Five Low and Slow Beef Recipes That Will Blow Your Guests Away
When it comes to cooking a protein, the options are virtually endless. Sauteing, searing, basting, grilling, and smoking are all excellent preparation methods. You may accentuate and infuse a variety of tastes and textures into your meat by barbecuing it. And one of the greatest methods to achieve that has to be to cook your meat slowly. You can spend the rest of the day knowing dinner is ready for you by making the small amount of effort necessary to set your food on to slow cook in the morning. It can be more efficient to prepare food for the entire week at once to conserve time, energy, and wood for the rest of the week. Here are our picks for the top five low-and-slow dishes that will leave your visitors craving for more.
What is Low and Slow?
While referring to food that has been cooked for a considerable amount of time at a low temperature, the phrase “low and slow” is frequently used when grilling or smoking meat on the barbeque. This is often accomplished by grilling or smoking food over indirect heat. While smoking adds flavour and dimension to the meat as it cooks, low and slow cooking allows meat to cook entirely while preventing burning or drying out the meat.
What kind of meat cuts are best for low and slow cooking?
Low and slow cooking is perfect for various cuts, including ribs (beef or pig), brisket, shoulders (pork or lamb), and pork belly, as any meat enthusiast knows well. But your meat options don’t stop here! Chicken thighs are excellent for high-heat applications and make excellent barbeque despite their tiny size. Beef and swine jowl or cheek is the most gelatinous meats when cooked correctly. To make octopus edible, it must be cooked slowly for a very long time. Another is oxtail, chuck, and even tri-tip taste delicious when prepared slowly and carefully! Don’t forget to visit your Melbourne low and slow butcher for more advise on what cuts of meat to use for cooking.
Low and Slow Beef Recipe #1: Beef Cheeks in Red Wine
Beef cheeks are a cut made from the animal’s face region, close to the chewing muscle. These cuts have a lot of sinew when they are originally delivered to the butcher shop, where the sinews are removed to create a cleaner-looking cut. Due to its frequent use, this muscle produces a suitable cut for appetisers, stews, soups, sandwiches, and major courses.
Ingredients
1.8kg beef cheeks, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion coarsely chopped, 2 carrots cubed, 3 cups of dry red wine, 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar, 800g canned whole tomatoes, 1 Tbsp light brown sugar, 1 fennel bulb cut into wedges, black peppercorns, 2 sprigs of rosemary, 2 Tbsp oregano, 400g spring onions, 250g fresh mushrooms
Procedure:
- Pre-heat your oven to 160°C
- In a hot pan with olive oil, brown the beef cheeks on both sides. Set aside.
- In the same pan, saute onions and carrots until caramelised. Add sugar.
- Deglaze with wine and wine vinegar.
- Add canned tomatoes, fennel, black peppercorns, rosemary, and oregano. Add the beef cheeks.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
- Add the spring onions and fresh mushrooms. Cook until beef cheeks are tender.
- Serve with polenta or mashed potatoes.
Low and Slow Beef Recipe #2: Braised Beef Short Ribs with a Tangy Pineapple Sauce
Braised beef short ribs are the norm. In a braising recipe, the meat is seared and then baked in liquid, combining dry and moist cooking techniques. Although it may seem complicated, the cooking technique produces great, gourmet-tasting results.
Ingredients:
2kg beef short ribs, 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp flour (seasoned with salt and pepper), 4 garlic cloves (chopped), 2 tsp curry powder, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 500ml pineapple juice, 80ml soy sauce, 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp minced ginger, Nuts (optional)
Procedure:
- Preheat your oven to 170°C.
- In a hot pan with olive oil, brown the beef ribs on both sides. Set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic and curry powder. Slightly roast the add the tomato paste and stir until well incorporated.
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Take out the ribs from the pan and reduce the sauce to desired consistency. Serve with rice, salad, or potatoes. Add chopped coriander for an extra kick.
Low and Slow Beef Recipe #3: Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Beef stew is a hearty, flavorful dish that mixes beef with a number of other ingredients, including potatoes, vegetables, herbs, spices, and stock. It is frequently served as the main course. The massive shoulder of a cow, sometimes known as “chuck,” is generally where beef stew meat originates from. However, stew meat can also be made from roast, top and bottom round, tips, and even steak. Beef stew is prepared in a variety of ways across the world using ingredients that are easily accessible.
Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped), 2 pcs celery sticks (minced), 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3 pcs carrots (cut into large cubes), 2 pcs bay leaves, 1 Tbsp thyme, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauces, 2 pcs Beef stock cubes. 1kg beef (chuck or ribs), Chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
- In a pan on medium heat with olive oil, saute chopped onions and celery until soft. Add carrots, bay leaves, and thyme, and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add in the tomato paste and deglaze with Worcestershire sauce. Add 600ml of hot water and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker or a large pot and dissolve the beef stock cubes.
- In a separate pan, add olive oil and place on high heat. Brown the beef on both sides and transfer it into the stock’s large pot. Boil on low fire for 5-6 hours or until tender.
- To make gravy, make a roux by mixing flour and butter. Brown it a little, then add the hot stock gradually until you get the right consistency.
- Serve with polenta, corn, rice, or any starch of your choice.
Low and Slow Beef Recipe #4: Pulled Beef (Pulled Pork)
This method of preparation, also known as pulled beef, often entails extended cooking of beef chunks to form separate strands of soft flesh for different cuisine preparations. The robust beefy taste we adore from a fine beef brisket is combined with all the soft, shredded, juicy, smokey deliciousness of pulled pork in pulled beef.
Ingredients:
2 kgs of chuck or round roast, 2 cups of beef stock, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, black peppercorns, 2 pcs bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 whole onion (cut in half)2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Procedure:
- Season your beef with salt and crushed black pepper. (Or any other choice of seasoning you have)
- Place seasoned beef into the slow cooker.
- Add the beef broth or stock. Add herbs and garlic cloves.
- Cook in the slow cooker for at least 4 hours or until fork-tender.
- Separate the beef into strands with a fork. You have the option to leave it in the stock or separate it.
Low and Slow Beef Recipe #5: Beef Curry with Coconut Cream
This beef curry is a family favourite because to the layers of mouthwatering flavours from the curry powder and coconut milk. Beef that has been lightly browned is cooked in a mouthwatering coconut sauce and then generously garnished with coriander leaves. Impress your loved ones with this wonderful side dish!
Ingredients:
900g Beef (cut for braising or beef stew), 2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 white onions (chopped), 5 garlic cloves (minced), 1 Tbsp minced ginger, 1 Tbsp Chinese five-spice, 1 Tbsp curry powder, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 250 ml beef stock, 400g (1 can) coconut cream or coconut milk, 2 pcs red chilis, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 pcs potatoes (peeled and cubed), lime juice (optional)
Procedure:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- In a large casserole on high heat, sear the beef cuts until browned on both sides.
- Add the following seasonings: Chinese five-spice, curry powder, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Stir until very fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with beef stock and make sure that nothing gets stuck on the bottom.
- Add the onions, ginger, and garlic. Let cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the tomato paste. Mix evenly.
- Add the remaining beef stock and slowly add the coconut milk.
- Simmer and add the chilis and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook in the oven for at least 40 minutes to 1.5 hours or until beef is tender.
Low and Slow FAQ
The expression describes cooking at a low temperature for a longer amount of time. It might not be the most time-saving way, so if you’re pressed for time, you might think about using another method. But the final outcome is incomparable.
Low and slow cooking methods for meat should be used when you have thick and tough cuts of meat.
Just like with conventional cooking, it is possible to overcook meat in a slow cooker. Even these cuts will ultimately get stringy and dry up because tough cuts with more connective tissue take longer to become sensitive than delicate, slimmer cuts.
Steam can only be produced with water or another liquid. To enable efficient heat conduction throughout the crock while cooking meat or poultry, the liquid level should be sufficient to cover the items. Some slow cooker makers advise adding liquid to fill the stoneware halfway to three-quarters full.
Food should be sliced into uniform-sized pieces for even cooking. In the bottom of the crock, add firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots. Then, layer the meat on top.
