Beef Trends
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm just back from West Virginia where I attended the Certified Angus Beef conference. It was a great opportunity to meet with chefs, talk to butchers and learn more about beef--the trends, the choices and what's on the horizon. When it comes to beef, just like chocolate or wine or coffee, the more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn.
First a few common misconceptions, when it comes to beef:
Only some beef is grass fed. Actually all beef is grass fed. It's just a question of how it's "finished" Certified Angus Beef is finished on a feed lot and eats grain to bulk up in size and improve marbling of the meat. If you want to buy grass fed, pay attention to how it's finished. Some beef being sold as grass fed is not the same as "grass finished."
Grass fed beef is healthier. I used to think so, but it turns out the evidence is mixed. While grass fed beef does have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, it's not a great source of them. And as an article in the New York Times concluded, " it�s not clear whether the nutritional differences in the two types of meat (grass fed versus conventional) have any meaningful impact on human health." Meanwhile other research challenges the benefits of grass fed over grain finished. I think the jury is out on this one.
Fresh beef is better than frozen. Not really. Freezing actually improves the tenderness of beef, since ice crystals penetrate muscle and research shows there is no real moisture loss difference between fresh and frozen meat. Beef, like chicken and pork are expected to go up in price in the coming year and since meat prices vary throughout the year, take advantage of the cost savings and consider buying frozen beef. You won't be sacrificing quality.
And the trends�.
Bone in steaks! I saw this when I dined at Sidecut at the Four Seasons Whistler where a 52 ounce porterhouse, a 36 ounce rib eye and a 36 ounce strip steak are all served bone in and carved table side. This is a fun way to dine! I haven't done a side by side taste test of steak cooked on the bone versus off the bone, but generally speaking, meat on the bone tastes better.
Signature grinds are a trend that is due to the popularity of gourmet burgers. It's not just the coarseness of the grind, but the very mix or meats such as short rib, prime rib, brisket or strip steak. What makes some burgers taste better than others? One secret is oleic acid. Oleic acid is the primary mono- unsaturated fatty acid in beef and accounts for about 33% of the fatty acid in beef (it's also found in olive oil) research shows that monounsaturated oleic acid does not raise cholesterol. It's this fat that is partly responsible for making meat taste so good and is found in higher percentages in very marbled beef. There is some very interesting research on this topic. Other ways burgers become "gourmet" include seasonings, fillings and toppings. My favorite to date has to be the marrow burger which is off the menu at Luella. But burgers with bacon, cheese and caramelized onions (and ground bacon in the grind), like the one at Marlowe are pretty spectacular too.
Smaller portions. Hallelujah! When I go to a steak house I typically order the smallest steak, or hope someone will share a large one with me (bone in perhaps?). Frankly I get tired of eating beef after about three to four bites. And I really get tired of having filet mignon be my only option for something more petite. As demand grows for smaller steaks, different cuts are showing up such as the culotte or top sirloin cap, filet of rib, cap of rib, sirloin end, chuck eye and they are very flavorful unlike the less flavorful yet tender filet mignon. For me good quality beef is a treat and a little goes a long way.
New cuts. The way beef is butchered or fabricated, is constantly evolving. Some cuts you may not have seen yet include the braison and merlot, also known as "heel" of the beef round. Both will be less expensive cuts, the braison is best for braising and the merlot can be grilled or cooked whole.
It strikes me that there is something for everyone whether you want a big hunk of meat on the bone a gourmet burger or just a smaller portion. Which trends are you most excited about?
Disclosure: I learned about the trends at the Certified Angus Beef conference where I was a guest and my travel expenses were covered. I was not paid to write this or any other post. Special thanks to Kyle Miller and Michael Ollier for their terrific educational session and meat cutting demonstration.
Disclosure: I learned about the trends at the Certified Angus Beef conference where I was a guest and my travel expenses were covered. I was not paid to write this or any other post. Special thanks to Kyle Miller and Michael Ollier for their terrific educational session and meat cutting demonstration.
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Chefs on Beef
When it comes to beef, the kind of you choose is truly a matter of taste and personal preference. There are different cuts, different preparations and of course different breeds. Me? I care about humane treatment of animals and healthy eating, but first and foremost I want something that tastes really good. And so do chefs. One the last day of the Certified Angus Beef conference in West Virginia I got to hang out with chefs at the bucolic Ironside Ranch. It was a great opportunity to eat, talk and learn what cuts and types of beef they serve and sell.
I spoke with three outstanding and award-winning chefs--Govind Armstrong who has been involved in a variety of different restaurants including a chain of burger joints, Keoni Chang, a corporate chef with a supermarket from Hawaii, who has a CIA culinary degree and a restaurant background and Matt Hill, a steak house chef who has also worked in fine dining and also has a CIA culinary degree. I learned while they each have their personal preferences, ultimately they all believe in offering variety to their customers.
I spoke with three outstanding and award-winning chefs--Govind Armstrong who has been involved in a variety of different restaurants including a chain of burger joints, Keoni Chang, a corporate chef with a supermarket from Hawaii, who has a CIA culinary degree and a restaurant background and Matt Hill, a steak house chef who has also worked in fine dining and also has a CIA culinary degree. I learned while they each have their personal preferences, ultimately they all believe in offering variety to their customers.
Govind Armstrong, Post & Beam (and 8 oz Burger Bar), Los Angeles CA
I was excited to meet chef Govind Armstrong, especially after enjoying a fantastic meal he served the night before. His beef preparations included a sous vide then seared dry aged filet of strip and crisp smoked beef bacon. Govind told me he has been using Certified Angus Beef for many years, he first learned about it when he worked with chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. He was impressed with the quality and has used it ever since. He appreciates the consistency and though he uses different cuts at the different restaurants he is affiliated with, he's a fan of the culotte. The tenderness and consistency mean "it's one less thing I have to worry about."
He enjoys good quality meat and told me he has spent time in Argentina where all beef is strictly grass fed and finished. The beef is a different texture, but one he appreciates saying it's grassier but that it's not what he wants everyday. He uses the middle meats such as the strip loin and barrel cut (a marbled part of the rib eye). He's a fan of cooking beef sous vide and adds seasonings and clarified butter to add flavor and richness. He noted different in some places like Mississippi and Louisiana, everyone tends to want their beef well done and that affects his choice of beef as well.
Keoni Chang, Foodland Supermarkets, Honolulu HI
Keoni, a chef with a fine dining background told me he was brought on board at Foodland to improve the quality of the perishable food in the supermarket from the bakery through to the deli. The store was offering mostly Select grade beef and he felt it was important to expand the options. He likes the Choice grade and tried another company's product before settling on Certified Angus Beef. His stores also carry local and grass fed beef. The population in Hawaii is used to often using thinner cuts for Asian preparations but he says they are starting to want more thick steaks they can grill too.
Which is best? He says it comes down to a lifestyle choice for most people and he wants to satisfy as many customers as he can. He focuses on the sub primals such as the top sirloin, rib eye, strip loin and one of his favorite, the boneless short ribs off the chuck which he says has great marbling. When it comes to the Choice grade, he points out there is a lot of variation from beef that is just a cut above Select to beef that is almost Prime. With Certified Angus Beef, he says "we are getting close to the Prime experience."
Matt Hill, Charlie Palmer Steak, Washington DC
Matt told me he chooses Certified Angus Beef for the consistency it provides. He appreciates the higher level of marbling and tender product. In taste tests he preferred Certified Angus Beef dry aged strip loins to American wagyu beef, referencing the mouthfeel in particular.
He also buys locally raised grass fed quarters and whole animals and enjoys breaking down the product in his restaurant. For grass fed he prepares carpaccio and charcuterie, while for Certified Angus Beef he is particularly fond of the culotte. He also admitted that farm to table is easier to do with pork than with beef.
Note: Matt was one of StarChef's Rising Stars in 2010 and has just left Charlie Palmer Steak to work at a new concept. Stay tuned!
Disclosure: I was a guest at the Certified Angus Beef conference and my travel expenses were covered, however I was not paid to write this or any other post.
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Taste of Israel
I will be in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nazareth, Tiberias, Dead Sea and Caesarea. I'm especially excited to stay with a friend Anne Kleinberg, author of the cookbook, Pomegranates at Casa Caesarea, her B&B. It's through my blog that I met Anne and eight years later I am finally meeting her in person.
My trip is the second in recent months that will bring food bloggers to Israel. My fellow bloggers Pille of Nami Nami and David Lebovitz have shared wonderful posts about their trip (albeit with a different organizer). My thanks to them for their recommendations and advice.
David's Israel Posts (lots of posts and great photos as usual)
Pille's Post (Pille tells me there are more coming)
If you have any recommendations of things I shouldn't miss, or suggestions of what I should bring back, or travel tips, feel free to leave me a comment.
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Araxi Long Table Dinner July 2012
One of the highlights of my recent trip to Whistler was the Araxi Long Table Dinner. For a resort town, Whistler has some very impressive restaurants and Araxi is one of them. Whether you want modern cuisine, something playful, a spectacular view or are dining in style you can find it all in Whistler. Although, to be honest, things don't get terribly formal in Whistler and that is certainly part of it's appeal. Araxi is on the high end of the spectrum and has received all kinds of accolades in the press.
The location for the dinner was Rainbow Park in Whistler Valley. With a name like that you just know it's going to be drop dead gorgeous, right? And it was. A meandering path led to an open space with views of Whistler and Blackcombe mountains set on Alta Lake.
The Long Table Dinners are a bit similar to Outstanding in the Field. A multi course dinner is held outdoors in a picturesque location showcasing local ingredients and a percentage of ticket sales go to The Chef�s Table Society of BC, supporting regional chefs, producers and the local food industry. Logistically I can only imagine it must be a nightmare but Araxi really pulled it off wonderfully.
The Long Table Dinners are a bit similar to Outstanding in the Field. A multi course dinner is held outdoors in a picturesque location showcasing local ingredients and a percentage of ticket sales go to The Chef�s Table Society of BC, supporting regional chefs, producers and the local food industry. Logistically I can only imagine it must be a nightmare but Araxi really pulled it off wonderfully.
The crowd was a stylish bunch, hip I'd say. I have no idea how many folks were from out of town, but several I spoke to were locals or from Vancouver.
Tofino Dungeness Crab in North Arm Farm Squash Blossoms with Root Down Farm organic greens basil and cherry tomato vinaigrette was the first course and it was so good you I think many would have been happy having it as a main dish. How they managed to fry these enormous blossoms and serve them while still hot in the great outdoors I will never know. But I can tell you they were light and greaseless and had a unique panko crust. The light greens, basil and tomato vinaigrette added notes of freshness to the dish.
Whistler sits next to Pemberton a very agriculturally rich area. There are scenic farms, ranches and even a distillery using local potatoes, all well worth a visit by the way. So it should be no surprise that beef from Pemberton was the next course. Pemberton Meadows Natural Beef, Rosemary roasted loin and agnolotti of beef cheeks and short rib with Pemberton baby carrots and red wine jus. My partner in British Columbia eating adventures, food blogger Mijune of Follow Me Foodie and I loved this dish, but agreed, as fabulous as the beef was, the stuffed pasta was our happy place. I could have passed up the loin in favor of more pasta please! The agnolotti were super large and the fresh homemade pasta was al dente, plump with tender shreds of beef cheek and short rib. Oh I'm sure you can imagine how good it was!
For dessert fresh strawberries in many forms. Pemeberton Strawberries with Honey lavender meringue and Okanagan goat cheese mousse, Mini strawberry tarts with Lillooet Honey Pastry Cream, Strawberry Basil Consomm�. If the salmon dish reminded me of a wedding the dessert was like a sweet sixteen birthday party. Again, so pretty but bursting with the bright acidity and sweetness that only comes in Summer. Strawberry consomm� is something I must remember to make in the future...
And to gild the lilly, Petit Fours - p�t� de fruits, mini madeleines and French macarons.
I definitely recommend coming up to Whistler in the Summer and if you can get to one of these annual outdoor affairs, by all means, do it. If not, check out the restaurant or the James Beard Nominated Araxi Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant.
More posts on the dinner:
Follow Me Foodie
Eats, Shoots and Maple Leaves
Vitamin Daily
More posts on the dinner:
Follow Me Foodie
Eats, Shoots and Maple Leaves
Vitamin Daily
My thanks to Tourism Whistler for sponsoring this trip and inviting me to be their guest. I was not compensated to write this post.
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Martha Stewart Collection Cast Iron Enamel Cookware
An opportunity to try out an 8 quart enameled cast iron casserole of cookware from Martha Stewart Collection was an offer I couldn't turn down. I'd seen the line at Macy's, the only place where it is available, and it's very handsome and I wondered how it would compare to my other enameled cast iron from Le Creuset..
I have three pieces of Le Creuset enameled cookware. I have smaller and larger "French ovens" as Le Creuset refers to them in round and oval shapes. I use them all the time and in recipes I refer to them as Dutch ovens or heavy casseroles.
There are some differences between the two lines of cookware. The Martha Stewart Collection cookware is made in China, and the Le Creuset cookware is made in France. The colors and styling of the cookware is slightly different as is the sizing. Le Creuset makes a 7 /14 quart round and a 9 quart round, but not an 8 quart round piece. The interior of the Le Creuset is white, whereas the Martha Stewart is a pale cream color.
I used the 8 quart enameled cast iron casserole to soak black beans and cook them to make black bean soup. I chose black beans because while enameled cast iron is stain resistant, I have found my Le Creuset pieces have stained, and I blame black beans. While the black beans created a tough to remove scale on the Martha Stewart piece, I was able to remove it completely with a gentle cleaner. The 8 quart piece is very heavy, I'd say the same weight as the 7 1/4 quart piece from Le Creuset.
What I like about the Martha Stewart Collection:
- The performance. I found the Martha Stewart piece to work just as well as the Le Creuset. It's great for low and slow simmered dishes like black bean soup or braised beef.
- On the interior of the lid there are "condensation rings" that help to redistribute moisture. Do they make a big difference? Probably not. But it's a nice feature and certainly makes the lid less drippy when you go to remove it.
- The price! Wow! The 8 quart piece is $184.99 and $109.99 on sale. By comparison, the Le Creuset 7 1/4 quart piece is more than twice the price. The list price is $400 and you can get it online for about $294.99. Granted both manufacturers offer a limited lifetime warranty and their products are built to last, but that's a big price difference.
What I don't like about the Martha Stewart Collection:
- My biggest issue is with the handle. It's handsome, but it gets hot. I prefer the Le Creuset black phenolic lid knobs, which stay cool.
- The colors are bright and appealing but the Le Creuset pieces have a gradation of color that is particularly attractive.
This Martha Stewart Collection casserole was provided to me by GigaSavvy for review purposes. I was not paid for this review and the opinions expressed are my own.
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Amy's Southwestern Grilled Cheese Sandwich
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| Thanks to Nate Pollack for the photo |
Sharing original recipes here on the blog led to writing a cookbook and doing recipe development for corporate clients. But this is the first time (that I know of) that I've ever had an item on a menu. It's my Southwestern Grilled Cheese Sandwich and it's available at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen. I don't know how long it will stay on the menu, but for this week, 20% of the proceeds of the sandwich go to support one of my favorite non-profits in San Francisco, La Cocina.
So what's in the sandwich?
- Artisan Bakers sourdough
- Chipotle butter
- Tillamook Jack
- Tillamook Sharp Cheddar
- Fresh Jalape�os and Hatch chilis (from New Mexico)
- Roasted tomatoes
- Sweet white corn
- Black beans seasoned with garlic, cumin and bay leaves
Do give it a try and let me know what you think!
American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
1 South Park
San Francisco
415.243.0107
Open 7 days a week:
Mon-Fri 8am- 3 pm
Sat-Sun 10am - 4 pm
My thanks to Tillamook for sponsoring the contest using their cheese.
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Make a Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Would you like to know the secrets to great grilled cheese sandwiches? Heidi Gibson, the Commander-in-Cheese of The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen is a serious grilled cheese champ. She has won more grilled cheese sandwich contests than anyone. Last night I learned from Gibson how to make breakfast and brunch versions of grilled cheese sandwiches and picked up some amazing tips. I also got the news that The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen just won a $250,000 grant that will help them to open their second location in the Cafe Gratitude space on Harrison Street. No joke. Gibson, manager and co-owner Nate Pollack and all their customers are truly grateful.
So let's get started!
What's best to slather on your bread?
On the outside Gibson goes with butter, she recommends European style and she likes salted, not unsalted butter so that the sandwich has a bit of "salty crunch" when you bite into it.
What kind of bread should you use?
Almost any kind! With the exception of potato bread which does not lend itself well to grilled cheese sandwiches. Bread with holes can be used, but find a cheese that will melt though, giving you crusty "plugs." Some types of bread to consider--levain, sourdough and artisan whole wheat.
What about seasoning your ingredients?
Here Gibson breaks with tradition and says, if you have salty ingredients like bacon or ham, don't season each ingredient as you go. Cheese also adds salt, and salted butter will add flavor to your bread.
What seasonal ingredients are good to use?
The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen has offered up sandwiches with brussels sprouts, preserved Meyer lemons, asparagus and even butternut squash. While the sandwiches were delicious, they did not become best sellers with customers looking for more familiar fare.
What about fruit?
Sure! Gibson particularly likes peaches and strawberries.
What's the best technique for grilling a sandwich?
It's not using a panini press, which creates a pressed sandwich something different from a traditional grilled cheese according to Gibson. Her technique is to use a hot convection oven. Place your sandwich on a sheet pan or a hot cast iron pan, and cook each side separately before assembling. This technique allows for more fillings and height to a grilled cheese sandwich.
What pairs best with grilled cheese sandwiches?
Beer! Gibson likes porter with an aged gouda and bacon sandwich and a hoppy IPA with spicier sandwiches.
More top tips:
Control your moisture. You want to prevent the bread from getting soggy, so if you are using a wetter ingredient like tomatoes or a wetter cheese like fresh mozzarella, layer in between drier ingredients between the bread.
Always put the smaller side of the bread on the outside, so you have more surface area inside.
Avoid triple cream cheeses and brie which are too delicate for most grilling techniques or use in the middle rather than next to the bread.
More is not better, be sparing with fillings. The balance of bread and cheese and other fillings is key.
In other grilled cheese news, my sandwich won the impromptu contest sponsored by Tillamook cheese and will be offered at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen soon with 20% of the profits going to the charity of my choice, La Cocina. It's the Southwestern and features Tillamook Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar, fresh jalape�os, corn, tomato and black beans on sourdough.
My sandwich won't be on the menu tomorrow, but there will be a Happy Hour at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen featuring Tillamook Cheese. This is a fun opportunity since the shop is normally not open in the evening (with the exception of Giants game nights).
Wednesday, August 22 from 5�8 pm
� $3 Tillamook Grilled Cheese - �Tillamook Classic Grilled Cheese� (regularly $6) made with award-winning Tillamook Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack
� Drink specials - Local craft beers ($5, Pitchers $19), California wine ($8), Sangria ($4, Pitchers $15)
� Toppings (at an additional charge) - Fresh jalapenos, applewood-smoked bacon, seasoned roasted tomatoes, cured ham, housemade pickles, smoked turkey
American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
1 South Park
San Francisco
415.243.0107
Open 7 days a week:
Mon-Fri 8am-3pm
Sat & Sun 10am-4pm
*Extended hours during events/ball-games at AT&T park
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