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CASSEROLES

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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« on: June 29, 2009, 12:49:14 am »


Steak of origin

By GRAHAM HAWKES - The Southland Times | Saturday, 20 June 2009

WINTER COMFORT FOOD: Beef and Invercargill Brewery Pitch Black Casserole.

WINTER COMFORT FOOD: Beef and Invercargill Brewery Pitch Black Casserole.

Having to check the country's 20 best steaks for their tenderness, taste, juiciness and texture was no easy job, but that was the role I found myself in recently along with rugby great Colin (don't call me Sir) Meads, and the Honorable Minister of Justice Mr David Carter.

With better than 350 entries, this year's Steak of Origin competition proved to be the best yet. The competition run by New Zealand Beef & Lamb involved all the porterhouse (strip loin) cuts from all the entries firstly go to Professor Roy Bickerstaffe of Lincoln University who put them through their first series of paces, testing each sirloin for pH, percentage cooking loss and tenderness, as determined by a tenderometer, which is calibrated to mimic a human's bite giving a shear-force reading.

The top 20 per cent in each of the five classes best of European breed, best of British breed, best of crossbreed breed, best of brand/retail, and best of brand/ wholesale and foodservice then went through to a semifinal at Cafe Valentino in Christchurch where a panel of ten judges comprising chefs, dietitians and meat industry personnel critiqued the steaks on aroma, texture, tenderness and taste to choose the top four in each category.

The top four steaks in each class were again tested, this time being tasted by the public at Countdown Church Corner in Riccarton, Christchurch, with the public score contributing 10 per cent of the final mark with the grand champion announced at the final during a Beef Expo dinner.

At the final, a local chef cooked the country's 20 finest beef steaks during pre-dinner conviviality for all to see. All the steaks were cut to the same thickness and trimmed to the same specification then brushed with a non-flavoured oil and cooked to "rare to medium" and rested for five minutes before being presented to the judges.

It was then we had the onerous (but enjoyable) task of taste testing these 20 great steaks for their tenderness, taste, juiciness and texture. And my, what a test it was. I would have been proud to serve any one of these steaks at any time.

What was interesting this year was none of the finalists struck us as the outright winner during the actual tasting. They all had great qualities but also subtle points of difference.

This year the New Zealand Steak of Origin Challenge Grand Champion was a steak produced by Catherine Withers, of Rotorua, from a piedmontese-cross friesian and interestingly enough the Supreme Brand Award also went to a piedmontese-cross from the farm of Don Buchanan in Taumarunui.

Let's have a look at a great comforting winter dish using New Zealand Quality Mark beef.


—————————————————————————

BEEF and INVERCARGILL BREWERY PITCH BLACK CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

  • 1kg Quality Mark blade steak
  • ¼ cup of rice bran oil
  • 4 medium onions peeled and diced
  • 1 Tbsp peeled and chopped garlic
  • 4 Tbsp flour
  • 2 cups Invercargill Brewery Pitch Black Beer
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 4 rashers bacon chopped
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 18 dried prunes
  • Sliced rind of one orange

Method:

  • Cut the Quality Mark steak into 5cm cubes.
  • Heat the oil in a heavy-base pan and brown the meat in batches.
  • Transfer the meat to a casserole dish that has a tight fitting lid.
  • Add the onions to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes.
  • Now add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
  • Sprinkle the flour and mix with the onions.
  • Once well mixed gradually add the stock and the beer and mix into a smooth sauce.
  • Pour the sauce over the meat and add the bacon, thyme, prunes and orange rind.
  • Place in a preheated oven at 160°C and cook for 2 hours.
  • Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

Bon appetit!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/features/food-wine/2524632/Steak-of-origin
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