Betty Ann and I attended a food preservation workshop in Calgary earlier this month.
The seminar was sponsored by Bernardin and speakers outlined the microbiological principles behind food pre-servation, updated us on best practices and provided resources for more information.
The Food Safety Line, 800-892-8333, is ready to answer consumer questions and concerns about home food safety, providing consumers with science-based information. This service is staffed by home economists with expertise in food preparation, food safety, food microbiology and consumer education. Printed fact sheets and brochures are available in response to consumer questions about food handling, preparation and storage, food production, packaging and labelling, quality assurance and food safety programs, government regulations and consumer protection, agricultural practices and emerging issues such as bio-technology and irradiation.
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In answering consumer questions, this toll-free service has two goals in mind: to provide the consumer with a better understanding of Canada’s food supply, and to provide information so consumers never suffer from food-borne illness.
One of the most talked about food concerns relates to bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Canadian con-sumers can help cattle producers and themselves by trying different cuts of beef this summer.
There is a shortage of the standard grilling steaks usually tossed on the barbecue at this time of year because packers are not slaughtering as many animals.
The single case of BSE closed the export market and Canadians must eat up the beef unwanted elsewhere. Since expensive steaks make up only 28 percent of all carcasses, they vanish quicker or must be imported.
Cindy McCreath, communications manager for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, said consumers should try the cuts that make up the other 72 percent of the carcass.
These cuts may require marinating or longer, slower cooking times, but are cheaper to buy and will help the beef industry clear out the oversupply.
McCreath said recipes for these cheaper cuts are available on the Beef Information Centre website. See www.producer.com and click on links in the news to obtain their recipes.
She said public reaction has been favourable since the BSE situation began six weeks ago.
“I have had only a handful of statements very early on that said they wouldn’t eat beef. I’ve had dozens of supportive e-mails from others who want to help cattle producers.”
Kim McKinnon of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors said retail store members have noticed no differences in beef buying patterns this spring.
What’s new at the meat counter? If you don’t see these cuts, ask your butcher if they are available.
- Grilling and marinating medallions are thicker cut steaks that cook easily from rare to well done and fit neatly on a dinner plate.
- Quick roasts weigh in at one pound (500 g) or less. They make weeknight roasting possible and are suitable for oven or barbecue roasting.
- Rotisserie roasts are barbecue ready. They can be cooked on a spit or right on the grill using the indirect heat method.
- Bottom sirloin tri-tip is a flavourful, economical new beef option. Tri-tip is available cut as grilling steaks, medallions or oven roasts.
Try this on your barbecue this weekend:
Prairie style tri-tip steaks
1/4 cup rye whisky, 50 mL
brandy or apple juice
2 tablespoons soy 30 mL
sauce
2 tablespoons 30 mL
vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons brown 10 mL
sugar
1 teaspoon chili 5 mL
powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme 5 mL
1 teaspoon coarsely 5 mL
crushed black peppercorns
11/2 pounds beef 750 g
marinating or tri-tip
grilling steaks (3/4 inch/
2 cm thick, approximately four steaks)
Preparation time: five minutes.
Cooking time: 10 minutes.
Marinating time: eight hours.
In a resealable freezer bag, combine whisky, soy sauce, oil, garlic, sugar, chili powder, thyme and peppercorns. Add steaks, seal and marinate in the refrigerator eight to 24 hours for maximum flavour.
Discard marinade. Grill, broil or sauté the meat using medium high heat for four or five minutes per side for medium doneness – best cooked only to medium.
Serve with grilled vegetables and mashed pot-atoes. Servings: four servings.
With some planning you can turn a lean marinating steak, such as a flank, sirloin tip or round steak, into a tender, grilling steak.
A booklet called Mouthwatering Marinades containing tasty marinating recipes and tips is available from the Beef Information Centre.
Marinating tips:
- To enhance tenderness, use a marinade recipe in which one of the ingredients is mildly acidic, for example fruit juice, yogurt, wine, beer, soy sauce or vinegar. Other ingredients can enhance the flavour of steak. Prepare 1/2 to one cup (125-250 mL) marinade for up to two pounds (one kg) of beef.
- When marinating, it is important that the juices do not drip on other foods. One way to do this is to place the marinade and beef in a sealable bag such as a Zip Lock freezer bag. Or, place steak and marinade in a baking dish and cover.
Turn occasionally to expose all surfaces of the meat to the marinade.
- Length of marinating time depends on the size of the cut. A steak requires 12-24 hours, while cubes or strips for kabobs or stir-fries need only two hours of marinating. If you start the evening before, a pound of frozen meat can thaw and tenderize at the same time in the refrigerator. Do not marinate longer than 24 hours or the surface texture of the meat may become mushy.
- Always marinate in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
- If some marinade is to be used later for basting or serving as a sauce, it’s best to reserve a portion (1/4 cup or 50 mL) that isn’t used to tenderize the meat. Any marinade that has been in contact with uncooked meat must be boiled for five to 10 minutes before using as a sauce.
- Do not save and reuse a marinade.
Out of the garden
This is the time of the year for those tender, crispy baby garden carrots. We enjoy this carrot soup recipe made from chicken stock I have frozen.
Cream of carrot soup
4 cups peeled and cut 1 L
carrots
2 cups chicken stock 500 mL
1 cup chopped onion 250 mL
3 tablespoons butter 45 mL
or margarine
3 tablespoons 45 mL
all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
1/8 teaspoon pepper 0.5 mL
1/4 teaspoon seasoned 1mL
salt
4 cups milk 1 L
Combine carrot, stock and onion in saucepan. Cook until vegetables are tender. Do not drain. Cool a bit. Run through blender. Set aside.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk. Heat and stir until it boils and thickens. Add carrot mixture. Reheat and serve. Makes seven cups (1.75 L).
Source: Company’s Coming by Jean Pare.
In the wilderness
A beautiful trip this month in another direction was to Hudson Bay to visit a good friend. Pat took me to see her sister and brother-in-law who are building a stacked log, sod-roofed solar home in the wilderness north and east of Hudson Bay, Sask. It was awesome territory with ferns growing as tall as me.
We enjoyed a wonderful outdoor meal of elk stew, served with these delicious banana bars for dessert.
Banana bars
Mix:
1 cup sugar 250 mL
1 cup mashed bananas 250 mL
1/3 cup vegetable oil 75 mL
2 eggs
Add:
1 cup flour 250 mL
1 teaspoon baking 5 mL
powder
1 teaspoon baking soda 5 mL
1 teaspoon cinnamon 5 mL
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
Put into greased 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 25 minutes. Cool.
Frosting:
1 4-ounce package 115 g
cream cheese
1/3 cup margarine 75 mL
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
2 cups icing sugar 500 mL
Mix first three ingredients together. Then add icing sugar and frost the cake.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
