Uses for Tough Cuts of Meat

Different cuts of meat will be tougher than others.

Meat from older stock and the muscular areas of an animal's body is often tough, gristly and fatty. This meat is undesirable to serve a la carte, as it is difficult to chew and often unappetizing. However, tougher cuts of meat are readily available and the most cost-effective. You can prepare tough meat so no one but you will ever know it is a less expensive cut.

Ground Meat

Grind tough meat for use in patties and mixed dishes. Before grinding tough meat, chop it into small, manageable pieces. If you grind the meat yourself, work in small batches with a well-maintained meat grinder for best results. Alternatively, you can take the tough meat to the butcher and ask him to grind it for you. Mix the meat with seasonings and allow it to sit overnight before making it into patties. If you are making a mixed dish, such as meat and fried potatoes, cook the meat for an extended period to soften its texture.

Stew Meat

Chop tough cuts of meat into small pieces and combine with stew ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook the meat and other ingredients for at least 10 hours on the lowest setting to tenderize it. If your stew has potatoes in the ingredient list, do not add them until the last four hours of cooking to prevent them from becoming mushy. Add a small amount of vinegar to the stew's broth. The flavor of the vinegar will cook away, but the acids will penetrate and soften the meat.

Jerky

Slice tough cuts of meat into thin strips and marinate in jerky seasoning for 24 hours. The extended soak time softens the meat. Remove the meat from the marinade and place into a dehydrator until it is dried and chewy, approximately 4 hours. The resulting jerky will be indistinguishable from that made with any other cut of meat. The thinner you slice the meat, the crispier the jerky will be.

Stir-Fry Meat

Combine finely chopped tough meat in a frying pan or wok with several types of fresh veggies to make a stir-fry. Add soy sauce to tenderize the meat and disguise the fact that it is a tough cut. To disguise the toughness of the meat further, put it into the pan first, before the veggies, and crisp it slightly. Serve the meat and veggies over a bed of rice or noodles to complement the textures of the dish.

References

• "Meat: A Kitchen Education"; James Peterson; 2010
• "The Complete Meat Cookbook"; Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly; 2001
• "Cooking Basics For Dummies"; Bryan Miller, Marie Rama and Eve Adamson; 2011