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Frequently Asked Questions: 1. Is Canadian Beef really nutritious? 2. What Cuts specifically come from a side of beef and where are they located? 3. What are the characteristics of a good beef? 4. Why is beef aged and how is the process done? 5. How can you ensure safety when cooking with beef? 6. How do you know when beef is done? 1. Is Canadian Beef really nutritious? Canadian beef is a nutrient-rich food choice that provides consumers with 14 essential nutrients, including high quality protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Protein Beef has all 20 amino acids needed to make a complete protein. Protein does many things to keep the body strong and healthy. It makes hormones, and builds and repairs muscles. Iron Iron is an essential nutrient for all individuals throughout the life cycle. Iron builds red blood cells, helps cells work in the body, carries oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body and helps the brain work at its best. Heme iron found in beef is much better absorbed than the non-heme iron found in plants foods and eggs. Beef is a good source of iron. Including beef in the diet helps individuals meet the higher iron recommendations set by the Institute of Medicine. Zinc Zinc supports the body's immune system, growth and development and influences the activity of many hormones. Beef is an excellent source of zinc. Including zinc-rich foods such as lean beef, is critical in achieving a balanced and nutritious eating pattern. Vitamin B12 This vitamin is essential for the normal functioning of the brain and central nervous system. The only reliable source of this vitamin is foods of animal origin. Beef is an excellent source of vitamin B12. 2. What Cuts specifically come from a side of beef and where are they located? Please refer to the following link for specific cuts: www.canadianbeef.info/flash/utilization_mapEN.swf 3. What are the characteristics of a good beef? Youthful animals-scientific research has shown that younger animals produce a more tender beef. Animals should be 30 months or younger when they are processed. Meat colour must be bright red, the muscles firm and the meat fine grained. There should be white and firm fat. Although people think "fat" is bad, fat texture influences the cooking results and flavour. 4. Why is beef aged and how is the process done? Aging allows naturally occurring enzymes within the meat to slowly break down some of the connective tissues that contributes to toughness. Aging beef has been proven to significantly increase tenderness. Aging times vary from 3-21 days from the date of production, depending on the product's specifications. After 28 days the majority of the natural enzyme action is complete. There are only 2 ways to age beef and both have the same effect on tenderness: WET AGING - the aging of beef in vacuum packaging at 0 to 2ºC. DRY AGING - The aging of beef in a controlled environment of humidity and temperature of 0 to 2 ºC. Dr. Dan's Divine Bovine is all dry aged at the local abattoir. 5. How can you ensure safety when cooking with beef? Always cook or freeze beef on the day you buy it. Never thaw beef at room temperature. Thaw in the fridge, allowing 12 to 15 hours per lb. To avoid contamination, raw beef should be stored at the bottom of the refrigerator. Make sure to wash your hands before and after handling raw or cooked meat. Use separate utensil and cooking dishes for raw and cooked meats. Never cook burgers or hamburger meat to rare - always cook to 71ºC. 6. How do you know when beef is done? The most accurate way to determine when beef is done is to use a meat thermometer that stays in the beef during the whole cooking process or an instant read thermometer. Make sure the thermometer is in the thickest part and is not touching bone. |
