How to cook beef: Beef Cookng Methods Explained: Cooking Steak the easy way

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Cooking Methods

Browning

Browning is the process of searing the outside of the meat before cooking. Browning does not seal in moisture, but creates a layer of flavor around the outside that permeates the whole dish. It also stimulates an important chemical reaction called the "Maillard reaction."
Dry the meat before you begin. Use a tall pot with hot oil and sear the meat on all sides. Be careful of oil, and use a screen if you wish. Don't be afraid to give it a good searing, and don't worry that you will burn it.

Deglazing

When browning, pieces of the meat may stick to the pot. Deglaze by adding liquid and stirring gently until the pieces are absorbed into the liquid.

Stewing

Stew meat comes pre-packaged at the market, cut into ready-to-use cubes. The pre-cutting saves you time but gives you less option with what you get. If you choose a large piece to cut yourself, you generally want meat from the shoulder. You can control the size of the cubes this way, and the quality.

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Braising

Braising is a process similar to the one used to cook pot roast, that is, cooking food with a little liquid for a long time, in a closed container. Braising performs the wonderful little trick of turning tough meat into tender.
Braising is a little time consuming, and if you refrigerate it for a night you will be able to skim off the fat. Brown the meat before you begin, even for up to ten minutes. Remove the meat and add vegetables, and brown them with only a little fat. The vegetables and meat will have left pieces, behind. This is a good thing, and you can make the most of their flavor potential by deglazing. Replace the meat and cover it with half the liquid. Cover tightly and place in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Check by spearing with a fork. It is ready when it slides off. Carve the meat and serve the liquid on the side.
Meat for braising comes from the shoulder and parts of the leg.

Roasting

Roasting is the dry heat cooking method of placing a large meat in an oven and basically letting the heat do the work for you.
When thinking about cooking time, evaluate your meat in terms of mass, not just weight. Two cuts of meat that are five inches long will not cook the same if one is two inches thicker. With a roast, the best way to tell when it is done is with a thermometer.
Browning is a technique that can be applied even to roasts. But rather than wrestle your large piece of meat in a skillet, use the oven. Turn the oven on a high temperature, at 450 degrees or higher. Salt and pepper the roast as the oven heats. Brown the meat for up to twenty minutes, or until the outside is dark brown. Lower the oven to 300 degrees and cook according to mass. 15 minutes before the time is up, begin checking it with the thermometer. Place it dead center and wait 5 seconds before getting a reading. The according temperatures are as follows: 120 degrees - rare
126 degrees - medium rare
134 degrees - medium
160 degrees - well
After you have achieved the proper doneness, remove the roast and cover it loosely. Let it rest for twenty minutes.
Roasts should come from tender cuts that are large and take a long time to cook all the way through.

Grilling

Grilling is the process of cooking small tender pieces of meat very quickly, over dry heat.
The principal of browning works on a grill as well, and in fact, the process is basically one big sear. The fire should be very hot, having been started at least 1 hour before cooking. When the heat is hottest and most uniform, the coals should be gray and the fire very low. Simply cook your meat until it is the color you like. You can check this by making a small incision with a knife and looking. Remember that the meat will continue to cook a little after you remove it from the fire.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that the meat must be turned evenly to be cooked properly. Too much turning is not good for it, in fact, it should only be turned once. You can do up to 70% of cooking on one side, turn it over, and cook the remaining 30%.

Sautéing

Sautéing employs similar methods. Turn once, sear to your liking, and check with a knife for doneness. The oil should be very thin, because you are not frying. If you think you might burn the meat, take it off the heat, lower and resume.
Top Tips
1. Check the meat for doneness earlier than you think you should, and continue to keep checking it.
2. Don't be afraid of over browning.
3. Make friends with your butcher. He will be able to help you make choices and give information
4. Use moist heat for tough cuts, dry heat for tender.
5. Meat freezes well, before and after cooking.
6. Meat that is cooked on the bone adds a wonderful additional flavor.

Original Article From: http://www.italiancookingandliving.com/food/primer/meat.html

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