Cooking Specialist, Uncommon Beef Cuts

March 12, 2019

There are a few special cuts of beef that you would be shocked to see in a supermarket but are common in a butcher's shop (if the butcher hasn't kept them back for himself that is!). Because they do not usually grace our home kitchens they have been forgotten about, or we simply do not know what to do with them, however they are usually packed with flavour and are often very easy to prepare.

Below we have included some of our most popular specialist cuts and how to cook them. If you would like to reserve any of the cuts from our next delivery please send us an email to shop@homestead.farm and we will let you know if they are are available!

Bavette Steaks

Cook on the rare side of medium rare - perhaps two or three minutes each side at most and then rest for a longer time, as much as 20 minutes on a warm plate i, until it is almost room temperature. Cut into finger-wide slices, from top to bottom across the grain, just before serving. It is highly flavoured and provided care is taken with cooking and resting, gives remarkably good eating pleasure. Like onglet it has often been called the butcher’s cut, because it is said butchers reserved it for their own pleasure.

Onglet

Also known as butcher’s steak, because it is said butchers recognised its superior flavour and thus never put it on display but kept it for themselves. The special attraction of onglet is a big beefy flavour but some people find it rather strong because of overtones of liver and kidney.

Cook on the rare side of medium rare - perhaps two or three minutes each side at most and then rest for a longer time, as much as 20 minutes on a warm plate in a warm (not hot) place, until it is almost room temperature. Cut into finger-wide slices, from top to bottom across the grain, just before serving.

Blade

A line of connective tissue runs through the center of the steak, rendering it tough if not prepared properly. Braising and slow cooking helps the meat to fully tenderise and develop flavour. The result is super tender meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork, and a burst of juicy flavour when you take that first bite. Although braising is an ideal method of cooking a blade steak, grilling and pan-frying also work. Simply cut around the center line of fat before eating.

Feather

If you are cooking a feather blade steak, the steak should be pan fried quickly over a high heat, and left to rest. Ideally, you should aim for medium-rare as anything more will result in a tougher texture.

Goose Skirt

Fried hot and fast to produce beautiful rare in the middle steaks. Cook for too long or at too low a temperature and you will have to wait for quite a long time for it to be tender again. OR slow, moist cook in a casserole.

Inner Skirt

Skirt steak is one of the most flavorful cuts of beef, Skirt steak is tough, however, so the best way to cook it is very quickly over the hottest grill you can get. Under no circumstances should skirt steak be cooked past medium-rare - it will be way too tough. Recommended for steak fajitas and stir fry.