Beef Around the World
Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 2
Chapter 5 · Beef Around the World
Skill goal
Match the cut and the method to the dish, and cook four classic beef dishes from other countries.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Every country with cattle has found its own way to make beef taste wonderful, and they all solve the same problem: tender meat with a lot of flavour. There are only two real routes. Quick dishes (stroganoff, bulgogi) use a tender cut sliced thinly across the grain and cooked hot and fast. Slow dishes (a Flemish-style stew, shredded beef tacos) use a tough, flavourful cut cooked gently until it falls apart. For the cuts, see Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 1, chapter 1; for braising, see Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 1, chapter 5.
The flavour is where the countries differ: soured cream and paprika in Russia, soy, garlic, pear and sesame in Korea, onions, mustard and a sweet-sour edge in Flanders, and cumin, smoked paprika and lime in Mexico. This chapter has no beer, wine or brandy: stock, vinegar and mustard do the job instead.
The method
- Slice across the grain. Look for the lines of muscle fibre and cut across them, so each bite is short and tender.
- Cook quick dishes in batches in a very hot pan, so the meat browns instead of stewing in its own juice.
- Brown slow dishes first, then cook them covered and gently until a fork slides in.
- Balance sweet, sour, salt and fat at the end: lemon, vinegar, sugar or lime, tasting as you go.
- Add soured cream off the heat, or it will split.
| Dish | Cut | Heat | Time (approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef stroganoff | Sirloin or rump | Hot pan | 25 minutes |
| Bulgogi | Sirloin or rump, very thin | Hot pan | 20 minutes plus marinating |
| Flemish-style stew | Chuck | Oven, gently | 2½ to 3 hours |
| Shredded beef tacos | Chuck or brisket | Oven, gently | 3 hours, then shred |
Hot pans, hot pots and allergens
Hot pan and hot oil: searing and stir-frying use very high heat and spitting oil. Dry the beef first, keep everything ready before you start, use a long spoon and keep children away from the hob.Hot pot and hot steam: a heavy casserole dish or pan of hot liquid is heavy and scalding. Use oven gloves, lift the lid away from your face so the steam doesn't burn you, keep the handles turned in and never carry a full pot across a busy kitchen.
Allergens: soured cream is dairy; soy sauce contains soy and gluten; bulgogi uses sesame; the stew uses bread and mustard; tortillas may contain gluten (corn tortillas are often gluten-free, but check the label). Use dairy-free or gluten-free swaps where needed.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Beef stroganoff (no alcohol)
A creamy, paprika-scented dish of seared steak strips and mushrooms. The steak cooks in minutes, so everything else must be ready first. Serve it over rice or noodles; for the rice, see Cooking Skills: Rice 1.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 500 g sirloin or rump steak, cut across the grain into strips about 1 cm wide
- 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 250 g mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 150 ml beef stock (low-salt)
- 150 ml soured cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Pat the steak strips dry and season. Heat half the oil in a large pan until very hot and sear the beef in two batches for about 1 to 2 minutes each, until browned outside. Set it aside.
- Add the rest of the oil and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until golden, adding the garlic for the last minute.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the paprika for 20 seconds. Add the purée, mustard and stock, scraping the base, and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Return the beef and its juices, take the pan off the heat and stir in the soured cream and lemon juice. Don't boil it again. Taste, scatter with parsley and serve.
Hot pan, split sauce and allergens
Hot pan and hot oil: searing and stir-frying use very high heat and spitting oil. Dry the beef first, keep everything ready before you start, use a long spoon and keep children away from the hob.Splitting soured cream: boiling soured cream makes it curdle. Add it off the heat and warm gently if needed.
Milk: soured cream is dairy. A dairy-free alternative works, but check how it behaves when heated.
Level 2 · Marinade
Korean-style bulgogi
Thin slices of beef in a sweet, savoury marinade, cooked in minutes and wrapped in lettuce with rice. Chilling the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes makes it firm enough to slice paper-thin.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 500 g sirloin or rump steak
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- ½ pear, peeled and grated (or an apple)
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil, for cooking
- 1 lettuce, leaves separated, to serve
- Freeze the steak for 30 minutes, then slice it across the grain as thinly as you can, about 3 mm.
- Mix the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and pear, add the beef and spring onions and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Heat the oil in a large pan until very hot and cook the beef in batches, spreading it out, for about 2 to 3 minutes until browned at the edges.
- Scatter with sesame seeds and serve in lettuce leaves with rice.
Hot pan, marinade and allergens
Hot pan and hot oil: searing and stir-frying use very high heat and spitting oil. Dry the beef first, keep everything ready before you start, use a long spoon and keep children away from the hob.Marinade hygiene: the marinade has held raw beef, so never serve it as a sauce unless you boil it hard for several minutes first. Throw away what is left.
Allergens: soy sauce contains soy and gluten (use a gluten-free tamari if needed); sesame oil and seeds are a sesame allergen.
Level 2 · Slow
A Flemish-style beef stew (no beer)
A Belgian-style stew of beef and many onions with a sweet-sour edge, usually made with beer. Here stock, apple juice, vinegar and mustard take its place, and a slice of mustard bread thickens the sauce.
Ingredients (5 portions)
- 800 g chuck, in 4 cm cubes
- 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 3 onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 350 ml beef stock (low-salt)
- 100 ml unsweetened apple juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp malt or cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 2 slices of bread, spread with Dijon mustard
- Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Brown the beef in batches in half the oil in a heavy casserole and set it aside.
- Cook the onions in the rest of the oil for 15 minutes until soft and golden, adding the garlic for the last minute. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the stock, apple juice, sugar, vinegar, bay and thyme, scraping the base. Return the beef and lay the mustard bread on top, mustard side down.
- Cover and cook in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours, until the beef is tender. Stir the bread into the sauce, taste for sweet and sour and adjust. Serve with chips or mash; for the potatoes, see Cooking Skills: Potatoes 1.
Hot pot, long cooking and allergens
Hot pot and hot steam: a heavy casserole dish or pan of hot liquid is heavy and scalding. Use oven gloves, lift the lid away from your face so the steam doesn't burn you, keep the handles turned in and never carry a full pot across a busy kitchen.Tough cuts take time: braising beef is done when it is tender, not when a timer rings. If a fork doesn't slide in easily, it needs longer. Simmering gently is better than boiling hard, which toughens the meat.
Allergens: the bread contains gluten and the mustard is an allergen. Check the stock for celery and gluten.
No alcohol: this book uses no beer, wine or brandy. Stock, vinegar, mustard and tomato give the same depth, so the dish is fine for children and anyone avoiding alcohol.
Level 3 · Shred
Mexican-style shredded beef tacos
Chuck cooked slowly with cumin, paprika and oregano until it shreds with a fork, then crisped under the grill for crunchy edges. Serve in warm tortillas with fresh toppings.
Ingredients (5 portions)
- 900 g chuck, in 3 or 4 large pieces
- 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 150 ml beef stock (low-salt)
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 small tortillas, warmed
- 1 red onion, finely sliced, to serve
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander, to serve
- 4 tbsp soured cream, to serve
- Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Brown the beef pieces on all sides in the oil in a heavy casserole and set aside. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, adding the garlic and spices for the last minute.
- Add the tomatoes, stock, half the lime juice and the bay leaf, return the beef, cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours, until it shreds easily.
- Shred the beef with two forks and stir it into the sauce. If it is thin, simmer uncovered until it thickens, then add the rest of the lime juice.
- For crisp edges, spread the beef on a tray and grill for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve in warm tortillas with red onion, coriander and soured cream.
Hot pot, spices and allergens
Hot pot and hot steam: a heavy casserole dish or pan of hot liquid is heavy and scalding. Use oven gloves, lift the lid away from your face so the steam doesn't burn you, keep the handles turned in and never carry a full pot across a busy kitchen.Chilli and spices: chilli can sting skin and eyes, so wash your hands well after chopping it and don't touch your face. Add heat in small steps, and keep portions for children mild.
Allergens: tortillas may contain gluten; soured cream is dairy. Check the stock for celery.
Tough cuts take time: braising beef is done when it is tender, not when a timer rings. If a fork doesn't slide in easily, it needs longer. Simmering gently is better than boiling hard, which toughens the meat.
Experiments
Experiment
Marinade time
30 minutes and 2 hours.
- Marinate half the bulgogi for 30 minutes and half for 2 hours, cook both and compare.
Look for: The longer marinade tastes deeper, but the pear can make the beef soft and mushy. Thirty minutes is often enough.
Experiment
Acid
Lemon or none.
- Finish half the stroganoff with lemon juice and leave the other half plain.
Look for: The lemon makes the sauce taste brighter and less heavy. A little acid at the end lifts rich dishes.
Experiment
Slicing
With and across the grain.
- Cut some of the steak with the grain and some across it, and cook both in the same pan.
Look for: The slices cut across the grain are tender, and those cut with it are chewy. Direction matters more than thickness.
Experiment
Cooking in batches
Crowded and spread out.
- Cook half the bulgogi all at once in a crowded pan and half in two batches.
Look for: The crowded meat steams and turns grey; the batches brown. Take your time with the pan.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef stroganoff | ||||
| Bulgogi | ||||
| Flemish-style stew | ||||
| Shredded beef tacos | ||||
| Marinade time | ||||
| Acid | ||||
| Slicing | ||||
| Cooking in batches |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Grey, watery stroganoff | Pan too crowded or not hot enough | Cook the beef in batches in a very hot pan |
| Chewy strips | Cut with the grain, or overcooked | Slice across the grain and cook for only a minute or two |
| Curdled soured cream | Boiled after adding | Add off the heat; whisk in a spoonful of hot sauce first |
| Soft, mushy bulgogi | Marinated too long | Keep to 30 minutes to 2 hours |
| Stew too sweet or sharp | Sugar and vinegar not balanced | Add a little more of the other, tasting as you go |
| Dry shredded beef | Cooked uncovered, or not enough sauce | Stir the shredded beef back into the juices and add stock |
Hot pans, raw beef and leftovers
Hot pan and hot oil: searing and stir-frying use very high heat and spitting oil. Dry the beef first, keep everything ready before you start, use a long spoon and keep children away from the hob.Raw beef: keep raw beef on its own board and plate, away from food that won't be cooked. Wash your hands, boards, knives and surfaces in hot soapy water afterwards, never put cooked food back on a plate that held raw meat, and store raw beef on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
Leftovers: divide leftovers into shallow containers within about 1 to 2 hours, cool, then chill and eat within about 2 days (or freeze for up to about 3 months). Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can slice steak thinly across the grain.
- I can sear beef in batches in a hot pan without it going grey.
- I can add soured cream without it splitting.
- I can slow-cook and shred beef.
- I can balance sweet, sour and salt at the end of a dish.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 2, chapter 6 is Grilling, Barbecue and Kebabs: cooking beef over direct and indirect heat.