Top cooking tips from Great British Beef Week founders
25th April 2024
Ladies in Beef (LiB), the founders of Great British Beef Week, have shared a number of cooking tips that will help you make delicious beef dishes for any occasion.
The key message of the campaign this year centres around Britain’s maritime climate – delivering frequent rainfall and producing an abundance of green grass for British cattle.
READ MORE: Great British Beef Week 2024: ‘We farm for flavour’
Shoppers guide
Ladies in Beef created A shoppers guide to buying British beef, which includes helpful information on how to make the right choice while buying meat and preparing delicious beef dishes.
The guide reads that beef can play an important part in a healthy, balanced diet as it contains a wide variety of essential nutrients, including protein, key minerals and vitamins.
Many of the nutrients found in beef are known to be in short supply in the diets of some people.
Devon farmer and co-founder of Ladies in Beef, Jilly Greed, said that beef is a “true nutritional power pack,” providing a host of important vitamins and minerals for children and adults alike.
This kind of meat is full of iron, which carries oxygen in the blood and is essential for good health and physical well-being. Too little iron in the body can lead to an iron deficiency known as anaemia.
Beef is also full of zinc, which helps make new cells and enzymes. It enables our bodies to process carbohydrates, fat, and protein, as well as helps heal wounds and supports the immune system.
B vitamins included in beef are essential for health. They are important for the release of energy from food and also contribute to the health of the blood and the nervous system. Beef is an excellent source of a number of B vitamins, including B12, which is not found naturally in green plants and conventional vegetables.
Other minerals contained in beef include magnesium, copper, cobalt, phosphorus, chromium, nickel and selenium. All of these are needed for healthy body functions.
Beef cooking tips
Roasting
180-190°C, gas mark 4-5
Rare: 20 mins per 450g (1lb) + 20 mins
Medium: 25 mins per 450g (1lb) + 25 mins
Well done: 30 mins per 450g (1lb) + 30 mins
- Position the oven shelves so the meat is in the centre of the oven.
- Allow the joint rest for 10 mins before carving to let the meat fibres relax and the juices distribute evenly.
- To ensure even cooking, the secret is to cook joints in a moderate oven for slightly longer.
Pan frying
Fillet steaks:
Rare: 3-4 mins per side
Medium: 4-5 mins per side
Well done: 6-7 mins per side
Sirloin/rump/rib/eye steaks:
Rare: 2-3 mins per side
Medium: 4 mins per side
Well done: 6 mins per side
- Use a heavy-based pan and only a small quantity of oil or butter.
- Ensure that the oil is hot, and sear each side to seal in the juices.
- Only turn your steaks once for maximum juices.
- If using a griddle, rub a little oil on both sides of your steaks.
Stir-frying (for steaks cut to 1cm thickness)
2-4 mins + 2 mins with vegetables
- You only need a small amount of oil when stir-frying. Use a non-stick wok or pan.
- Ensure the oil is hot; the meat should sizzle when added.
- Cut the beef into 1-cm-thick strips across the grain to help tenderise the meat.
- Add the hardest vegetables first and cook for 2 mins before adding beef.
BBQ
For steaks, use the same timing as for pan-frying. For burgers, allow 4-6 mins per side.
- Light your barbecue well in advance and wait until the charcoal is glowing red before cooking.
- Maintain correct food hygiene by keeping utensils, boards, and plates for raw and cooked meat separate.
- Ensure that burgers are cooked through before serving.
Grilling
Fillet steaks:
Rare: 3-4 mins per side
Medium: 4-5 mins per side
Well done: 6-7 mins per side
Sirloin/rump/rib/eye steaks:
Rare: 2-3 mins per side
Medium: 4 mins per side
Well done: 6 mins per side
- Baste your meat with a prepared glaze, butter, oil or marinade mixture to give it a distinctive flavour.
- Only turn your steaks once during cooking. Leaving them to cook untouched will produce juicier results.
Pot-roasting
(e.g. for silverside and brisket joints)
180-190°C, gas mark 4-5
30-40 mins per 450g (1lb) + 30-40 mins
- Ideal for tenderising less expensive cuts of beef.
- Quickly brown the joint in hot oil before adding liquid, vegetables and seasoning/herbs.
- Cover and cook either on the hob on a low simmer or in the oven.
Stewing/casseroles
(For diced beef, braising steak, shin or leg)
170°C, gas mark 3
1.5-2.5 hours
- For best results, seal the meat in a little oil before adding vegetables and liquid stock.
- For convenient and tasty beef curries, try adding diced beef to shop-bought sauces.
Perfect for a host of meals
Former NFU president and co-founder of Ladies in Beef, Minette Batters, added: “Beef is so versatile and is perfect for a host of meal occasions, from the convenience of children’s favourites such as spaghetti bolognese, burgers and meatballs to wonderful family roasts or indulgent steaks.
“My own tips are never to cook meat straight from the fridge. It’s important not to leave it sitting around in a hot, steamy kitchen for hours on end, but keep it covered and leave it out long enough to allow it to get closer to room temperature.
“You’ll find you get a much more tender piece of meat that way.”
READ MORE: Farmers encouraged to get involved in Great British Beef Week celebration
