In article >,
"Kent" > wrote:

> The Best of Morning, Om,

Good evening Kent. ;-)

> The "chuck steak" really wasn't a steak at all. It was a piece of USDA Prime
> chuck that Costco cut like a steak. It was the same meat I use in boeuf
> bourguignon, or any other long braised meat.

Chuck does make excellent pot roast, but I adore Chuck Eye (some places
call them chuck tenders) bacon wrapped and cooked hot and fast with a
mild marinade.

>
> I really don't like A-1[I call it "asso uno sauce" on an expensive steak,
> though I like its taste. I ran across a suggestion where someone marinated a
> piece of beef with dilute A1, Worcestershire, and a bit of cider vinegar. I
> did this, with the chuck overnight, and used the marinade along with beef
> stock and wine, two to one ratio by volume, as a braising liquid. I did this
> all on the Weber indirectly. I browned the steaks over the coals, and then
> made a braise by combining meat and braise in a foil pan. That went onto the
> indirect portion of the grill, at 350F, or a simmer, until done, about 2
> hours until done, tested by the meat tenderness. It more or less worked. The
> flavor was there. I'm not sure I liked the slight A-1, or "asso-uno"
> addition, and the meat did not have quite the same consistency when you the
> brown pieces of chuck in salt pork fat prior to the braise.

I would personally avoid an acidic (vinegar) marinade over night for
beef. Chicken or fish, maybe. It tends to denature the meat, chemically
cooking it. I guess it might work on a really thick roast like a brisket
but I'd still not risk it.

I do, however, do long term brining in a sugar/salt solution with herbs
and nitrates. See my Picasa series for Canadian Bacon. Note I did not
add vinegar. <g> The 5 day curing process worked a LOT better for the
final texture than the first try at only 3 days.

I still have a 9lb. pork loin in the freezer. I want to partially thaw
that one just enough to cut 1/3rd off of it and try a 7 day brine/cure.

I did try this with a piece of beef (chuck). Once. Never again! For some
reason, overly salted beef does not work for me like it does for pork...
I ended up tossing it.

As for A-1 in the marinade sauce? It may work for some but does not
appeal to me. The only sauce I'll often use for marinades is maybe some
diluted soy sauce.

Try Barding some beef with bacon some time and see if that works for you?

>
> I'm over to chop up the leftovers, and make hot beef sandwiches with the
> sauce for lunch. That sounds pretty good as I I'm typing.
>
> Kent
--
Peace! Om

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