Bloom

No one in America needs to ask what’s for dinner. It’s beef, right?

Beef is the most popular meat on American dinner tables, according to meat specialty websites. In 2018, Americans consumed 57 pounds of beef, almost a pound a week. It’s no longer just for dinner, though. Recipes featuring beef, in many forms, can be found in dishes for breakfast and lunch, too.

February is National Beef Month. Beef has appeared in the lexicon of American advertising several times. Many people remember Clara Peller and her “Where’s the beef?” commercial for Wendy’s restaurant back in 1984. Then, in 1992, “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner,” was launched by the National Livestock and Meat Board to promote the consumption of beef.

“Beef is categorized as a red meat,” writes Atli Arnarson, Ph.D., “a term used for the meat of mammals which contains higher amounts of iron than poultry or fish.”

A Healthline.com contributor, he writes that fresh, lean beef is rich in various vitamins and minerals especially iron and zinc. Therefore, beef is recommended as part of a healthy diet.

Beef is composed of protein and varying amounts of fat. The protein content of lean cooked beef is 26%-27%. It contains all nine essential amino acids needed for the growth and maintenance of the body. Meat is one of the most complete dietary sources of protein.

Beef contains varying amounts of fat which contributes to flavor and calorie content. It also contains B vitamins, zinc, iron, and niacin (a B vitamin).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s definition of a lean cut of beef is a 3.5-ounce serving that contains less than 10 grams total fat. The Mayo Clinic website lists lean cuts cited by the USDA as round roast, bottom round roast, and top sirloin steak among others.

There are eight main, sometimes referred to as primal, cuts of beef. These eight primal cuts are divided into more than 60 subprimal cuts, according to certifiedangusbeef.com.

The cuts are the brisket, shank, rib, loin, round, chuck, flank and short plate.

Beef may be prepared several ways including grilling, broiling, stir frying, roasting and baking. Muscle usage during the life of the animal, marbling, bones and other factors all contribute to the flavor and texture of each cut of meat. Marbling is the white fat streaking that runs through the meat. It is what also contributes to the tenderness of the cut of meat.

According to the website, frugalcity.com, less tender cuts of meat such as cuts from the chuck or round like chuck roast and round steak benefit from marinades and slow cooking in the oven or in a slow cooker to tenderize them. The most expensive cut of beef is the filet mignon, a cut of meat taken from the tenderloin’s narrower end. This muscle is not used much during the steer’s life and is very tender. Another tender cut is the New York strip steak.

Beef can be frozen for six months to a year if properly wrapped. Thawing and refreezing is not recommended as this affects the texture and quality of the meat.

Meat should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator and can be kept there until ready for use, usually two to three days. It should be kept in a plastic bag on the lowest shelf to avoid the potential of raw meat juices coming into contact with other food. Meat should be thawed in the refrigerator, not on a kitchen counter. Meat left at room temperature invites bacteria growth which can cause a food-borne illness.

Clara Peller no longer wonders where’s the beef, but Sam Elliott is still telling us that beef is what’s for dinner.

For more information and recipes featuring beef, visit www.foodhero.org to see what you can make for dinner … or lunch … or breakfast, using beef.