Which cut of beef?
Discussion
Doing beef for Xmas lunch, and wondering which cut is best. Unfortunately, with a pregnant wife and a four year old it must be "well done" so no medium rare rib roast. Typically for this I would do a slow braised brisket, which is gorgeous but looks more like a stew so unspectacular for Xmas day.
Considering a topside, done the same way I would do a leg of lamb, slightly submerged in stock in a roasting tray at about 140 for 4-5 hours. Never cooked topside before though, not sure if it would break down in the same way lamb/brisket does or if it would become tough?
Any other suggestions?
Considering a topside, done the same way I would do a leg of lamb, slightly submerged in stock in a roasting tray at about 140 for 4-5 hours. Never cooked topside before though, not sure if it would break down in the same way lamb/brisket does or if it would become tough?
Any other suggestions?
Braised ox cheek. Done right with a few nice garnishes it would make a lovely Xmas day meal.
Plus you could cook it now and it would even better on the day.
Big dollop of creamy horseradish mash, some sprouts and savoy fried off in butter with lardons and chestnuts. Nice RWJ, beef on the top with a few parsnip crisps. Then a big bowl of extras in the middle of the table.
Forget topside, that's the one (secondary) cut that really should be rare or sliced so thin you can chew it well done!
Plus you could cook it now and it would even better on the day.
Big dollop of creamy horseradish mash, some sprouts and savoy fried off in butter with lardons and chestnuts. Nice RWJ, beef on the top with a few parsnip crisps. Then a big bowl of extras in the middle of the table.
Forget topside, that's the one (secondary) cut that really should be rare or sliced so thin you can chew it well done!
21TonyK said:
Braised ox cheek. Done right with a few nice garnishes it would make a lovely Xmas day meal.
Plus you could cook it now and it would even better on the day.
Big dollop of creamy horseradish mash, some sprouts and savoy fried off in butter with lardons and chestnuts. Nice RWJ, beef on the top with a few parsnip crisps. Then a big bowl of extras in the middle of the table.
Forget topside, that's the one (secondary) cut that really should be rare or sliced so thin you can chew it well done!
What cuts would be better for this than topside then? Silverside? Top Rump?Plus you could cook it now and it would even better on the day.
Big dollop of creamy horseradish mash, some sprouts and savoy fried off in butter with lardons and chestnuts. Nice RWJ, beef on the top with a few parsnip crisps. Then a big bowl of extras in the middle of the table.
Forget topside, that's the one (secondary) cut that really should be rare or sliced so thin you can chew it well done!
If the requirements are for well done then beef is not a good idea. I don’t think any cut will look spectacular/ Christmassy and be nice well done.
(Not sure why the pregnant mrs can’t have the end bits of a rare joint though)
If this was my choice, I would do a slow roast lamb leg instead.
Can be cooked low and slow - looks good and tastes awesome - stuff it with a jar of anchovies and garlic to enhance the flavour - we had one last Sunday - half price in Tescos -£11
(Not sure why the pregnant mrs can’t have the end bits of a rare joint though)
If this was my choice, I would do a slow roast lamb leg instead.
Can be cooked low and slow - looks good and tastes awesome - stuff it with a jar of anchovies and garlic to enhance the flavour - we had one last Sunday - half price in Tescos -£11
Beef short Ribs, very cheap and can cook for hours, hot heat for 20 mins then fill tray with a red wine/water mix upto a 1/4 below top of rib, cover with foil, turn temp down to 110 and leave for 4 hrs. Look great and taste amazing. I chuck garlic and loads of mushrooms in with beef and use that as a side.
Of 5 attendees, 2 won't eat "undercooked" beef and 2 won't eat lamb, so slow roast lamb or properly cooked beef are not viable options!
I've also vowed never to cook turkey again as it's awful.
Beef cheeks is a good suggestion, and I disagree that beef is a bad option for slow cooking as braised brisket is for me far preferable to medium rare rib in the taste stakes, just looks a bit "stew" like for Xmas dinner.
Surely one of the other secondary cuts will work well?
I've also vowed never to cook turkey again as it's awful.
Beef cheeks is a good suggestion, and I disagree that beef is a bad option for slow cooking as braised brisket is for me far preferable to medium rare rib in the taste stakes, just looks a bit "stew" like for Xmas dinner.
Surely one of the other secondary cuts will work well?
rsbmw said:
What cuts would be better for this than topside then? Silverside? Top Rump?
A sliding scale in order of preference for me would beWing rib (shoulder end of the fore rib)
Fore rib
Fillet
Sirloin
Rump
Topside
Silverside
Generic supermarket "roasting" joint which can be anything
Problem is almost all roasting joints need to be medium at most to get the best from them.
As others have suggested maybe look at pork or lamb?
Were having to rearrange our christmas food,our youngest son was in a accident on the A1 last Thursday,car written off and he's got damaged/broken teeth and a badly bruised jaw so can't really eat well so were doing soft slow cooked lamb on Xmas day and beef on boxing day both with mash potato...!! Least he can still have drink.....!! 
Nothing wrong with turkey if you spend a bit on time on it. Brined crown slow cooked to 75 degrees.
My Mrs insists on turkey for Xmas, personally I'd much rather beef but the compromise is I can do a rare beef wellington on NY day.
You could go with brisket but you need to make sure you get the very best with a good cap of fat on it. Then cook low and slow.
My Mrs insists on turkey for Xmas, personally I'd much rather beef but the compromise is I can do a rare beef wellington on NY day.
You could go with brisket but you need to make sure you get the very best with a good cap of fat on it. Then cook low and slow.
I only found out during my wifes last pregnancy, that less than well done beef is only not recommended due to the risk of food poisoning. Obviously any cut of beef cooked medium will have no more risk of poisoning you than anything else. Probably less when you consider dairy etc!
I certainly wouldn't discount a nice rib of beef or wellington.
Obviously would be your partners decision though!
If you are going well done, I would discount beef completely. Lamb shank slow cooked in red wine (8hrs), or a ham joint poached in coke, with a maple and mustard glaze. Very festive too!
I certainly wouldn't discount a nice rib of beef or wellington.
Obviously would be your partners decision though!
If you are going well done, I would discount beef completely. Lamb shank slow cooked in red wine (8hrs), or a ham joint poached in coke, with a maple and mustard glaze. Very festive too!
Couple of supermarkets are doing frozen Chateaubriand (picked up one from Aldi the other day out of curiosity -not eaten it yet but seems good value). Has the benefit of quick cooking time, although won't be to everyone's taste. Quite fancy going really 70's with dauphenoise and Diane sauce.
Thanks to a vegetablist in the house I'm doing turbot on Xmas day. Not very traditional but I really enjoy cooking different things with ingredients that would typically be too expensive week-to-week. Quite nice to have a lighter lunch with the general festival of gut-stuffing eating that pervades the rest of the day.
Thanks to a vegetablist in the house I'm doing turbot on Xmas day. Not very traditional but I really enjoy cooking different things with ingredients that would typically be too expensive week-to-week. Quite nice to have a lighter lunch with the general festival of gut-stuffing eating that pervades the rest of the day.
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