Beef has been a topic in the hot seat for a few years. Some say red meat is just terrible for you and some say turning to plant-based meat patties is bad for you and the environment. Whatever your opinion on regular meat and plant-based meat may be, there’s a complexity to beef that many don’t realize. It is confusing enough trying to remember which cuts of are best for certain meals. Then there is also thinking about which are soft, which are rich, or fatty.
It’s All About the Cooking Cues
When describing how beef tastes, there are some basic components like the iron from the blood, tallow, or fat. Most consumers would just call this “meaty”, though. Where the real diversity in flavor comes from is the cut of meat (where the cut comes from on the animal) and how the meat is prepared. Grilling, slow-cooking, searing, roasting…these are all popular ways to prepare it and each provides a different flavor profile. So where are beef flavors used? Products like gravy, broths, vegetable mixes, and side items can contain this flavor to provide an extra meaty note without any beef in the product.
What Do Consumers Say About Beef?
When consumers post on social media about it, they most often use the descriptors crispy, juicy, soft, and thick (Tastewise). Some of the top posts consumers make about beef they’ve tried at restaurants include Greek pita wraps, artisan butchery, and dumplings. As far as what recipes consumers are whipping up at home, beef is used almost everywhere! From lasagnas, to patty melts, to taco pizzas, and spaghetti sauces, consumers are incorporating it in a variety of recipes.
When asking our flavorists about their favorite way to prepare their favorite cut, here’s what Cecil had to say:
Prime New York strip steak, thick cut, seasoned with only salt and pepper, grilled over hardwood lump charcoal, to medium rare
Leave a comment to let us know your favorite way to prepare beef!
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