Beef chunks are a common and economical ingredient in soups and stews or as a topping for rice or potatoes. Because chunks often come from the chuck or round, both of which are less tender sections of the cow, a few extra steps during preparation will ensure they cook up just as tender as more expensive cuts of beef. Once you are ready to start cooking, moist heat, low temperature and a few hours of cooking will increase tenderness and add flavor.
Step 1
Layer the beef between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. Pound both sides of the chunks with a tenderizing mallet to break up tough connective tissue and relax muscle fibers. This is a good way to tenderize beef chunks when a thin, flatter shape is acceptable, but not when a recipe calls for adding beef chunks in the form of cubes.
Step 2
Marinate beef chunks that come from the chuck, round, plate or flank for 6 to 24 hours in a tenderizing marinade in your refrigerator. Look to healthy ingredients that will tenderize and add flavor without also adding fat or sodium to your meal. As an example, use a combination of 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tbsp. white or apple cider vinegar, 1/4 to 1/3 cup low sodium catsup, 1 to 2 tsp. dried thyme, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tsp. dried mustard.
Step 3
Avoid using salt to season beef chunks and always use low-sodium ingredients in a cooking sauce or marinade. Just as it does with steak, salt draws moisture out of beef chunks as they cook and increases the chances your meat will cook up dry and tough.
Step 4
Cook beef chunks by braising or by stewing the meat in a stew pot for at least 2 to 3 hours or in a slow cooker for 8 to 10 hours. Both methods work to dissolve tough connective tissue by simmering the meat at a temperature of 180 to 190 degrees F. The only real difference between the two is that braising uses less cooking liquid. Braising is a good choice for recipes such as Hungarian beef or pepper steak, while stewing beef chunks is more appropriate for soup or beef stew.
Things You'll Need
- Wax paper or plastic wrap
- Tenderizing mallet
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Vinegar, white or apple cider
- Low sodium catsup
- Thyme, dried
- Olive oil
- Mustard, dried
- Stew pot
- Slow cooker
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