Definition: beef

Nutritional values per 100 g: Protein 15 to 25 g; Carbohydrates 0 g; Fat 3 to 21 g; Calories 150 to 300 kcal.

In addition, it provides a record amount of iron (3 mg/100 g).This iron, known as haem iron, is very well absorbed by the body, aided by the high presence of vitamin B12, which is involved in its metabolism. Not found in plants, it is essential for growth and physiological balance, especially in women. Rich in vitamins B9 and PP, which help to combat ageing, it also provides a large amount of zinc. While it is important to bear in mind that overconsumption of beef can be harmful to our cardiovascular system due to the presence of saturated fatty acids, which are responsible for cholesterol, it should not be banned from our diet at the risk of developing anaemia. Consumption should therefore not exceed 4 portions of 120 g per week. And don't forget that even if you are on a weight-loss diet, it should still be on the menu because its proteins promote satiety.

To get the most out of beef:

- Choose fat-free cooking methods, as meat does not need fat to remain tender. Better still, always try to trim the fat.

- Lighten accompanying sauces (real calorie traps!) with beaten egg white or light cream. Or replace them with a good dose of herbs or spices.

- Choose lean cuts (round steak, sirloin, etc.).

- Take inspiration from Oriental cuisine: beef, vegetables and a cereal product, in moderate quantities, and you're guaranteed a balanced meal.

Storage: To preserve beef, the meat must be cooked or refrigerated very quickly to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 48 to 72 hours at a temperature of 2 to 4°C without any risk. However, avoid storing it in plastic wrap or aluminium foil; always use waxed paper instead. Minced meat cannot be stored and must be consumed within six hours of purchase. Minced meat can be frozen (2 to 3 months) and cooked meat can be frozen (10 to 12 months). The precaution to take is to take the meat out of the freezer well in advance so that it has time to thaw in the refrigerator. As a guide, allow 5 to 6 hours for a steak and around 12 hours for a roast. This precaution is not necessary when using a microwave, but it is still necessary to leave the meat to rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to thaw completely.

Tasting: It is well known that every part of the cow is edible. That said, not all cuts have the same qualities or the same fat content, and are therefore not suitable for the same preparations. There are two categories of meat:

Prime cuts (30% of the animal) are generally very tender and require short, high-heat cooking on the grill, in a pan or roasted. These include ribeye, sirloin, knuckle, flank, rump, tenderloin and aiguillette.

The less tender cuts - Although they are less tender, make no mistake, their flavour is just as incomparable, provided they are prepared in the best possible way, i.e. cooked slowly and simmered, perhaps in a stew, a ragout or a casserole. These include the rib, chuck, neck, shoulder, shank, twin, flank and tail.

Our advice: to make an exceptional pot-au-feu, it is essential to use at least four different cuts to enhance the flavour. The most suitable cuts? Ribs, shank, chuck, brisket, flank and tail. Ideally, you should mix marbled, gelatinous and lean meats, but nothing beats the expert advice of your butcher.

Did you know? Steak is not the name of a cut of beef, but rather a method of preparation. It is most often cut from a long-fibre cut, such as the skirt, hanger or flank. These long muscle fibres ensure juicy meat because they retain the juices that expand during cooking. Minced meat, on the other hand, usually comes from the flank of the animal.

The main edible parts of beef

The ideal cooking method for each cut:

- Grilling: for ribeye steaks, skirt steaks, fillets, flank steaks and beef ribs, the recommended cooking time varies depending on thickness, from 1 to 15 minutes on each side.

- Roasting: for fillets, sirloin steaks, rump steaks and aiguillettes, allow 15 minutes per pound of meat.

- Pot-au-feu: for shank, twin, rib, tenderloin, etc., allow 4 hours of cooking time (1½ hours in a pressure cooker).

- On skewers: for round of beef, 5 minutes of cooking will suffice.

- In stews and braises: for chuck, shoulder, shank, and brisket, cook for about 3 hours (1 hour in a pressure cooker).

Certain cuts, such as rump, round, sirloin tip and cross-cut roast, also require marinating to tenderise them.

Made with oil and lemon juice, it makes the meat flavourful while protecting it from oxidation and germs. Garlic, basil, chervil, cloves, coriander seeds, ginger, mustard, oregano, horseradish, rosemary and thyme are all seasonings that give it an incomparable flavour.

Beef can be cooked to different degrees of doneness: rare (raw on the inside and barely cooked on the outside), medium rare, medium or well done. To cook it successfully, remember to salt the meat halfway through cooking, do not pierce a piece that is grilling and lightly score the edges of the steak so that it does not shrink during cooking. It is also recommended to take the meat out of the refrigerator some time before cooking (otherwise the inside will be too tough). Finally, oven-cooked cuts such as roasts will be more tender if you leave them to rest in aluminium foil for a few minutes before serving.

History: Since prehistoric times, humans have hunted the ancestors of this ruminant mammal (aurochs). As early as 8,000 years ago, the peoples of Macedonia and Mesopotamia had domesticated this bovine to help them work the land. The term "beef" in butchery refers to the meat of castrated males, cows, heifers, bulls and young bulls.

The bovine family comprises around a hundred breeds and crossbreeds, only around thirty of which are intended for human consumption. These include beef breeds, which are raised exclusively for consumption. As a result, they have a very high muscle mass and very low fat content. The most famous are Charolais, Limousin, Montbéliarde and Blonde d'Aquitaine. Dairy breeds also end up on our plates after four to six calvings, such as Normande.

Family: Charolaise, an international star of French origin. Originally from Saône-et-Loire, this breed adapts so well to all climates that it can now be found all over the world. And that's no bad thing, because of all the breeds, it is the one that provides the most flavourful, tasty, tender and healthy meat, with a bright red colour, qualities that have been recognised with a "Label Rouge" award.It is also fairly lean, with a fat content of no more than 5%, the same as poultry.

There are more than 2,000,000 of these animals throughout France.

And also: Understanding labels - In July 2001, the European Union adopted a labelling system that guarantees traceability. The Consumer Code and European regulations require the name of the cut, its weight, price, packaging date, use-by date, and also the origin and place of slaughter and cutting to be indicated. In January 2002, it was deemed useful to add the place of birth and fattening to this list. If your meat bears the origin label, you can be sure that the animal was born, reared and slaughtered in the same country.

In order to further reassure consumers, the French Beef Industry wanted to provide further details: origin, category and breed; French origin is then certified under the VHF label. Finally, two new measures were introduced in early 2005. The first is the "transparency contract", equivalent to the VBF for wholesale sales (catering), and the second is "100% muscle", which only applies to minced meat.

Beef may also carry the following label:

- Label Rouge: this guarantees superior quality, checks at all stages and natural rearing.

- "Certifié Conforme" (Certified Compliant): this ensures that the information on the label is accurate.

- "CQC" (Certified Quality Criteria): this confirms compliance with production rules.

- AB (Organic Farming): this highlights the absence of chemicals during production.

As for the quality of the meat itself, it is graded into four categories, from extra quality to third quality, according to criteria of colour (from bright red to black) and grain (fine to coarse).