Beef
Bos taurus · Meat
13 varietiesTop 10 pairings
Deep-red, fine-grained meat from cattle, marbled with creamy fat. Mild and bloody raw, it turns brown and intensely meaty under heat, and is eaten the world over as steaks, roasts, mince and a thousand braises.
Picking a good onedrag
Freshly cut, cherry-red, firmOff: tacky, slimy, smelling wrong
Counter freshEveryday bestSear, roast or braise, but mince needs 160°F (71°C). Pregnant? Cook all meat through.
ColourRed, a brownish cast under lights
Touch the surfaceMoist and clean, still not sticky
SmellMild, clean, faintly meaty