Viande help

[crossy67]

Been here  5 weeks now and enjoying it, even the vast amount of work we have to do.  One thing troubling me though is the quality of meat.  Julie's strict vegetarian, this makes eating meat a bit of a faff for me so I tend not to eat much of it but when I do I like really good quality steak, fillet, T-bone or sirloin.  The supermarkets here only seem to sell none-descript pieces of none-descript animaux that look like they were cut off the animal whilst it was still alive and trying to escape by a monkey with a rusty machete.

Can any one please recommend a good cut of meat please.  I am useless at cooking most red meats, living with a veg really harms your culinary skills in that department too.

[Gardian]

We've given up buying supermarket meat, other than braising stuff, where it matters less.

I'm sure that what I'm about to say will be echoed by many - find a good local butcher and buy from him / her.  It'll be more expensive, but not necessarily that much.

As to the cuts, well we really quite like bavette (steak), which when it's good is really good. Two mins / side max, because it'll come pretty thinly sliced.

[idun]

And I buy bavette to stew[Www]. Shows how good it is where I used to live.

Go to a little  butcher. The bigger the queue one would hope the better the meat. Certainly in our region the meat was not always on display and kept in the big fridge all the time, so do not think it looks like they haven't got much meat, you have to say what you want and they'll get it for you.

Apart from fillet steak I never ever rated the steak in France. We did used to get good chicken breast fillets from our local butcher and good veal too. I would buy cote de boeuf for the bar b que and that would be tasty and tender.

[Pommier]

Fillet and T Bone steaks are available here, also entrecote, or if you want to economise a bit, then try faux filet.

It'll all be best with minimal cooking.

[Clair]

http://www.interviandes.com/interviandes/decoupe/Recherche.html

[just john]

You could shop at the butchers belonging to the local Abattoir, Rue André Cheminade, 24600 Ribérac (near Le'clerc), it's quite well recommended.

[Dog]

Why not eat with the wife - svae money, time, eat better and have more energy and avoid all the downfalls of eating dead animals.

PS Tell the wife if she want to come eat with the like minded she is most welcome.

[crossy67]

Dog, I hardly ever eat meat, once or twice a month (apart from a bit of chorizo now and then) I am 98% meat free  I did buy a horse stake once, just to try you understand but by the time I had finished cooking it whilst whistling the theme to Black Beauty to wind Julie up I had strangely gone off it lol.  I only have a steak once every 3-4 weeks hence why I am a bit fussy and not too concerned with price.

I honestly can't believe a country that is so into it's food can try to sell such appallingly badly cut up bits of animal.

Back to my vegetarian chilli, curry and other meat free treats I suppose :-(

[Joe]

Have bought faux filet at our local supermache and found it to be ok.

[just john]

Have never had an awful piece of meat in France with the exception of faux filet, and the best ever steak was Chevaux, I swear I didn't realise it at the time; try it again[:D] According to Viande Richelieu Inc., it is slightly sweet, tender, low in fat, and high in protein

 

[Chancer]

Steak from more than one horse eh!!!

I do agree though, for me viande de cheval is far superior to the beef sold in the butchers or supermarkets, if you can find a boucherie chevaline even better still.

[Judith]

Hubby is a steak man, he reckons the best for grilling is faux filet, or rumsteak on occasion.  Filet is lovely but expensive, I occasionally get noix and they grill ok too.

[idun]

I have tried all sorts of cuts of steak in France. I have had the butchers 'jure' that their meat was tender, melt in the mouth. NOPE, they never did, well only fillet did. Our village butcher sold lovely meat apart from steak.

I think that we have had threads about this in the past and it is to do with meat not being 'hung' long enough.

A couple of weeks ago I ordered beef from Donald Russell's in Scotland. Ah my, melt isn't in it, fabulous steak, but very expensive, nice treat though.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="idun"]

I have tried all sorts of cuts of steak in France. I have had the butchers 'jure' that their meat was tender, melt in the mouth. NOPE, they never did, well only fillet did. Our village butcher sold lovely meat apart from steak.

I think that we have had threads about this in the past and it is to do with meat not being 'hung' long enough.

A couple of weeks ago I ordered beef from Donald Russell's in Scotland. Ah my, melt isn't in it, fabulous steak, but very expensive, nice treat though.

[/quote]

I spent 10 days in Tenbury Wells during May and was introduced to the delights of quality beef and lamb from the Bowketts Supermarket. The clement weather made frequent barbecues possible and plentiful supplies of fillet steak from Hereford stock.[:)]

http://www.bowketts.co.uk/Butchery/

[idun]

I have to say that I have found the beef to be very good since I have been back. I always loved scottish beef and still do, although I will give beef from other places a try to.

[Clair]

[quote user="crossy67"]I honestly can't believe a country that is so into it's food can try to sell such appallingly badly cut up bits of animal.[/quote]

Oh look! Another sweeping generalisation![Www]

Look for info on the package. I have posted this info before and it bears repeating:

Legally, the "beef" means meat from adult animals of the bovine species, ie heifer, cow, ox or bull.

What the label means:

• Jeune bovin: neutered male under 2 years old

• Bœuf: neutered male over 2 years old

• Taureau: castrated male over 2 years old

• Génisse: female which has not yet calved. With milk livestock, a génisse becomes a cow at the age of three years following the first calving.

• Vache: calved female (having reached the end of its milk production or its reproductive function, it is retired and used for meat).

I

shop in Géant in Aurillac and I can buy either cheap "generic"

beef or excellent Salers beef, which costs almost twice as much and will

be tender and juicy.

More details here: http://www.auvergne.chambagri.fr/pages/rubsav/fiches/viandes/boeuf.htm#race

The butcher in the village offers a choice of locally reared beef, pork

and lamb, all of which cook beautifully and do not turn to old boot.

Like most things in life, you pays your money and you takes your choice... [:)]

Also,

having done a quick search on the matter of hanging meat , I have found mentions stating that "Meat must mature in the cold for 6-15

days, which contributes its taste and tenderness. It is called maturation  (Time during which the meat is kept in the cold after slaughter).

In fact, it is a requirement of the label "LE BOEUF DE TRADITION BOUCHERE" that the meat should hang at least 7 days.(source)

The butcher in the village keep beef hanging for a further 10 days after he gets it in from the abattoir where it has already been maturing for 7 days.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Clair"]Oh look! Another sweeping generalisation![Www]

[/quote]Heaven forfend. 

As it happens  I thought this thread on meat had gone rather well.  Two pages and nobody has said that hanging meat is illegal here.  Little steps, Clair, little steps.[:)]

[Clair]

[quote user="cooperlola"]As it happens  I thought this thread on meat had gone rather well.  Two pages and nobody has said that hanging meat is illegal here.[/quote]

I know, I know...

idun had already mentioned hanging meat and I thought I'd pre-empt it, nip it in the bud, so to speak... [:)]

Cuts are different in France just just in their name, clearly, but also in the way the meat is cut. Consequently, the way the cut cooks is also different.

I buy entrecote and faux-filet when my purse allows it and I'd rather enjoy a tasty, tender piece of steak once in a while than indifferent steak every day.

As mentioned on several occasions previously, I buy family packs of beef cuts, always labelled "Salers", to mince or chop - with very little waste - and cook in the slow cooker, sometimes to freeze for bolognese or chili at a later date.

Really, it's down to information. Read the label and buy accordingly. if you're not sure, ask the butcher. Tell him what you want to cook and ask him the name of the cut he is suggesting. Then you'll know what to look for at the supermarket.

My neighbour kindly gave me some steaks last night, from one of their own cattle slaughtered earlier this month. I know they look after their cattle and I know it was grass-fed. That's diner sorted tonight!

[mint]

Hah, Clair, caught you out at last![:D]

You said "That's diner sorted tonight"........yippeeee.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's dinner in English....yeah, yeah, yeah!   hahaha!!!!!!

Excuse me, folks, for going cock-a-hoop like that!  If you only knew the times that that Virtual French Person has caught me out, you'd understand!

[crossy67]

[quote user="Clair"]

My neighbour kindly gave me some steaks last night, from one of their own cattle slaughtered earlier this month. I know they look after their cattle and I know it was grass-fed. That's diner sorted tonight!

[/quote]

Can I come please?[:-))]

So what meat is best out of the ones you mentioned earlier?

[Clair]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Hah, Clair, caught you out at last![:D]

You said "That's diner sorted tonight"........yippeeee.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's dinner in English....yeah, yeah, yeah!   hahaha!!!!!!

Excuse me, folks, for going cock-a-hoop like that!  If you only knew the times that that Virtual French Person has caught me out, you'd understand!

[/quote]

 [:D] [:D][:D]

Just for you Sweet! [;-)]

[Clair]

[quote user="crossy67"]So what meat is best out of the ones you mentioned earlier?[/quote]

On the following pdf files, look at the pictograms at the bottom left. They show various cooking methods and are also shown next to the relevant cut on the main picture:

For beef, click here. When buying beef, look for a category number on the label. Packs marked 2nd or 3rd category are meant for

long slow cooking. Anything marked Bourguignon or Pot-au-feu will also require long slow cooking.

For pork, click here.

For lamb, click here.

For veal, click here.

[olivier terroine]

hello, taste a "pavé de bison" in the restaurant "buffalo grill" , its tooooooooo delicious !!!!

or you can taste snails, itss very good too !!! hummm !!

lol

very good.

[Gardian]

[quote user="olivier terroine"]hello, taste a "pavé de bison" in the restaurant "buffalo grill" , its tooooooooo delicious !!!! or you can taste snails, itss very good too !!! hummm !! lol very good.[/quote]

Marketing Mgr for Buffalo Grill Fr ???  Surely not? [;-)]