Top Round; for budget friendly roast beef
Today's intended post has thrown me for a loop. I left for work this morning, in the bitter cold only to find my car's battery nearly dead and unable to start. So, we'll have to modify our plans, as I'm not making it to work today. On the upside I can watch more Champion's League action this afternoon. The line on the ManU/Benefica game is 1.6/3.3/4.5 and I'm really tempted to take both the draw and the Benefica win, for the combined odds (my bookie doesn't take "Draw, No Win" bets). Too bad 'Pool didn't pull away yesterday as I took a flier on their 6/1 odds vs Chelsea. I'm not excited by any of the odds on tonights NCAA action, but I'm tempted to parlay a couple moneyline bets, but I'm going to refrain.
Enough about gambling. This week I have Top Round beef on sale, which never sells well, so I thought I would take time to talk about this cut for a minute. Also known in the industry as inside round, it is, as the name implies, from the topside of the round, above the femur bone from your bottom round/rump. Typically, most consumers only see this in the deli case, as it's the cut of choice for shaved roast beef. Regardless, this cut really demands some respect from cooks, esp. those of you, like me, on a budget.
The piece you really should be looking for is from the back half of the sub primal. There are no connective tissues here, assuming the butcher has removed the cap, which is ideal for high-temp roasting. Also, the grain runs in one clear direction, which adds to tenderness and ease of slicing. The cut has a respectable amount of marbling, but does suffer a bit from the round plague of not having a ton of natural flavor. However, it takes to flavors very well, and strong marinades and rubs will not take anything away from your roasts. Cook at high temp until medium rare at the most, and carve thin slices. Serve with a horseradish sauce or other, and use leftovers for French dips, warm roast beef sandwiches, etc. Very tasty, very easy on the wallet.
Enough about gambling. This week I have Top Round beef on sale, which never sells well, so I thought I would take time to talk about this cut for a minute. Also known in the industry as inside round, it is, as the name implies, from the topside of the round, above the femur bone from your bottom round/rump. Typically, most consumers only see this in the deli case, as it's the cut of choice for shaved roast beef. Regardless, this cut really demands some respect from cooks, esp. those of you, like me, on a budget.
The piece you really should be looking for is from the back half of the sub primal. There are no connective tissues here, assuming the butcher has removed the cap, which is ideal for high-temp roasting. Also, the grain runs in one clear direction, which adds to tenderness and ease of slicing. The cut has a respectable amount of marbling, but does suffer a bit from the round plague of not having a ton of natural flavor. However, it takes to flavors very well, and strong marinades and rubs will not take anything away from your roasts. Cook at high temp until medium rare at the most, and carve thin slices. Serve with a horseradish sauce or other, and use leftovers for French dips, warm roast beef sandwiches, etc. Very tasty, very easy on the wallet.
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on 6.12.05 at 15:14.
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08 December, 2005 08:22Hope you made that bet on the Benfica win. Good call.
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