The meat we eat

Beef

Great British roast beef with all the trimmings can be a work of art for lovers of meat. But use the wrong roasting joint and it can be disappointingly tough and tasteless.

The best cut for a special occasion roast is a large sirloin, fore rib (sometimes labelled prime rib as it is known in America) or fillet. These are best when cooked rare to medium in a roasting tin, starting with a high oven heat to give the meat a colourful and tasty outside crust, then reducing the heat to a lower temperature to cook the inside. Leaving the bone in, especially in the sirloin and rib roasts, adds flavour and conducts the heat better. But for ease of carving and presentation, you may prefer a boned and rolled joint.

Pot-roasting is another excellent and economical way of cooking a large piece of beef to serve to a group of people. The joint is usually browned on all sides in a pan on the stovetop first to add colour and flavour, then placed in a tightly covered oven-proof dish with liquid in the bottom. Covered and baked in the oven at a low temperature, the meat actually steams, thus keeping it moist while the long, slow cooking tenderises it. This method is best suited to some of the cheaper roasting cuts like silverside and topside (sometimes called round), top rump, thick flank and the brisket.

Meat for stews or casseroles may just be called braising steak and can be any of the pot roasting cuts, also chuck, shin, neck, flank or skirt, cut into smaller pieces. These are also best cooked long and slowly, at a low temperature with liquid, namely stock, wine, ale or cider. Most recipes also suggest vegetables, spices, herbs or other ingredients, depending on the dish and ethnic origins.

Steaks are best cut from the more tender regions of the animal, between the shoulders and hips and where the ribs join the backbone. The names for these cuts of steak vary from country to country, which can make ordering in a restaurant abroad interesting, if not confusing. In Britain, the favoured steaks are probably the sirloin and fillet, both very tender when quickly grilled or pan-fried. Other cuts include the T-bone steak, cut from the short loin, and rump steak, as the name implies, cut from the rump area and not quite as tender as those from the loin.

Cuts for roasting: sirloin, fore rib, fillet, prime rib (bone-in or boneless)

Cuts for pot roasting: topside, silverside, top rump, brisket, chuck (boned and rolled), thick flank

Cuts for stewing and braising: chuck, brisket, flank, shin, neck, topside and silverside

Cuts for grilling and frying: fillet, sirloin, rump steaks, T-bone, Porterhouse (a double-size T-bone or wing rib)

Classic accompaniments: fresh horseradish or horseradish sauce, English mustard, Yorkshire pudding, Guinness or ale.

Pot roast beef with root vegetables

An economical, filling and oh-so-satisfying meal in a pot. Once assembled, it needs little attention and makes its own gravy while it cooks. Delicious the next day for leftovers, as the flavours mature with time.

Serves 6

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

1 1/2-2kg rolled brisket
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
6 shallots, peeled and left whole, or 1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, cut into 5cm/2inch chunks
4 celery stalks, cut into 5cm/2inch chunks
300g swede, cut into 5cm/2inch chunks
300g potatoes, cut into 5cm/2inch chunks
6 regular size or 1 large field mushroom (sometimes called Portabella), cut into 1 inch chunks
300ml vegetable stock (Marigold Swiss Bouillon works well)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Beurre manié made with 1 tbsp flour and 25g softened butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Heat the oil over a high heat in a large oven-proof casserole and brown the meat on all sides. Place on a plate.

Add the shallots or onion, carrot and celery to the casserole and fry until beginning to go brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Place the meat on top of the vegetables and add the swede, potatoes and mushrooms.

Make up the stock, add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato purée and pour over the roast. Add the bay leaf and thyme, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Secure with a tight-fitting lid and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

After the cooking time, drain off the liquid, arrange the meat and vegetables on a serving platter and keep warm. Make the beurre manié by mixing the butter and flour to a paste. Bring the liquid to the boil and whisk in the beurre manié to thicken the sauce. Taste for seasoning and serve with the pot roast.