Minute Cuts for Minute Meals
Minute steaks and stir-fry beef are our go-to cuts for when things are busy. Which is often. Life is full. We’re all juggling some tangled mix of work deadlines and kids’ homework and unruly dogs and school obligations and sick parents and leaky roofs and social media and bills. Maybe you have no kids. Maybe you have a cat, not a dog. Same stress, different arrangement. Somehow when we are at our busiest, we give up on the one thing that could make us feel good: a home-cooked meal. Yes, it feels like you don’t have time to cook when you’re up against a long to-do list and getting nowhere. But, trust us, you do too have time to cook stir-fry beef. And you certainly have enough time to make a minute steak. Not only will it taste good and give you the strength you need to tackle everything else you need to get done, but also it’s warm, tasty, and comforting. These are cuts to sustain you mid-week, last minute. But they’re good enough for guests, too. Come in and grab some from the vending machines whenever works 24/7. If you’re the kind of person who plans ahead, buy extra to stock up your freezer for the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed. You’ll thank yourself.
STIR-FRY BEEF
We cut our stir-fry beef from the outer skirt and we tenderize it. If you’re not familiar with outer skirt, it’s similar to skirt steak as well as sirloin flap. It has great flavor, and stands up well to all marinades—even quick ones if you haven’t thought ahead to marinate overnight. It takes minutes to cook, so it’s exactly what you want for a quick pick-me-up or even a late-night meal. No need to order in! There are many ways to use stir-fry beef, and two of our favorites happen to fulfill the most basic take-out cravings. It’s great for fajitas, especially if you have soft tortillas on hand (another thing to always keep in your freezer). And it’s obviously fantastic for beef and broccoli. If you have a wok, pull it out and use it. But if you don’t, no problem. Stir-fry beef does very nicely in a cast iron pan on your stovetop. If you're looking for ideas on how best to use stir-fry beef, or tips on how to quickly sear it and still keep it medium rare, here are three recipes.
Food Network / Gingered Beef with Leeks and Asparagus
Cooking Light / Mongolian Beef
Delish / Better Than Takeout Beef and Broccoli
MINUTE STEAKS
The shape and thickness of our minute steaks make them optimal for a quick sear on both sides in a cast iron pan on your stovetop. Pat the steak dry and season it with salt and pepper. Next, heat your pan as hot as you can till it’s just about smoking, and add about a teaspoon of oil with a high smoke point (i.e. vegetable or grapeseed oil, not olive oil). Then sear briefly on both sides. You can also cook them for mere minutes on a grill. There’s pretty much nothing you can’t serve a minute steak with, but preferably it’s something quick you already have made. Heat up some leftover rice, dress some pre-washed salad greens, and heat up frozen peas – whatever is easy and fast. A minute steak deserves a minute side dish, which is why it also makes a great sandwich.
