Where's the Beef?

I'm dying for a good steak or some kind of beef, which I haven't had since I moved to the UK. Granted, I don't usually have the money for the really nice meat, so I've traditionally only bought casserole steak or frying steak (what the heck kind of cuts are those anyway?) and they've never tasted very good to me (though usually if I slow cook them in a stew or something it doesn't matter too much.) Anyway, I worked at a few steakhouses in Texas  and I've had many delicious steaks (yes, the beef does taste much better there, IMO, I don't care if it's GM cornfed or not!  ) but I've never actually cooked one for myself! So maybe there is something that can be done. Basically, I'd like to have some beef for Easter. Either steaks or a beef roasting joint or something seriously delicious, but have no idea where the best place is to buy the beef (is Tesco's Finest nice stuff?) and not much idea of how to properly prepare it. The hitch to all of this is that I like my steaks medium-medium well (juicy pink with little to no blood) and DH prefers his completely well done with no pink at all. Basically, overcooked. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for a nice Easter dinner with some beef? And where I might purchase some good tasting, high quality meat? Should I just find a local butcher or something? Do you have any cooking tips or marinade recipes to keep the beef from being tough? Ugh....I'm so clueless here.

Thanks!

Personally I think the steak sold at costco is a better quality than I have been able to find at local shops or butchers.......hope someone has a good tip for you though !

I always buy my steaks at M&S and pan fry them (we don't have a grill or even a grill pan), but I have no idea if they're the best or not. I'll usually fry some onions to go with them in a way of 'dressing them up'. Steaks in restaurants here are so disappointing, so I never order them. DH even said he couldn't wait to get to the US where we can have a good steak! I told my parents we're taking them to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for their anniversary, whether they like it or not! 

I'm sorry I have no advice for you and I'm looking forward to hearing what people say!

I use Jamie's pan frying method, I have more success with this than any other...

Jamie Oliver - Perfect Steak

If you want different levels of done-ness, then steaks are easier to do than a roast. I always bought mine at a butchers or bought the grocery store high end stuff. I think I used Nigel Slater's method from one of his cook books but I can't remember which book now. Basically, I just used a big frying pan though. If Jamie's video above doesn't give cooking times, you can google them but it is a bit of trial and error.

If you want to do a roast, our local Sainsbury's has been doing rib roasts lately.  I've not seen them since I've moved here outside a butcher.  A rib roast is excellent.  I use Delia's roast method:
http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/meat/how-to-roast-beef.html

It absolutely comes out perfect every time.  I sometimes don't bother with the onions and add red wine.  I don't do the red wine when I am making rib roast though.

If you're doing a leaner/drier roast, I'd definitely add the wine and add fats of some sort.

Steak I pan fry, but since I've pan fried at least 234597707 steaks in my life, I am not sure I could teach anyone my method.  Don't cover it or it will steam.  Don't flip it too often.  I never marinate, but I do use marbled cuts, usually rib eyes.  You can get nice ones from a butcher or even the butcher counter in a shop.  I will sometimes use "steak seasoning" but salt and pepper does the trick as well.

I'm obsessed with Feather steak at the moment, they're 80p each and they're delicious with great marbling, also known as hanger or onglet, you get them a lot in France.
If you can get to a butcher (even a supermarket butcher) or are near a waitrose (they sell them at the service counter) they make a great and really economical meal, mmm they're so good quick fried.

Obviously not right for your Easter meal but good to know!

Anyhoo, totally agree with Legs! Rib roasts are absolutely delicious, (it's all that fatty goodness) and easy enough to cook, I've had one from Tescos and it was really nice, but I always think Tescos has the worst quality meat on average.

Steaks, well I'm a real eyeball chef but I always :

Let the meat come to room temperature.
Season but don't salt until ready to cook.
Put the oil on the beef not in the pan
Get the pan smoking hot.
Add oiled/seasoned beef
sizzle for about 2 minutes and turn
Add a big knob of butter, some thyme and some garlic (in the skin but smashed with a rolling pin)
Take out of pan
leave to rest covered with a frying pan lid whilst I do other stuff
MUNCH!

I told my parents we're taking them to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for their anniversary, whether they like it or not! 

I love Ruth's Chris and always miss having a thick and juicy Filet with Gorgonzola crust while in the UK

I made a rib roast last night and it was so good and so easy.  My husband says it was the best beef I have made so far. 

I let it out of the fridge for a hour. 

Rubbed it with 1 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 tsp chilli powder and 1 tsp garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Combine the salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small cup. Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan so that the fatty side is up and the rib side is on the bottom. Rub the seasoning onto the roast.

Roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Turn the oven off and leave the roast inside. Do not open the door. Leave it in there for 3 hours. 30 to 40 minutes before serving, turn the oven back on at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) to reheat the roast. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees F (62 degrees C). Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving into servings.

Our local butcher seems to always have a special on steaks...You might want to try Rump Steak or Sirloin Steak...the butcher has them 3 packages for 10 pounds usually or 2 packages for 5 pounds. They are inexpensive and very good..so you might want to try your local butcher

I think rump is very underrated, especially if you're willing to work with it.  I don't like sirloin.  I think that cut is incredibly overrated and always has a whisper of a livery taste, no matter how well it's prepared.

Definitely the butcher- the best steaks- However tesco's finest are nice- but I really like their organic beef- my preference if I can't get to the butcher
I use alton brown's method which I just vary depending on the cut and thickness for time.
Yum!

DH even said he couldn't wait to get to the US where we can have a good steak! I told my parents we're taking them to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for their anniversary, whether they like it or not! 

Yummmmmm.  We took my dad on New Year's Eve this year.  I was having massive beef cravings, since I never eat it here.  A Palm opened in Belgravia last summer with their US menu, but I haven't figured out a way to justify that.  Not sure I ever will.     I'm good at eating but lousy at cooking.

The best steaks we had in the UK were either from the butcher or Waitrose.