Continue reading »]]> Last summer, chef Jamie Oliver shared with the world the fact that American’s ground beef supply is full of a meat that is treated with ammonia in order to make it “safe” for consumption. This meat he called pink slime. This pink slime was made by Beef Products Inc, the leading ground beef producer in the United States. Fast food companies were known for using this product in their products. Well now news have broken that McDonald’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell have all abandon the use of pink slime. So if you have frequented any of these places, you have eaten pink slime. I applaud these companies for giving up the pink slime. None of the companies want to give Jamie Oliver any credit for this, but I think we had a huge impact as well as the 2010 food documentary, Food Inc (which you can watch online at Amazon’s website)

Pink slime is made from parts of the cow that we use to only feed to dogs. The concern was that salmonella and E. coli could be found in these “cuts” of beef. The used some ammonium hydroxide to make the beef “safe”. By I still heard some reports of salmonella and E. coli found in ammonium treated beef. So it may not even be working. I think the whole thing just need to be stopped. It’s all about profit at the expense of the consumer and maybe their health.

Just because these places gave up pink slime, doesn’t mean that you are safe. Several websites spoke about pink slime is found in school lunch programs. If you are a concerned parent, I urge to to contact your child’s school, and see what you can find out. You make face opposition like Jamie Oliver did during his tv show, but if enough people cry out, then a difference can be made. We just saw a difference made with these 3 fast food joints.

You can avoid bringing home pink slime beef from the grocery store by only buying beef that says 100% ground round, 100% ground sirloin, or 100% chuck (read all about the differences in these types). Never buy any beef when you don’t know what part of the cow the meat is coming from, that includes stew meat. Any good grocery store should be able to cut stew meat for you out of any cut you want that you find in the meat case.

Continue reading »]]> Selecting beef is the grocery store can be an overwhelming task. What can be even more overwhelming is trying to figure out what to do with that cut once you get it at home. Hopefully I can decrease your anxiety today by giving you some ideas on what to do with a flank steak.

What is a Flank Steak
A flank steak is a long and flat cut of meat. It comes from the abdominal area of the cow, located underneath the short loin. It can be a tough piece of meat if not cooked properly. But if cooked right and then sliced against the grain, then it can be one of the best things you ever ate!

Broiling a Flank Steak?
The most common thing that I do with flank steak is broil it. It’s that type of meat that needs to be cooked fast if you are using a dry cooking method. In your oven’s broiler all you need is 3-4 mintues per side and it’s dinner time. As said above it’s important to slice it against the grain (which is why I am saying it twice!). This makes it easier to chew, so more tender in your mouth.

Before I broil a flank steak, I always marinate first. Because of the way a flank steak is designed it makes for one of the best cuts of beef to marinate. I like to use some soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and garlic in my marinade. The flavors get into the meat so easily and provide a burst of flavor in your mouth.

If you run out of time to marinate, you can always try a dry rub with things like mustard seeds, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.

Flank Steak Makes Great Fajitas
Another way to use your flank steak is in making fajitas. Slice thin against the grain (third time!) along with all of your favorite fajitas fixings is a great way to go. Sunny Anderson from Food Network has a recipe for flank steak fajitas you might want to check out.

Other Flank Steak Recipes
Below you will find a list of some recipes that I found around the World Wide Web.

Rachel Ray’s Flank Steak Pinwheels
Blackened Flank Steak
Cuban Flank Steak
Slow Cooker Flank Steak Faijtas

Continue reading »]]> When it comes to selecting a steak, the grocery store can be a confusing place. There are so many different names. My goal is to teach you what these steaks are and how to prepare them. Today I will look at the ranch steak, also known as the more complicated boneless chuck shoulder center cut steak (grocery stores saved a lot of money in ink by just calling it a ranch steak!)

Where Does a Ranch Steak Come From (What Part of the Cow)?
Whenever selecting a steak it’s important to know where on the cow that steak was cut from. This will tell you how tough or how tender the steak is. The ranch steak comes from the chuck primal. This is the section of the cow closet to the head. Steaks cut from this section can be tough if overcooked. But there is good flavor to be had and enough fat to keep the meat from drying out. Excess fast is normally removed by the butcher. Ranch steaks are typically no bigger than 10 ounces and are about 1 inch thick.

How to Prepare a Ranch Steak
Braising is a good option, but I choose to grill mine so that is what I will talk about here. You can marinade this steak, but it isn’t required. It has enough flavor on it’s own to be good with just kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you like your steak well done, then this isn’t a good choice for you. If this steak is cooked past medium it becomes quite tough.

To grill, bring the steak to room temperature, by leaving it out for 30 minutes (don’t worry it won’t spoil on you in that time). This will allow the steak to cook faster and more evenly. I sprinkle the steak with kosher salt when I take it out. This will draw moisture and protein out of the steak that will help in the searing process. I grilled my steak on a Lodge Cast Iron 12-Inch Square Grill Pan. This is the next best option to outdoor grilling. When it comes to grilling time, there are a lot of things to factor in. So I think that is best uses through trial and error as well as learning what a perfectly cooked steak feels like. My particularly experience on my grill pan, took about 3-4 minutes per side to cook. I was going for a medium steak. When a steak is medium, it should be slightly firm but with some give when press down on it. A steak that doesn’t give much when you press on it, is most likely beyond medium.

Is a Ranch Steak Worth Your Money
At $4.99/lb a ranch steak is a good bargain. It has a good flavor and is good for those on a budget. While I don’t think it tastes as good as a sirloin or ribeye, it’s a nice alternative that is worth checking out. I do have to point out one downside is that there is a small, silver colored streak in the steak that will not melt or soften up. So you will just have to eat the meat around it and cut that section out. At least in mine, it was only a small fraction of the steak.

Continue reading »]]> In the last week, the topic of what is ground beef has been a hot one, thanks to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. This show airing on ABC, brought up the topic of pink slime. Pink slime is pieces of meat that were once considered only good for animals, but now is used as a filler in much of America’s ground beef (Check out my earlier post to learn more about pink slime). I thought this would be a good time to talk about different types of ground beef, so you can better know what you are buying.

Hamburger
This is made from what leftover beef a butcher has. I don’t not recommend buying hamburger as you never know what you are getting and I think there is a high chance you will end up with at least some pink slime. The USDA allows for up to 30% fat to be added to hamburger.

Ground Beef
You may see beef just labeled as ground beef. Again you are not quite sure where on the cow that meat is coming from, so you need to be cautious. Ask the butcher, if there is one present to ask. The USDA says you can have up to 30% fat in ground beef, but no fat can be added.

Ground Chuck
Anything labeled ground chuck must contain nothing but meat from the chuck primal. This area is located towards the head of the cow. It’s where we get cuts for delicious pot roasts! It’s a pretty fatty cut, but that fat helps make a juicy burger. Ground chuck typically contains between 15-20% fat. This is the type of beef Jamie Oliver used to make his Revolution Burgers.

Ground Round
Anything labeled ground round must contain nothing but meat from the round primal. This area is located towards the back of the cow, near the tail. It’s a cheap area of the cow, but the meat can be tough. Ground round typically contains between 10-15%

Ground Sirloin
Anything labeled ground sirloin must contain nothing but meat from the sirloin area. Sirloin steaks are cut from the short loin, near the middle of the cow. This area produces some of the most tender and expensive steaks (like the Porterhouse and Filet Mignon). The downside to ground sirloin is that it is more expensive than ground chuck or round. It is also leaner which is good health wise, but ground sirloin can dry out really easy. Ground sirloin typically contains between 8-10% fat.

Things to Keep In Mind
1. Whenever you see a number on ground beef, it is indicating the amount of fat. 85/15 ground beef would contain 15% fat.
2. Grass-fed ground beef is made from cows that eat a natural grass diet. Many people notice a difference in taste (it tastes better!)
3. To be sure of what you are getting your meat, grind it yourself. The quality will also be better if you do it yourself (that is of course you start out with good quality beef). You can use a hand meat grinder or if you have a stand mixer, you can buy an attachment.

Continue reading »]]> Question: What is Angus beef?

Answer: You may seen a restaurant advertising they have burgers or steaks made from Angus or Black Angus beef. So what does this exactly mean? Angus is a breed of cattle. Just like there are breeds of dogs, there are breeds of cows. Some people feel that the meat of these cows produce better beef products. Black Angus is a black Angus cow. There are also Red Angus cows, but the black is seen as the better cow for beef.

What is Certified Angus Beef (CAB)?
Certified Angus Beef is beef that has gone through a certification process. It has to meet certain qualifications that are determined by a certification board. The qualifications have to do with their marbling and maturity of the meat, the size of the meat, and quality control. Beef that meets all the requirements is then labeled “Certified Angus Beef” or CAB. Is this truly better beef? That is up to the taste buds of the consumer. I can tell you that this certification process is not free. So if something isn’t labeled CAB, it doesn’t mean that the beef can’t come from an Angus cow it just wasn’t certified. Some farms choose to skip this to save money,

Continue reading »]]> Tonight aired the 2nd episode of season 2 of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. This one was entitled “I Think I Found a Loop Hole”. Jamie has been continually denied access to any of the LA schools. Until he found a school that has a contract with the LA school district but has some freedom in which they run the school. However, Jamie learns what kind of freedom they really have, when he shows up and they won’t let him even step food in the cafeteria or the kitchen. The only thing he is allowed to do is teach a culinary arts class. He takes what he can get, and goes to teaching 9 students. It’s amazing how stubborn the school board is. They are doing everything they can to block him, so they don’t look bad, but in the process they are looking like a group of dictators.

Jamie’s other battle continues with the fast food owner. Jamie’s goal is to show him that fast food can be done healthier without being too expensive. He wants to take over the place for 2 weeks, but the best he gets is having 4 burgers that are added to the menu. He gets his meat for his burgers from a butcher, so he knows there will be no pink slime in them. As for choice of ground beef, he found ground chuck and ground round to be the cheapest (click here to learn more about types of ground beef). He goes with the chuck that contains 10% fat and is 100% Angus beef (click here to learn more about Angus beef). The burger patties end up only being 10 cents more than the fast food owner’s. Here are the ingredients of his Revolution Burgers, according to the menu seen on the show.

Revolution Burger
100% Angus Patty, Healthy House Dressing, Smashed Sweet Potato, Pinto Beans, and Lettuce on a Whole Wheat Bun.

Red Hot Revolution Burger
100% Angus Patty, Healthy House Dressing, Slow Cooked Sweet Onions, Smokey Chipotle Salsa, and Shredded Lettuce on a Whole Wheat Bun.

Green Goddess Burger
100% Angus Patty, Healthy House Dressing, Alfalfa Sprouts, Charred Smokey Peppers, and Smashed Goodess Avocado on a Whole Wheat Bun.

Stealth Burger
100% Angus Patty, Healthy House Dressing, Crispy Bacon, Smashed Cauliflower on a Whole Wheat Bun.

It will be interesting to see if Jamie has any long lasting impact on this fast food joint. I am wondering if the Revolution burgers that sell for the same price as their own most expensive burger bring in the same amount of profit. If they don’t, I don’t see them being kept around.

Continue reading »]]> Last night I was watching the season premiere of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. One of the points in this episode was to learn where your food comes from. This led him to the topic of pink slime. What is pink slime? Whenever a cow is butchered there are pieces that are cut off that aren’t considered for human consumption. There is a greater risk for E. coli and other nasty stuff in those parts of the cow. It use to be mainly just for pet food. A dog’s stomach can handle the kind of stuff ours can’t. However now this pink slime is ending up in our foods. Using a centrifuge they can separate the fat from the meat. Once they salvage this meat, there still is the concern of potential illness in humans. So to make sure that won’t be a problem, they pull out a chemical – ammonia. Yes, the meat industry actually uses ammonia to kill anything that might be in the meat and the FDA is perfect ok with this. In fact, they are so ok with it that no one has to list on their labels that ammonia was ever used. The meat industry convinced the FDA, that the ammonia is just a “processing agent”. There is some limits put on pink slime. You can’t use more than 15% of it in ground beef. So it’s basically just used as a filler, but the filler saves the meat industry some serious dough.

I am not a scientist, but I can’t imagine putting ammonia in your body can be good for you. So how do you avoid this kind of beef? Good news is that McDonald’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell have all stopped using pink slime (which means they were using it in the first place). But that doesn’t mean all fast food places stopped using it. You may also encounter it at the grocery store. You should never ever buy ground beef labeled as hamburger. That is almost a guarantee that you will be getting some grounded up pink slime in there.

How Can You Tell if You are Getting Pink Slime?
You really can’t tell when you are getting it, but you can tell when you are not getting it. Companies aren’t required to say they used pink slime in a product. So the only way to read that something 100% from whatever part of the cow (100% ground chuck or ground sirloin for example). And if can’t be guaranteed that it’s 100%, the way to know for sure, is to have a butcher grind the meat for you, right in front of you, so you can see what is going in it. There are places they will do this. Another option would be to grind the meat yourself. You can get a hand powered meat grinder or if you have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer you can buy an meat grinder attachment. It’s important to know what is really in your food. Don’t take it for granted. And when in doubt, grind it yourself or with the help of your neighborhood butcher.

For more on pink slime, check out the food documentary – Food Inc. Also check out this report from a CBS news.

Continue reading »]]> Last night, the first new episode in season 2 of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution aired. For each new episode I will be providing a recap with my personal comments. The show is airing this season on Tuesday nights at 8pm on ABC.

Episode 201 – Maybe L.A. Was a Big Mistake
Jamie is out to tackle the food in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Problem is they weren’t exactly waiting for Jamie with open arms. They would not even let him enter any of the schools. It seems as if the school board cares more about their reputation and image than about the food they serve in their schools. If the food was good, then they should have no problem letting Jamie in. So because Jamie could not go to the food, he had the food brought to him. Kids brought in their school meals, which was mostly just a bunch of processed garbage straight out of a plastic bag.

One of the major points Jamie is trying to make in this episode is you should know where your food is coming from. He demonstrates to a group at people at his kitchen, where cuts of beef come from and how much they cost. And then introduces them to pink slime. This is basically what the meat industry has left over when they are done butchering the cow. These leftovers were once just used for things like pet food. But now it has ended up in our own hamburgers as a filler to save the meat industry a lot of money. The worst thing they do with this meat is treat it with ammonia. It was entertaining to watch the people’s faces as Jamie shared this “dirty secret”. Click here if you want to learn more about pink slime and how to avoid it.

Besides Jamie’s fight to get into the schools, he also looks at making an impact at a independent fast food joint. He tries to convince the owner to give a few changes a try, but so far he seems to be too concerned that he will lose money. The guy doesn’t know much about where his beef comes from and doesn’t seem to care. The most discouraging thing is that he says he wouldn’t serve his milkshakes to his own children, but he has no problem doing so to make a buck. I am interested to see if Jamie can make an impact in this place. We need more healthy fast food options. I get tired when I go on trips across the country or to entertainment places like ballparks and zoos and I can find nothing but fried foods without any good fresh vegetable options.

Continue reading »]]> Corned beef has become the traditional dish to enjoy each St. Patrick’s Day. The question is why? You might assume because that is what they eat in Ireland on this day. But the truth is eating corned beef on St. Patty’s Day is as American as apple pie. Beef was only eaten by the rich in Ireland. The corned beef tradition began when Irish people moved to the United States, particularly New York City. They were looking for a substitute for bacon joint. On our side of the pond, beef was more affordable. So they treated the beef as they would have their bacon joint. Over time this started becoming a traditional meal on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s still not popular in Ireland. The only places you will find serving up corned beef in Ireland today are those places that are catering to American tourists, who think they are having an authentic Irish meal. Don’t let this information stop you from enjoying your corned beef. It still is a tradition, an American tradition.

Continue reading »]]> Corned beef has been around for quite a while, since the 17th century. But why is it called “corned” beef? Back when beef was first corned, we didn’t have those delightful sweet ears we all enjoy. Corn just meant a small particle. So to corn beef was to pack it with a small particle – salt until the salt replaces the moisture in the beef, thus preserving it. The beef is typically pickled, that is put into a wet brine that contains salt, sugar, and spices. Those spices can include things like mustard seeds, juniper berries, allspice berries, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves, and ginger, . Some manufacturers add potassium nitrate (saltpeter) to give the beef it’s pink color. Corned beef is made from brisket (click here to read more about brisket) that needs a long time to cook, so there is no way it will be pink without some help, that is where the saltpeter comes in. Some reports show the nitrates can lead to cancer, so some people look for uncured corn beef that is nitrate free.