Lamb Cooked 3 Ways
Cooked low and slow, lamb shanks become rich with complex flavors. Lamb shoulder is also a great choice for slow cooking. Good value cuts are: Shoulder Chops, Stew Meat, Ground Lamb, and Leg Steak.
The USDA recommends cooking all whole muscle cuts of lamb to at least these temperatures to ensure that potentially harmful bacteria are destroyed. Some people may choose to cook their meat to lower temperatures, depending on preference. Ground lamb should be cooked to 160 degrees.
Desired Doneness:
Medium – Target Temperature 145 Degrees, Texture Warm/Firm, Center Color Pink
Medium Well – Target Temperature 155 Degrees, Texture Very Warm/Firm, Center Color Gray – Tinged With Pink
Well Done – Target Temperature 165 Degrees, Texture Hot/Dense/Hard, Center Color Gray
Best Cooking Methods For Lamb
Shoulder Blade Chops (Shoulder): Braise, Broil, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Stew
Rib Chops (Loin): Broil, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Sauté
Loin Chops (Loin): Broil, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Sauté
Whole Leg (Leg): Braise
Leg – Boned, Rolled, Tied (Leg): Grill, And Roast
Rack of Lamb (Loin): Broil, Grill, And Roast
Crown Roast (Loin): Roast
Top Round Roast (Leg): Braise, Roast, And Stew
Stew Meat (Various): Braise, And Stew
Sausages (Various): Braise, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Sauté
Shanks (Leg): Braise, And Stew
Lamb Chops 2 Ways
Classic Broiled: Preheat broiler. Arrange chops on broiler pan and season with kosher salt and pepper. Broil 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until target temperature. Remove pan from broiler, cover with foil and allow chops to rest 10 minutes before serving.
Rosemary Garlic: Puree 6 garlic cloves with 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Marinate chops 30 minutes or overnight. Grill over medium-high heat, or broil according to above directions.
Roast Leg of Lamb With Mint Jelly: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 2 Tablespoons kosher salt, 1 Tablespoon black pepper, 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary and 1/3 cup olive oil. Rub mixture all over roast. Make a few dozen small slits in lamb and insert garlic slivers. Place lamb in roasting pan and roast 10 minutes, reduce temperature to 325 degrees and roast until target temperature, about 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and let rest 15 minutes. Serve with mint jelly.
Beef
Just what is dry-aged beef? Dry-aged beef has been stored for 14 to 21 days in a humidity and temperature-controlled environment. Dry aging allows moisture to evaporate and enzymes to break down some of the meat’s fibers. Dry aging intensifies the flavor and creates a tender texture that some describe as buttery or velvety. Only the most valued cuts are used to produce this special product. Dry-aged steaks may cook a little faster than the same non-dry aged-cut but the target doneness temperatures are the same.
Ground meat requires special handling. Whether it is beef, poultry, pork, lamb or veal, ground meat carries the greatest potential risk of food-bourne illness. It should be thoroughly cooked before eating because the grinding process introduces potentially harmful bacteria throughout the meat. The USDA recommends cooking ground meats to a internal temperature of at least 165° F for poultry and 160° F for meat.
One reason that beef raised without artificially stimulating growth hormones costs more is because it takes longer to raise. It takes approximately 20 to 24 months vs. about 16 months, which incurs more feed expense. You should look for grass-fed beef that has been raised on a vegetarian diet (not corn), not confined, pastured raised and no antibiotics or hormones added ever.
The best value beef cuts are: Ground Beef, Skirt Steak, Chuck Roast, Chuck Steak, Top Sirloin, Cube Steak, and Stew Meat.
Cooking Time Estimate For Roasting: Depending on the cut, should be about 20 minutes per pound at 350° F for medium.
Best Cooking Methods For Steak:
Rib Steak (Rib) Grill & Pan-Fry
Filet Mignon (Loin) Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry, Sauté
Porterhouse (Loin) Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry
T-Bone (Loin) Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry, Sauté
Strip Steak (Loin) Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry, Sauté
Top Sirloin (Loin) Braise, Broil, Roast, Pan-Fry
Hanger (Flank) Braise, Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry
Flank (Flank) Braise, Grill
Skirt (Flank) Braise, Grill
Chuck Eye Steak (Chuck) Braise, Broil, Grill, Sauté, Stew
Flat Iron Steak (Chuck) Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry, Sauté
Bottom Round Steak (Round) Braise
Eye Round Steak (Round) Braise, Sauté
Beef Round Cube Steak (Round) Braise, Grill, Sauté
Top Round Steak (Round) Braise, Broil
London Broil (Varies) Braise, Broil, Grill, Roast
Best Cooking Methods For Beef Roasts & Smaller Cuts:
Rib Roast Bone-In (Rib) Roast
Rib Eye Roast (Rib) Grill, Roast
Tenderloin (Loin) Broil, Grill, Roast
Top Sirloin Roast (Loin) Roast
Tri-Tip Roast (Loin) Broil, Grill, Roast
Fresh Brisket (Plate) Braise, Stew
Flat Cut Corned Brisket (Plate) Braise
Shoulder Roast (Chuck) Braise, Stew
Chuck Roast (Chuck) Braise, Stew
Bottom Round Roast (Round) Braise, Roast, Stew
Eye Round Roast (Round) Braise, Roast, Stew
Sirloin Tip Roast (Round) Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry, Sauté
Short Ribs (Flank) Braise, Stew
Beef Kabobs (Variety) Broil, Grill, Sauté
Extra Lean Round Cubes (Round) Grill, Stew
Shank Bone-In (Round) Braise, Stew
Beef Liver Slices (Variety) Sauté
Target Temperatures:
The USDA recommends cooking all whole muscle cuts of beef to at least these internal temperatures to ensure that potentially harmful bacteria are destroyed. Some people may choose to cook their meat to lower temperatures, depending on preference. Ground beef should be cooked to 160° F.
Desired Doneness: Medium Target Temp: 145° F
Texture: Warm/Firm Center Color: Light Pink
Desired Doneness: Medium Well Target Temp: 155° F
Texture: Very Warm/Firm Center Color: Gray, Tinged With Pink
Desired Doneness: Well Done Target Temp: 165° F
Texture: Hot/Dense/Hard Center Color: Grayish Tan
Residual Heat: Residual heat continues to cook meat after you’ve taken it off the grill or out of the oven or pan. It’s important to factor this rise in temperature into your timing and remove the meat from the heat before hitting the target temperatures above – an average of 5° for steaks up to 15° for large roasts.