•Seasoning: Burgers, meatloaf, meatballs
and other ground beef recipes will be more tender if you handle
the meat as little as possible as you add seasonings and other
ingredients. If you over mix it, you’ll end up with a firm,
compact texture after cooking.
•Browning: Dry beef by patting with paper towel before
cooking. Liquid sizzles in the pan creating steam that can
prevent browning.
•Uniformity: To evenly cook of kebabs, cut into
equal-sized cubes (but don’t worry if they’re not perfectly
square) and leave a little space between each piece.
•Stir-frying: Put beef in the freezer for about 30
minutes, or until just firm, to make the meat firm and easier to
cut into strips.
•Salting: Add salt after cooking. Salting before cooking
can draw the moisture and juices out of the meat.
•Turn Meat with Tongs: If you use a fork, it will pierce
the beef and release flavorful juices. When flipping burgers,
you can also use a spatula, but don’t use it to press down on
the beef, or you’ll lose the juices that make your burger moist.
•Monitor the Heat: If the heat is too high you might
overcook your beef on the outside while the inside is still
undercooked. For tender beef, cooked to the desired doneness.
Use medium heat with most dry-heat cooking methods, such as
grilling and sautéing, and medium-high heat for stir-frying. Low
heat is ideal for moist-heat cooking methods, like braising.
•Marinades and Rubs: Marinades and rubs not only add
excitement and flavor to many cuts of beef, but with the right
ingredients, marinades can also be used to make some cuts more
tender.
Instructions
1.Place 2 cups spinach, almonds, cheese and garlic
in food processor container. Cover; process until coarse paste
forms. With motor running, slowly add 2 tablespoons water and
oil until smooth. Season with salt, as desired. Set aside.
2.Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat ovenproof, nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Place beef steaks in skillet and brown 2 minutes.
Turn steaks over and place skillet into preheated oven; cook 13
to 18 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once.
3.Meanwhile, combine rice, remaining 1 cup water and salt, if
desired, in medium saucepan; cook according to package
directions. Chop remaining 1 cup spinach. During last 5 minutes
of cooking, add chopped spinach to pan and continue to cook.
Remove from heat, add cherries and 1 tablespoon pesto to rice;
stir to combine.
4.Remove steaks from oven when internal temperature reaches
135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium doneness. Remove steaks
from pan; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 5 to 10
minutes. Temperature will continue to rise about 10°F to reach
145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium doneness.
5.Serve steaks over brown rice with remaining pesto. Garnish
rice with additional almonds, if desired.
Carne Asada
Ingredients
2 boneless beef top loin (strip) steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about
10 ounces each)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 lime wedges
1/2 to 1 cup prepared guacamole
Additional lime wedges (optional)
Instructions1.Combine cumin and garlic; press evenly onto beef
steaks.
2.Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill,
covered, 11 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas
grill, 11 to 15 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium
(160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.
3.Squeeze juice from 1 lime wedge over each steak. Carve steaks
into thin slices. Serve with guacamole; garnish with lime
wedges, if desired.
