The lazy days of summer have begun—which means most likely you will be firing up your grill for easy summer dinners. Summer grilling offers so many possibilities: there are the obvious ones like Rib-eyes and Chateaubriand, but there are some other, less expensive options, that might be just as good without breaking the bank.

If you have been in a restaurant lately, you probably noticed that hanger steak is everywhere. What is Hanger steak? It is the section of meat from the plate section of the cow (meaning the front of the belly), it “hangs” off of the cow’s diaphragm, hence the name. Why is it everywhere? Because it offers a fantastic beefy flavor generally associated with the more expensive cuts like rib eye, with a much more affordable price tag.

There are many names for hanger steak including butcher’s steak, bistro steak or onglet steak but they all refer to the same cut of meat. When in doubt, ask your butcher.
In order to get the best out of your hanger steak, you have to cook it correctly. It is essential that you cook it over high heat, while flipping occasionally. A perfect hanger steak will be cooked to medium-rare or medium. Anything above medium and your steak will be too hard to chew, due to its texture and grain. On the flip side, a rare hanger steak will be mushy and not appealing. Use a thermometer while you grill, and cook it to 125º to 130º F before pulling it off. This gives it a little extra room for the temperature to rise while the steaks rest.

To serve, make sure you slice it against the grain. If cooked the right way and sliced up properly, your hanger steak will be very tender.

Because of its texture, hanger steak is a perfect candidate for marinating. A simple marinade can be great, but this cut of meat does well in most Mexican recipes as well as Vietnamese and Thai recipes.

If you’re looking for a good marinade for your first attempt at grilling a hanger steak, try this one.

Hanger Steak Marinade
Read more…

The Block is back!

For this episode of The Butcher’s Block, we focus on skirt steak. Why, you may ask? Because skirt steak is hands down the best cut for tacos, and with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, this will make for an easy Thursday night fiesta.

Skirt steak is an inexpensive cut of beef from the “plate” or the diaphragm muscles of the cow, located in the area just below the ribs. It is long, flat, and prized for its intense beefy flavor. Similar to flank steak, it is very lean, contains tough fibers, and is best served rare to medium-rare. To make it easier to eat, slice skirt steak across the grain of the meat when serving. When marinaded and cooked, it is a delicious go-to for any meal—and you get great flavor bang for your buck.

Skirt steaks take to marinades very well and are best cooked quickly over high heat (though you can slow cook it or braise if you want). Skirt steak really shines though when grilled, seared, or used in stir-fry: anything that uses fast, high heat.

Skirt steak is so versatile that you can find it in many cuisines. We love it for tacos and fajitas, but it is great for Korean Bulgogi, any beef stir-fry, and yummy when slathered with fresh chimmi churri. It also, makes a very tasty steak sandwich.

Here are some great recipes for the dishes that we mentioned:
Grilled Skirt Steak Tacos with Roasted Poblano Rajas from our What’s for Dinner Wednesday recipe blog, Argentinean Chimmi Churri from our What’s for Dinner Wednesday recipe blog, Korean Bulgogi from The Kitchn, and for quick, weeknight fajitas, we recommend using Frontera Seasoning Sauces, gourmet Mexican seasoning from Chef Rick Bayless. Read more…

Our Manager, Alfredo Lopez, talks about Beef Brisket which is popular this time of year:

“All cuts of beef start with nine basic areas of the steer. These areas are called primal cuts, though the precise definition of each cut differs internationally. Piedmont Grocery buys the primal cuts of beef from our vendors and then we break them down into sub-primal cuts here at the store. Other markets will buy them already broken down. We prefer to have more control over the cuts to make sure we get the best quality.

The Brisket is the cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of Beef or Veal, sometimes referred to as the foreleg or foreshank. The brisket is made up of two parts. The “flat” section is the meatier part of the brisket. The “Deckle” or “Point” of the brisket has more fat.

Because of it’s location on the steer, the brisket is a tougher cut of meat and requires moist, slow heat to cook it to perfection. Brisket is also fantastic when cooked in a smoker.”

Brisket is probably most known as the cut of choice for making corned beef and Pastrami. Both are easy to make yourself but require time, as you are essentially pickling or preserving the meat before cooking it. If you are interested in corning your own beef, check out our What’s For Dinner Wednesday post on Corned Beef

Here’s a recipe for Smoked BBQ Brisket by Bobby Flay. And if you are looking for a traditional barbecue, here is a recipe where your brisket will come out smokey, moist, and tender with plenty for leftovers.

Barbecue Brisket—Texas Style
Adapted from Epicurious
Yields 10 to 12 servings

Choose a cut that is untrimmed, with a thick sheath of fat. This brisket is cooked in a shallow pan. The pan keeps the juices from dripping onto the fire and the meat from drying out, while allowing for the maximum smoke penetration from the top. You will need to smoke the brisket in a traditional charcoal BBQ and not a gas grill.

Note: You will need 4 to 8 hours to cure the meat and 6 hours to cook the brisket.

Special Equipment
6 cups hickory or mesquite chips or chunks
Charcoal Grill

Ingredients
1 beef brisket (5 to 6 pounds), with a layer of fat at least 1/4 inch thick, preferably 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Optional condiment
Texas-style BBQ sauce

Directions

Cure the brisket
Rinse the brisket under cold running water and blot it dry with paper towels.

Combine the salt, chili powder, sugar, pepper, and cumin in a bowl and toss to mix. Rub the spice mixture on the brisket on all sides. Wrap the brisket in plastic, place it in the fridge, and allow it to cure for 4 to 8 hours (or overnight).

Grill the brisket
Soak the wood chips in cold water for one hour, covered. Drain.

Set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling and preheat it to low. No drip pan is necessary for this recipe.

When the grill has come to temperature, toss 1-1/2 cups of the wood chips on the coals (3/4 cup per side). Place the brisket, fat side up, in an aluminum foil pan. Place the pan in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill.

Smoke cook the brisket until it is tender enough to shred with your fingers (about 6 to 8 hours). The cooking time will depend on the size of the brisket and the heat of the grill. Baste the brisket occasionally with the fat and juices that accumulate in the pan.

You will need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side every hour and toss more soaked wood chips on the fresh coals. Add about 3/4 cup chips on each side every time you replenish the coals during the first 3 hours.

Remove the brisket pan from the grill and allot it to rest for 15 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and thinly slice it across the grain, using a sharp knife. Transfer the sliced meat to a platter, pour the pan juices on top, and serve at once.

If you like to cook, having a professional butcher you can talk to is an invaluable resource. Much like a good car mechanic, a good butcher can be the key to better meals with less strain on your wallet. Purchasing the perfect cut of meat for your recipe shouldn’t be difficult, but with all of the different offerings in the meat case, it’s easy to get confused. Throw in multiple names for the same cut of meat, and it’s even worse—that’s why having a “guy” you can go to and trust is immensely helpful.

We are fortunate our group of butchers has so much experience, and knows their craft. They want to share this with our customers. The Butcher’s Block is a way to pass on inside knowledge. Each month we will pick a cut of meat, and discuss it’s properties and uses so you can be better informed.