Ask a Butcher! For Reals.

[Nevermore]

In other words, the Louisiana version of mirepoix.

[Grand Design]

Yes, with the addition of sweet peppers.

It is 

[Sky]

Just threw a paring and boning knife on my amazon list because an elf has been urging me to put kitchen stuff on there. The Virwhatevernox Fibrox stuff mentioned earlier. I've got a decent sabre-style knife, one of those white-handled jobbies used in restaurants (dexter something). Also had a decent boning knife from the same series, but my mother's ex-boyfriend broke the damn tip off and ground it back to a point, so it's a short boning knife now. My main two knives are mystery brand, nice wood handled jobbies, the chef knife has great knuckle clearance, decent build quality and hold an edge well.

Some day I want to test drive some of those hot chef knives with the damascus steel look, they just look cool. Shun or whatever.

Not sure I really have any butcher questions, heh. I do ok chopping up big pieces into small pieces, and keep the knives in decent shape with my stones.

Oh wait, I know...I don't have a good steel, I hone on the back of a bread knife Any recommendations for a good (and cheap) steel? When I was down by the CIA browsing some supply stores (zomg pron), the trend seems to be diamond dusted steels, but I've read those really chew through blades rather than simply honing them.

[Trippy]

Oh wait, I know...I don't have a good steel, I hone on the back of a bread knife Any recommendations for a good (and cheap) steel? When I was down by the CIA browsing some supply stores (zomg pron), the trend seems to be diamond dusted steels, but I've read those really chew through blades rather than simply honing them.

You can sharpen on the unglazed bottom of a glazed bowl/plate/etc.

[voodoolily]

To clarify, steels are for honing only, and sharpening can be done with a whetstone, a leather strap or Trippy's suggestion. I use a Henckels steel that I got for free when a chef friend had a yard sale. All of my knives are Wusthoff. They don't keep an edge like a Shun, but I don't mind taking the steel to them before every other use. I need to take them to get sharpened at some point.

[sigil]

Having instigated  the knife porn on the cooking thread, I'll avoid it this time.

I did have a question, but I see it's already been answered.

Thanks for this thread. I'm sure I'll have a question or two in the near future.

[Oban]

What is the best cut of beef that can be pan-fried/sauteed?

Having instigated  the knife porn on the cooking thread, I'll avoid it this time.

Wooohoo

[cmlancas]

Pan-fry really could be quite a few things. What do you want to use the beef for exactly?

[Oban]

Cook in a pan till golden brown-ish on the outside.

[cmlancas]

Something like country-fried steak? You could use a cube steak (that's a crapshoot though, unless you make 'em yourself); a top round steak, thinly sliced; a sirloin tip side steak, thinly sliced (very good); or a top sirloin cap steak thinly sliced (best).

The key to making a really good fried steak is in the batter. Ask VDL, I'm sure she has some ++ recipes.

[Murgos]

Something like country-fried steak? You could use a cube steak (that's a crapshoot though, unless you make 'em yourself); a top round steak, thinly sliced; a sirloin tip side steak, thinly sliced (very good); or a top sirloin cap steak thinly sliced (best).

The key to making a really good fried steak is in the batter. Ask VDL, I'm sure she has some ++ recipes.

I've used the Good Eats recipe for country fried steak and their suggestions about how to pick proper cube steak for to make it with.  It was awesome.

[Oban]

...
 a top round steak, thinly sliced; a sirloin tip side steak, thinly sliced (very good); or a top sirloin cap steak thinly sliced (best).
...

How thin? 

[cmlancas]

The thinner you slice it, the more tender it would be. I'd shoot for 1/8" or possibly even (if you have the tools, or can get a market to do it) slicer thin.

I can hand slice my stuff evenly at about 1/8" 

[lamaros]

You never answered my question! :(

[cmlancas]

What other animals/cuts of meat would you suggest as quality eating for a picky person like myself? I've yet to enjoy any part of a pig!

Sorry for missing your question. I was too busy being trolled that night that I missed it. You know us, stupid butchers not reading correctly. 

To begin with pork, I'd probably ease you in by making you a good pulled-pork sandwich or a nice half-rack of baby backs, simply because they don't really taste like pork. Baby backs done right are phenomenal. I do mine (and I'm sure VDL has some nifty, nifty recipes) at 225F for four to five hours. Then I pop 'em on the grill and braise on my sauce. Sometimes, if I get a really tender rack of baby backs, when I go to put the ribs on the grill, the bones fall right out of the rack when I take them out of the oven. Pulled pork is easy too: fire up the crock pot on low and add in some Mojo marinade and a boneless boston butt. Serve on some toasted hoagie buns. Mmm.

There are a few meats of each category that really don't taste like the animal they come from.  For example:
Beef: Marinated kabobs typically subordinate a "beefy" flavor. A good teriyaki or wasabiyaki will do the trick quite nicely.
Pork: Anything with a good BBQ sauce or Mojo (I prefer Goya, personally) marinade will cut the "porkiness."
Fish: Tilapia tastes like chicken. Swordfish tastes like a NY strip.
Chicken: C'mon, seriously?
Veal/Lamb: No dice here. Perhaps if you -really- marinated some lamb stew or lamb kabobs you could take the lamb flavor out, but I doubt it. Shit, when I cut lamb, I can wash my hands and they don't lose the smell. With veal, if you want something to not taste like veal, don't cook it. Veal is pretty fucking expensive in the USA. (Although if you -had- to, I think doing a veal parmesan with a nice red sauce would erase the flavor.)

[Teleku]

Why the fuck do none of the butchers on the east coast have any idea what Tri-tip is?  They just look at you funny when you ask for that deliciously delicious cut of meat.  Heathens!

[cmlancas]

That's a lie. I know what a tri-tip is. It's darn tasty, too. 

[hal]

What other animals/cuts of meat would you suggest as quality eating for a picky person like myself? I've yet to enjoy any part of a pig!

Sorry for missing your question. I was too busy being trolled that night that I missed it. You know us, stupid butchers not reading correctly. 

To begin with pork, I'd probably ease you in by making you a good pulled-pork sandwich or a nice half-rack of baby backs, simply because they don't really taste like pork. Baby backs done right are phenomenal. I do mine (and I'm sure VDL has some nifty, nifty recipes) at 225F for four to five hours. Then I pop 'em on the grill and braise on my sauce. Sometimes, if I get a really tender rack of baby backs, when I go to put the ribs on the grill, the bones fall right out of the rack when I take them out of the oven. Pulled pork is easy too: fire up the crock pot on low and add in some Mojo marinade and a boneless boston butt. Serve on some toasted hoagie buns. Mmm.

There are a few meats of each category that really don't taste like the animal they come from.  For example:
Beef: Marinated kabobs typically subordinate a "beefy" flavor. A good teriyaki or wasabiyaki will do the trick quite nicely.
Pork: Anything with a good BBQ sauce or Mojo (I prefer Goya, personally) marinade will cut the "porkiness."
Fish: Tilapia tastes like chicken. Swordfish tastes like a NY strip.
Chicken: C'mon, seriously?
Veal/Lamb: No dice here. Perhaps if you -really- marinated some lamb stew or lamb kabobs you could take the lamb flavor out, but I doubt it. Shit, when I cut lamb, I can wash my hands and they don't lose the smell. With veal, if you want something to not taste like veal, don't cook it. Veal is pretty fucking expensive in the USA. (Although if you -had- to, I think doing a veal parmesan with a nice red sauce would erase the flavor.)

A very nice answer Mr butcher mans sir. Could you be more specific about your prefired sauces. I know preferences and the region of the country dictate much but I find that most bottled sauces are way to sweet. My own preferences toward a BBQ sauce for pork lean toward vinegar based sauces. Pork loves vinegar. Flesh out your terms Mojo marinade and Goya sauce (this has been showing up in my neck of the woods along with short brown Spanish speaking people who buy it).

[schild]

People who don't like pork are obviously not likable.

Learn to love bacon. It makes you a better person.

[voodoolily]

The marinade I make for baby backs is bourbon and strong black coffee, with honey and molasses for sticky and a little mustard powder. Just smear that on while it's cooking, flipping the ribs every half hour. cmlancas' cooking temp and time is right.

And schild is right. C'mon, he's a Jew and even he knows people who don't like bacon are broken.

Modification: mojo is really easy to make, I always make my own (good with prawns too). Recipe some other time in recipe thread. Don't buy sauce in a jar!

[stray]

I used to like pork. Until I realized that pigs are pretty good gamers.

[cmlancas]

Don't buy sauce in a jar!

I would say this is true, but with two caveats. Bono's BBQ Sauce, if you live in Northeast Florida or Southeast Georgia, and Howton Farms, local to where I live and someplace in Alabama too, are both amazing.

I'd make my own, but I'm not sure how to improve upon those two.

Uh, if you don't like sweet sauces, try making a Carolina BBQ sauce. They are usually mustard-based as opposed to sweet and smoky red BBQ sauces. Bono's is one of those and it is by far the best BBQ sauce I've ever had. Ever.

Goddamn that place is good. I'm glad I don't live in Jacksonville -- I'd spend all of my money on pulled pork/smoked turkey BBQ sandwiches.

[lamaros]

People who don't like pork are obviously not likable.

Learn to love bacon. It makes you a better person.

About f years ago I had some bacon that was delicious. Ever since then the magic has eluded me. So much so that I am only willing to try again with failsafe measures in place.

[hal]

I will recomend the site cooking for engineers (no I am way to lasy to link). But his sauce is still too sweet. It may be a base to try to dial in to how ever.

[WayAbvPar]

People who don't like pork are obviously not likable.

Learn to love bacon. It makes you a better person.

Good to see that you are kosher even during Hanukkah 

[Teleku]

That's a lie. I know what a tri-tip is. It's darn tasty, too. 

Thats how it was every time I stayed in Boston.  Seriously, straight on Butchers in a Butchers shop didn't actually know what a tri-tip was.  Do you have any idea why this is?  Or is it just some weird thing to New England and/or my bad luck of asking only retarded butchers?

[cmlancas]

A warning, you say?  I'll necropost my own thread from five years ago if I goddamn well please!

So, I'm back around, and that means I'll be actually following up on questions.

So, five years later, does anyone have any new meat-related questions?

[Lantyssa]

It's really been five years since Ask a Butcher!?!  Gods, I feel old now.

[cmlancas]

It's really been five years since Ask a Butcher!?!  Gods, I feel old now.

I'm not going to lie, I thought I'd only been away from f13 for two years.  Turns out it was five.  Who knew?

Perhaps a red panda avatar is in order, for old time's sake?   

[Bunk]

Wow, if you've actually been gone five years, that really messes up my internal timeline of how long this site has been around. Scary.

Hmm, meat related question... What should I be looking for if I want to do beef stirfry? I've always ended up with tough little chunks of meat, rather than what you get from actual stirfry places, which tends to be tender and breaks apart easily. Is it anything to do with the cut, or is it all about getting the meet sliced thin? Should I ask the butcher to do that?

[cmlancas]

Wow, if you've actually been gone five years, that really messes up my internal timeline of how long this site has been around. Scary.

Hmm, meat related question... What should I be looking for if I want to do beef stirfry? I've always ended up with tough little chunks of meat, rather than what you get from actual stirfry places, which tends to be tender and breaks apart easily. Is it anything to do with the cut, or is it all about getting the meet sliced thin? Should I ask the butcher to do that?

There are two things you'll want to keep in mind when making stir fry (well, three, if you consider price--but we'll leave that off the table for now).

First is the thickness of your stir fry meat.  What're you going for?  If it's something like fajitas, I always recommend thicker-sliced tri-tip (top sirloin cap steak).  If it's a Cantonese-style stir fry, using a bottom round sliced roast beef thin at the butcher shop is probably your best bet. As a general rule the thinner you cut it, the more tender it will be.

Second is your quality of meat.  The best French dip you've ever had is probably from the loin-end of the beef rib (think where the rib meets the t-bone) because it's a quality steak that isn't too fatty while still giving amazing flavor.  But, a french dip is essentially thin-sliced steak on a bun with little to mask the quality of the steak.  So, if your steak sucks, your sandwich sucks.  No amount of amazing jus is going to cover up your shit sandwich.  With that in mind, think about what you're cooking:  you really can use a very inexpensive cut if you're introducing excellent flavors and slicing it very thin -- essentially, you're using the beef for texture more than anything else.

That should at least give a good baseline for the question.  What exactly are you cooking, so that I might make a more specific recommendation?

Oh, and in the interest of full disclosure, I'm a former butcher now--I took a promotion and write training now.  However, I still do a lot of butchering at home to stay in practice (but mostly to save money).

[Ingmar]

However, I still do a lot of butchering at home

Ironwood-style butchering?

[Sky]

Want to second your recommendation for steak sandwich cut. I've been having those about once a week, quick on the grill (like a minute a side) with a thin rub cut. Just a little s&p before hitting the iron, then straight to the (grilled) wheat flat round. No need for anything else.

Sometimes I throw on whatever lettuce entices me and a slab of tomato.

That's the best fast food, takes longer to heat the grill than to cook and eat :)

[cmlancas]

However, I still do a lot of butchering at home

Ironwood-style butchering?

Absolutely.  I just butchered three chicks chickens last week!

:)

Oh, that brings me to another point you should consider:  next time you're at the market, take a look at how much a whole chicken costs.  Then, scope out the boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  After you do your math about how much money you're giving to your local grocer, process your own chicken, pick out a $12 bottle of wine, and enjoy it with dinner.

[Paelos]

I like to do larger roasts, but I'm not exactly sure what kind of cut for that I should use on a bang-for-the-buck item when it comes to beef.

For example, I want to do a roast for about 7-8 up at the lakehouse, but I don't want to break the bank on a bunch of meat and potatoes drunks.