Getting Started

Prepping Your Kitchen

Meat infographics are enjoying a cultural revolution—everywhere we look, someone's sketching up a hip new rendition of the same old <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=cuts+of+beef&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS521US562&amp;espv=2&amp;es_sm=91&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=1XsiU5z6EoPloATh4IDQCg&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&amp;biw=1410&amp;bih=683&amp;dpr=0.9">cow map</a>. Welp, we decided to go a different route, and after about 30 seconds of discussion, it was decided: We're going to dress Ben up in a cow suit and make him kneel on the butcher block while Grant gives a tour of his bod. And we're going to film it. Perfect.  Luckily, there's some method to the madness: Understanding the basic anatomy of even one mammal—a cow, or a man, or a cow-man—will help you develop an intuition for what cuts of meat to buy in almost any situation. (But, sorry, our cow-man's not for sale.) Most of us already have a general awareness of how animals move, and, in order to determine which cuts are which, it's helpful to think about how certain muscles may have had to work throughout the animal's lifetime: Was it a hard-working, high-activity muscle (legs; shoulders), or a fatty, lazy muscle (poultry breasts; mammal loin)? In general, muscles that work harder will be tough, while muscles that work less will be tender. With this knowledge, you can look at a pig, a cow, a rabbit, a zebra, or a Ben, and know where your meat of choice is.  And yes, we could've just drawn our own infographic, but we really like seeing Ben in a cow suit. Sorry we're not sorry.

Basic Meat Cuts

If you look into a butcher's case or peruse the meat aisle at your local grocery store, you'll see what look like a lot of the same things. How do you know which cuts are for braising, and which ones are better for steak? It's easy to shop for the right meat when you know what to look for. All you have to do is understand a handful of broad, simple concepts about what makes a piece of meat tough or tender. Understanding and recognizing qualities that make up a piece of meat will empower you to choose meat for any occasion.

Selecting Meat for Purchase

Selecting high-quality fish is easy when you know what to look for. A simple inspection of seafood selections at your local grocery store or fish market will tell you whether the fish is fresh or pre-frozen; handled properly or improperly; healthy or unhealthy.&nbsp;At ChefSteps, we either buy properly-treated fish, or we don't buy fish at all. Here's what you need to know for your next seafood shopping trip. What You'll Learn:&nbsp; <ul><li>How to inspect and select whole fresh fish</li><li>How to inspect and select filleted or butchered fish</li><li>How to&nbsp;select and thaw frozen fish&nbsp;</li></ul>

Selecting Fish for Purchase

Quick Reference: Core Temps

Juicy, Tender Meats: What You Need to Know

Step 1: Chill

Step 2: Dry

Step 3: Oil

Step 4: Sear

Step 5: Transfer

Step 6: Take a Break

Step 7: Set Oven to Low Temp

Step 8: Cook to Core Temp

Cooking Meat at Home

Step 9: Serve

Nine Steps to Perfect Proteins

Close your eyes, and remember the best steak you've ever had. Remember how it waited, plump, and brown, and buttery, on your plate, sprinkled with sea salt that had just begun to melt into the surface. Remember that savory, roasted fragrance wafting from the kitchen or the grill. You sliced gently through the thick, crunchy edge, eventually breaking through to the juicy interior, firm enough to carve with your steak knife, but tender enough to yield to the blade. Perhaps it was packed full of meaty flavor; all fatty and marbled and dripping with juices. Perhaps the texture melted in your mouth; just a few slow chews, and your shoulders drop, and the corners of your mouth turn up into a smile, and all you can say is "mmmmmmm." Hopefully, you have at least one of those moments. Unfortunately, they often take place in an expensive restaurant, and they're usually pretty scarce. Many of us have only had one or two great steaks in our entire lives. But no longer. Master this technique, and you'll probably have to stop yourself from making steak every night of the week.  We created these steps with a one-inch piece of meat in mind, but they'll work for thinner and thicker pieces as well. The only thing that changes is cook time—pull the steak out earlier or later depending on the size of the cut.

Beef Steak

Pork Chop

This is the best way to cook a rack of lamb, period. We'd choose this method over any other, including sous vide and grilling. And for good reason: This technique yields a delectably crispy fat cap, and a perfectly uniform pink interior, every time. We think even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVZDbHUG-_0" target="_blank">Shari Lewis</a> would eat this lamb chop.&nbsp;

Lamb Rack

If you throw a last-minute dinner but then serve your guests a gorgeous rib roast, they’re going to think you’re some kind of wizard. Deep brown crust, juicy pink meat—prime rib is elegant, crowd-friendly, and really quite easy to prepare, requiring no special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. And while we too often corral this carnivore crack into the holiday-meal category, **there’s no reason you can’t use rib roast as the inspiration to throw an impromptu party**. In fact, we highly encourage it. Pop by the market and pick one up, tell your friends to come by in a few hours with some wine or a side dish, and enjoy a casually spectacular repast with none of that weird stiffness of special-occasion meals. Got leftovers? Lucky you. Roast beef anchors one of the world’s most delicious sandwiches: the French dip. 

Here, we walk you through the three simple stages of creating a perfect rib roast. Once you’ve tried the well-tested method, we bet you’ll return to it often, reproducing the roast easily without needing to consult a recipe. French the bones yourself or ask your butcher to do it. Swap in whatever fresh herbs you happen to have on hand. Fiddle with doneness until the perfect amount of pinkness is yours. **This is destined to become your house specialty**, so go ahead and make it your own.  A holiday-worthy dish that’s flexible and easy to make on the fly? Now that’s what we call culinary magic.

Standing Rib Roast

Meat

Cooking duck breasts properly requires a little more attention and time, but it's well&nbsp;worth the effort. After all, a thick, crispy layer of duck skin over juicy,&nbsp;dark breast meat is arguably one the best things ever. The trick is to render out some of the fat in the skin, without overcooking the meat itself. Here's how to get that perfectly-roasted and mouthwatering duck breast over and over again.

Duck Breast

Small Game Birds

Chicken & Turkey Breast

Poultry

Salmon & Other Fish

Shrimp

Seafood

Troubleshooting

Discussion

More Resources

For any cook who’s ever burned a steak, destroyed a perfectly good piece of fish, or rubberized a chicken breast, this is the class for you. With just one simple and versatile technique, you can achieve mouthwatering, flavorful results every time, in your own kitchen. All you need is an oven, a pan, and a thermometer—we’ll show you the rest. We’ll empower you to choose, purchase, and cook tender cuts at home with confidence. The class includes lessons on how chefs shop for meat and seafood, information about which cuts work for which preparations, and clear, simple steps for cooking tender cuts of meat. If you have questions, please ask. Our culinary support team is standing by.

Tender Cuts

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