Beef candle is a muscle located near the diaphragm, near the sternum. In anatomical terms, it is a diaphragm hanger – a muscle that supports internal organs and does not work intensively, which is why the fibers remain soft and elastic. This is why the candle has such a unique structure – delicate as butter, and at the same time extremely aromatic.
Her name – “candle” – comes from the shape of the muscle: long, narrow and slightly tapering at the ends. Butchers also called it “butcher’s steak” because for years they kept it for themselves, knowing that it was one of the tastiest cuts of the entire carcass.
Not every piece of beef can boast such a unique combination of taste, tenderness and juiciness. Beef candle has clear, deep aroma and natural marbling, thanks to which it does not require long thermal treatment.
The diaphragm muscles from which the candle comes are intensively supplied with blood, which results in their darker color and richer taste. The high quality of this meat is also the result of selection – the best candles come from beef cattle breeds such as Hereford, Angus or Limousine, often wet-aged for 21-30 days. Seasoning makes the fibers even softer and the flavor – deep and full.
It is this combination – delicacy, intensity and natural juiciness – that makes beef candles appear on the tables of the best restaurants from Lyon to New York.
Beef candle she is extremely graceful in the kitchen, but requires one thing – intuition. Heat treatment that is too long will cause it to become hard and lose its unique properties. The best way is short, intensive processing – grill, frying pan or oven at very high temperature. Likewise, it is not worth overdoing it with spices.
Step 1: Cleaning the meat
Before cooking, you should: gently remove the membranes and the central tendon running through the center of the muscle. This is important because thanks to this, the meat will be soft and melt in your mouth after frying.
Step 2: Spices
The candle does not need fancy accessories – they are enough sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a bit of olive oil. Its natural taste defends itself.
Step 3: Heat treatment
It is best to fry it on a well-heated grill pan or grate, 3-4 minutes on each side. The ideal degree of doneness is medium rare – i.e. browned skin on the outside and pink, juicy inside. After removing from the pan let the meat “rest” for 3-5 minutes – the juices will be distributed evenly and the meat will not lose moisture.
It is one of the most versatile cuts of beef. You can make it:
- hanger steak – classic, briefly fried or grilled, served with herb butter and sweet potato fries,
- beef tartare – raw, chopped meat, which, thanks to its structure, is ideal for preparing traditional tartare,
- steak salad – thin slices of candlestick, fried until medium and placed on arugula with parmesan flakes,
- Asian-style beef – marinated in soy sauce, garlic and ginger, fried in a wok.
Tartare made from this type of meat is a real treat. Its delicate, soft structure and intense aroma give the dish a completely new dimension.
Ingredients:
- 300 g beef candle,
- 1 small onion or shallot,
- 3 yolks,
- 2-3 gherkins,
- a few pickled mushrooms or boletus mushrooms,
- sea salt, freshly ground pepper,
- a bit of rapeseed or grapeseed oil.
Preparation:
- Clean the meat from membranes and tendons, then chop it very finely with a knife (do not grind it!).
- Cut the onion and gherkins into small cubes.
- Place the meat in a bowl, add oil, salt and pepper and mix gently.
- Form a portion of tartare and place the egg yolk on top.
- Serve with additions – mushrooms, onions, gherkins.
It’s a traditional dish, but with a modern twist. If it is made from a piece of meat such as beef, it will undoubtedly delight everyone’s palate. The tartare will be exceptionally velvety and devoid of the fibrous structure that often appears with less noble cuts of meat.
Sources: Terazgotuje.pl
