COOKING OF BEEF
STEAKS AND THEIR PREPARATION
41. Steaks Obtained From the Loin. From the loin are cut Delmonico
steaks, porterhouse steaks,hip-bone steaks, flat-bone steaks and sirloin steaks. When steaks are cut from the flesh of animals in good condition, they are all very tender and may be used for the quick methods of cookery, such as broiling.
DELMONICO STEAK, is the smallest steak that can be cut from the loin and is therefore an excellent cut for a small family. It contains little or no tenderloin. Sometimes this steak is wrongly called a club steak, but no confusion will result if it is remembered that a club steak is a porterhouse steak that has most of the bone and the flank end, or "tail," removed.
Porterhouse steak contains more tenderloin than any other steak. This steak also being small in size is a very good cut for a small number of persons.
Hip-bone steak contains a good-sized piece of tenderloin. Steak of this kind finds much favor, as it can be served quite advantageously.
Flat-bone steak has a large bone, but it also contains a considerable amount of fairly solid meat. When a large number of persons are to be served, this is a very good steak to select.
Sirloin steak contains more solid meat than any of the other steaks cut from the loin. For this reason, it serves a large number of persons more advantageously than the others do.
42. Steaks Obtained From the Round.--While the steaks cut from the loin
are usually preferred because of their tenderness, those cut from the
upper round and across the rump are very desirable for many purposes. If
these are not so tender as is desired, the surface may be chopped with
a dull knife in order to make tiny cuts through the fibers, or it may be
pounded with some blunt object, as, for instance, a wooden potato
masher. What is known as a round steak is a slice that is cut across the entire round. However, such a steak is often cut into two parts where the line dividing the round is shown, and either the upper or the lower piece may be purchased. The upper round is the better piece and brings a higher price than the whole round or the lower round including the vein. The quick methods of cookery may be applied to the more desirable cuts of the round, but the lower round or the vein is generally used for roasting, braizing, or stewing.
43. Broiled Beefsteak.--As has already been explained, the steaks cut
from the loin are the ones that are generally used for broiling. When
one of these steaks is to be broiled, it should never be less than 1
inch thick, but it may be from 1 to 2-1/2 inches in thickness, according
to the preference of the persons for whom it is prepared. As the flank
end, or "tail," of such steaks is always tough, it should be cut off
before cooking and utilized in the making of soups and such dishes as
require chopped meats. In addition, all superfluous fat should be
removed and then tried out. Beef fat, especially if it is mixed with
lard or other fats, makes excellent shortening; likewise, it may be used
for sauteing various foods.
When a steak has been prepared in this manner, wipe it carefully with a
clean, damp cloth. Heat the broiler very hot and grease the rack with a
little of the beef fat. Then place the steak on the rack, expose it
directly to the rays of a very hot fire, and turn it every 10 seconds
until each side has been exposed several times to the blaze. This is
done in order to sear the entire surface and thus prevent the loss of
the juice. When the surface is sufficiently seared, lower the fire or
move the steak to a cooler place on the stove and then, turning it
frequently, allow it to cook more slowly until it reaches the desired
condition. The broiling of a steak requires from 10 to 20 minutes,
depending on its thickness and whether it is preferred well done or
rare. Place the broiled steak on a hot platter, dot it with butter,
season it with salt and pepper, and serve at once.
44. Pan-Broiled Steak.--If it is impossible to prepare the steak in a
broiler, it may be pan-broiled. In fact, this is a very satisfactory way
to cook any of the tender cuts. To carry out this method, place a heavy
frying pan directly over the fire and allow it to become so hot that the
fat will smoke when put into it. Grease the pan with a small piece of
the beef fat, just enough to prevent the steak from sticking fast. Put
the steak into the hot pan and turn it as soon as it is seared on the
side that touches the pan. After it is seared on the other side, turn it
again and continue to turn it frequently until it has broiled for about
15 minutes. When it is cooked sufficiently to serve, dot it with butter
and season it with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
45. ROLLED STEAK, OR MOCK DUCK.--To have a delicious meat, it is not
always necessary to secure the tender, expensive cuts, for excellent
dishes can be prepared from the cheaper pieces. For instance, steaks cut
from the entire round or thin cuts from the rump can be filled with a
stuffing and then rolled to make rolled steak, or mock duck. This is an
extremely appetizing dish and affords the housewife a chance to give her
family a pleasing variety in the way of meat. The steak used for this
purpose should first be broiled in the way explained in Art. 43. Then it
should be filled with a stuffing made as follows:
STUFFING FOR ROLLED STEAK
1 qt. stale bread crumbs
1 c. stewed tomatoes
1 small onion
1 Tb. salt
2 Tb. butter
1/4 Tb. pepper
1 c. hot water
Mix all together. Pile on top of the broiled steak and roll the steak so that the edges lap over each other and the dressing is completely covered. Fasten together with skewers or tie by wrapping a cord around the roll. Strips of bacon or salt pork tied to the outside or fastened with small skewers improve the flavor of the meat. Place in a roasting pan and bake in a hot oven until the steak is thoroughly baked. This will require not less than 40 minutes. Cut into slices and serve hot.
46. SKIRT STEAK.--Lying inside the ribs and extending from the second
or third rib to the breast bone is a thin strip of muscle known as a
skirt steak. This is removed before the ribs are cut for roasts, and, as
shown in Fig. 13, is slit through the center with a long, sharp knife to
form a pocket into which stuffing can be put. As a skirt steak is not
expensive and has excellent flavor, it is a very desirable piece
of meat.
To prepare such a steak for the table, stuff it with the stuffing given
for rolled steak in Art. 45, and then fasten the edges together with
skewers. Bake in a hot oven until the steak is well done. Serve hot.
47. SWISS STEAK.--Another very appetizing dish that can be made from the
cheaper steaks is Swiss steak. To be most satisfactory, the steak used
for this purpose should be about an inch thick.
Pound as much dry flour as possible into both sides of the steak by
means of a wooden potato masher. Then brown it on both sides in a hot
frying pan with some of the beef fat. When it is thoroughly browned,
pour a cup of hot water over it, cover the pan tight, and remove to the
back of the stove. Have just enough water on the steak and apply just
enough heat to keep it simmering very slowly for about 1/2 hour. As the
meat cooks, the water will form a gravy by becoming thickened with the
flour that has been pounded into the steak. Serve the steak with
this gravy.
48. HAMBURGER STEAK.--The tougher pieces of beef, such as the flank ends
of the steak and parts of the rump, the round, and the chuck, may be
ground fine by being forced through a food chopper. Such meat is very
frequently combined with egg and then formed into small cakes or patties
to make Hamburger steak. Besides providing a way to utilize pieces of
meat that might otherwise be wasted, this dish affords variety to
the diet.
HAMBURGER STEAK
(Sufficient to Serve Four)
1 lb. chopped beef
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg (if desired)
1/4 tsp. pepper
Mix the ingredients thoroughly and shape into thin patties. Cook by
broiling in a pan placed in the broiler or by pan-broiling in a hot,
well-greased frying pan. Spread with butter when ready to serve.
49. PLANKED STEAK.--A dish that the housewife generally considers too
complicated for her, but that may very readily be prepared in the home,
is planked steak. Such a steak gets its name from the fact that a part
of its cooking is done on a hardwood plank, and that the steak, together
with vegetables of various kinds, is served on the plank. Potatoes are
always used as one of the vegetables that are combined with planked
steak, but besides them almost any combination or variety of vegetables
may be used as a garnish. Asparagus tips, string beans, peas, tiny
onions, small carrots, mushrooms, cauliflower, stuffed peppers, and
stuffed tomatoes are the vegetables from which a selection is usually
made. When a tender steak is selected for this purpose and is properly
cooked, and when the vegetables are well prepared and artistically
arranged, no dish can be found that appeals more to the eye and
the taste.
To prepare this dish, broil or pan-broil one of the better cuts of steak
for about 8 minutes. Butter the plank, place the steak on the center of
it and season with salt and pepper. Mash potatoes and to each 2 cupfuls
use 4 tablespoonfuls of milk, 1 tablespoonful of butter, and one egg.
After these materials have been mixed well into the potatoes, arrange a
border of potatoes around the edge of the plank. Then garnish the steak
with whatever vegetables have been selected. Care should be taken to see
that these are properly cooked and well seasoned. If onions, mushrooms,
or carrots are used, it is well to saute them in butter after they are
thoroughly cooked. With the steak thus prepared, place the plank under
the broiler or in a hot oven and allow it to remain there long enough to
brown the potatoes, cook the steak a little more, and thoroughly heat
all the vegetables.
50. VEGETABLES SERVED WITH STEAK.--If an attractive, as well as a tasty,
dish is desired and the housewife has not sufficient time nor the
facilities to prepare a planked steak, a good plan is to saute a
vegetable of some kind and serve it over the steak. For this purpose
numerous vegetables are suitable, but onions, small mushrooms, and
sliced tomatoes are especially desirable. When onions are used, they
should be sliced thin and then sauted in butter until they are soft and
brown. Small mushrooms may be prepared in the same way, or they may be
sauted in the fat that remains in the pan after the steak has been
removed. Tomatoes that are served over steak should be sliced, rolled in
crumbs, and then sauted.
STEAKS AND THEIR PREPARATION
41. Steaks Obtained From the Loin. From the loin are cut Delmonico
steaks, porterhouse steaks,hip-bone steaks, flat-bone steaks and sirloin steaks. When steaks are cut from the flesh of animals in good condition, they are all very tender and may be used for the quick methods of cookery, such as broiling.
DELMONICO STEAK, is the smallest steak that can be cut from the loin and is therefore an excellent cut for a small family. It contains little or no tenderloin. Sometimes this steak is wrongly called a club steak, but no confusion will result if it is remembered that a club steak is a porterhouse steak that has most of the bone and the flank end, or "tail," removed.
Porterhouse steak contains more tenderloin than any other steak. This steak also being small in size is a very good cut for a small number of persons.
Hip-bone steak contains a good-sized piece of tenderloin. Steak of this kind finds much favor, as it can be served quite advantageously.
Flat-bone steak has a large bone, but it also contains a considerable amount of fairly solid meat. When a large number of persons are to be served, this is a very good steak to select.
Sirloin steak contains more solid meat than any of the other steaks cut from the loin. For this reason, it serves a large number of persons more advantageously than the others do.
42. Steaks Obtained From the Round.--While the steaks cut from the loin
are usually preferred because of their tenderness, those cut from the
upper round and across the rump are very desirable for many purposes. If
these are not so tender as is desired, the surface may be chopped with
a dull knife in order to make tiny cuts through the fibers, or it may be
pounded with some blunt object, as, for instance, a wooden potato
masher. What is known as a round steak is a slice that is cut across the entire round. However, such a steak is often cut into two parts where the line dividing the round is shown, and either the upper or the lower piece may be purchased. The upper round is the better piece and brings a higher price than the whole round or the lower round including the vein. The quick methods of cookery may be applied to the more desirable cuts of the round, but the lower round or the vein is generally used for roasting, braizing, or stewing.
43. Broiled Beefsteak.--As has already been explained, the steaks cut
from the loin are the ones that are generally used for broiling. When
one of these steaks is to be broiled, it should never be less than 1
inch thick, but it may be from 1 to 2-1/2 inches in thickness, according
to the preference of the persons for whom it is prepared. As the flank
end, or "tail," of such steaks is always tough, it should be cut off
before cooking and utilized in the making of soups and such dishes as
require chopped meats. In addition, all superfluous fat should be
removed and then tried out. Beef fat, especially if it is mixed with
lard or other fats, makes excellent shortening; likewise, it may be used
for sauteing various foods.
When a steak has been prepared in this manner, wipe it carefully with a
clean, damp cloth. Heat the broiler very hot and grease the rack with a
little of the beef fat. Then place the steak on the rack, expose it
directly to the rays of a very hot fire, and turn it every 10 seconds
until each side has been exposed several times to the blaze. This is
done in order to sear the entire surface and thus prevent the loss of
the juice. When the surface is sufficiently seared, lower the fire or
move the steak to a cooler place on the stove and then, turning it
frequently, allow it to cook more slowly until it reaches the desired
condition. The broiling of a steak requires from 10 to 20 minutes,
depending on its thickness and whether it is preferred well done or
rare. Place the broiled steak on a hot platter, dot it with butter,
season it with salt and pepper, and serve at once.
44. Pan-Broiled Steak.--If it is impossible to prepare the steak in a
broiler, it may be pan-broiled. In fact, this is a very satisfactory way
to cook any of the tender cuts. To carry out this method, place a heavy
frying pan directly over the fire and allow it to become so hot that the
fat will smoke when put into it. Grease the pan with a small piece of
the beef fat, just enough to prevent the steak from sticking fast. Put
the steak into the hot pan and turn it as soon as it is seared on the
side that touches the pan. After it is seared on the other side, turn it
again and continue to turn it frequently until it has broiled for about
15 minutes. When it is cooked sufficiently to serve, dot it with butter
and season it with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
45. ROLLED STEAK, OR MOCK DUCK.--To have a delicious meat, it is not
always necessary to secure the tender, expensive cuts, for excellent
dishes can be prepared from the cheaper pieces. For instance, steaks cut
from the entire round or thin cuts from the rump can be filled with a
stuffing and then rolled to make rolled steak, or mock duck. This is an
extremely appetizing dish and affords the housewife a chance to give her
family a pleasing variety in the way of meat. The steak used for this
purpose should first be broiled in the way explained in Art. 43. Then it
should be filled with a stuffing made as follows:
STUFFING FOR ROLLED STEAK
1 qt. stale bread crumbs
1 c. stewed tomatoes
1 small onion
1 Tb. salt
2 Tb. butter
1/4 Tb. pepper
1 c. hot water
Mix all together. Pile on top of the broiled steak and roll the steak so that the edges lap over each other and the dressing is completely covered. Fasten together with skewers or tie by wrapping a cord around the roll. Strips of bacon or salt pork tied to the outside or fastened with small skewers improve the flavor of the meat. Place in a roasting pan and bake in a hot oven until the steak is thoroughly baked. This will require not less than 40 minutes. Cut into slices and serve hot.
46. SKIRT STEAK.--Lying inside the ribs and extending from the second
or third rib to the breast bone is a thin strip of muscle known as a
skirt steak. This is removed before the ribs are cut for roasts, and, as
shown in Fig. 13, is slit through the center with a long, sharp knife to
form a pocket into which stuffing can be put. As a skirt steak is not
expensive and has excellent flavor, it is a very desirable piece
of meat.
To prepare such a steak for the table, stuff it with the stuffing given
for rolled steak in Art. 45, and then fasten the edges together with
skewers. Bake in a hot oven until the steak is well done. Serve hot.
47. SWISS STEAK.--Another very appetizing dish that can be made from the
cheaper steaks is Swiss steak. To be most satisfactory, the steak used
for this purpose should be about an inch thick.
Pound as much dry flour as possible into both sides of the steak by
means of a wooden potato masher. Then brown it on both sides in a hot
frying pan with some of the beef fat. When it is thoroughly browned,
pour a cup of hot water over it, cover the pan tight, and remove to the
back of the stove. Have just enough water on the steak and apply just
enough heat to keep it simmering very slowly for about 1/2 hour. As the
meat cooks, the water will form a gravy by becoming thickened with the
flour that has been pounded into the steak. Serve the steak with
this gravy.
48. HAMBURGER STEAK.--The tougher pieces of beef, such as the flank ends
of the steak and parts of the rump, the round, and the chuck, may be
ground fine by being forced through a food chopper. Such meat is very
frequently combined with egg and then formed into small cakes or patties
to make Hamburger steak. Besides providing a way to utilize pieces of
meat that might otherwise be wasted, this dish affords variety to
the diet.
HAMBURGER STEAK
(Sufficient to Serve Four)
1 lb. chopped beef
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg (if desired)
1/4 tsp. pepper
Mix the ingredients thoroughly and shape into thin patties. Cook by
broiling in a pan placed in the broiler or by pan-broiling in a hot,
well-greased frying pan. Spread with butter when ready to serve.
49. PLANKED STEAK.--A dish that the housewife generally considers too
complicated for her, but that may very readily be prepared in the home,
is planked steak. Such a steak gets its name from the fact that a part
of its cooking is done on a hardwood plank, and that the steak, together
with vegetables of various kinds, is served on the plank. Potatoes are
always used as one of the vegetables that are combined with planked
steak, but besides them almost any combination or variety of vegetables
may be used as a garnish. Asparagus tips, string beans, peas, tiny
onions, small carrots, mushrooms, cauliflower, stuffed peppers, and
stuffed tomatoes are the vegetables from which a selection is usually
made. When a tender steak is selected for this purpose and is properly
cooked, and when the vegetables are well prepared and artistically
arranged, no dish can be found that appeals more to the eye and
the taste.
To prepare this dish, broil or pan-broil one of the better cuts of steak
for about 8 minutes. Butter the plank, place the steak on the center of
it and season with salt and pepper. Mash potatoes and to each 2 cupfuls
use 4 tablespoonfuls of milk, 1 tablespoonful of butter, and one egg.
After these materials have been mixed well into the potatoes, arrange a
border of potatoes around the edge of the plank. Then garnish the steak
with whatever vegetables have been selected. Care should be taken to see
that these are properly cooked and well seasoned. If onions, mushrooms,
or carrots are used, it is well to saute them in butter after they are
thoroughly cooked. With the steak thus prepared, place the plank under
the broiler or in a hot oven and allow it to remain there long enough to
brown the potatoes, cook the steak a little more, and thoroughly heat
all the vegetables.
50. VEGETABLES SERVED WITH STEAK.--If an attractive, as well as a tasty,
dish is desired and the housewife has not sufficient time nor the
facilities to prepare a planked steak, a good plan is to saute a
vegetable of some kind and serve it over the steak. For this purpose
numerous vegetables are suitable, but onions, small mushrooms, and
sliced tomatoes are especially desirable. When onions are used, they
should be sliced thin and then sauted in butter until they are soft and
brown. Small mushrooms may be prepared in the same way, or they may be
sauted in the fat that remains in the pan after the steak has been
removed. Tomatoes that are served over steak should be sliced, rolled in
crumbs, and then sauted.