Selecting A Cut



Steaks


Steaks from the front of the beef are different than the steaks from the hind of the beef. If you order a quarter beef, you will have to choose; if you order a half or whole beef, you can have them all!

From the front of the beef:

  • Delmonico steak is a boneless steak taken from the rib area.
  • Rib steak is like a Delmonico with a bone.
  • Chuck steaks are from the Chuck roast with the bone left in, and then cut to steak thickness

From the hind of the beef

  • A choice of Fillet Mignon and NY Strip; or T-Bone and Porterhouse
  • Sirloin Steak
  • Flank Steak

Roasts


Beef roasts from the front of the steer are generally more moist and juicy than beef roasts from the hind. Preparation of roasts from the front (brisket, chuck, bolar, and standing rib) often benefit from long, low temperature cooking. Overcooking causes the roast to break up, and it will not slice well. This is a desirable characteristic in many traditional recipes, such as Curried BBQ Brisket or Old Fashioned Sunday Dinner Pot Roast, in which it is desired that the meat falls apart at the tip of the fork.

Hind quarter roasts, such as top and bottom rounds, eye, sirloin tip, and rump, benefit from shorter, high temperature cooking techniques. Long, low temperature cooking techniques should not be used on these cuts because the meat will quickly dry out and become tough. Recipes like traditional London Broil are best done with careful attention to timing and internal temperature of the roast. These hind quarter roasts are also great cooled and sliced for sandwiches.

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Preparation Tips



Roast


A roast should remain covered when removed from the oven or grill heat for 15-20 minutes before slicing for best taste. And remember - meat continues to cook even after removed from the heat! Remove them from heat a few degrees before the internal temperature reaches your desired "degree of doneness."

Hind Quarter Roast


When cooking a hind quarter roast such as top or bottom round, eye, sirloin tip, or rump, insert a thermometer into the center of the roast and leave the dial visible while cooking. Remove the roast from heat several degrees before the internal temperature reaches your desired Degree of Doneness, cover for 15-20 minutes, then slice and serve.

Steaks


Allow steaks to thaw in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours or on the kitchen counter for 1-3 hours. Do not remove the steaks from the Tussock Sedge Farm packaging until you are ready to cook or marinate them or they will lose some moisture. Though Tussock Sedge steaks are excellent without any marinade at all; if desired, sprinkle with red wine vinegar (our favorite) or another marinade and leave for 15-30 minutes. Place 1 inch thick steaks on a hot grill (400-450 F) for three to five minutes per side. For 3/4 inch steaks, less time is required. Remove from heat and check the center temperature for your desired degree of doneness.

Degrees of Doneness


Rare 140° F
Medium Rare 150° F
Medium 160° F
Medium Well 165° F
Well 170° F

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Old Fashioned Sunday Dinner pot roast

Our Cut of Choice: Bolar, Chuck

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 lb. roast (still frozen)
  • 1 can mushroom soup
  • 1 package dried onion soup

Optional

  • Carrots, Potatoes, Turnips, Onions
  • Wondra shake flour for gravy

Directions


Place frozen roast into large baking pan or Dutch oven. Pour 1 can of Mushroom Soup and 1 package of Dried Onion Soup on top of the roast. For a complete dinner in one pot, arrange whole or halved vegetables around the roast either when putting the roast in the oven, or 45-60 minutes before it is done roasting (for more toothy vegetables). Bake roast covered at 350° for about 3 hours. Check for doneness.

For old-fashioned thick gravy


After lifting the roast and vegetables from the cooking pan, skim the fat off the remaining liquid with a metal spoon. Add water to the remaining tailings and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Slowly whisk in Wondra shake flour to achieve the desired thickness.

Serves 6-8

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Kheema (Ground chuck with warm Indian spices)

Our Cut of Choice: Ground Chuck/Hamburger

Ingredients

  • 2 packages (2 lbs.) ground beef, thawed
  • 3 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 large red onion (roughly dice)
  • 2-6 cloves garlic (smash and dice)
  • 1 inch ginger (peel and finely dice)
  • 1 large tomato or 1 cup canned whole tomatoes or tomato puree
  • fresh coriander, chopped as garnish
  • 1 T. salt (or to taste)

Spices

  • 3 T. coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cayenne (or milder paprika) powder (optional)

Optional Spices (any or all)

  • Cinnamon stick (break in half)
  • 5-15 black peppercorns (grind if desired)
  • 1 black cardamom (smash)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seed
  • 1-3 whole red chili, broken in half (if desired)

Directions


Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan for stove top cooking. When oil is hot, add all the optional whole spices and stir gently until cumin seeds are toasted brown. Add onions and saute until clear and edges are beginning to brown. Add garlic and ginger, saute mixture until garlic begins to brown. Add beef and smash into the onion mixture to evenly brown. Add powdered coriander and continue to stir and brown. Then add turmeric and, if desired, cayenne powder. Lastly, once all spices have cooked into the meat, add tomato or puree to cooked mixture, cover and let simmer gently until tomatoes have reduced and the mixture is thick.

Tip: if at any time the mixture dries out and begins to burn, add a little water to make browning easier.

Serve with fresh coriander; garnish on a flat bread (Indian style) or on a roll (American style).

Serves 4-6

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Curried Brisket with Garlic

Our Cut of Choice: brisket

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 lb. Brisket roast (edges thawed)
  • 6-12 cloves garlic, roughly crushed
  • 1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cup canned tomatoes or diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1 T. salt (or to taste)
  • 2 T. brown or natural sugar

Spices

  • 5 T. coriander powder
  • 1 T. turmeric
  • 1 T. cayenne pepper (or milder paprika powder)
  • 1/2 T. cumin powder

Optional Ingredients

  • Halved onions, shallots, turnips, carrots

Directions


Heat a heavy-bottomed pot for suitable for stove-top braising and slow cooking. Braise the roast on each side for one minute. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add all the vegetables, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. Sprinkle the spices on top and put the lid on the pot. Cook the brisket on medium-low for 2 hours.

Serves 6-8

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Philly-style Steak Hoagie



Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Chipped flank steak (still frozen)
  • 2 T. oil (less if using non-stick skillet)
  • 1-2 bell peppers (both red and green for color)
  • 1 large onion
  • 6 slices American or Cheddar cheese
  • 6 crusty hoagie rolls, or 2 French bread loaves sliced in 3 pieces each
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions


Halve and slice bell peppers and onions. Heat a skillet with the oil and fry sliced peppers and onions until edges are slightly brown. Remove from the pan and put aside. Open the chip steak package and place each set of frozen slices in the pan. As each one fries, slice or pull the meat apart into tiny pieces. Finally, add the peppers and onions back to the pan, mix with salt and pepper, and cover with cheese slices. Fill the sliced loaves with the meat mixture and serve.

Serves 6

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Better Burgers

This recipe demonstrates that you need to do almost nothing at all to make a burger your family will rave about!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. ground beef thawed
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 tsp. salt

Optional

  • Minced garlic

Directions


Mix all together and shape into patties by hand. Place on hot grill and finish to desired doneness. We like them slightly pink.

Serves 6

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 Old Fashioned Sunday Dinner pot roast
 Kheema (Ground chuck with warm Indian spices)
 Curried Brisket with Garlic
 Philly-style Steak Hoagie
 Better Burgers