~ Some Tips For Buying & Preparing Beef~

There's an old saying that I remember hearing a long time ago. "Beef, Real Food For Real People." I'm going to share a few tips about shopping for beef, without going into too much detail about the different grades, Organic VS grain fed. I believe Organic is the way to go however we live in a price-driven economy, so you make the choice.

I've spent over 30 years in the meat industry, so this is one post that I am well versed in. First of all shop the Ad's for the Grocery Stores in your area, and NEVER pay full price for Beef. This is true for Pork and Poultry as well, but this is about Beef. Your Feature item is always the largest picture and text, another words, you can't miss it. The smaller items are referred to as line items, a decent deal, but not a great one.

First you need to determine what you like. Top Sirloin, Top Round Steak, Sirloin Tip Steak, or any number of steaks and roasts. It's getting to be barbecue weather, so I will concentrate on steaks. There is a little kitchen gadget that EVERYONE should own, it's called a Jaccard. This is a link to Amazon if you'd like to buy one, as it can save you hundreds of dollars a year. http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-Tendermatic-Meat-Tenderizer-Blade/dp/B001347JK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1239999399&sr=8-1

You don't need to buy Fillet Mignon, T-bone, or even a Rib-Eye Steak if you're using a Jaccard. Buy the cheapest boneless Beef that is on sale. Use your Jaccard to tenderize your beef. This is a good video to watch, although I wouldn't use a expensive cut of meat because it should be tender anyway.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7f9sVP_f-c&feature=related

This is a very good recipe that is a hit. I used it in some of the Meat Departments that I managed. You can cut this down also, but I just freeze it in a Tupperware container, or it will last a couple of weeks in your fridge.

1/2 gal Yoshida's Gourmet sauce (I buy it from Costco)

1/4 cup Sesame oil, (not imitation)

1/4 cup crushed red peppers, (or more if you like it hot)

1 tsp orange or lemon peel

Mix it in a Tupperware container, put your tenderized Beef into it overnight, stirring it, or just flipping it upside down after a few hours if it doesn't leak. Squeeze the excess juice from the Beef and throw it on the grill. It will cook very fast, because of the perforations from the Jaccard, so keep an eye on it. Mmmm