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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2011 37 RECIPE OF THE WEEK Choosing a sizzling steak There's nothing like a good steak for com- fort food. And now that the sun has peeped through the clouds, barbeques all over the island have been set alight and tucking into a juicy steak cooked over hot coals seems like the perfect way to spend an afternoon. However choosing your steak is not as easy as it used to be. In the past the only decent cut of meat used for steak was a fillet, simple as that. Anything else that was available was sim- ply inferior. Today however a range of steaks is available both at local butchers and at res- taurants, each offering subtle differences in flavour and tenderness. Fillet steak The most tender cut of beef and the most ex- pensive. The fillet comes from the tenderloin, which runs along both sides of the spine. When harvested, it comes in two snake-shaped cuts. It is not a weight-bearing muscle and therefore has very little connective tissue, which makes the meat so tender. It has very little fat however and is therefore less tasty than some other, fat- tier cuts. Preparation tips: A fillet steak is best cooked in 1 – 2 inch thick portions and grilled, bar- bequed or pan fried on high heat on each side. Fillet steaks are often served in a cognac cream sauce, au poivre or in a red wine reduction. Due to the limited marbling, bacon is often wrapped around the fillet and secured with a toothpick. This adds flavour and stops the steak from drying out. A fillet steak should be served rarer than other meats. Other names: Tenderloin steak, filet mignon, filet de boeuf. Rib eye steak The rib eye comes from the rib section of the cow and spans from the sixth rib through to the twelfth. Though this cut of steak is tougher than its fillet counterpart due to larger amounts of connective tissue and intramuscular fat, it is tastier and less likely to dry out. Preparation tips: Like a fillet, this steak is best grilled, barbequed or pan-fried. Due to the higher fat content of the cut, the meat needs to be cooked a little longer than a fil- let to soften the fat and allow the meat to absorb the f lavours. It is recommended to cook this steak until it is medium. Other names: Scotch fillet, entrecôte Sirloin steak This comes from the rear part of the ani- mal and can be divided into several types of steaks. The top sirloin is the most tender as the muscles from this area are the least used. The top loin muscle is the largest, the tenderloin the smallest. It generally pro- duces a tender and tasty steak. The T-bone steak also comes from this area. Preparation tips: As this is a prime cut of meat, it does not require moist cooking like its tougher counterparts and can be suc- cessfully grilled, barbequed or pan-fried. Other names: Strip steak T-bone steak The T-bone also comes from the rear of the animal and includes a T-shaped bone with meat on each side – the larger portion is a sirloin steak while the smaller portion is a fillet. A T-bone steak with a large ten- derloin section is referred to a Porterhouse steak and must be at least 1.25 inches thick. They are generally quite expensive due to the two varieties of prime cut beef. Preparation tips: Dry heat cooking is best for this t ype of steak such as grilling, bar- bequing or pan-frying. Due to their relative lack of collagen, longer cooking times are not necessary to tenderise the meat. The Bistecca Fiorentina is prize steak coming from the Chianina or Maremmana breeds of cattle. This Florentine st yle steak is seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil and cooked over a wood or charcoal fire. Due to its size, it is often shared by two people. Other names: Porterhouse steak Whatever your choice of meat, be sure that it is not overcooked to ensure a juicy dish that is full of its natural f lavours. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 MARCH 2014 FINE FOOD OF THE WEEK Choosing a sizzling steak However you spell it - barbeque, barbecue, BBQ, Barbie-Q -homemade BBQ sauce will wow your friends. Just keep how easy it really is to make a secret. Ingredients • 2 cups ketchup • 1 cup water • ½ cup apple cider vinegar • 5 tbsp light brown sugar • 5 tbsp sugar • ½ tbsp fresh ground black pepper • ½ tbsp onion powder • ½ tbsp ground mustard • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Method 1. In a medium saucepan, combine all in- gredients. 2. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. 3. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes. Homemade BBQ sauce Simply seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil, and just a few minutes on the barbeque, a T-bone steak makes a fabulous meaty treat.