Beef is a favorite product of many chefs, which makes hearty and tasty dishes. And also healthy, because beef contains a large amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals that are vital for the human body. But there is little fat, which is why this type of meat is often found in the PP menu.
It is very important to be able to cook beef correctly so that after heat treatment it retains its softness and juiciness. Brand chef Sergei Rakhmanin told us how to achieve this.
Chef’s Tips
How to cook beef tender?
“You need to choose good meat. Particularly for stewing, collagen-rich parts of the carcass are suitable. And if there is also fat there, that’s great, because fat is a transporter of flavors. Bad options: classic steak cuts, tenderloin, flank, peritoneum. Good: rump, thigh, shoulder blade. The best is the shank.”
What to add when braising beef to make it tender?
“For softness, it is best to add patience: some pieces are stewed for 8-12 hours. But if this is not enough, mustard significantly speeds up the process of softening meat. Adding wine, tomato, and other products is appropriate only in small quantities and during prolonged stewing. Onion disulfides also soften meat; they also cause tears. Therefore, meat can be marinated in well-mashed onions with mustard and then stewed in them. But you need to marinate no earlier than three hours before cooking.”
How long does it take to cook beef?
“It’s better to cook beef at a low temperature and for longer. For example, 80-90°C for 12-20 hours will be better than 200°C for 2 hours. A pressure cooker or Afghan cauldron is also great for stewing beef. But you also need to take your time, and before stewing, I recommend frying the meat over high heat until golden brown, it will be much tastier.”
Together with Sergei Rakhmanin, the editors of “Eat at Home” have prepared 10 recipes for beef dishes for all occasions.
Beef Stroganoff: classic recipe
What to cook from beef pulp for the main course? Of course, beef stroganoff is a world-famous dish of Russian cuisine. Beef Stroganoff was first served in the 19th century. The author of the culinary masterpiece was the chef of Count Alexander Stroganov. Moreover, the dish was not invented by chance, but by order of Alexander Grigorievich, who loved to host dinner parties.
Classic beef stroganoff is not distinguished by the intricacy of preparation, but the meat for it must be chosen “noble”. Lean beef tenderloin, which must be cut in a special way, is best suited for these purposes. It is equally important to serve the dish hot to fully appreciate its original taste.
Ingredients:
Basic:
- beef tenderloin – 650 g
- onions – 2 pcs.
- sour cream – 1 glass
- tomato paste – 2 tbsp. l.
- garlic – 2 cloves
- wheat flour – 1.5 tbsp. l.
- butter – 20 g
- vegetable oil – 50 ml
- water – 80 ml
- ground black pepper – to taste
- paprika – to taste
- salt – to taste
For garnish:
- potatoes – 8 pcs.
- green onions – 6 stalks
- olive oil – 20 ml
- salt – to taste
- ground black pepper – to taste
Cooking method:
- Place the meat in the freezer for 25–30 minutes. During this time, it will freeze slightly, and it will be more convenient to work with it. Cut the beef across the grain into 5 mm thick strips, and the onions into thin half rings. Pass the garlic through a press. Next, roll the meat pieces in flour.
- Heat the vegetable oil well in a frying pan. Stir-fry the beef for 3 minutes. It should brown but still retain all the juice. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried meat to a plate. Fry the onion in the remaining oil until golden brown.
- Place the beef and onions in a saucepan. Place garlic here too. Stir. Cook for 3 minutes. After this time, empty the center of the pan by moving the meat towards the wall. Fill the resulting space with tomato paste. Stirring, fry it over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- After this, you can mix the entire contents of the saucepan. Salt the dish and season with pepper and paprika. Set the heat to low. Place butter in beef stroganoff and pour 40 ml of hot water. Stir until the butter melts. Then add sour cream and the remaining water.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid. Simmer the beef stroganoff until the beef is cooked through. To make a side dish, cut the peeled potatoes into slices 3-4 mm thick. Rinse them in cold water (it will remove excess starch) and dry them on a paper towel. Salt, pepper, and sprinkle with olive oil.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the potato slices in one layer and place them in an oven preheated to 180°C. Bake for 35–40 minutes. During this time, the potatoes should brown appetizingly.
Place the side dish and meat in sauce on a plate. Before serving, sprinkle the potatoes with finely chopped green onions. Bon appetite!
Salad with beef, avocado, and aioli sauce
Beef salad with avocado, herbs, and vegetables in traditional French aioli sauce is an excellent choice for those who maintain a balanced diet.
The dish will turn out to be light, healthy, satisfying, and not at all banal. And thanks to the aromatic smoked paprika, which we suggest adding to the sauce, the salad will also acquire a bit of piquancy.
As for meat, we recommend choosing a lean, soft steak from sirloin, rump, or rump.
Ingredients:
For the salad:
- beef – 250 g
- bell pepper – 1 pc.
- black olives – 6 pcs.
- lettuce – 125 g
- avocado – 1 pc.
- lemon juice – 5 ml
- salt – to taste
Marinade for meat:
- olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.
- fresh thyme – 2 sprigs
- mixture of peppers – to taste
- salt – to taste
For the homemade aioli sauce :
- egg yolks – 2 pcs.
- olive oil – 250 ml
- smoked paprika – 1 tsp.
- garlic – 4 cloves
- lemon juice – 10 ml
- salt – to taste
Cooking method:
- In order for the meat to retain its softness during cooking, it must be lightly beaten. Next, marinate the steak: pour olive oil, rub with salt and a mixture of peppers, and sprinkle with chopped thyme. Leave for 25 minutes.
- Fry the meat without oil in a grill pan for 3–3.5 minutes on each side. Wrap the finished steak in foil and leave to rest.
- Cut the bell pepper into large strips, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and place in a preheated oven. Bake at 180°C for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Slice the olives. Rinse the lettuce leaves in running water. Peel the avocado, cut its pulp into slices, and immediately sprinkle with lemon juice to avoid darkening.
- Let’s move on to preparing the aioli. Please note that the ingredients used must be at room temperature! Place the yolk, peeled garlic, paprika, and salt in a blender bowl and pour in lemon juice. Beat everything until smooth. Add olive oil. Whisk until the sauce has the consistency of sour cream.
- Place lettuce leaves, baked peppers, olives, and avocado on a deep plate. Lightly salt. Add the meat, which must first be sliced, and a portion of aioli sauce to taste.
This beef dish is a real lifesaver because it can be prepared in a hurry when guests unexpectedly arrive.
Beef goulash with gravy: a simple recipe
Goulash is a gastronomic symbol of Hungarian cuisine. It is a cross between a thick soup and a meat stew.
In our country, this dish has many admirers since Soviet times. Goulash is loved for its rich, thick, rich gravy, which goes well with any side dish.
You can control the thickness of the liquid component yourself. Do you want the spoon to stand? Then add a little flour when frying the meat. Or do without it, like we did. Of course, the beef goulash recipe we presented is not classic, but definitely worthy of attention.
Ingredients:
- beef – 1 kg
- potatoes – ½ kg
- onions – 2 pcs.
- carrots – 2 pcs.
- bell pepper – 1 pc.
- tomatoes – 2 pcs.
- garlic – 3 cloves
- vegetable oil – 100 ml
- paprika – 1½ tbsp. l.
- curly parsley – 2 sprigs
- water – 1–1.2 l
- ground black pepper – to taste
- salt – to taste
Cooking method:
- Cut the meat into neat large pieces. Peeled onion – into medium cubes. Carrots – in thin slices, potatoes, and tomatoes – in large cubes. Remove seeds and stems from bell peppers. Cut it into strips.
- Pour vegetable oil into the pan. Fry the onion in it for 10 minutes. Add beef and pressed garlic. Mix everything. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Add paprika to the meat and stir.
- Wait until the meat releases juice. After this, put the remaining ingredients into the pan: carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and ground. Add some salt. Stir. Fill with water. Cook the goulash until the meat is done.
Before serving this aromatic dish, garnish it with fresh chopped parsley.
Teriyaki beef with vegetables and noodles
If you want to cook something unusual with beef for dinner, then we recommend that you pay attention to the following recipe. Meat with noodles and vegetables with teriyaki sauce is colorful, satisfying, and very tasty.
The dish belongs to Asian cuisine, which is famous for its bold combination of flavors, brightness, and exoticism.
When preparing, we used traditional Japanese udon noodles. If you don’t have one, it doesn’t matter. You can use buckwheat soba noodles or regular egg noodles. As for teriyaki sauce, it is easier to buy it in the store. Choose soft meat, without streaks.
Ingredients:
Basic:
- beef – 350 g
- udon noodles – 2/3 pack
- fresh broccoli – 150 g
- carrots – 1 pc.
- cucumbers – 1 pc.
- teriyaki sauce – 130 g
- olive oil – 20 ml
- garlic – 2 cloves
- water for noodles – 3 l
- water for broccoli – 2 l
- salt – to taste
For the marinade:
- soy sauce – 50 ml
- dried granulated garlic – 2 pinches
Cooking method:
Cut the beef across the grain into wide thin strips, place on a deep plate, and pour over soy sauce mixed with granulated garlic. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Rinse the broccoli florets under running water. Cut the carrots into thin strips and the cucumbers into half circles. Pour 3 liters of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste.
- Reduce heat intensity to below medium and add udon to boiling water. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking to the pan. Cook for as long as indicated on the package. Drain the finished noodles in a colander, then rinse with cold water.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Put the garlic passed through a press into it and after another minute – the beef. Fry it for 5 minutes over intense heat. There is no need to add salt because the marinade is based on soy sauce. Pour teriyaki overcooked meat.
- Cook the broccoli until al dente. To do this, bring 2 liters of water to a boil. Dip the inflorescences into it, and wait 4 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the boiling water and place it in ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Mix broccoli with carrots and cucumbers. After that, start assembling the dish. Place udon noodles on a plate. And on top of it are meat and vegetables. The latter can also be topped with teriyaki sauce, but this is optional.
This dish also has an alternative method of preparation.
Fry the beef over high heat for 3 minutes. Next, add vegetables to the meat: broccoli, cucumbers, and carrots. Fry everything together for 1 minute.
Place boiled udon noodles here. Directly in the pan, pour teriyaki sauce over the beef, vegetables, and noodles.
Stir and cover with a lid. Simmer for 1 minute. After this, the dish can be served.
Tender beef stewed with vegetables in a cauldron
This dish can be considered universal. You can prepare it both at home in the kitchen and outdoors. The main thing is to have a real cast-iron cauldron at hand, in which you can simmer meat and vegetables for a long time without fear that they will dry out or burn.
We are sharing a recipe for a delicious beef stew with potatoes. However, we immediately warn you that the dish takes a long time to prepare, so be patient.
In addition to potatoes, use other vegetables. We limited ourselves to carrots and garlic; you can add bell peppers, different types of onions, and tomatoes to the meat.
Ingredients:
- beef – 1½ kg
- carrots – 2 pcs.
- potatoes – 10–12 pcs.
- garlic – 5-6 cloves
- tomato paste – 2 tbsp. l.
- water – 1 l
- vegetable oil – 50 ml
- thyme – 3 sprigs
- rosemary – 1 sprig
- ground black pepper – to taste
- salt – to taste
Cooking method:
- Cut the meat into large pieces measuring 3 x 4 cm. Peel the carrots, cut them first lengthwise, and then into several pieces. The larger they are, the better. Cut the potatoes (it is advisable to choose young ones for this dish) into slices 1 cm thick.
- Pour vegetable oil into a preheated cauldron, then add meat. Fry the beef, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Also, add finely chopped or pressed garlic to the cauldron. Stir. Fry for another 5 minutes.
- Add carrots and ground pepper. Leave for 10 minutes. After this, you can add potatoes and tomato paste. Add salt and mix everything again. Fill with water. The liquid should cover the potatoes. Cover the cauldron with a lid. Cook the dish over medium heat for 1.5 hours.
- Before serving, garnish the beef stewed with vegetables with sprigs of thyme and rosemary – this aromatic herb will perfectly complement the taste of the meat. Bon appetite!
The indicated amount of ingredients is calculated for a cauldron with a volume of 6 liters.
Beef kebab in the oven
Kebab is a cult dish, widespread not only in the Caucasus, but throughout the Middle East, Central Asian countries, and the Balkans. This meat delicacy often decorates Russian feasts. There is nothing to be surprised about here because the dish turns out to be very satisfying and does not require a lot of time and effort.
In order for the kebab to come out as juicy as in the photo, you need to choose the right beef: it should have layers of fat.
In this recipe, we used minced beef shoulder. Another tip: to avoid excessive viscosity of the minced meat, do not chop the onion in a blender or grater. Just chop it finely with a sharp knife.
Ingredients:
- minced beef – 1 kg
- onions – 2 pcs.
- ground paprika – ½ tsp.
- dried thyme – 2 pinches
- red onion – 1 pc.
- green onion – 3 stalks
- peppercorns – 5 pcs.
- ground black pepper – to taste
- salt – to taste
Cooking method:
- Chop the peeled onions as finely as possible and add them to the prepared minced meat. Add paprika, ground black pepper, and salt to taste here. Rub the thyme a little with your palms to release the aroma, and also add it to the meat.
- Knead the minced meat thoroughly and then beat it until it becomes uniform and dense. To do this, throw the meat from a small height onto the table surface for several minutes.
- Form the minced meat into neat balls the size of a walnut. Count on having the same amount on each skewer. Pierce the first ball with a skewer.
- Cut the red onion into large squares measuring 1 x 1 cm, which will become a kind of layer between the meatballs. Thread 3 onion squares onto a skewer. Next – the second kebab, again onions, and the third kebab.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place skewers with meat on them at a short distance from each other. Bake at 250°C for 35 minutes. Garnish the dish with finely chopped green onions and peppercorns.
Enjoy your kebab with guacamole and freshly baked pita bread.
Beef steak with chimichurri sauce
Have you been looking for a juicy beef steak recipe that is easy to make at home? Now we will share it!
First of all, pay attention to the choice of meat. It must be of the highest quality, soft, with pronounced marbling. For example, ribeye meets all these qualities.
Do not send the steak straight from the refrigerator to the stove; let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
We recommend serving the meat delicacy with a refreshing chimichurri sauce, which creates the perfect tandem with fried beef. As a result, you will get a hearty and appetizing dish with an Argentinean temperament.
Ingredients:
For steaks:
- steaks – 2 pcs.
- butter – 160 g
- garlic – 3-4 cloves
- olive oil – 10 ml
- thyme – 2 sprigs
- rosemary – 1 sprig
- freshly ground pepper – to taste
- coarse sea salt – to taste
For the chimichurri sauce:
- garlic – 1 clove
- fresh parsley – 60 g
- fresh cilantro – 40 g
- fresh mint leaves – 30 g
- fresh basil – 10 g
- chili pepper – ⅕ pcs.
- olive oil – 220 ml
- lemons – ½ pcs.
- salt – to taste
Cooking method:
- Rinse the cilantro, parsley, basil, and mint well in running water. After this, add all the listed herbs to the blender bowl. Place a clove of garlic, chili, and salt here, and pour in the freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon and olive oil. Beat until smooth. Place the finished chimichurri in a gravy boat.
- Pat the meat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Brush the steaks with olive oil on each side using a silicone brush. In the same way, salt the meat on all sides and rub it with freshly ground pepper.
- Send the steaks to fry in a dry, well-heated frying pan. Set the heat on the stove to maximum. Fry for 2 minutes on one side, turn over, fry for 2 minutes on the second side. Then turn the meat over again, then reduce the heat to medium.
- Add crushed garlic, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, and butter to the steaks (it should also be at room temperature). Baste the meat with melting butter for 1.5–2 minutes. Next, turn the steaks one last time and fry them for another 2 minutes, basting with oil.
- Transfer cooked steaks from skillet to paper towels. Pat to remove excess oil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. During this time, the juices inside the meat will be evenly distributed. Next, cut the steaks at an angle and pour a generous amount of chimichurri sauce over them.
In addition to the meat, you can serve fresh vegetables. For example, tomatoes. Thanks to them, a heavy dish is easier to digest.
Azu in Tatar
Azu is a national Tatar dish, loved by many since Soviet times. Then it was served in all catering establishments.
Over the years of popularity, the basics have acquired many interpretations, but the main ingredients have always remained the same: meat, potatoes, pickles, and spicy sauce made from tomatoes or tomato paste. Another distinctive feature of this dish was the special cutting of products.
We recommend preparing Tatar-style azu according to the recipe below. The main ingredients are beef with cucumbers. But potatoes are not included in this version of the dish. But it will be delicious even without it. Choose meat with fat to make the treat juicy.
Ingredients:
- beef – 550 g
- pickled cucumbers – 4 pcs.
- onion – 1 pc.
- tomato paste – 20 g
- tomatoes – 2 pcs.
- adjika – 1 tsp.
- garlic – 3 cloves
- vegetable oil – 10 ml
- dried coriander – ½ tsp.
- hot water – 300 ml
- parsley – 3 sprigs
- peppercorns – to taste
- salt – to taste
Cooking method:
- Cut the meat into cubes 1.5-2 cm thick and 4-5 cm long. Cucumbers – into strips, but not too thin, onions – into half rings. Cut one tomato into small cubes. The second one is needed for filing.
- Pour vegetable oil into a well-heated deep frying pan. Send the meat to fry at maximum heat until the liquid evaporates. Once the beef is browned, add the onion.
- Stirring, fry the beef and onions for 2-3 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and pour hot water. Stir. Cook until the tomatoes release their juice.
- It’s time to add pickles to the meat, and along with them coriander, peppercorns, and tomato paste with adjika. Once done, stir everything and reduce heat to medium. Simmer the azu covered for 5-6 minutes.
- Add some salt. But don’t overdo it because there are already pickles in there. After this, add finely chopped garlic. Stir. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for another 5-7 minutes. The fire can be reduced to a minimum.
Before serving, garnish the dish with fresh parsley leaves and quartered tomatoes.
Juicy beef cutlets
Perhaps the simplest second beef dish is cutlets. They are quick to prepare and do not require a special set of ingredients or culinary skills.
But you need to try to make the beef cutlets juicy. There are several ways to achieve this. For example, you can add dairy products (sour cream or natural yogurt), vegetables (potatoes or zucchini), and other types of meat (pork or chicken skin) to the minced meat. Also, many housewives add frozen butter to the minced meat, which melts during frying and gives the cutlets the desired juiciness.
If you do not want to mix beef with the above products, use plain water. And we will share the recipe.
Ingredients:
- beef with fat layers – 600 g
- onions – 2 pcs.
- loaf – 6 slices
- water – 300 ml
- vegetable oil – 30 ml
- ground black pepper – to taste
- salt – to taste
Cooking method:
- Cut the meat into large pieces. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Cut the crusts from the loaf slices (you can later use them to make breadcrumbs). Pour 150 ml of water over the pulp.
- Pass the meat and onions through a meat grinder. Squeeze out the bread pulp and also pass through a meat grinder. Pour 150 ml of ice water into the chopped meat. Salt and add ground pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Beat the minced meat by throwing it forcefully on the table for 5 minutes, and then put it in the refrigerator for 1.5–2 hours. During this time, the meat will be properly saturated with moisture and will become plastic and pliable for any manipulation.
- Form cutlets from the prepared minced meat. They can be oblong or, like ours, round. Pour vegetable oil into a heated frying pan. Fry the cutlets over high heat until cooked through.
If desired, the cutlets can be rolled in breadcrumbs before frying. Bon appetit!
Roast beef: bake beef in the oven
What’s delicious to cook with beef in the oven? Of course, good old English roast beef. This versatile dish can be an appetizer, a base for a salad, a meat addition to pasta, or a filling for a sandwich.
The technology for cooking roast beef is not as complicated as is commonly believed. But it must be strictly adhered to in order to accurately capture the state between raw and ready. The ideal degree of doneness for roast beef is medium-rare. In this case, the meat will be golden brown on the outside and juicy, bright pink on the inside.
Choose aged beef for roast beef. This can be marbled flesh (thin or thick edge), fillet, tenderloin, or shoulder. A piece that has been deep-frozen is definitely not suitable. Even during the cooking process, you will need a temperature probe – it will help monitor the temperature inside the meat because it is very important that it does not rise above 60°C.
Ingredients:
- beef (one piece) – 1 kg
- garlic – 2 cloves
- vegetable oil – 15 ml
- rosemary – 1 sprig
- ground black pepper – to taste
- coarse salt – to taste
Cooking method
- Rinse the beef in cold water, pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, and then rub all sides with ground pepper. Chop the garlic and rosemary and also place them on the meat.
- Wrap the piece in cling film and leave to marinate for 10–12 hours in the refrigerator. 1.5 hours before cooking, remove the beef and leave it to warm up at room temperature. It is very important!
- Remove the cling film, garlic, and rosemary leaves. Rub the beef with vegetable oil and salt, and tie it with kitchen twine. Thanks to it, the piece will bake evenly and look more appetizing.
- Heat the pan well. Without adding oil, fry the meat over maximum heat.
- Fry the beef on each side for 1-2 minutes. Use tongs or two spatulas when turning. Never pierce the meat with a fork. After frying, a golden brown crust should form.
- Transfer the roast to a baking pan lined with parchment. Insert the temperature probe, focusing on the center of the piece. Place the meat in a preheated oven. Bake the beef at 220°C for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 150°C.
- As soon as the temperature probe shows that the temperature inside the roast beef has reached 55°C, remove the dish from the oven. Leave the meat to cool for at least 30 minutes. And if time allows, it’s better for 3 hours.
Do not use too small a piece of meat, otherwise the roast will turn out dry. Serve the meat with honey mustard sauce and mashed potatoes.