Chewy steak - advice?

117pauline

As a sort of aside, I have just started getting brisket etc from the fresh counter at Tesco. I was amazed at how reasonably priced (£7 per kg brisket) with just the right amount of fat.

I don't particularly like Tesco at all yet the fresh meat is very very good. We have had stews, steak and kidney pie and pulled pork recently - all of which I would recommend

anotheruser

FairyPrincessk wrote: »

Browning the meat helps to caremelize the natural sugars in it which gives it a nice flavour.

That is debatable.
A lot of chefs don't bother browning the meat any more as it actually does very little to the cooking process.


However the other thing to do is NOT OVER COOK IT.

People generally cook chick until it's dry and awful. Cook chicken for 5 mins less than you think you should and it'll still be white on the inside, juices running clear and nice and tender.
Salmonella is a thing of the past these days anyway, although I wouldn't recommend raw chicken... unless giving some to the kitties!

If it's beef steak, DRY it with kitchen roll/paper before frying in a grill pan. Seems silly but it really will help. Also don't be scared about giving it a good bash.

Check out some help on Donald Russell for more info.

fuzzgun19

Chris25 wrote: »

If I cook diced brisket in the slowcooker, I keep it in there for about 6 hours.
If i used the oven (which I don't tend to), I think I'd leave it for about 2 - 3 hours

Fuzzgun, did you heat the liquid before putting it in? i can't help thinking that if you keep it in the SC on low, for only 2 -3 hours, it's not going to be tender - sorry

It was a mix of boiling and some cold water and the ale.

I think you're right though Chris, it's been in 4.5hrs, and still rather chewy

meritaten

I too brown the meat, but only slightly because I have noticed that if you completely 'seal' the meat, then the flavours don't mingle and the meat is still chewy! just colour the meat and don't let it go 'crusty' on the outside.

maman

I think there's confusion here between cooking times for SC and oven.


I've never had a problem getting stewing beef/steak tender.


Generally I cook for 2.5 hours in the oven at 160/180, having first got all the ingredients up to bubbling on the hob.


SCs take much longer. Look at these examples:


http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blcrocktips.htm

splishsplash

I make beef stew/casserole in the slow cooker, but I have it on high for at least six hours also.

I toss the meat in seasoned flour, fry off in a good bit of hot oil, lift it and add it to chopped veg in the slow cooker pot. I then add more oil and enough flour to the frying pan to make a roux, and when that's cooked, add boiling water/stock plus herbs and stock cubes. Let it come to the boil then add your wine/beer and see what extra thickening you need. Remember it won't reduce much in the slow cooker at all, so don't have too much liquid.

To make a pie, I make a stew as above, then make the pie with the finished stew. I blind bake a pastry base (shortcrust). I take the amount of stew I need for the filling, reduce down in a saucepan to get a thick sauce that won't leak everywhere, add in a knob of butter to glossy up the sauce (technical term, dontcha know ) and then top with a puff pastry lid (I buy that ready made). Eggwash and p r i c k with a fork, bake in the oven for about an hour or hour and a half.

By the time you give it the hour cooking in the oven, the meat should be meltingly tender. Tough meat = undercooked.

~Chameleon~

The problem with cooking beef in the slow cooker is that it doesn't get hot enough to break down the collagen, turning it into gelatin which is what makes the meat become moist and tender.

I prefer to bring everything to the boil on the hob then finish cooking it in the oven for at least 3 hours. The steak just melts in your mouth then.

fuzzgun19

Thanks for all the advice.

I ended up leaving the steak mixture in the SC for about 8hrs, then I made a pie with it the next day, and the meat was much better, and tender.

If I cooked it in a stew on the hob, would I cook it on a low heat for the same time as an oven (2.5-3hrs)?

newthrift

You need to cook it on a low heat for a long time - or bang it in the slow cooker on low for 6-8hours if you have one. I usually don't bother browning the meat off, but if you want to just chuck it around in the pan for literally 2 minutes so it just takes the raw colour off the edge (it will look a grey-ey colour I would say not actually brown). I then make a mix of gravy and red wine (but you could also use beer - bitter or Guinness would work well) and then add diced onions and whatever else you might want in. If you put it in the oven I would cook it for 4hours at 150oc or if you put it in the slow cooker put it on low for 7hours as an average. I always find this works for me anyway!

meritaten

I like to use Brown Ale - either Newcastle or Manns - the alcohol helps to tenderise the meat and flavours the gravy too.