Tender beef

[RabbitsarenotHares]

DP has suggested a beef dinner for Christmas, but he only likes it melt-in-the-mouth tender (I'm less fussy).

Because he's not that keen on beef I rarely cook it, and when I do I tend to do pan-fried steaks. Therefore I'm after advice re.

1. the best cut to buy (are willing to not go for the cheapest cut)

2. the best way to cook it (have a slow cooker so could do it in that but it's very small)

TIA for any advice!

There are two ways to go.

If you buy stewing steak (chuck steak or braising steak) you brown it in a frying pan and then slow cook as a stew. I suggest a beef bourguignon.

The other way is to buy a fillet steak, take out of fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Get a flat iron pan and heat it to a high temperature and sear it. Turning every 1 minute. Leave it pink in the middle. Very fast cooking. Leave to settle on a warm plate for a few minutes then season with salt and pepper. Don't put salt on before cooking as it dries it.

[Personally I prefer a sirloin as a steak on its own but it often has fat in that your DH might not like].

You can use fillet steak to make a beef stroganoff.

Sorry I should explain stewing steak is cheap but flavoursome and needs slow cooking as it is tough.

Fillet steak is very expensive but tender and hence can be eaten just as a steak. For special ocassions I serve my steaks with triple cooked chips and a nice salad.

A roast rib of beef would be good. How many are you cooking for?
Read up on cooking method and buy from a good butcher.but seriously if he isn't that keen on beef, why has he suggested it?

So are you wanting a joint, and how many people are u feeding? if it's a joint your after u need either a rib of beef or sirloin, preferably on the bone. Do not be tempted to buy topside or silverside it may look nice but they will be dry and tough as no fat. Best to buy aged beef from a local butcher, this could cost u less than supermarket. If u do buy from supermarket do not be swayed by a fatless joint that is bright red, a good price of meat will be dark red with some fat on it

Brisket and long, slow cooking - you can do it in a normal pan, you don't need a slow cooker. There's a Jamie Oliver method you can google. The only thing is though, it doesn't look brilliant, so I'd also look for some interesting, colourful sides.

For a long slow cook try ox cheeks - they are big and I treat them like other slow cooked meat - you can cut them up into pieces but if you leave them whole just brown in a frying pan and then slow cook for 3-4 hours in whatever liquid you want - I have done a bourginon recipe with them. If you need to you can break them up to serve - the meat just falls apart. I do similar with pigs cheeks. Waitrose sell them and they are much cheaper than other cuts but unctuous! A lot of Michelin star restaurants do them now.

Something like ghoulash can be nice as an alternative to beef bourgouignon, some potatoes and some dumplings and YUM.

For a naice dinner we have a 2 bone rib of beef. That feeds 6 adults and 2 children.
Get out of the fridge around an hour before you want it to go in, lay it on a bed of red onions and garlic, season the beef, pour about half a bottle of good red wine into the pan and then pop it in the oven for around an hour and a half on 180C.
Buy a meat thermometer! I wouldn't be without mine and it has different settings on for how well done you want the meat.
Don't forget to let the meat rest too when you take it out. Leave it on the carving tray covered in foil and then make gravy from the meat juices and onions in the tray.

I have made beef for Christmas Day I luffs it me and prefer it to turkey.

I always cook it in the slow cooker as it always comes out melt in the mouth and the wine it cooks in makes a for very deep flavourful gravy.

I always season the meat first, then seal it and then deglaze the pan with red wine. After this, I transfer the meat to slow cooker add carrots, onion and either redcurrent jelly or mustard. I then add the liquid from the deglazed pan (scrapping all the bits off from the bottom) and then the rest of the bottle of wine. I'll then add more seasoning and a bay leaf. I usually do this in the morning, leaving at least three/four hours in the slow cooker to works it's magic.

Go for chateaubriand - it's thick cut fillet, very tender, especially if you cook it rare but it's expensive.
If you like slow cooked meat get some brisket - much cheaper.