The thought of a delicious, juicy Sunday roast makes many people's mouths water. However, it is quite an art to get the roast cooked to perfection. Just a few minutes too long and instead of a dream piece of meat, you have a dry lump in your mouth. To ensure such a mishap doesn't happen in the future, we are presenting a few tricks here. This way, every piece of meat turns out well – whether it's a roast from the oven or a steak from the pan.
Buttery tender meat instead of tough chewing gum
Rule 1: Pay attention to quality!
Not all meat is the same.A distinction is made here between various criteria. The fat content, the marbling (distributed fat lines), the origin, and last but not least, the taste ultimately define the meat. A high-quality piece of pork, for example, can be recognized by its high fat content, excellent marbling, and deep, blood-red color. During the cooking process, the meat shrinks a little and achieves a slight gray tone in its coloring.
For beef, one should look for a matte appearance, outstanding marbling, and a dark red meat color. A well-aged piece of beef is wonderfully tender and turns evenly gray when cooked.
Rule 2: The cutting technique makes the difference!
But it is not just the quality of the meat that is decisive, but also the cutting technique. If work is done improperly here, even the best piece of steak can become tough. To prevent this from happening, one should observe the following: regardless of whether it is a schnitzel, roast, or fillet – the meat should always be cut against the grain. If this is not possible, then at least an even cut diagonal to the grain should be ensured. Incorrectly cut pieces of meat lose meat juice and therefore become tough and leathery. It is also important to use a good and sharp meat knife
Tip: If the schnitzel shrinks massively in the pan, the meat was cut incorrectly. Steaks can be scored across several times to prevent unwanted curling during the cooking process. For a large roast, however, the fat is scored in a square pattern – however, one should refrain from removing the fat until after roasting, as it protects the roast from drying out.
Rule 3: The correct cooking time
Of course, everything is useless if you simply let the piece of meat or the roast cook for too long. It is important to hit the right moment. However, this depends on the size of the meat, as well as the temperature and the cookware. A rule of thumb states: approx. 10 minutes of cooking time are estimated per centimeter of meat thickness. The cooking state itself can also be tested with a thumb press. For this, simply press firmly on the steak with your flat thumb. If it gives way easily, it is probably still raw (rare). If a slight pressure is felt, it will likely be well done (medium). However, if the meat hardly gives way, it is overdone (well done).
Rule 4: Low heat is optimal!
You are probably still familiar with the old guiding principle: "The meat must get a shock so that the pores close well." However, the gentle cooking technique is more popular among top chefs. This makes the roast pieces more tender and juicier and they taste better accordingly. As a rule, all types of meat from beef to veal are suitable for this endeavor. They are seared and, depending on the recipe recommendation, cooked at 80°-120° Celsius for between half an hour to an hour.
However, this method is hardly suitable for soup meat – this is cooked through well in stews with all the other ingredients.
It is also important to know that the leaner the meat, the less heat it needs. Also, fat edges should never be cut off beforehand, because they are exactly what ensure that the meat becomes nice and juicy and tender. If you don't want the fat at all, then always remove it after cooking. To ensure the piece stays nice and flat, always score tendons and fat edges before cooking.
Tip: If you want to be on the safe side, you are well advised to use a meat thermometer
Rule 5: Marinating the meat
To prevent Meat becomes particularly juicy and also tender, you should at least 1 hour before cooking cover it well and Beer marinate it.
To marinate meat evenly and easily, you only need a freezer bag: put the meat, spices, and marinade inside and seal the bag well. Now just move the meat back and forth so that everything is well distributed.
Extra tip: If you haven't marinated the meat and it is already frying in the pan, simply adding a splash of cognac also helps the meat stay tender.
To keep poultry nice and juicy, coat it in potato starch before preparation. This locks in the liquid and makes the meat tender.
Extra tip: Shrimps also remain nice and juicy after being coated in potato starch.
Rule 6: Let it warm up
So that meat or fish does not become tough, it should not go directly from the fridge into the pan, but first let it reach room temperature for at least 60 minutes. If it is a large roast of at least 3 kg, you can take it out 2-3 hours beforehand.
Rule 7: Let the meat rest after roasting
Let quick-fried items like steaks or chops rest for 2-5 minutes after roasting. This also contributes to the piece of meat not becoming tough, because this rest allows the meat juice to distribute well. If you cut the meat immediately, the meat juice runs out and the meat remains dry.
8th rule: Frying the perfect steak
Rule 9: Meat in the oven needs liquid
Image by Birgit, meinhaushalt.at
