The best beef dishes
With it being the 11th Great British Beef Week (23-30 April 2021), we thought what better way to celebrate than tell you our favourite beef dishes. So here is our rundown of five of the best (in our opinion).
Beef Wellington
One of our all-time favourites (and a popular choice with our customers) is Beef Wellington. Named after the Duke of Wellington, this dish made with fillet steak coated with pate and then wrapped in puff pastry is a culinary delight. The pastry is the obvious hero of this dish as it seals in the flavour and juices from the beef. It should be light, crisp and buttery and definitely not soggy. Serve with roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables and pair with a full-bodied, dry red wine to really compliment the flavour.
Roast beef
Definitely not one to miss off the list. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding have to be a favourite Sunday meal for many people across the UK. Topside, silverside and top rump are all great roasting joints and cooked right are moist and tender. Usually sold ‘barbed’ (wrapped in string or netting), their cylindrical shape makes them easy to carve into neat slices. Serve with all the usual Sunday roast sides, and don’t forget a good horseradish sauce or cream to go with your gravy made from the meat juices.
Beef Stroganoff
This 18th-century Russian dish made from slices of beef and served, traditionally, in a sour cream sauce is popular all over the world. Variations of the original dish are also popular with differences as slight as how one cuts the beef, the addition of tomato paste or paprika, or crème fraiche instead of sour cream. For the tenderest bite, we recommend top sirloin (make sure it says “TOP”), but a good frying steak would work if you were looking for a more cost-effective cut. If you fancy trying a slow-cooked version, stewing steak is also the perfect substitute as the meat will just fall apart, and the sauce will have a strong mushroom flavour. Serve with rice or pappardelle pasta and pair with a rich, fruity wine such as a Shiraz or a Grenache.
Beef Bourguignon
This rich, slow-cooked variation on a traditional beef stew is just tremendous. It’s hard to believe that a dish like this, consisting of chunks of steak braised in red wine with carrots, mushrooms, garlic, and onions, had a bad reputation historically. This was because it was generally made from leftover meat. These days, however, it is a dish in its own right and the French regard it as a favourite; their equivalent of our Fish and Chips or the Spanish’ Paella. The key to a good bourguignon is not to rush it. Time is what gives the dish its flavour. Time and a rich burgundy red, and this is something that can’t be toyed with. Serve yours with a celeriac mash or fresh, thick, crunchy bread to soak up all the rich sauce.
The beefburger
We couldn’t have a list about the best beef dishes and not include the burger! Another firm customer favourite, these are not only great as a main but as a light bite or canapé too. The hamburger got its name from Hamburg, Germany, where a cut of beef called the Hamburg steak is from. This has now evolved into the hamburger we know and love. The key to a good burger is to use quality minced beef and, if you can, buy a cut and mince it yourself. It is recommended you only season with salt and pepper. Some purists insist you only season the outer edge of the meat before it is cooked. Keep them thinner for even cooking, let them rest before eating and pair them with the softest buns, crispest lettuce and meatiest tomatoes and whatever cheese you fancy. We love ours with mature cheddar or Monterey Jack.
