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Heat-and-Serve Products & Beef Made Easy
Heat-and-serve beef entrées are taking root in supermarket fresh meat cases across the country. These pre-cooked beef dishes can be heated in the microwave and ready to serve in about 10 minutes. In April 1999, the beef industry worked with new product manufacturers and retailers in more than 35 markets to conduct an advertising/product sampling blitz to build awareness and trial of 18 different heat-and-serve entrées.
To help consumers find the products they want, today's "Beef Made Easy" program helps grocery stores organize the beef section into cooking method categories. Color-coded merchandising tools, including rail strips and signs, direct shoppers to the types of beef dishes they want. On-pack cooking instruction labels include simple cooking instructions and timetables so consumers know exactly how to prepare any beef cut in the fresh meat case.
Certified Angus™ Beef Prime Rib with Au Jus by RMH Foods, Inc. is fully cooked and
microwaveable product which is hand seasoned and slow roasted with attention to taste and tenderness.
Burnett and Son's Beef Pot Roast and Gravy was named a finalist in the 1998 "Best New Beef Product in America" award sponsored by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The Beef Pot Roast and Gravy is a fully cooked, microwaveable gourmet quality roast, and ready in minutes with natural juice gravy.
Lloyd's Barbeque Company offers Lloyd's BBQ; Mosey's offers Time for Dinner™;
Flint Hills Foods offers Classic Main Courses Beef Pot Roast, Beef Tips with Gravy and Shredded Beef with Barbeque Sauce.
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Meat Grading
Meat grading is a service performed by the highly trained USDA specialists. Beef quality grades indicate palatability. While there are eight grades for beef, the three most common grades are U.S. Prime, U.S. Choice and U.S. Select.
Prime: This grade of beef contains the greatest degree of marbling*. It is generally sold to finer restaurants and to some meat stores. It is usually higher priced because it is produced in very limited quantities.
Choice: This grade is frequently found in retail stores. It is preferred by most consumers because it contains sufficient marbling for taste and tenderness but is usually less costly than Prime.
Select: Generally lower-priced grade of beef with less marbling than Choice. Select cuts of beef may not be as tender or juicy as those graded Choice.
*Marbling: The small flecks of fat throughout the lean meat are called marbling. Marbling improves the meat’s flavor and juiciness.
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Making The Right Beef Choice
There are more than 60 different beef cuts available at the meat case today. Many stores also provide the consumer with time saving items like beef strips for stir-fry and complete kabob kits. There is a wide variety to satisfy all tastes, schedules and budgets. Follow a few simple guidelines to get the most from your purchase.
When selecting beef cuts consider how the beef will be prepared. An appropriate cooking method should be used for the cut selected. Read the package label for the weight and price. On ground beef, look for an % indication of leanness or composition. Selection of ground beef should be made on price, personal preference and the type of dish to be prepared. When selecting roasts or steaks, the leanest cuts are from the loin and round while the most tender are loin and rib area.
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Appearance – What To Look For
Follow these tips to help select beef that is fresh, high quality, good tasting and safe.
Select beef with a bright cherry-red color, without any grayish or brown blotches. A darker, purplish-red color is typical of vacuum-packaged beef because of lack of oxygen but once exposed to the air it will turn bright red.
Look for beef that is firm to the touch and not soft.
Make sure the package is cold and has no holes or tears.
Choose packages without excessive liquid. Excessive liquid may be an indication of improper storage or beef that is past it’s optimum shelf life.
Check the sell by date on the package and purchase before this date.
Select your beef just prior to checking out to help keep it cold.
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Keeping The Quality
All fresh meat is perishable and must be handled and stored properly to avoid spoilage and food borne illness. Upon arriving home, immediately place beef in the coldest part (35°-40°f) of the refrigerator. Keep in mind that ground meats are more perishable than roasts or steaks resulting in a shorter shelf life.
If you do not plan to use the beef within a few days, freeze the package at 0° or colder. Beef can be frozen in the original packaging for up to two weeks. For longer storage, rewrap the beef in freezer paper, plastic freezer bags or heavy duty aluminum foil and squeeze out as much air as possible. Label each package with the date and name of the beef cut.
To defrost beef safely, place in the refrigerator the day before cooking and let thaw overnight. For food safety reasons it is not recommended that meats be defrosted at room temperature.
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Beef and Your Health
Beef easily fits within the guidelines for healthful eating. Beef provides high quality protein, complete with all eight essential amino acids. It is also one of the most important sources of dietary iron and zinc. Beef also contains significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B12 .
The USDA Food Guide Pyramid shows that 2-3 servings (a total of 5-7 ounces each day) from the Meat Group should be consumed each day. A great way to visualize a 3 ounce serving of beef is that it is about the size of a deck of playing cards.
For additional information about the healthful benefits of beef in your diet, click here.
Beef Cooking Methods
Choosing the correct cooking method is the secret to successfully cooking beef so that it’s tender and juicy. The cooking method is determined by the beef cut and whether it is a tender or less tender cut. The beef animal is made up of two types of muscles: suspension and locomotion. Suspension muscles (loin and rib) are not used greatly in movement and have less connective tissue therefore they’re tender. Cuts from the front and rear (chuck and round) are the locomotion muscles which are less tender. When you’re at the meat counter, the package label will help you identify which part of the animal the beef cut is from. Dry Heat cooking methods are generally used to cook the tender cuts of beef. Roasting, broiling and stir-fry are just a few examples of the dry heat method. Moist Heat cooking methods are used for the less tender cuts. The moist heat method ensures fork-tender beef by simmering the beef gently in liquid in a tightly covered pan.
Beef Cooking...Easy as 1, 2, 3!
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 Rump Roast |
 Top Round Roast |
 Eye Round Roast |
 Ground Beef Loaf |
1. Heat oven to temperature specified in recipe.
2. Place roast, straight from refrigerator, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Season meat and insert oven proof thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of roast, not resting in fat or touching bone. Do not add water. Do not cover.
3. Roast according to the recipe. Transfer roast to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise 5°-10° to reach desired doneness and the roast will be easier to carve.
 Chuck Shoulder Steak |
 Rib Steak |
 Sirloin Steak |
 Porterhouse Steak |
 Filet Mignon |
1. Set oven to broil; preheat for 10 minutes. During broiling, the oven door for electric ranges should be left ajar; for gas ranges the door should remain closed. (However, consult the owner’s manual for specific broiling guidelines.)2. Place beef (straight from refrigerator) on rack of broiler pan. Season meat as desired. Position broiler pan so that surface of beef is within specified distance from the heat as indicated in recipe.
3. Broil according to recipe; turn once. After cooking, season with salt, if desired.
PAN FRYING/STIR-FRY – “Dry Heat Method”
Chuck Eye Steak
Ribeye Steak
Top Loin Steak
Sirloin Steak
Top Round Steak
1. Partially freeze beef for easier slicing, if desired. Cut into thin, uniform strips or pieces. Marinate to add flavor or tenderize while preparing other ingredients.
2. Heat small amount of oil in heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.
3. Stir-fry beef in small batches by continuously turning until outside of beef is no longer pink. Cook beef and vegetables separately, then combine and heat through. The cooking liquid may be thickened with cornstarch dissolved in water.
PAN BROILING – “Dry Heat Method”
Ribeye Steak
Tenderloin Steak
Sirloin Steak
Ground Beef Patties
1. Heat heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.
2. Season beef (straight from refrigerator) as desired. Place beef in preheated skillet. Do not add oil or water. Do not cover.
3. Pan broil according to recipe; turn occasionally. Remove excess drippings from skillet as they accumulate.
Rib Steak
T-bone Steak
Porterhouse Steak
Sirloin Steak
Ground Beef Patties
1. Gas grills: Consult your owner’s manual for grilling guidelines. Charcoal grills: When coals are medium, ash-covered (approx. 30 minutes), spread in single layer. Position cooking grid and check cooking temperature by cautiously holding the palm of your hand above the coals at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away; approximately 4 seconds for medium heat.2. Season beef as desired straight from refrigerator. Place on cooking grid directly over the heat.
3. Grill according to the recipe; turning occasionally.
COOKING IN LIQUID/STEWING – “Moist Heat Method”
Brisket
Chuck Pot Roast
1. Coat beef lightly with seasoned flour, if desired. Slowly brown beef on all sides in small amount of oil in heavy pan. Pour off drippings. Omit browning step for corned beef brisket.
2. Cover beef with liquid such as broth, water, juice, beer or wine. Add seasoning as desired. Bring liquid to boil and reduce to low heat.
3. Cover tightly and simmer gently over low heat on range or in a 325° oven according to recipe or until beef is fork-tender. The cooking liquid may be reduced or thickened for a sauce.
BRAISING/POT ROASTING – “Moist Heat Method”
Chuck Pot Roast
Chuck Roast
Round Steak
Flank Steak
1. Slowly brown beef on all sides in small amount of oil in heavy pan. Pour off drippings. Season as desired.
2. Add small amount (1/2 to 2 cups) of liquid such as broth, water, juice, beer or wine.
3. Cover tightly and simmer gently over low heat on range or in a 325° oven according to recipe or until beef is fork-tender. The cooking liquid may be reduced or thickened for a sauce.
Marinades are seasoned liquid mixtures that add flavor and in some cases tenderize beef. A tenderizing marinade must contain an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice, yogurt, wine or vinegar. For a quick marinate, use Italian dressing or salsa.
A rub is a blend of seasonings, such as dried herbs and spices, applied to the surface of uncooked beef for flavor. Paste type rubes often contain some oil, crushed garlic or mustard.
Marinating Tips:
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Always marinate in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
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Tender beef cuts need only be marinated 15 minutes to 2 hours.
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Less tender cuts should be marinated at least 6 hours.
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A tenderizing marinade reaches about ¼ inch into the cut surface.
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Marinating longer than 24 hours can result in a mushy texture.
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If a marinade is to be used later for basting, reserve a portion of it before adding to the beef.
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Never save or reuse marinade.
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Allow ¼ to ½ cup marinade for each 1-2 pounds of beef.
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Marinate in a plastic bag or non-reactive container.
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Occasionally stir the beef to allow for even exposure.
DETERMINING DONENESS
Need more help? Click here for the Beef
Roasting Timetable!
To assure a great beef eating experience it’s important to use the correct cooking method. But equally important is knowing when the beef is cooked to the proper doneness. To determine doneness, utilize cooking times in tables found in cookbooks and recommended in recipes. These cooking times are not absolutes but guidelines. In general, beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (medium rare), 160°F. (medium) or 170°F (well done). Use these guidelines in conjunction with the following tips to help determine doneness.
ROASTS: A thermometer is the best way to gauge internal temperature. An ovenproof meat thermometer is inserted prior to roasting and left in the meat during the entire cooking time. An instant read thermometer is not ovenproof and is used toward the end of the cooking time to determine the temperature in just a few seconds. Roasts should be removed from the oven when the temperature registers 5°-10° below the desired doneness and allowed to stand for approximately 15 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise to reach the desired doneness.
STEAKS: An instant read thermometer can be used to determine the temperature as well as cutting a small slit in the meat to determine the color.Rare: Center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion.
Medium Rare: Center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion.
Medium: Center is light pink, outer portion is brown.
Well Done: Steak is uniformly brown throughout.
ROUND BEEF PATTIES: USDA food safety guidelines recommend that ground beef be cooked to medium doneness, 160°F, or until no longer pink.
MOIST HEAT METHODS: Beef cooked by this method is always well done and should be fork tender.
Practicing food safety in the kitchen helps to avoid cross-contamination and prevent food borne illness. Follow these steps to help keep it clean.
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Wash your hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before and after handling meat.
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Keep raw meat and meat juices from coming into contact with other foods during preparation.
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Wash all utensils, cutting surfaces and counters with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat.
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Keep carving boards separate from other cutting boards.
Visit Fight Bac! Partnership for Food Safety Education and
National Food Safety Database for more great information on food safety.