Meat of the Moment: Cover the Flank

Today I'm introducing what I hope to be a running feature on this blog, "Meat of the Moment". Yes, it's a weak play on an Asia song. Actually, what I want to do is a "Meat of the Week" feature. However, because I tend to procrastinate (what me? never!), I can't guarantee that I'd post in a timely fashion. So I'm half-assing it and going to post stuff as I get around to it.

Enough of the jibber jabber, let's get on with the show.

Flank Steak

Pros: Beefy flavor, cooks evenly, marinates well

Cons: Must slice against the grain, can be tough if overcooked slightly

Typical Price: $5.99/lb (Market Basket)

Sale Price: $4.69/lb cryovac (Market Basket), $2.99/lb store wrap (Hilltop Butcher Shop)

Best Price: $1.99/lb (Hilltop Butcher Shop)

Typical Cooking Methods: Grilling, stir-frying, broiling

The Lowdown:

Flank steak is cut from the underside of the cow. It is a long, flat cut of meat featuring a definitive grain pattern and is quite lean. When bought in a cryovac package, it tends to need minimal trimming of fat prior to use.

I've tended to cook this cut of meat in a few ways: Grilled whole, usually with a dry rub (pastrami-style) or a wet marinade (teriyaki), sliced, pounded and grilled on skewers (peanut satay) or stir fried (beef with pea pods).

The key to flank steak is to make sure that you slice it thin and against the grain of the meat. Doing so will result in tender, juicy slices. Cutting with the grain will result in tough, chewy pieces that no one will enjoy.

I've Seen You've Played "Knifey-Spooney" Before

"It's a poor carpenter that blames his tools".

I've heard it. You've heard it. We've all heard it. Ad naseum.

Well, you know what? It isn't always true.

A chef cannot work without his tools. And the one tool that is absolutely necessary to have is a good chef's knife.

One only has to browse the latest Crate and Barrel or Williams-Sonoma catalogs to see the variety of styles of knives offered on the market today. Some are quite versatile, others are completely specialized. But the one type that can do a little of everything is the chef's knife.

The beauty of this style of knife is that it can slice, dice, chop and peel; much like a Ginzu knife, except that it actually works and performs well! It's got a long, tapered blade for slicing motions, but has a pointed tip allowing it to penetrate peels and skins.

I currently have the Wustof Classic 8" Chef's knife. I use it for just about everything: trimming steak tips, dicing carrots, even smashing cloves of garlic. It has a full tang (blade is one piece into the handle)and is weighted perfectly. There are other fancier (more expensive) models offered by Wusthof, with curvy handles and granton (hollow) edges. But for the money, there are few knives with a better value all around than this one.

What do you say you do here?

First things first, welcome. Glad you could make it. Hopefully, I'll make this blog something fun and interesting and you'll find your way back here.

Introductions aside, let's cut to the chase:

What's the deal with this blog?

Well, let's just say that I'm a big fan of food: Eating, cooking, reading, pretty much everything execpt cleaning up afterward. In the past, I've tried to exhibit this love via occasional photo uploads and status updates via my Facebook account. However, I've found that using Facebook as a medium to express my thoughts does not fully allow me to expound to the detail I feel is necessary.

So, inspired by a number of friends, most notably Heather, George and Kaela, I've created this blog. My expectations are a bit of a moving target at this point. I'm fairly certain that I will be featuring some permutation of the following:

• Some of my favorite recipies, complete with detailed step by step instuctions and photos
  
• Reviews of some of my favorite restaurants, food stands and epicurian holes-in-the-wall
  
• Short takes on chefs who have influenced me
  
• Equipment reviews
  
• Steals and deals - tales of supermarket bargain hunting
  
• and the every popular catch-all category: Miscellaneous
  

Like I said, that's just a rough outline of what I envision for this endeavour (ooh, how British of me). Much like a well-coiffed politician, I do reserve the right to change my mind. But I don't think I'll veer too far from that list.

I hope that you'll get something out of this, whether it be humor (no extra 'u' on this one, sorry), information, insight, knowledge or just an excuse to kill some time. I look forward to adding to this as often as possible and I invite you to come along for the ride.

- Jon