Beef meat is tough, what should you do? Recipe for soft and juicy beef

Beef marinades

To make the meat soft and juicy, and also acquire a subtle or bright aroma, it is marinated. This is done in plastic or enamel containers so that the pieces do not touch open metal and their taste does not deteriorate. The beef is coated with marinade during the cooking process. Sometimes a sauce is prepared from it: flour and starch are added and placed on low heat.

For barbecue

Components:

• 3 tbsp. spoons of wine vinegar;
• 2 onions;
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds;
• 2 teaspoons salt;
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Finely chop the onion, add pepper, salt, vinegar, coriander. The chopped meat is mixed with the marinade with your hands and compacted a little. Cover the vessel with a lid and leave it in a cool place for 1 day.

For baking in the oven

Ingredients:

• lemon;
• 2 onions;
• 4 cloves of garlic;
• half a glass of water;
• 1 teaspoon salt;
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Lemon juice is mixed with cold water, finely chopped onion, garlic, salt and pepper are added to it. The meat is cut into pieces, poured with cool marinade and left for 3 hours.

For the steak

Components:

• 6 cloves of garlic;
• 1 onion;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of 9% vinegar;
• half a glass of olive oil;
• half a glass of soy sauce;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of mustard;
• teaspoon salt;
• teaspoon pepper;
• rosemary

All ingredients are ground in a blender until smooth. Beef steaks are poured with marinade and refrigerated for at least 3 hours.

For frying

Ingredients:

• a glass of water;
• 2 onions;
• lemon;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of salt;
• ½ teaspoon curry;
• 1 teaspoon meat seasoning

Finely chop the onion, mash it with your hands and mix it with chopped beef, sprinkle with seasoning. Water is mixed with lemon juice, sugar and salt, poured into a bowl with meat. Mix everything well and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

How long to fry beef?

The meat is fried in pieces, in the form of steaks or chops. To do this, use a frying pan, grill, oven. Each dish has its own degree of readiness.

Steak is a piece of beef flesh 2-4 cm thick, cooked in a special frying pan with a wavy surface. It is fried for 30 seconds to 5 minutes on both sides, knowing the basic methods of frying steaks.

To check if the steak is ready, you need to press on it.

An easier way to fry beef is in 3-4 cm cubes. Cook them in a heated frying pan for 25-30 minutes.

Keep the chop on the fire until a crust appears, then turn it over and fry for 2 minutes on each side.

Classic beef and onion stew recipe

For cooking you need a frying pan with a thick bottom, preferably cast iron. It prevents the meat from drying out and burning.

The calorie content of this dish is 275 kcal. The ingredients below make 3 servings.

Components:

• 500 g beef;
• 2 onions;
• vegetable oil;
• 1 teaspoon sugar;
• a pinch of ground black pepper;
• 100 ml. drinking water;
• 1 teaspoon salt

How to cook:

Wash the beef, dry it with paper towels and cut into medium portions. Season them with salt and pepper and stir. Peel the onion, rinse it and chop it into half rings. Heat the oil in a frying pan, put the meat in it. Fry it for 10 minutes over high heat, stirring occasionally.

Add the onion to the browned pieces and mix everything together. Fry the ingredients until the onion is soft and translucent. Pour hot water into the pan, reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and simmer the meat for an hour.

Beef with vegetables in a frying pan

Delicious and quick recipe. For this dish, it is better to use a beef neck, then the meat will be soft. It can be served with various side dishes or on its own.


Components:

• 350 g beef;
• 1 onion;
• 1 bell pepper;
• carrots – 1 pc. or half;
• 2 fresh tomatoes;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• salt, meat seasonings,
• freshly ground black pepper;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil;
• 50 ml. water;
• green

Cut the beef into thin pieces and lightly pound with a hammer. Fry it, stirring over moderate heat until golden brown. Add onion cut into half rings or feathers to the meat.

Cut the carrots into thin slices and place in the pan. Fry it over low heat and stir for 5-7 minutes. Add bell pepper strips.

Salt the products, pour 50 ml. water and simmer the meat and vegetables under the lid for 7 minutes. Add fresh tomato slices and finely chopped garlic, stir. Simmer the dish for 4-5 minutes to maintain the shape of the tomato wedges.

Sprinkle the dish with finely chopped herbs and serve.

Beef in sour cream in a frying pan

Meat prepared according to this recipe is not at all fatty.

Components:

• 600 g beef;
• 100 g. sour cream;
• 1 onion;
• salt;
• spices for meat;
• sunflower oil

Finely chop the meat. Heat the oil in a frying pan, fry the beef on both sides, stirring. Cook covered over low heat. Add onion, cut into half rings, fry it until golden brown.

Mix 100 ml. sour cream and 200 ml. boiled water. Pour this mixture over the beef pieces, add salt, pepper and other spices to your taste. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

Then you can remove the treat from the heat and serve.

Beef in a frying pan in coconut sauce

Beef in coconut sauce

The meat in such an unusual casing turns out to be piquant. To prepare the dish, you will need coconut milk, which you can purchase in the store or squeeze the nut pulp yourself.

Components:

• 500 g beef fillet;
• 1 glass of coconut milk;
• 2 onions;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• fresh hot pepper;
• a piece of ginger;
• 1 tbsp. spoon of vegetable oil;
• 2 sprigs of fresh lemon balm;
• ½ tbsp. spoons of brown sugar

Finely chop the onion. Peel the ginger and cut it into large pieces. Remove the seeds from the hot peppers. Place everything in a blender, including the garlic and lemon balm. Pour in coconut milk and make a smooth paste. Then pour it into a deep frying pan with oil and cook for 3 minutes.

Cut the meat into small cubes, place it in a frying pan, pour in the remaining milk and simmer until the meat is soft and the sauce thickens.

Season the dish with sugar and salt.

Beef in creamy raspberry sauce

Beef in raspberry sauce

It turns out that not only any side dishes go well with meat, but also berries. In this case, beef can be stewed, fried and smoked.

Required Products:

• 800 g meat;
• a handful of fresh or frozen raspberries;
• 1.5-2 tablespoons of lingonberry jam;
• 200 ml. cream;
• 60 g butter;
• ½ glass of red wine;
• ½ cup broth;
• salt;
• coarse black pepper

Jam can be store-bought, as long as it does not contain preservatives. Lingonberry can be replaced with cranberry.

If the meat is frozen, let it thaw gradually to retain the juices inside. Then cut it into small slices and sprinkle with pepper.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and place the beef pieces in it. They should be thoroughly cooked, but not burnt. Then add salt to taste.

Stir the meat slices lightly. Add jam and red wine to them, simmer for 6 minutes without closing the lid. At this time, rinse the berries with cold water and dry them, possibly on a paper towel.

Add broth and cream to the meat, stir and wait until the liquid has evaporated. If there is not enough salt, salt the beef again.

Place the berries in a bowl, mix all the ingredients and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Remove the dish from the stove and bring it to the table.

How to juicy fry beef steak

Components:

• selected beef in the form of steak, 2 pcs.;
• sunflower oil for frying;
• salt;
• pepper;
• french herbs

How to cook:

The steak does not need to be washed. Dry it with a paper towel. Sprinkle the meat with pepper and salt, as well as spices. Rub them into the steak with your hands. Treat both sides of the beef with sunflower oil. Pour oil into a cast iron frying pan and heat it up.

Place the steak in the pan and cook for 1 minute on each side. Turn it over several times until done. To do this, it is advisable to use tongs rather than a fork so that the juice does not leak out.

Beef is a finicky but versatile meat that pairs well with salty, spicy, and even sweet ingredients. I hope the recipes listed will help you prepare delicious and juicy dishes.
Also learn how to cook beef in a pot in Russian
Bon appetit!

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Beef is a meat that many housewives avoid. And, I must say, completely in vain. Most likely, the reason is more than banal - many people simply do not know how to cook beef so that it is soft. But everything is quite simple. Many years of experience as home cooks, numerous experiments and a passionate love for meat have given rise to many excellent recipes for preparing this wonderful and extremely healthy product. And therefore, answering the question of how to cook beef so that it is soft can take a long time. Because there are more than enough such methods, and different ones at that. The meat turns out tender, juicy and soft in a frying pan, in the oven, or in a saucepan. Even a beef kebab, properly prepared, will be no worse than one made from pork. The only thing you need is to follow the advice of experienced chefs, which we will give in our article. And at the same time, we’ll share several recipes, tell you how to fry soft beef, make delicious shish kebab, chops and bake it in the oven. So let's begin.

Choosing meat

Since it is not possible to cook beef so that it is soft from just any piece of meat, you need to be very careful in choosing it. Firstly, it must be fresh. Under no circumstances should you take frozen food. In addition, you need to buy meat only from young animals, since old beef is only suitable for long-term stewing. The color will tell you about its age. Young beef has a beautiful pink or slightly reddish tint. This meat differs from pork in that it has a lot of films and veins. Therefore, when choosing beef at the market (which is preferable) or in a store, be sure to try to take the piece where there is practically no beef, or at least not very much.

Preparatory stage

If you ask any housewife who knows a lot about meat about how to cook beef so that it is soft, the answer will be unequivocal. Pre-marinate! And here you can already use your own imagination to the fullest. The marinade can be almost anything. And you can keep beef in it, intended both for baking in the oven and for frying in a frying pan, in one piece or cut into small pieces. Below are some of the most common pickling options.

Marinades

• Peel a couple of large onions, chop them, take a large lemon, also cut it into pieces without peeling, and then put it all through a meat grinder. After which the mixture must be squeezed out. Add any seasonings you like to the resulting juice (it can be pepper, both red and black, or chili, thyme, mustard, coriander, etc.). It is in this marinade that you need to keep the beef. Exposure time depends on size. A large piece needs to be kept for longer, a small piece will be enough for an hour.
• Take ordinary table mustard, carefully, without sparing it, rub the meat on all sides. Place the piece in a saucepan and leave in a warm place for several hours. The beef will need to be rinsed before cooking.
• Mix half a liter of kefir with the same favorite spices, pour the mixture over the meat, and let it marinate overnight. In the morning you can start preparing.
• Soak the beef in regular mineral water. Exposure time is three hours.

These are, of course, the simplest options. You can marinate meat in beer, red wine, or in a specially prepared marinade designed to keep beef in it for two or even three days. Create, experiment! And we’ll talk further about how to cook beef so that it is soft in the oven.

Bake

To do this, you can use either special dishes, parchment, foil or a sleeve. It all depends on what kind of dish is intended. So, for an inexperienced housewife, it is best to opt for the sleeve. Moreover, you don’t need to do anything special. It is enough to take the meat out of the marinade, put it in a sleeve, seal it on both sides with special clamps, put it in the oven, after which you can go to rest. In two to three hours the meat will be cooked (at a temperature of one hundred and eighty degrees).

You can simply bake it on a baking sheet. It is only advisable to first stuff it with pieces of lard - for greater juiciness. The result will be tender and soft beef. In the oven, you need to set the temperature to the same one hundred and eighty degrees, and the meat itself needs to be poured with the released juice from time to time. There are a great many baking recipes. Moreover, you can cook not only beef alone, but with a side dish. Mushrooms, eggplants, potatoes. This is a topic for another discussion. On our agenda are soft beef chops.

How to cook

By the way, anyone who thinks that chops are very easy to prepare is mistaken. Especially when it comes to beef. Still, this meat is both harsh and quite dry. But you want the dish to be juicy, so that the chop simply melts in your mouth, while also emitting an appetizing aroma. But nothing is impossible. True, the preparatory process will take a little time, but the resulting result will fully justify such sacrifices. We offer the simplest recipe - beef chops with cheese. To prepare, we stock up on: meat, cheese (300 g), a pack of mayonnaise, vegetable oil, salt, spices.

We cut the beef, and certainly across the grain, into appropriate portioned pieces. We beat back diligently. Then rub with any spices and salt. Allow time for the meat to soak a little in this mixture. Grate the cheese (preferably finely), mix it with mayonnaise. And then we fry our chops, first dipping them in this peculiar batter. Finally covered with a cheese crust on the outside, the chops will be soft and juicy on the inside. Just as we ordered.

And finally, let's talk about how to cook soft beef kebab. The recipe for its preparation, or rather, several, see below.

Shashlik

It must be said that traditionally this dish is prepared from pork. True, recently they have increasingly begun to make it from chicken. And it is very rare that shish kebab is prepared from meat such as beef. Recipes with photos of this dish clearly confirm that beef is no less suitable for its preparation. And to make sure of this, we’ll tell you about several of the most common methods.

In Georgian

To prepare it we stock up on:

• beef tenderloin;
• onions (two or three pieces);
• a bunch of fresh parsley;
• bay leaf;
• grape vinegar (three tablespoons);
• allspice (5 or 6 peas);
• salt.

We cut the meat into appropriate portions, put it in a container, generously sprinkle it with chopped onions, herbs, add grape vinegar, salt and all the available spices, and close. And we leave it for two or even three days. In a cool place. The future shish kebab should be thoroughly mixed several times a day. Then everything is traditional: a warm evening, a cozy cottage, a skewer, a barbecue, good wine...

With vinegar and wine

To prepare such a kebab, we go to the store for:

Cooking

Naturally, first we deal with the meat, that is, we cut it. Then add peppercorns to the bottom of the vessel in which you plan to place the beef, seasoning them generously with bay leaves. Place the meat in layers, sprinkling each with onions, seasonings (of your choice), and salt. The top layer should look like onion. Pour all the available tomato paste onto it, don’t forget about the vinegar. Then you need to press it all down with a press. Moreover, the latter should be as heavy as possible. Under such pressure, and in a cool place, the kebab should marinate for about a day. After that, you need to remove the press, drain all the liquid in the vessel, and then add a glass of purchased wine and lemon juice. And wait another four hours. All. You can go to the dacha. The further algorithm of actions is the same as in the first case.

Give it a try. And make sure that beef kebab is no worse than one made from pork or chicken. And in some ways, maybe even better. It is quite clear that the recipes we have given are far from the only ones; there are a great many of them. In addition, after trying to cook soft beef kebab once, you can then make your own adjustments to the recipe by replacing or adding ingredients.

Bon appetit!

Soft and tender beef - this dish deserves admiration and praise, but not everyone can cook it successfully. There are many reasons why beef turns out tough and not juicy. In this article we will look at the most common mistakes. We will also present several ways to soften beef and prepare ideal dishes.

Choosing the right meat

It is better to buy beef in butcher shops, at the market or in large supermarkets, where, as a rule, they offer proven and high-quality products. It’s good if you have the opportunity to touch the meat, smell it, and check its freshness. Unfortunately, not all stores provide this opportunity; meat is often sold in vacuum packages. The principles for choosing beef are as follows:

• It is best to give preference to a fresh rather than a frozen piece of meat. Most often, markets sell fresh local products; frozen meat may be foreign-made.
• When buying beef in supermarkets, don’t pay attention to discounts, they just won’t sell it that cheap. This means that this product is of low quality or is nearing the end of its shelf life.
• Before you put the meat in the basket, you need to look at it carefully, pay attention to the color and smell.
• To make the dish soft, you should avoid parts of the meat that are full of tendons. The most tender meat is always tenderloin.
• The color of the meat plays an important role; it can range from light red to burgundy. A yellowish or even brown color will mean that the meat is spoiled.
• The younger the animal is slaughtered, the softer the meat is when cooked. Young beef will be soft and juicy, but less rich.
• Fresh meat should smell like blood. All other odors can be considered foreign; it is possible that the piece was treated with a chemical compound.
• Pay attention to the appearance. There should be no weathered areas on the piece; a uniform color is preferred.
• Don't be afraid to buy meat with fat; it should be dry, but not slippery.

If you do not plan to cook the purchased piece of beef within 5 hours, it is better to freeze it. Defrost it in the refrigerator - this does not allow it to lose its nutrients.

How to make beef tender and juicy when braising

The parts of the cow that require long-term processing are best suited for stewing - neck, rump, thigh, shoulder and brisket. The extinguishing process includes the following steps:

1. Frying meat over high heat with a small amount of fat. The main thing is not to overcook the beef, otherwise it will turn out dry; this mistake is very common. The pieces should be slightly browned, they need to be stirred constantly and fry without a lid.
2. According to the recipe, add onions and vegetables to the meat. The onion should play the main role; it is the one that makes the meat soft. Why is it customary to put a lot of onions in kebab? The answer to this question is obvious; onions make it juicy and soft.
3. Add broth or water to the fried meat, and then simmer under the lid over low heat. Even the toughest meat will become soft if you do not lose sight of these very important points. The cooking time for stewing depends on the meat, usually it takes no more than an hour.

Try cooking beef stew according to the classic recipe. Once you master this technique, you will always end up with delicious meat.

Required Products:

• beef (shoulder or thigh) - 1.3 kg;
• onions - 400-450 g;
• carrot;
• 2-3 tbsp. l. tomato paste;
• 1.5 cups broth;
• frying oil, fat.
• salt, spices, bay leaf, paprika, garlic.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a cauldron or saucepan with a thick bottom. Lightly fry the meat cut into pieces.
2. Add finely chopped vegetables, bring them until lightly browned.
3. Mix the broth with tomato paste and pour the contents into the cauldron.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Add bay leaf and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Next, remove the foam that has formed on top of the meat, add salt and spices to taste.
6. 5-7 minutes before readiness, add a little garlic to enhance the taste.
7. Cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Let the meat brew.

Tough beef, how to soften it when cooking

The success of cooking tender beef depends on the correct marinade. If you soak it in the marinade in advance, it will definitely be soft. Even the toughest (old beef) can be cooked to finger-licking quality. The key to a perfect dish is cooking the meat; it will soften as it cooks. The main thing is to be consistent and not to rush, this may take some time.

While chicken soup cooks quickly, beef broth takes time and simmers slowly. Cooks prefer two ways to add meat to broth. Some are placed in cold water, others in boiling water. There is plenty of controversy about this; below is a recipe for putting meat in boiling water. If you choose to cook differently, it will not affect the taste of the meat.

Required Products:

• tough beef (peritoneum, brisket, meat on the bone) - 1.5 kg;
• large onion;
• 1 carrot;
• bay leaf, spices, salt, water.

Preparation:

1. The meat can be boiled whole or sliced. Before cooking, you need to wash it and trim the veins.
2. Boil 3-3.5 liters of water. Place the piece in a saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Until the water boils, you need to keep an eye on the meat, otherwise the broth will not be clear.
3. As soon as the boiling process is noticeable, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for about an hour.
4. Then remove the foam, wipe the side walls of the pan and continue to cook over low heat.
5. Add salt, spices, whole onion and peeled carrots. In 25 minutes or even earlier, the meat will be ready.
6. Using this method, the meat will smell great and melt in your mouth; you can use the broth to make soup or borscht.

We prepare a very tasty goulash

Required Products:

• 0.5 kg - beef tenderloin;
• 2 onions;
• red bell pepper;
• hot pepper, spices;
• 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
• water - about 0.5 liters;
• spoon of flour;
• oil for frying.

Preparation:

How to make meat soft and juicy when frying

A reliable way to tenderize beef when frying is vinegar, it weakens muscle tissue. It is better to choose white or wine vinegar, they will not affect the color of the meat. Balsamic vinegar works well too. When marinating beef, it is better to avoid salt, then the meat does not release valuable juice. After two hours of marinating, the beef is ready to fry. Salt it directly in a frying pan or grill.

Required Products:

• beef - 900 g;
• onion - 900 g;
• olive oil;
• vinegar 2-2.5 tablespoons;
• 2 tablespoons flour;
• spices with salt.

Preparation:

1. Beef preparation for frying begins the day before. It’s good if it sits in the marinade for several hours. The beef is cut into cubes or strips.
2. Then place the shredded beef in a bowl, add chopped onion, add pepper, add olive oil, vinegar. Place in the refrigerator to brew.
3. After that, throw the beef into flour and quickly fry in a cauldron with oil.
4. When the liquid has evaporated, reduce the heat slightly and cover the cauldron with a lid. The meat should be fried and simmered at the same time. Check readiness with a knife and fork.
5. If for some reason the meat turns out tough, don't despair. Place it on a sheet of foil, wrap and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Soft beef kebab

Required Products:

• beef tenderloin (loin, neck) - 2.6 kg;
• onions - at least 2 kg;
• a bunch of parsley;
• barbecue spices with salt;
• coriander, Provençal herbs;
• vegetable oil;
• 0.5 lemon;
• 1 kiwi.

Preparation:

1. Clean the beef from the chaff, wash, dry with napkins and cut into pieces.
2. Cut the onion into half rings, mix it with the meat, pressing it sparingly with your hands.
3. Add chopped parsley, spices, oil to the meat, squeeze out lemon juice, mix well.
4. Salt the kebab 15 minutes before frying. Regarding kiwi, there is also an important point: it is added 1.5 hours before frying the kebab, otherwise the meat will not be tasty. The kiwi is peeled and finely chopped, ground with meat and the meat is sent to a cool place.
5. To get a delicious kebab in a short time, put it under pressure, then it will marinate faster.

Tender beef stroganoff

Required Products:

• 500 g fillet, beef tenderloin;
• 2 large onions;
• 1 pepper;
• 250 ml (or more) broth;
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
• 2 tablespoons flour;
• 2 teaspoons each of paprika and hot pepper;
• salt, pepper, oil, seasoning for meat;
• 1 carrot.

Preparation:

1. The meat is cut into strips, breaded in flour, pepper and paprika.
2. Fry in oil, brown well. Add onion rings, slices of carrots and sweet peppers.
3. Fry everything together, add broth with tomato paste. Mix everything well, season with seasoning, cover with a lid and let the meat simmer for half an hour.

How to Make Beef Tender and Juicy When Roasting

Required Products:

• beef steak - 1.5 kg;
• seasoning for meat - 1 packet;
• dry wine - 40 ml;
• French mustard - 45 g;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• sprigs of rosemary;
• olive oil - 15 ml.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the marinade. Mix French mustard, grated garlic, wine, spices and olive oil. Rub the meat well with this sauce.
2. Wrap a piece of meat in foil with rosemary sprigs; the remaining sauce will come in handy.
3. Bake for about half an hour at medium oven power. Then you should remove the foil, pour the sauce on top and bring the meat in the oven until golden brown.
4. Before serving, cut the meat into slices. The priority is chilled meat, suitable for slicing and snacks.

Each housewife has her own. Of course, a lot depends on what kind of meat it is and how it will be prepared. Perhaps beef is the most difficult type. Not everyone knows the secret of how to achieve its softness. Therefore, we invite you to figure this out together.

Answering the question of how to cook juicy beef, it must be said that what part of the carcass the piece was taken from is of great importance here. It is best to take the neck or tenderloin. In this case, it is enough to simply cut across the grain and, for example, fry.

Buy only and not frozen. Fresh beef smells like milk and has a delicate pink or red color. When you press it, it quickly restores its previous shape.

Another important point in getting it into the frying pan without turning it into a rubber sole is to beat the meat and then brush it with mustard. You can soak beef for fifteen minutes in the juice of one kiwi. The amino acids it contains will soften hard veins. Then heat the oil well and only then add the pieces. By the way, you need to add salt after the crust has formed, so that all the juice does not leak out.

The advice on how to keep it soft after cooking is very simple. Firstly, never cut a large piece into smaller ones. Secondly, the fire should be medium. Thirdly, put the meat in the pan when the water boils. After about two and a half hours it will turn very tender.

The method of how to cook beef so that it is soft during stewing is also simple. Before the main process, fry the pieces in butter at a temperature of 110 - 120 degrees. This will help “seal” all the juice inside. Next add a large amount of onion to it. It will not allow the meat to become dry. The ideal recipe for cooking beef is beef stroganoff. The dish involves long simmering over low heat. As a result, the meat melts in your mouth.

You can use beer or wine as a stewing broth. If you are preparing boiled or mashed potatoes as a side dish, do not rush to throw away the water in which the potatoes were boiled. It is also perfect for this purpose. A winning option would be stewing in a ceramic pot or cast iron cauldron. Just don’t take it, otherwise it will be irrevocably damaged.

Pre-marinating can be a good way to cook beef so that it is tender and juicy. For example, take kefir, add spices to it to taste and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Some cooks use mineral water for these purposes. You can also use lime, lemon or apple cider vinegar.

Roasting in a sleeve or foil is how to cook beef so that it is tender and delicious. You can try this on a baking sheet as well. Place the meat on top of a thick layer of onions. Stuff the pieces themselves with lard. From time to time they need to be watered with the released juice.

Have fun cooking and experiment. And you will definitely succeed! Put a part of yourself into the cooking process, and then any dish will be incomparable! Bon appetit!

Beef meat is considered “capricious” among many housewives. Of course, with most cooking methods it turns out hard and dry, earning the epithet “rubbery” and being compared to a shoe sole. However, beef can still be made juicy, tender and soft; it is important to know about the peculiarities of its preparation.

Product selection and preparation

Cooking this type of meat begins with its selection. Parts of the carcass differ in chemical composition and taste characteristics. In other words, there are parts of the carcass that, in principle, are not intended for baking, stewing, or frying.

Films and tendons give meat toughness. For example, almost 80% of the neck consists of such connective tissues, so it is better not to fry this part, but to boil it and make chopped cutlets from it.

For roasting, roasting, beefsteak, and whole roasting, it is better to use the tenderloin, the front or back of the legs. The meat will cook quickly, leaving it tender and juicy.

The softest part of the carcass is the fillet. A tenderloin is made from the middle of the loin; such a piece is also called chateaubriand. The thinnest part is the tournedo, and the sharp edge of the fillet is called filet mignon. The best part of the fillet is the medallions. However, even a beef shoulder (a rather tough part of the carcass) can become an excellent steak if you trim the meat correctly and know how to cook it.

For frying and cooking in the oven, it is better to use young meat. Veal is usually soft to the touch and lighter in color. If you look closely, you will find that it has finer fibers and lighter fat. The meat of an adult, and especially an old cow, is not suitable for these purposes, since the dish will be dry and tough. But it is good to cook broths from it, however, this will take a lot of time. You can visually distinguish older beef by the dark red hue of the flesh and the yellow color of the fat.

The easiest way to determine softness and juiciness is in fresh, not frozen meat. The presence of bruises and crusting is unacceptable; only slight weathering is possible. Before purchasing, you should press on the flesh; as soon as you remove your finger, the dent should straighten out. This indicates the juiciness of the beef.

If frozen meat is used, it should be properly defrosted before cooking. It should be remembered that the process must be gradual. Beef removed from the freezer should first be placed on the middle shelf of the refrigerator, and after a few hours left at room temperature. If you defrost meat by placing it in hot water or in the microwave, then despite all the tricks, after cooking it will become tasteless and rubbery.

Preparing meat involves removing films, veins, tendons and further rinsing the piece under water. After this, it should be blotted with a towel. Beef is prepared in this way for almost all dishes. The exception is steaks. It is not recommended to wash the meat before cooking, but blotting it with a napkin is a must. It is better to pre-soak tough meat in the marinade to soften it.

General cooking rules

If you need to prepare small portioned pieces, it is recommended to cut the meat across the grain. Thanks to this, the pieces are less deformed, which means they remain juicier. In addition, this cutting method ensures faster preparation of the dish.

If you are going to fry old meat, it is recommended to marinate it first. There are many marinade recipes, but almost all of them contain acids - this will soften tough meat fibers. The marinade can be prepared using kefir, lemon juice, wine, and sour cream. You can immediately add spices, garlic, and onions to the marinade.

The tougher the meat, the longer it should be kept in the marinade. As a rule, the minimum marinating time is 2-3 hours, the maximum is a day.

If you plan to fry a piece of beef, then you should do as little as possible with it. Ideally, rinse, dry and slice thinly, then immediately fry in a hot frying pan. When stewing, on the contrary, the meat can be lightly beaten with the back of a knife (not sharp), finely chopped and fry the pieces in oil for half an hour. Then pour in the liquid and simmer.

It is important to use a sharp knife for slicing, cutting off films and cartilage with it. It is important to completely clean the flesh from the veins, since when heated they shrink, which prevents the meat from being properly fried or baked.

When frying

Before frying meat, it is usually lightly beaten on both sides with a special hammer. This helps make the piece thinner, which means faster cooking. The prepared pieces must be dipped with a paper towel. This will remove excess moisture and grease from the surface. When frying, the meat will not “shoot”, and a uniform crust will form on its surface.

When frying, salt meat should be added towards the end of the cooking process. The fact is that when salt is added, intense juice separation begins, so the steak or other dish will turn out tough. Adding salt at the end of frying will help preserve the juices, since they will be “locked” inside the piece thanks to the crispy crust on both sides.

Another important point is to prevent juice from leaking out of the meat. First you need to quickly achieve a crust on both sides, and only then make sure that the piece is completely fried. That's why you need to put the beef in a well-heated frying pan, and make the heat more intense.

When the meat is covered with a crust, reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid. If the meat starts to burn, you can add a little water or broth or sauce. It is important that the liquids are hot, otherwise the finished dish will taste like the proverbial sole.

The time for frying beef depends on the specifics of the recipe and the size of the cut pieces. If we are talking about steaks, which are cut 2-4 cm thick and fried in a frying pan with a ribbed surface, then the frying time for each side is from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. It is the duration of frying that determines the wide variety of steaks - deep-done, weak, rare, and so on.

The chop usually takes 4-5 minutes to cook, on average it takes 2-2.5 minutes to cook one side. The meat cut into pieces is fried for 20-30 minutes, stirring the dish periodically.

If the steaks are cooked at home, then first rub each side with a little vegetable oil. The frying pan should also be greased with oil; it is better not to pour it from a bottle, but to use a culinary brush.

When cooking

You can get soft boiled beef by dipping the raw piece into boiling water. The larger the piece, the juicier it will be when cooked and the richer and tastier the broth will become. If a large piece fits into the pan, then it is in this form that it should be cooked, without cutting it into pieces.

Spices and vegetables will help make boiled beef tastier and more aromatic. The latter (usually onions and carrots) are added peeled to the broth after an hour of cooking the meat. There is no need to chop them - at most, you can divide them into 2-4 parts. Spices are added to the meat a quarter of an hour before the end of cooking.

It is important to cook the beef covered, preventing access to oxygen.

After the meat is cooked, there is no need to rush to get it out of the broth. You should leave the piece to cool in the same broth. If you don't follow this advice and remove the meat to a plate, it will quickly crust over, making it appear dry and tough.

If you come across an old piece of beef, then, of course, it is better to boil it. But first, soak in a marinade of 100 ml of vodka and 10 tablespoons of soy sauce. Even an hour in this marinade will help the meat become softer after cooking. You can also add a little vodka, half a teaspoon of sugar or a well-washed banana peel to the water. These ingredients will help tenderize older meat.

When extinguishing

Braising beef to make the dish juicy and tender is not an easy task. It's better to cut it into small pieces. After this, they should be fried in a hot frying pan greased with a small amount of vegetable oil. Do this for a short time - a minute and a half, stirring the pieces or shaking the pan all the time. As a result, a dry crust forms on the surface of the meat.

Now you can transfer the pieces to a saucepan or cauldron (it is important that it is a thick-walled dish) and fill with hot water.

Spices and bay leaves will help you get a more aromatic and appetizing dish. But the beef stew should be salted 15-20 minutes before the end of the stew. On average, the entire process takes 1.5-2 hours.

Another “trick” for getting a soft stew is to add a little grape juice to the beef while cooking. It is poured in an hour after the stewing begins.

When baking

It is better to bake the meat in one piece, so it will remain juicy. Almost all good recipes for preparing baked beef involve pre-marinating it. The duration of the process is 2-3 hours.

After marinating, the beef should be wrapped in foil, preferably in two layers, so that no steam will escape. Prepare the dish for 1-1.5 hours at fairly high (200-220C), but constant temperatures. Once the beef is ready, you can open the foil and let the meat brown.

If after cooking in the oven the beef turns out to be tough, you can try to correct the situation by holding the piece over boiling water.

And several more options for delicious beef dishes.

In sour cream sauce

This recipe can be made in pots or a small cauldron. Thanks to sour cream and long stewing in the oven over low heat, the beef turns out incredibly soft, with a pleasant creamy aftertaste.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beef pulp;
• 4 onions;
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard;
• 1 teaspoon flour;
• 2 tablespoons of low-fat sour cream;
• salt, spices.

Rinse the beef, dry it and cut into cubes with sides of 3-4 cm. Cut across the grain. Chop the onion into half rings and mix with the meat.

Pour oil into a cast iron pot or pot, add meat and onions and place in a cold oven. Cook for 1.5-2 hours at 180C.

At this time, make the sauce: mix flour, mustard and spices. Add sour cream, if necessary (if the mixture turns out to be too thick), add a little water. Remove the pots from the oven - by this time the meat will be almost completely cooked in its juices, and the onions will become transparent. Now you need to pour the sauce into the dish and put it in the oven for another half hour.

Baked in foil with carrots

Beef baked in foil is almost a culinary classic. However, the dish will sparkle with new colors (in the literal sense too - it will become brighter and more festive), it will turn out soft and tender if you stuff it with carrots.

Compound:

• 1 kg beef tenderloin;
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 5-6 cloves of garlic;
• 2 carrots;
• salt, pepper.

Prepare the beef, rub with salt and pepper. Cut the washed and peeled carrots into cubes, make cuts in the meat and stuff it with vegetables.

Make a marinade from the sauce and garlic, passed through a press, and pour it over the beef. Leave for a couple of hours.

After the specified time, wrap the dish in 2 layers of foil or a baking sleeve and place in the oven, heating it to 220C. Cook for 2 hours, then unroll the foil and leave the beef in the oven for another quarter of an hour. This will allow the dish to “get” a golden brown crust.