What part of the meat you choose is largely determined by the effect you get in the kitchen. Beef is different in the structure, fat content and the amount of collagen – and they affect the fragility and juiciness after heat treatment.
Best pieces for frying or grilling:
- tenderloin – the most delicate part, ideal for steaks and short processing dishes,
- Entractir – marbled, very juicy. Contains fat that melts during frying,
- Rostbef – aromatic and soft, perfect for steaks and burning.
The best pieces for stewing and long cooking:
- Shovel – contains a lot of collagen, which during stewing turns into gelatin,
- Plaga – underestimated, but very tasty part, ideal for soups and stews,
- bridge (briset) – a long roast becomes extremely delicate,
- neck (neck) – well suited for stewed and baked dishes.
Choosing the right piece is the first and most important step if you want to get a soft beef.
This question is asked by both cooking amateurs and experienced chefs. The answer depends on the type of dish, the time you have, and the expected effect. Below you will find specific methods that really work.
1. Marinating – prepare the meat earlier
The marinade not only enriches the taste, but also gently breaks muscle fibers. The most effective are marinades containing:
- acid (e.g. wine, wine vinegar, lemon juice),
- fat (olive oil, oil),
- Aromas (garlic, onions, herbs, spices).
The meat should marinate a minimum of 4 hours, preferably all night in the fridge. Thanks to this, it gains delicacy and taste.
2. Frying – stop the juices inside
Fast, intensive frying meat on hot fat allows you to maintain juiciness. Thanks to this, the protein on the surface is cut, creating a barrier that prevents the outflow of juices during further processing.
3. Smoking at low temperature
Long liquid cooking at moderate temperature (approx. 140-160 ° C) makes collagen decompose and the meat becomes soft and juicy. You will get the best results by choking meat for 2-3 hours.
4. Cutting under fibers
After cooking or frying beef, it is worth paying attention to the cutting method. Always cut meat across the fibers, which significantly improves its fragility while eating.
5. Rest time after frying or baking
The meat, which will rest 10-15 minutes before cutting, will be much more juicy. This is the moment when the juices are evenly distributed inside.
If the beef is hard despite long processing, it is worth analyzing several factors. This is often the sum of minor errors leads to an unsatisfactory effect.
- Too fast processing – meat with lots of collagen takes time to soften.
- Too high temperature – it can cut proteins and dry meat.
- Inadequate cutting – cutting along the fibers results in rigid meat.
- Too lean meat for stewing – parts free of fat and connective tissue are not suitable for long cooking.
- Lack of marinade or liquid – dry processing often ends with a hard structure.
The biggest mistake in cooking beef is rush. This meat tastes only when it is cooked, stewed or baked for a sufficiently long time at a controlled temperature. When you give her what she needs, she will repay not only with taste, but also with a structure that really melts in the mouth.
