Tough Beef

[Caran]

Last night I cooked topside of beef. It was very tough. I had marinated it, followed a recipe, tested it after the stated time, still not done, ended up doing it for an extra hour. Wrapped it in foil and rested it for 30 minutes. It was inedible it was so tough.
This was a beautiful looking joint I got from Lidl. Their meat is usually so good. They have won numerous prizes.
I have half of the joint left. Will it improve if I dice it and do it I the slow cooker?

[LyndaB]

EDDIE what utter tosh. My butcher does a beautiful topside joint for much less than that - and providing it isn't cooked too much (I do it for no more than 15-20 mins per LB) it's beautiful and tender

[Retrochic]

LyndaB how charming calling someones opinion utter tosh. Its a well known fact that the longer you hang beef the more tender certain cuts will be. Supermarket beef is rarely hung at all, as the general public seem to think bright red meat is 'fresher' than dark red meat that has been hung. Your butcher has no doubt hung the meat you buy for a decent length of time and you are cooking it rare and he sells it at a decent price. That is your experience others experiences are different and no need for abuse.

[ummmm]

Abuse? Please point out the abuse?

It is tosh. I buy meat from the butchers in both England and Ireland. I buy from farmers. 7 out of 10 times their meat is way better...but not always. I put it down to sometimes you get a tough cow.

[Retrochic]

Oh I'm sure you can deal with a tough cow ummmm

[Mamyalynne]

Unless I push the boat out for well hung matured meat I pot roast joints, they are always succulent and the benefit of great stock/gravy.

[Retrochic]

^^^^^ if my kids are coming home for dinner on a weekend they all ask for shin beef -I do it in the slow cooker and the gravy is superb -just need some yorshires, fluffy mash and a few spring greens

[Mamyalynne]

Shin is packed full of flavour, love brisket too - great when pressed and sliced.

[ummmm]

Abuse? Please point out the abuse? Retro,,,

[Retrochic]

I think calling someones opinion you do not agree with 'utter tosh' is both abusive and unhelpful.

[Retrochic]

Mamylynne -I used to buy fresh corned beef brisket in Canada and you cooked it in the bag then pressed it between two plates -lovely in sandwiches with pickled red cabbage.

[Caran]

Sorry not to have posted before now, we have been out all day and I've been catching up on crosswords!
I marinated it in mustard powder, dried thyme, black pepper, olive oil and it should have been celery seeds. I didn't have any so I used celery salt.
That may have caused it to toughen up.
I will put it in the slow cooker tomorrow with an assortment of vegetables.
Not decided whether to do the remaining half of the joint whole or cube it.
This hasn't put me off Lidl but I probably will not buy any beef joints again. Never had a problem with their lamb or pork joints.
Thank you for your very interesting points of view.

[Retrochic]

Caran -its the celery salt that did it - salt of any kind draws out the juices of meat and tightens it up.

[Caran]

Thought that might be it. Will it "soften" up though in the slow cooker?

[EDDIE51]

Current beef prices here, I would only consider Rump to be suitable for a almost guaranteed tender roast, with any other cut you take a chance
http://www.meat-prices.co.uk/national/England/
£15 to £28 Kg.
Rib eye is better but a price is not listed. It was £28 Kg last time I looked in Morrison's. We have no butcher's shop within 12 miles, the last one closed as no one could afford to shop there.
There is a butcher's van that visits but I lost interest when he quoted £32 Kg for Sirloin.

[Caran]

This one cost me £7.92 for about k1.450. It looked a beautiful piece of meat though.

[jennyjoan]

Mikey - I buy all my meat from my local butchers. My mother who hadn't a pocket to pi$$ in always bought from butchers and it has carried on.

I too buy silverside when doing a roast but now and again I buy a gorgeous piece of fillet steak/mignon. Oh to die for. worth every penny - that's when I treat myself. However two weeks instead of doing it like a roast. I just cut it into slices (thick) and slowly fried in pan with onions celery carrot to make the gravy. B E A U T I F U L.

Today I am doing chops for the sista - she likes that with bacon and sausages with cauliflower which vegetable I find simply vile but I put a peg on my nose when I am cooking it LOL - I just take the other vegs along with peas. Anyway am not eating too great. Seems lately I have been eating a sandwich for tea and maybe one meal during the week and then Sunday.

[jennyjoan]

PS - what did put me off buying off Lidl - was some years I cooked chicken thighs and after cooking thought them a funny smell and they were O F F. never again.

[LyndaB]

Sorry for the perceived abuse, certainly none intended. Our butchers topside if beef is certainly not expensive and is lovely and tender. To suggest that it HAS to be expensive is therefore, in my opinion, incorrect.