When ordering a juicy beef steak in a cafe or restaurant, we often wonder why beef at home never turns out so tasty and juicy. The fact is that every self-respecting restaurant chooses the best varieties of meat. In order for the finished steak to melt in your mouth, you need to take animal fibers with uniform thin layers of fat, in other words, marbled ones.
One of the most famous varieties of meat that has proven itself in the deli meat market since 1788 is Australian beef.
Australia is an ideal place to raise livestock
Today Australia is the third country in terms of meat production and one of the largest exporters of marbled beef. Australia's mild climate, vast territories overgrown with nutritious grass, crystal clear air are ideal conditions for the growth of elite thoroughbred calves. Marbling of meat is achieved by alternating feeding livestock with fresh grass and dry hay with selected grain, as well as alternating activity and resting states. The readiness of the heads for slaughter is checked daily by feeling the barrels of the animals.
Preparing meat for sale
To produce Australian beef of high quality and elite rank, steamed carcasses undergo a meat ripening process. First, the pieces are checked for sufficient marbling. Ideally, they should be a bright burgundy color with small patches of fat, creating a characteristic mesh pattern. Select marble pieces are dry aged in refrigerators for three to four weeks. If the meat does not have a specific marble pattern, it is aged in vacuum packaging, which is called “wet fermentation.” The process of ripening meat is necessary to improve the taste characteristics, thanks to it it acquires an additional nutty taste.
Quality checking
Quality control authorities inspect Australian beef at all stages of meat preparation. After aging, it undergoes a number of tests to ensure compliance with the grade requirements: prime (highest category), choice (selected beef), select (lowest marbling category). In accordance with the degree of marbling, age of livestock, and taste, beef is graded and labeled with state Australian and world standards. If everything is more or less clear with the degree of marbling, then the age of the livestock is determined as follows:
- up to a year - veal;
- up to 2 years - young beef;
- over 2 years - beef.
Taste is determined by the consumer who tests the cooked meat according to juiciness, tenderness, taste and overall impression.
Australian beef steak: history
In our country, from time immemorial, preference has been given to meat. Poultry and fish have always taken a back seat to beef and pork. Absolutely everyone loves meat, regardless of gender, age, social status, with the exception of a small number of people who choose a vegetarian lifestyle. Today, an incredible variety of meat dishes has accumulated, but beef steak is the most popular, as evidenced by the number of orders in Russian restaurants.
Steak originated in England in the Middle Ages and quickly became popular throughout Europe. Since that time, the name beefsteaks has come down to us, which literally translates as “beef steak.” A photo of an Australian beef steak can be seen in the article.
Steak translated from English means “tenderloin”, i.e. it is a fairly thick piece of meat (from 3 to 5 cm), cut from the stationary sections of the animal’s muscles in the transverse direction. There are quite a few such areas in the animal’s body, so steak is considered a delicacy. In addition, the steak is made from the meat of young specimens of the Agnus and Hereford breeds. The best raw material for steak is marbled Australian beef, called CAB (Certified Angus Beef). Cross cutting allows the pores to open, which in turn helps the heat penetrate deeply and heat the piece much faster.
Cooking steak
In addition to choosing a steak, it is important to maintain a certain temperature when cooking it. To begin with, the piece is quickly fried in a hot frying pan at a temperature of about 250 °C, which allows it to form a crust that prevents the juice from leaking out. After this, the steak is brought to the desired degree of readiness at a temperature of 150 °C. Next, the meat is sent to the oven for a couple of minutes so that the juice is evenly distributed throughout the piece. It would seem that cooking a steak is a completely simple task, but achieving a certain degree of frying without allowing the juice to run out is very difficult.
Steaks come in varying degrees of doneness according to the wishes of the chef or restaurant guest:
- very rare - very raw (cooking involves only the formation of a crust);
- rare - raw (meat is fried for a minute on each side);
- medium rare - half-baked with blood (two minutes on each side until pink-red blood discharge);
- medium - medium-rare (meat cooks for about 10-12 minutes until pinkish discharge occurs);
- medium well - almost fried (cook for 15 minutes until the juice runs clear);
- well done - fried (fried for 18 minutes until fully cooked).
The degree of roasting depends on the selected temperature mode, which differs by approximately 3-4°C. However, experienced cooks can tell the difference by eye.
Australian beef steak recipe
You can find a huge number of recipes in cookbooks: ribeye, strip, cowboy, filet mignon. They also include BBQ steak made from Australian beef. It is prepared in a variety of ways. You can do this in a frying pan or frying surface, but the dish is not intended for the grill.
Professional chefs prepare Australian marbled meat in special charcoal ovens - jospers. But in the absence of such, we can use a regular oven.
So, we need:
- ribeye steak 3-4 cm;
- salt and black pepper to taste;
- butter - 25 g;
- garlic - 1 clove;
- thyme - 1 sprig.
Let the steak rest at room temperature for about two hours. Dry the meat with a towel, then moisten it with a small amount of refined vegetable oil on both sides and roll it in the salt and pepper mixture.
Heat a frying pan with a thick bottom (ideally cast iron).
Cook the steak over high heat for a minute and a half on each side, pressing evenly on the surface.
Reduce the heat, add garlic, butter, thyme to the frying pan, stir and pour the mixture over the steak for about six minutes until medium done.
Remove the meat from the pan and transfer it to a slightly preheated oven for 5-10 minutes.
Australian livestock farming and meat consumption culture have developed in Australia since its colonization. Today this country is one of the top three in terms of meat production. More than half of Australia's agricultural farms produce beef. What is it Australian beef ribeye, and what is the secret of its popularity? About this in our article today.
Australian ribeye beef: the secret of popularity
Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of marbled beef. It is worth noting that the production of marbled meat is approached here with the utmost seriousness and responsibility. For example, in Australia there are several government bodies that control all stages of meat production. There are also bodies responsible for standardization and quality control of finished products. Therefore, if one day you decide to buy Australian beef for steaks, you will be absolutely confident in its quality.
As you know, it is a delicious product and the result of successful selection and proper fattening. In Australia, they rely on Hereford and Aberdeen Angus beef bulls. Grown in England and Scotland, they came to the mainland during its colonization. The mild climate, vast areas for grazing, lush grass, clean air and grass did their job - the meat breeds of bulls took root and adapted so much that they began to give good weight gain.
Australian ribeye beef is valued for its thin layers of fat that penetrate the muscle fibers in the form of a mesh. They provide the meat with amazing flavor and juiciness. That's why marbled steaks are prepared in the best steakhouses in the world. At the same time, Australian ribeye beef has a special place among chefs!
Special mixed fattening allows you to enhance the marbling of meat. In Australia, bull calves are fed juicy, fresh grass, with high-quality grain added to the diet. It is believed that such fattening and the measured life of bulls makes their meat very juicy, soft and aromatic.
Almost all Australian beef ribeye undergoes a fermentation process. Cuts that have received the highest level of marbling are stored in refrigerators for at least 3 weeks. This method of aging meat is called dry aging. Dry aging is used for the most marbled parts of the carcass. This is a thin and thick edge (this is where the famous one we recommend comes from).
Meat, deprived of marbling due to the anatomical structure of the carcass, is sent for maturation in vacuum packaging. This is the so-called wet aging. A budget-friendly way to improve the taste of meat and buy steak meat inexpensively.
Buy Australian Ribeye: where and how much?
To buy Australian beef for steaks, you don’t have to go to the mainland for it. You can also buy marbled beef from Australia in Ukraine by placing an order in a specialized meat and meat delicatessen store. But we hasten to warn you: the price of Australian marbled beef is very high.
inexpensively is quite possible. Pay attention to the marbled meat made from Ukrainian beef. The T-Bone company became the first company in Ukraine to produce and sell Ukrainian marbled meat. The meat of Ukrainian beef bulls is taken as the basis. The breed was bred by Ukrainian breeders by crossing Ukrainian bulls with imported breeds. Everything from T-Bone is fermented either dry or wet. All stages of production are certified and comply with sanitary standards. By the way, carcasses are cut according to American standards. You can buy meat for prime, select and choice steaks. The entire meat range of the company is presented in the online meat store, as well as in the T-Bone brand store on the Capital Market!
Australia is one of the world's most efficient cattle producers and the world's third largest exporter of beef. The combined Australian cattle and calf production is valued at $7.7 billion. Approximately 55% of all agricultural farms are involved in beef production. The state of Queensland is the largest producer of beef and veal in Australia.
Australian marbled beef is widely exported around the world, occupies a leading position in terms of quality and taste and meets strict sanitary and technological control standards. What is the secret of such a popular food product?
The taste and quality of meat is a combination of several factors. First of all, these are natural conditions - vast pastures rich in lush grass, clean water and a healthy ecology. Australia is an ideal place for livestock farming. It is a mostly flat continent with endless valleys and fields. The mild temperate climate is characterized by no sharp changes in annual temperatures; there are no frosty winters or dry summers. Huge herds graze on flat pastures, slowly moving along the flat terrain and fattening their sides. The meat of Australian bulls is distinguished by great juiciness and aroma.
Animal husbandry traditions
Animal husbandry traditions and meat consumption culture are of no small importance. When the first settlers arrived on the mainland, there were no suitable animals for domestication in Australia. In 1788, several cows and a bull were brought from Cape Town, Africa, on ships of the First Fleet, which marked the beginning of the development of animal husbandry and cattle breeding in Australia. Subsequently, several more transports with cows arrived from South Africa and India. Many of Australia's modern farms date back centuries. Having started breeding with animals that were emaciated and had difficulty surviving the voyage, they raised numerous herds of well-fed bulls and healthy dairy cows. Australian cuisine has evolved from many national gastronomic traditions of the world. Meat is prepared here in different ways, but it is always very tasty and from high-quality products. Meat in Australia occupies one of the leading places in cooking and you need to understand that in order to get a tasty “real” beef steak, you need to take a cut only from a specially raised bull. The meat of a cow whose feeding was focused on high milk yields will not differ for the better when cooked. That is why, in Australia, special attention is paid to the production of real “meat” bulls of the best elite breeds, mainly Aberdeen Angus and Heryford. These meat breeds were originally developed in Scotland and England through years of selective crossbreeding. Australian farmers have continued their rigorous process of selective breeding and improving meat quality.
The next necessary factor for a good steak is special fattening and grazing. There are different technologies for feeding animals, and it is they that affect the quality of meat. The best and most valued deli meat on the world market is considered to be the presence of small patches of fat in the muscle tissue, arranged in a characteristic pattern. This quality of beef was called “marbling”, and the meat itself began to be called “marbled”. When cooked, these fragments of fat in the lean parts of the carcass add unique juiciness and tenderness to the finished dish. To obtain such marbling, beef bulls are fattened by alternating natural grazing on pastures with feeding selected grain. In addition to a special diet, periods of physical activity and rest alternate. Years of selective selection, combined with special feeding technology, have allowed Australian beef to occupy one of the leading positions in the global marbled meat market.
After slaughter, the carcasses must undergo a aging process, during which the meat matures and becomes aromatic, juicy and tender. There are 2 types of ripening - the dry method, which gives the meat a more pronounced taste with a soft nutty flavor, and the wet method, which is more economical. The presence of the aging process itself already indicates the high quality and eliteness of the meat. And the holding period characterizes the process. Ideally, the meat should be subjected to an aging process of at least 3 weeks.
Quality control
Before reaching store shelves or restaurant kitchens, meat from a farm must be tested for compliance with quality standards and receive a grade rating. A strict beef quality scale is based on the degree of marbling and the age of the cattle and is regulated by government agencies. The country has a whole chain of institutions that control the process of producing quality meat, from animal selection to vacuum packaging of cuts. Research centers, certification and regulatory bodies control the entire cycle of the meat industry. In addition to the Meat Standards Australia system, which is similar to global ones, an additional Australian taste assessment measure, Eating Quality Assurance, has been developed, based on consumer response. It is based on the client’s taste reaction to the prepared product, assessed according to the parameters tenderness, juiciness, taste and overall impression (meat quality MQ4). Following the introduction of this system, all Australian beef is labeled according to grade and recommended cooking method, providing consumers with a high quality product.
Starting next week, Australian beef supplies to Russia will stop. This decision was made by Rosselkhoznadzor on March 31. The reason for the refusal of the most popular beef in the world was the discovery of trenbolone in it, a hormone that was banned in Russia in December 2013. The Village talked with both sides of the conflict - Australian meat producers and Rosselkhoznadzor, as well as with the owner of the Torro Grill steakhouse chain, Kirill Martynenko, to understand what kind of meat will now be used to prepare steaks in restaurants.
David Larkin
Meat advice
industry
Australia, AMIC (Australian Meat Industry Council)
The Australian Department of Agriculture confirmed that Rosselkhoznadzor is temporarily suspending the supply of frozen beef to Russia from April 7; a ban on the supply of chilled beef was previously announced from March 31. The ban does not apply to other types of meat.
Russia is the most important partner of Australian suppliers - about 24 thousand tons of beef were supplied in the last financial year (to July). The beef trade generates more than $170 million each year. Australia has been a traditional exporter of beef to Russia since the 1970s and has always followed the requirements of the Russian market without reservation.
On December 20 last year, the Australian government introduced additional measures on beef exports to Russia to comply with new Russian requirements for trenbolone. Russia reacted positively to the measures taken, but introduced a ban on beef by-products from January 27.
On March 20, information appeared on the Rosselkhoznadzor website about the detection of trenbonol in chilled Australian beef, delivered after additional measures were taken. The Department of Agriculture provided Russian colleagues with detailed information about the problem and proposed an audit of Australian meat enterprises. Australian department reports indicate the beef supplied was from animals raised without hormones. We believe that Russia has decided to suspend the supply of beef from Australia until it examines the detailed report provided on the quality of the product.
Since December 20, Australian beef has been supplied to Russia without trenbonol. We are ready to continue negotiations with the Russian side to resume cooperation."
Alexey Nikolaevich Alekseenko
Advisor to the Head of the Federal Service of Rosselkhoznadzor
The reason for the ban on the import of beef from Australia is still the same: we found trenbolone in the meat - this is a type of steroid. It is used to increase the mass of meat. Why is he dangerous? It affects men by reducing their libido and shrinking their gonads. This is a harmful substance prohibited throughout the civilized world. We have had discussions with the Australians many times, they have promised not to use trenbolone, but we find it again and again. Recently, the Australian Minister of Agriculture made a funny statement: he said that the ban was related to the situation in Crimea. Although in fact we warned Australians about the possible consequences two years ago, and a year ago, and in June.
Kirill Martynenko
Owner of a chain of steak houses
Torro Grill
Of course, this whole situation will have a negative impact on business. There are few options here, because of all the meat suppliers on the market today, the only worthy ones are Uruguay and Argentina. Perhaps small amounts of meat could be shipped from Europe, such as France. The main issue here is the quality standards, not the countries where the meat is sourced from. In Australia and America, there are quite strict standards for the size of cuts, the quality of their trimming, and marbling, so the quality of local meat is consistently good. In Europe there are no such standards, so one piece can be of very high quality, but the second - not. Therefore, such measures will affect the end consumer, who will have to explain why last time he ate a great steak, but this time he didn’t have a very good steak.
Over many years of American and Australian monopoly on the Russian market, the Moscow consumer has become accustomed to quality. Unfortunately, even South America cannot guarantee such consistency of quality, so now the Russian consumer will have to relearn a little and stop being capricious. Theoretically, this situation could encourage the development of a Russian manufacturer, although, to be honest, I doubt that this will happen.
We will still choose the best of all possible options. If we are not satisfied with the quality, then we would rather sell good pork than bad beef.
Now no one will have a chance to compete in suppliers. Perhaps only those who have worked with Europe before and have managed to develop quality standards over the years of cooperation will be in an advantageous position.
Trenbolone was rejected only because Russia joined the Customs Union, where this substance is prohibited. Before this, for ten years we all ate meat with these additives and remained alive. These supplements have been around for a long time and are approved on the domestic market in Australia, the USA and many other countries.
Not so long ago, it was possible to enjoy a good steak from Australian or New Zealand beef only in a few decent restaurants, which have now proliferated like mushrooms after rain and, alas, quantity has not translated into quality. But at the same time, more and more stores began to offer Australian and New Zealand meat for free sale, so theoretically, anyone can cook a delicious steak at home.
One of the largest suppliers of such meat is the Australian Trading House.
I can’t say for sure whether it’s worth buying meat from this supplier because I’ve had both unfortunate mistakes and unexpected successes with their products, so let’s look at my recent purchase of “Shoulder Steak from New Zealand Beef” of the highest quality, for grilling or on a grill pan.
The meat is packed in a beautiful box made of very thick cardboard. The packaging contains all the necessary information about the product, as well as recommendations for preparation and many comprehensive photos. In the photo everything looks perfect and very appetizing.
I know how to cook steaks and love them. Therefore, the information about the cooking method was known to me for a long time and was used more than once. Although in fact this is not the only way to prepare delicious steaks and there are many supporters of another cooking option. Let me tell you right away that there is a lot of meat in the box, so I cooked it in two ways. We will see the result below.
Meat is sold frozen. Meat must be thawed before use. It is best to defrost in the refrigerator and never defrost steak meat at room temperature. If you really don’t have time, then, as a last resort, you can defrost the meat by placing the bag in a bowl of cold (!) water. In this case, the steak meat will be ready for frying in just an hour. But it’s still better to defrost the steaks overnight in the refrigerator, then take them out 20 minutes before frying and let them warm up a little to room temperature. This will be the best option.
This time I fried the steaks at home on a grill pan. If you don’t have such a frying pan, then an ordinary frying pan will do, as long as it heats evenly and retains heat well.
Good New Zealand beef is so tasty and tender that it does not require any manipulation of beating, marinating, etc. Proper frying and the ability to do it are much more important.
I prefer medium roast, my husband prefers medium roast. Let's get started, but first let's see what awaits ours in the box of meat.
We open it and see several pieces separately packed in bags. Moreover, all meat is of different quality and fat content. Accordingly, its taste will be different.
It is believed that a good steak does not need sauce, the taste of the meat is so self-sufficient. We will take only vegetable oil (I used olive oil), salt, black pepper and any herbs you like, but you can’t think of anything better than a sprig of rosemary. I also like garlic, but it's not necessary.
Lubricate each piece thoroughly with vegetable oil. This is necessary so that the juices are sealed faster and remain inside the piece, rather than leaking out. There is no need to grease the pan itself (I have a grill pan).
Place the steak in a heated frying pan and fry as indicated on the box, i.e. 5 minutes on one side, carefully turn it over so as not to damage the crust and prevent the juices from leaking, now you can sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper. Fry until desired degree of doneness (2 to 5 minutes). Then put the meat in a warm form or pan, salt and pepper the other side and cover the meat with a lid allowing it to rest. At this time, fry the next portions.
I fried the next portions in a different way. This method produces a beautiful grill pattern on the meat, and the meat itself is usually very tender. On a well-heated grill pan (we do not change the frying temperature during the entire process), place a piece diagonally, for example, “/”, we will fry for 2-2.5 minutes, then turn it over, maintaining the diagonal tilt “/” and fry for the same amount, now carefully turn the meat over, changing the diagonal of the tilt to the opposite “\”, then turn it over again, maintaining the diagonal “\” at this time add salt and pepper. Remove the meat into a mold or saucepan and sprinkle salt and pepper on the side of the meat that is currently without spices. Cover with a lid and let the meat rest.
Some may have a question regarding spices. Why do I salt and pepper this meat at the last moment? The fact is that the steaks are cooked over fairly high heat and freshly ground pepper simply burns and does not give the desired aroma.
And with salt the situation is the same. In fact, there is still no consensus among experts about salting steaks before cooking or at the end. If the meat is fresh, then there will not be much difference because such meat is almost impossible to spoil. But if the meat is like ours, then it’s better not to take risks because salt draws out moisture, and we need the meat to immediately become crusty and the juices to be sealed inside.
Garlic and rosemary can be added during the frying process. But lately I like to add dry garlic from the mill at the moment when the meat is resting under the lid, then the garlic gives off its special aroma and, together with the juice, goes inside and does not burn in the pan.
Sometimes I roll only the sides of the steaks in a mixture of salt, pepper and herbs (they are not fried and the spices do not burn).
The steaks are done and rested. They smell simply divine! The table is set and no one has the strength to endure it anymore. Place the delicious pieces in portions on serving boards and lightly pour over the resulting juice. There are also grinders with pepper and salt on the table. Lightly pepper and salt to taste (if necessary). Let's try.
The steaks look great in both cases, both externally and in cross-section. They smell amazing, the juice oozes out, and when cut you can see that the degree of roasting is just right.
But unfortunately, this is where the pleasant part of the story ends. Meat without proper softness with hard fibers. Despite its juiciness, which we have preserved thanks to proper preparation, the meat needs to be chewed for quite a long time. The taste is good, but it gives the impression that this is riding buffalo meat and not grass-fed beef.
No matter how hard I tried to recognize elite beef, I couldn’t do it. The most acceptable piece turned out to be the one that was initially the fattest (marbled). But it is also far from ideal.
I hope it was useful to you.
All the best to everyone! Thank you for your attention! And special thanks for the benefits
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