if they were shown the photo.   In my experience, the same has been true of supermarket butchers if you are willing to wait for then to accommodate special cuts.

[Anna N]

5 hours ago, rotuts said:

I was not aware supermarkets sol ungraded beef.

You can certainly buy ungraded beef in Ontario. (No one should confuse ungraded with uninspected.) if you know how to judge your beef, you can end up with some very nice meat, but you can also end up with something that is almost inedible. It is not usually available in the mainstream supermarkets. @Kerry Bealand I ran across it more than once. There is a cost to grading beef and some producers choose to avoid the expense. 

[Dave the Cook]

28 minutes ago, Anna N said:

There is a cost to grading beef and some producers choose to avoid the expense. 

 

Right. They can't avoid inspection, but I know a few organic beef producers who eschew grading for this reason (organic beef is expensive as it is). Also, beef from steers raised on grass might not align well with grading standards  designed with corn-finished beef in mind.

[heidih]

Here is what the US Department iof Agriculture has to say https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/01/28/whats-your-beef-prime-choice-or-select What @Anna N and @Dave the Cook noted

[MaryIsobel]

Our twin daughters were born on January 10th (many years ago!) One daughter's fiance has his birthday on January 11th. Since we always have turkey on Christmas, we do Prime rib for the birthday dinner. We buy what is labelled as AAA Choice, from our local co-op. They usually put it on sale before Christmas. This year it was 8.99 a pound (Cdn) We bought a 10 pounder. Lovely marbelling and since we all agree on medium rare, I have found the most reliable method is 5 minutes a pound at 500, then turn the oven off and leave the door closed for two hours. It has never failed me. I do however put a post-it note on the oven door during the resting period. It says, if you open the oven before 6:30, you will be banished to the basement and have ichiban noodles for dinner. The only roast that we had that there were complaints about was a grass fed tenderloin from a local butcher. It tasted gamey to us.

[weinoo]

6 hours ago, gfweb said:

Meat being too rich is not a complaint I understand.

 

Maybe trim more fat?

 

Or just eat a little less?

[AAQuesada]

I too think that is an odd complaint but if they want something lean just do a whole roasted beef tenderloin and salt roast it if you want a cool presentation.

 

Or do the same with eye of round on the cheap.

[Dr. Teeth]

I’m odd.    I’d rather have a brisket or chuck roast to braise than any roast.   To the extent that I feel roasts should be left for others who want them more.  My family likes a rib roast, but Mrs Dr Teeth will buy tenderloin if she’s the one cooking it.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

On 12/29/2022 at 1:46 PM, weinoo said:

 

Or just eat a little less?

In our family's case, their concern is not calories or amount of fat intake but rather mouth-feel of very rich beef.  

[AAQuesada]

Here is an example of what I'm talking about @Margaret Pilgrim

 

https://leitesculinaria.com/101948/recipes-salt-crusted-beef-tenderloin.html

[paulraphael]

On 12/29/2022 at 5:28 AM, &roid said:

The fight we have is always about how cooked people like it. Half are happiest with it cooked medium but the (wrong) half insist on well done. This year I ended up splitting it into a two rib roast and a one rib version. Which was fine, but loses some of the drama of a big three rib piece 

My policy is to cook the meat properly, and send the barbarians to the microwave. Walk of shame.

[KennethT]

On 1/3/2023 at 11:14 AM, Margaret Pilgrim said:

In our family's case, their concern is not calories or amount of fat intake but rather mouth-feel of very rich beef.  

 I understand this.  To me, a standing rib roast (my family always called it Prime Rib) is a rich cut by its nature.  If they prefer a less rich beef, rather than the tribulations involved in picking just the right Prime Rib that isn't that rich, maybe it would be better to get a different cut for your roast.  What about what my family always called  Shell Steak roast - which I later learned is a NY Strip roast - great flavor but definitely not as rich as Prime Rib.

[liuzhou]

Most of my beef is actually water buffalo.