Versatile, it works both for the everyday menu and for more elaborate meals; check out tips and recipes
Maybe you, card reader tasteyou may be wondering why the hell a gastronomy notebook has decided to devote so many of its lines to the discussion Ground beef, this dish so common. The truth is that no matter how trivial a recipe is: even a simple warm cheese, which requires only bread, cheese and butter, has its tricks to being perfect. And believe me, it’s possible to go wrong with the preparation of ground beef. Just use a tight pan, season the meat at the wrong time, or add too much water and the result will be stewed, greyish meat that tastes like cooked. In other words, “it’s the classic hospital ground beef,” as chef Heloísa Bacellar defines it.
Well cooked, seasoned ground beef with every cook’s favorite complements – chips, olives, hard boiled eggs – it’s pure home made food. “My mouth is watering just at the thought of a plate of minced meat with rice, beans and a leaf salad,” confesses Helô. And with the price of beef skyrocketing, the ability to use cheaper cuts in preparation puts ground beef in the center of the table. “It is the kitchen of real life, every day, a delicious way to eat meat without weighing down your pocket too much”, indicates the chef.
To the Marsalaa butcher shop located in the Água Fria district, in Sao Paulo, whose meat comes from farms in the interior of Sao Paulo, the cuts that come out most ground are the duckling and the soft thigh (both R $ 67.90 per kilo). “Compared to other cuts that come from beef thighs, such as filet mignon, the price difference can be as high as 40%,” says Ademilson Koppes, butcher and partner of the house. or Chuck Chuck It’s even cheaper, R $ 59.90 per kilo, and it also produces tasty ground beef.
When buying, the first tip is to choose a reputable establishment that won’t add leftovers from other cuts to your serving of ground beef. “If you are new to the butcher’s shop, the ideal is to avoid ready-made trays and ask to grind the piece in time, already clean, without nerves or excess fat,” says Koppes. The number of times the meat goes through the meat grinder depends on the recipe. “We usually grind twice, but for Kibe Cru, for example, the indication is to grind three times. In this way the meat takes on a more doughy consistency, “he adds.
The triple pass through the grinder also applies to the mass of the Fried Kibe, according to Make Hommus Not War chef Fred Caffarena. “The more the meat fibers break, the easier the dough will bind – and this reduces the chances of it breaking during frying,” he teaches. When minced meat is being prepared for stuffing, Fred prefers to grind the meat only once. “The texture is similar to ground beef on the tip of a knife, with some larger pieces.”
Another tip, from Helô Bacellar, is to use the meat, at the latest, up to two days after purchase. “Plus, it starts releasing a lot of blood, losing flavor and nutrients apart from the risk of spoiling,” comments the chef. “If the idea is to use the ingredient later, you may want to freeze it immediately.”
Culinary crime?
Some consider it a transgression, but it’s not uncommon for a customer to walk into the butcher’s shop and ask for a serving of picanha or ground steak, Koppes says. A matter of taste – and out of pocket, by the way. It’s a good idea to stop for a moment and think about whether it makes sense to grind such an expensive cut to make certain recipes.
In most cases, the brave ones who ask to grind pieces costing more than R $ 100 per kilo do so with the desire to get the perfect burger. But, we assure you, you don’t have to go that far. Try it at home with a classic blend: 20% ribs plus 40% brisket and 40% steak, all beef. To this amount, chef Benny Novak adds 15 to 20% fat (from the rib itself) to flavor the Ici Burger, which is part of the Ici Bistrô menu.
joker card
The same braised ground beef, which shines at the center of the table in everyday life, is also out of competition between filling options. It appears in shortcrust pastry (with parsley and olives), in pancake, Esfiha, in empanada – la salteña, from La Guapa, also has diced potatoes, boiled egg and toppings -, in escondidinho potato, in the countryside dumpling.
In addition, it can acquire other accents. “I see minced meat as a blank canvas, ready to be transformed into an Italian, Greek, Arabic, Chinese painting, depending on the method of preparation and the combination of ingredients,” says Heloísa Bacellar. “And you can also grind other types of meat, such as ham or shoulder of pork, lamb and even chicken, further differentiating the recipes,” she adds. Check out some of them below.
Bê-a-bá of the perfect ground beef
A) Before grinding the meat, ask the butcher to remove the tendons and excess fat from the cut. Good choices: duckling, soft rump and beef steak.
B) Store the ground beef in the refrigerator for up to two days.
C) Choose a large pan, with the edges not too high, to prepare the recipe. The meat should have room to brown quickly, preferably in a single layer. In a very narrow pan, only the first layer of meat is browned, while the rest, in the higher extracts, is cooked. Avoid.
D) Brown the onion and garlic with a drizzle of oil. When they are golden, add the meat.
E) Stir to separate the lumps and wrap all the pieces in the dressing.
F) When the meat changes color, season with salt and pepper.
G) Add water (and a little!) Only if you intend to cook potatoes or other vegetables together with the meat. Otherwise, the water that releases the meat itself is enough to cook it. Remember: the less water, the tastier your meat will be.
H) If you want, add a spoonful of tomato sauce to make your meat more caramelized.
I) Turn off the heat, preferably add the aromatic herbs and serve.
Come in
Greek meatballs
Chef Helô Bacellar developed this recipe from a dish he ate at a family Greek restaurant when he lived in Paris. In his hey version of Greek meatballs, he usually uses ground beef, but you can also use ground lamb – “it gets even more Greek”. Pistachios and raisins complete the flavor of the meatballs.
Stuffed with Kibe
Chef Fred Caffarena’s recipe can be molded into a savory dish – as served by Make Hommus Not War, which just won a fixed point at Oscar Freire – or mounted on a baking sheet. To make this kibe you will need two portions of duckling, one minced three times and the other two.
pulpetone
The Polpetone di Tappo, a recipe by chef Benny Novak, is not only stuffed with mozzarella but is also breaded and fried. Use the duckling, ground twice, to make the meatloaf and a good homemade tomato sauce to complete the dish.
Bolognese sauce
Unlike the Bolognese sauce, this Bolognese sauce uses almost no tomato in its preparation. The star here is the coarsely ground brisket and the fresh cream. At the Donna restaurant, chef André Mifano chooses to serve it with fettuccine.
Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
