Prime Rib for stew

[Anna N]

Now that I have your attention...

My daughter came into a bonanza of prime rib roasts. She only wants to use the "eye" as it were for boneless steaks. She has passed on to me the "waste"! (I know what to do with the rib bones!) But lordy, lordy - I couldn't waste this much food. What I have is that outside piece of meat that is usually tied on with string. It is extremely fatty but there's loads of meat in the layers of fat.

If I were cooking the roasts, I would leave this piece on to flavour the meat and self-baste it. But all I have is this layer of fat and meat. If I trim it and cut it up into cubes, will it make a reasonable meat for slow cooking - stews and braises?

Thanks for your input.

[Marlene]

Stews and braises yes. Marinade it a while and use for beef stroganoff, or a beef stir fry?

[Suzanne F]

Or you could grind some of it for burgers.

[Rachel Perlow]

That's what I was going to say.

[Jinmyo]

Either braising or mincing depending upon the weather.

[ducphat30]

I believe that this part is called the deckel(sp??) Such a sexy piece of meat. It would be outstanding for stew, not the long braising kind, but as someone had suggested, stroganoff. Or slowly roasted, then sliced thin for a very tasty cheese steak sandwich.

[Busboy]

Any stew or braise that could be made the day before would give you the chance to chill the dish overnight, and skim the excess fat.

[culinary bear]

most stews benefit from being made the day before, sometimes even two days before, to give the flavours time to coalesceinto a divine whole, as well as giving you opportunity to skim off the fat.

Iyou could also turn the pieces of meat into quite fabulous rillettes for potted beef, or braise the hell out of the meat (preferably with a pressure cooker), using the lean meat shreds for something else and using the dripping, which would be ricly flavoured and very tasty.

[Anna N]

Thank you for all the suggestions. After trimming I have more than 6lbs of beef! That's manna from heaven for this financially-challenged household. I am going to take advantage and try some different ideas: an Indian-spiced stew (if I say "curry" I will have to duck); a Spanish-inspired stew; an oft-repeated Belgian-style stew;and a stew that will have Japanese influences.

I would love to grind some but I tossed out my thrift-store meat grinder after someone on the board noted that my troubles related to a missing part - the "knife" or cutter blade.

What would I do without all of you - Thanks.

[chefwoody]

STOP!!!!!

Hopefully you haven't chopped up that meat, yet.

I think that cap of beef on the outside of the ribeye is the best piece of meat on the whole cow. One word: RARE! I would throw this on a really hot grill for not more than a couple of minutes on each side. It will probably be the best steak you will ever have.

[chefwoody]

Oh, and my apologies for not stopping in on this thread sooner. I don't always have the best timing.

[Anna N]

STOP!!!!!

Hopefully you haven't chopped up that meat, yet.

I think that cap of beef on the outside of the ribeye is the best piece of meat on the whole cow. One word: RARE! I would throw this on a really hot grill for not more than a couple of minutes on each side. It will probably be the best steak you will ever have.

You were too late, but thanks anyway. To be honest, we have never found this piece to be particularly good eating as a steak no matter how rare it is cooked.

I ended up with four lots of stew with different "influences" as mentioned above and I am extremely happy with the result.

Now I have to bring myself to toss out all the fat I removed which amounts to about 10 lbs! I render duck, goose, bacon and chicken fat but can't think of a single way I might use rendered beef fat.

[mrbigjas]

Cooking french fries. I mean, not every day, but before you toss it, just once you should have fries cooked in beef fat.

[Suzanne F]

Use instead of butter when making gravy or even a bechamel. Especially if it's for a meatless meal but you really want that beefy flavor. (I use beef fat when making the bechamel for my moussaka -- I find the overall meat flavor intensifies and doesn't get drowned out by the eggplant.)

[fifi]

Grated potato hash browns are devine cooked in beef fat (or dripping for our UK friends... I love that word).

I can't stand the thought of throwing out something as lovely as beef fat. It will keep practically forever in the freezer.

[mrbigjas]

I can't stand the thought of throwing out something as lovely as beef fat. It will keep practically forever in the freezer.

Yeah but 10 lbs of it? That's an awful lot.

[fifi]

Yeah but 10 lbs of it? That's an awful lot.

Maybe not all that much if you have decided that at least one time in your life you are going to go whole hog... er... whole cow?... and make some frites in beef fat. I would love to try that.

[culinary bear]

I have very VERY fond memories as a child of battered fish and chips cooked in a cauldron of hot beef dripping... and my gran reliably informs me that during the war bread and dripping was a real treat.