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How to Properly Boil Beef for Salad and Other Dishes
Instructions
Rinse the beef flesh under running water and put it into the pot. I take the flesh specifically (without bones) – it cooks faster and gives a better result for salad.
Pour in enough water so that its level is a few centimetres above the meat. Place the pot on the stove over maximum heat and cover with the lid. The lid will speed up boiling.
Once it comes to the boil, reduce the heat to its lowest – the water should bubble gently, not boil furiously. Skim off the foam that appears on the surface with a spoon or slotted spoon. The foam is coagulated protein and it makes the broth cloudy.
Add 2 allspice berries, 2 black peppercorns and 1/2 tsp of salt to the water. Cover with the lid. There is not much salt – beef is neutral, and you will be able to add more salt later in the salad.
After 10 minutes add the bay leaf, cover with the lid and continue cooking for about another 50 minutes. Bay leaf added at the start would make it bitter, so I put it in later.
I check the beef for doneness with a knife or fork – if the meat is pierced easily, it is ready. If it still resists, cook it for another 10-15 minutes.
The beef for salad is ready. To make it as tasty and juicy as possible, I let it cool completely in the broth and only then take it out. This step "seals" the juices inside the meat.The broth can be used for making soup – it will be rich and aromatic.Enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
Boil the FLESH in ONE WHOLE PIECE, without cutting it – this way it stays juicier. Meat cut up before boiling "gives away" all its juices to the broth.
- 2
SKIM the foam at the start of boiling – this is the "secret" to a clear broth and clean meat. Coagulated protein causes cloudiness.
- 3
Let the meat COOL IN THE BROTH (at least 30 minutes) – this is the key to juiciness. Meat taken out straight away "dries out" in the air.
- 4
Add the bay leaf 10 minutes AFTER it comes to the boil – an early bay leaf will make it bitter. The same technique works for other kinds of boiled meat too.
Video
FAQ
How long should you boil beef of different sizes? +
A 200-300 g piece of flesh in one whole piece – 60-70 minutes over low heat after boiling. A 500-700 g piece – 90-120 minutes. A piece with the bone (for soup) – 2-2.5 hours. Frozen beef (even once thawed) – add 15-20 minutes to the standard time. Old meat (from an animal 4+ years old) – 2-3 hours. Check with a fork: it should pierce easily. The finished internal temperature is 75-80 °C.
Which cut should you take for salad? +
The best choice: flesh from the hind part (rump, silverside) – tender, without sinews. Fillet also works – the most tender, but expensive. Brisket gives a rich broth, but the meat will be fattier. Do NOT take the shoulder – it has a lot of connective tissue and will be "sinewy". For a salad it is important that the meat can be cut into even cubes or strips – so the cut should be "dry" (without sinews and layers of fat).
Why does the broth turn out cloudy? +
Three reasons: you did not skim the foam at the start of boiling, you boiled it over high heat (the boil should be "quiet"), or the meat was poorly rinsed of blood. For a clear broth: rinse the meat in cold water, put it into BOILING water, skim the foam every 3-4 minutes for the first 20 minutes, and keep the heat at its lowest. A clouded broth can be "clarified" with egg white (1 white, whisked to a foam, poured into the boiling broth, then strained after 5 minutes).
How long does boiled beef keep? +
In the fridge – 3-4 days in a closed container (in the broth – up to 5 days). It is not worth keeping it longer – a "sour" smell appears. You can store it as a whole piece or sliced – a whole piece keeps its juiciness longer. In the freezer – up to 2 months in a vacuum bag or a tight container. Defrost in the fridge for 8-12 hours (not in warm water!). For salads always use freshly cooked or just-thawed meat.
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