The beef round is turned over with the skinned side down (fig. 113). The rump is removed by a cut made approximately parallel to the long axis of the split pelvic bone and about 1 inch towards the hindleg from the innermost curve of this bone (fig. 114). The tail bone is removed by cutting along its edge (fig. 115). The hip joint is removed from the rump by a saw cut just below and close to the pelvic bone (fig. 116). The saw should be held parallel to the outer skinned surface of the rump. The trimmed rump roast may be divided by first sawing through the pelvic bone and then cutting through the lean to make two approximately equal roasts (fig. 117).
To fabricate the round, make a knife cut parallel to the surface where the rump was removed and across the round just in front of the knee cap. Saw through the round bone to separate the heel and shank from the round (fig. 118). Remove the round bone from the round (fig. 119). Separate the top and bottom parts of the round by starting at the surface where the rump was removed and cutting along the fat seam across the center of the round (fig. 120). Slice the top round into steaks or roasts (fig. 121). Top round steaks and roasts from young well marbled beef may be broiled or oven roasted. Muscles of the bottom round are less tender than those of the top round and should be cooked with moist heat for longer period of time (fig. 122).
The heel of round or “Pike’s Peak” roast is removed by cutting just in front of the major tendon at the hock straight across until you reach the shank bone. Then cut along the shank bone and around the knee or stifle joint to remove the heel of round roast (figs. 123 and 124).
Sawing through the knee joint to expose the bone marrow will add flavor to soups or stews (fig. 125).
Meat trimmed from roasts and steaks, the neck portion, parts of the plate not made into short ribs, the flank, and the shanks may be made into stew meat and ground beef.
The neck bones, the “deckle,” shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee joints add flavor to soups and stews especially if the joints are split to expose the bone marrow.
Immediately after chilling and cutting, meat must be properly wrapped, quickly frozen, and stored at 0°F or lower until needed. Proper wrapping is essential to maintain meat quality. Therefore, one should:
For large quantities of meat, it is best to use a commercial establishment for quick freezing. A home freezer may be used if it will maintain a temperature of 0°F or below. When using the home freezer, be sure to:
The curing process enhances meat flavor and improves shelf life by retarding bacterial growth. Salt and nitrites inhibit bacterial growth and enhance flavor and color; sugar counteracts the hardening effect of salt and also enhances flavor. Beef is generally cured by making corned beef or dried beef using the above-mentioned ingredients.
Corned beef is generally made from cuts of the round, brisket, plate, or chuck.
Remove all bone from the cuts and slice pieces into uniform thickness and size (approximately 3 inches thick). To prepare the pickle dissolve 8 pounds of salt, 3 pounds of sugar, 4 ounces of baking soda and 4 ounces of saltpeter in 4 gallons of water. This will cure 100 pounds of beef. Pack meat in a clean stone crock or stainless steel tub, and cover it with the pickle. If cuts have not been rolled and are approximately 3 inches in thickness, they will be ready to use in 2 weeks. Thicker cuts will require longer curing. After curing, remove meat from the pickle; wash and dry or smoke.
During curing the temperature of the pickle should remain below 38° to 40°F, otherwise the brine may become ropy due to growth of bacteria. Ropiness looks like partially cooked egg white. If ropiness occurs, the meat should be removed, washed, and repacked in a clean container.
Dried beef is made from the defatted round separated into the top round, bottom round with eye muscle, and sirloin tip. For each 100 pounds of meat use 8 pounds of salt, 3 pounds of sugar, and 4 ounces of saltpeter.
The curing process is the same as that for corned beef. After curing remove meat from the brine, wash, and hang up to dry for 24 hours. After drying, smoke at 130° to 140°F for 70 to 80 hours or until the meat is very dry. The meat should then be stored in a dry, well-ventilated room that is protected from insects and rodents.
Smoking gives the meat a more desirable color and flavor and probably aids in its preservation. The wood used to generate the smoke should be non-resinous, such as hickory, apple, plum, oak, beech, or ash. The same smoke-house procedures used for curing pork work well for beef.9
Beef can be satisfactorily preserved by canning if the proper procedures are used. Meat is a low-acid, high-protein food that allows for good bacterial growth. The use of a pressure canner is vital when canning meat. Sterilization temperature should be held at 240°F for the proper length of time. A water bath or a steamer is not recommended since neither results in a sufficiently high temperature to produce effective sterilization. Meat may be canned soon after chilling since aging has little effect on the flavor and tenderness of canned meats. For complete canning procedures see Home and Garden Bulletin No. 106, “Home Canning of Meat and Poultry.”
All lean trim can be ground as ground beef. Palatable ground beef should have from 15 to 30 percent fat. Most retail ground beef ranges from 20 to 25 percent fat.
Tender cuts of meat are best cooked with dry heat, as by broiling, roasting, or pan broiling. Less tender cuts of meat are tenderized by cooking with moist heat. Connective tissue is softened and tenderized by cooking slowly in moisture.
Temperature control is very important in meat cookery. Meat loses moisture, fat, and other substances during cooking. However, some of the meat juices and fat may be retained in pan drippings.
Cooking losses can be minimized by controlling the oven temperature and final internal temperature of the meat. Shrinkage is increased when higher oven temperatures are used for cooking and when meat is cooked to a higher internal temperature.
The meat thermometer is the most accurate guide to the degree of doneness of meat. Cooking time can be used as a guide to the degree of doneness, but cooking time is affected by fat and moisture content and shape or size of the cut.
Broiling is recommended for tender steaks from the loin and rib and for ground meat patties. Blade steaks from the chuck may also be broiled if from a high-quality carcass (U.S. Choice or higher). For best results:
The same tender cuts suitable for broiling may also be pan broiled if they are 1 inch or less in thickness. For best results:
When fat is added or allowed to accumulate during cooking, the method is called pan frying. Tender cuts that are 1 inch thick or less are usually cooked by this method.
This method is best suited to less tender cuts such as round or chuck steak, flank steak, pot roast, stew beef, and shortribs. For best results:
This method is recommended for large, tender cuts. Some beef cuts suitable for roasting are rib roast, sirloin top roast (USDA Choice or better), ribeye roast (delmonico), and boneless rolled rump roast (USDA Choice or better). For best results:
| Cut of meat | Approximate ready-to-cook weight |
Approximate roasting time at 325° F2 |
Internal temperature of meat when done |
|
| Pounds | Hours | °F | °C | |
| Beef | ||||
| Standing ribs3 | ||||
| Rare | 4 to 6 | 2¼ to 2½ | 140 | 60 |
| Medium | 4 to 6 | 2½ to 3⅓ | 160 | 70 |
| Well done | 4 to 6 | 2¾ to 4 | 170 | 75 |
| Rare | 6 to 8 | 2½ to 3 | 140 | 60 |
| Medium | 6 to 8 | 3 to 3½ | 160 | 70 |
| Well done | 6 to 8 | 3½ to 4¼ | 170 | 75 |
| Rolled rib | ||||
| Rare | 5 to 7 | 2⅔ to 3¾ | 140 | 60 |
| Medium | 5 to 7 | 3¼ to 4½ | 160 | 70 |
| Well done | 5 to 7 | 4 to 5⅔ | 170 | 75 |
| Rolled rump | ||||
| (choice grade) | 4 to 6 | 2 to 2½ | 150 to 170 | 65 to 75 |
| Sirloin tip | ||||
| (choice grade) | 3½ to 4 | 2⅓ | 140 to 170 | 60 to 75 |
| 6 to 8 | 3½ to 4 | 140 to 170 | 60 to 75 | |
| 1 Source: Adapted from Home and Garden Bulletin No. 118, “Beef and Veal in Family Meals.” | ||||
| 2 Meat at refrigerator temperature at start of roasting. | ||||
| 3 Eight-inch cut. For 10-inch ribs allow about 30 minutes less time. | ||||
Variety meats include liver, brains, heart, kidneys, sweetbreads, and tongue. Variety meats are very perishable and should be frozen or cooked as soon as possible.
Beef liver is usually braised or fried. Calf liver is frequently broiled, pan broiled, or pan fried. The outer membrane (skin) may be removed from liver before cooking.
Brains are soft and very tender and have a delicate flavor. They may be broiled, fried, braised, or cooked in liquid.
Heart is flavorful but not very tender. Braising or cooking in liquid is recommended.
Beef kidneys should be cooked in liquid or braised. Before cooking, remove membrane and hard parts. Slice or cut kidney in pieces, if desired.
Sweetbreads are the two lobes of the thymus gland located in the neck and are a tender meat. Veal, calf, and young beef furnish nearly all of the sweetbreads. As the animal matures, the thymus gland disappears. Sweetbreads may be broiled, fried, braised, or cooked in liquid.
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