Cooking a Traditional Steak

This quick and easy steak recipe, courtesy of Huber’s Butchery, is a great go-to!

Ingredients

• 2 pieces of Australian grain-fed rib-eye steak, 250g each • 50g unsalted butter • A few pinches of coarsely crushed black peppercorn • A few pinches of sea salt • Olive oil • 250g small white button mushrooms, cut into quarters • 200g bacon, chopped into 5mm dice • 300g baby onions, small shallots or pearl onions • 1 packet Italian parsley

Instructions for steak

1. Season steaks with sea salt and coarsely crushed black peppercorns. 2. Heat some olive oil in a hot frying pan, and wait until it smokes

slightly before placing the steaks in. Let the steaks cook undisturbed. 3. Add some butter; turn the steaks over and let them sear.

Instructions for sautéed onions, bacon and mushrooms

1. Peel onions and simmer in water. Add salt and pepper. Cover and

let cook for about five minutes until softened; then drain. 2. Blanch bacon in just enough water to cover; bring to a boil and

then drain. 3. Heat up a non-stick frying pan on high heat. Add the bacon first,

and fry lightly to colour. 4. Add the onions and mushrooms, and sauté. 5. Toss a few times until all the ingredients are well mixed and softened. 6. Finish with a handful of chopped parsley. 7. Serve with steak, or even on top of it!

frozen meat at room temperature is discouraged, as bacteria can grow rapidly under such conditions. The meat should be placed on a plate or dish (to catch any liquids that may drip from it as it thaws), and stored on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. Bear in mind that a larger piece of meat takes longer to defrost, so you may need to transfer the meat from the freezer two days before cooking it. Beef that’s not fully defrosted should not be cooked, because the exterior of the beef may become overdone before the interior has had a chance to cook to the proper temperature. Tip: When thawing beef for stews or stir-fries, it may be quicker and easier to cut the meat to the desired size before it’s fully defrosted. Once cut, refrigerate it until completely thawed.

What if I need to defrost meat in a hurry?

If it’s not practical to wait for beef to thaw in the refrigerator, it is possible to defrost the meat in a microwave oven using the proper defrost setting – but it’s not recommended. Some microwave ovens don’t defrost meat evenly, which may allow some portions to become fully thawed while other areas remain frozen. While those frozen areas are still defrosting, harmful bacteria can grow rapidly in the thawed area. Therefore, if you’re relying on a microwave it’s best to use smaller cuts of beef, which are safer to defrost than larger cuts; and you should never defrost meat on a normal cooking setting. Beef cuts should be cooked within minutes of defrosting in the microwave, and the same goes for minced beef. Microwave defrosting is not the preferred method, and should be the exception rather than the rule.

Tell us about the meat at Ryan’s Grocery.

Our organic lamb and beef are imported from Australia: Arcadian from Queensland; Thomas Farms from South Australia; plus boutique brand Blackwood Valley Black Angus beef from Western Australia. All our meat is 100 percent certified organic, grass-fed and free-range.

As for pork, our antibiotic- and hormonefree Borrowdale pork is certified free-range and RSPCA- approved. These pigs are raised in a stress-free environment, with the freedom to forage and play. This gives them a superior flavour and exceptional tenderness. Celebrity paleo chef Pete Evans is its ambassador and endorses the meat. We also stock Inglewood Farms organic chicken.

What makes a meat product “certified organic”?

Certified organic beef or lamb must come from a fully verifiable production system that collects information on the history of every animal in the programme, including breed history, veterinary care and feed. Furthermore, for meat to be certified as organic, all the producer’s cattle must satisfy certain criteria: • Born and raised on certified

organic pasture • Never received antibiotics • Never received growth- promoting

hormones • Fed only certified organic grains

(including corn) and grass • Have unrestricted outdoor access,

meaning that the meat is free range