Rising from a hot dog cart to a Philadelphia icon, making the Duke of Ellington proud, and a wish that turned old clothes into a national dish. Having steak of any kind makes a good night, but as people around the world have shown, there's plenty of ways to utilize a delicious hunk of beef.
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00:00Rising from a hot dog cart to a Philadelphia icon,
00:04making the Duke of Ellington proud, and a wish that turned old clothes into a national dish.
00:09Having steak of any kind makes a good night, but as people around the world have shown,
00:14there's plenty of ways to utilize a delicious hunk of beef.
00:18Tasso beef may not be very well-known outside of Haiti,
00:22but it's a street food staple and a popular party dish in its island home.
00:26Chef Nickanford Joseph of New York City's Vinyl Steakhouse
00:30was born and raised in Port-a-Pay, Haiti, and he has fond memories of the dish, saying,
00:35"[Haitian tasso beef consists of steak bites marinated in a blend of spices and then fried.
00:40The bold, aromatic spices and crispy texture made it a standout dish in my childhood."
00:46It's relatively easy to make tasso beef at home. To start,
00:50you need tender cuts of steak that cook quickly, cut into cubes.
00:54Then you marinate the meat in a mixture of orange and lime juice and a flavorful paste called
00:59épices. Once the beef is marinated long enough to absorb the flavors,
01:03the cubes are fried until crispy. Tasso beef is often served with fried plantains or rice and
01:09beans. If there's one steak dish worth jumping on a plane for, many experts agree it's Brazilian
01:15churrasco. Churrasco simply refers to any meat cooked on skewers over flames. More than a few
01:20of the experts we spoke to said picanha is their favorite cut for churrasco. Also called a sirloin
01:27cap, this cut comes from the rump of the cow and contains a fat cap. Sebastian Garrido of
01:33Vibe Adventures, a travel agency based out of Mexico City, said,
01:36"...I love that picanha has a layer of fat that adds a lot of flavor,
01:40leaving you with a cut of meat that's juicy, tender, and buttery."
01:44It's like really tender, almost like a fillet, but with the flavor profile of a ribeye."
01:50Chef David Rose of Omaha Steaks said that even modest cuts of meat like skirt,
01:55flank, and flap steaks can be truly delicious when cooked churrasco-style, over an open flame,
02:00saying,
02:01"...these working man-woman steaks are transformed into something phenomenal,
02:05juicy and tasty when cooked correctly. Cooked medium-rare and sliced against the grain is
02:10the way to go with these steaks. A bright tangy chimichurri sauce can also take your churrasco
02:16to the next level."
02:18It's hard to think of a more classic British dish than Beef Wellington.
02:22Named after the Duke of Wellington, it consists of beef tenderloin covered in minced mushrooms
02:27and pâté, wrapped in puff pastry, and cooked in the oven. Dagan Lynn, executive chef of Beef,
02:33It's What's for Dinner, said,
02:35"...Beef Wellington is always a standout for me. Steak paired with delectable ingredients
02:40like foie gras and forged mushrooms all wrapped in a flaky, delicious dough,
02:44layered with butter, is a knockout combination."
02:47Although Beef Wellington can be complicated to make, many experts agree it's worth the effort.
02:53It's very easy to overthink it, if you will, but it's not a complex thing."
02:59Jason Kennedy, in-house meat expert at Verde Farms,
03:02offered a few tips for home cooks, saying,
03:05"...make sure to get a good sealing sear on the tenderloin and allow the steak to cool before
03:09encasing it in the puff pastry. Also, try rolling the steak into a crepe before the
03:14puff pastry to help with crispiness and hold in any juice."
03:19Yakiniku is a dining experience that involves cooking meat,
03:22seafood, and vegetables on a grill over fire, with diners typically cooking the meat themselves.
03:28Beef is often the star of the show, and it gets a further kick of flavor from yakiniku
03:33dipping sauce, made with soy sauce, mirin, and sesame seeds. As Gabrielle Marie Yap,
03:39senior editor at Carnivore Style, explains,
03:42"...there's something about the combination of the tender,
03:44rich beef with the sweet and savory yakiniku sauce that just melts in your mouth."
03:49I also love the interactive experience of grilling the steak yourself at the table,
03:53which adds a fun and social element to the meal. Yakiniku is delicious on its own,
03:58but the communal aspect truly takes it to the next level.
04:02This makes this style of cooking ideally suited for a celebratory dinner.
04:07Steak is an integral part of Mexican cuisine, especially in the northern states,
04:11where there are vast open spaces ideal for raising cattle. You may have heard of carne asada,
04:16but if you're in the northeastern state of Nuevo León, aúja norteña is the way to go.
04:23Aúja norteña is a chuck cut that usually contains a thin strip of bone. It's often
04:29compared to chuck eye steaks in the States. These tender cuts are cooked over fire and
04:34flipped often to retain the juices. With Sebastian Garrido adding,
04:39"...the preparation is similar to other steaks, but I always use something we call
04:44tomillo, which would be thyme when marinating it."
04:47Like many Mexican meats, aúja norteña is often served with tortillas, salsa, and beans.
04:54Steak au poivre is an iconic French dish, so it should come as no surprise that many
05:00classically trained chefs have a soft spot for it. Chef Nickanford Joseph said,
05:05"...Lately, steak au poivre has been my favorite international steak dish to prepare."
05:10This French classic features a steak coated in crushed peppercorns,
05:14seared, and then served with a luscious cognac green peppercorn sauce.
05:19Home cooks also love the dish because it's not too complicated to prepare,
05:22but offers loads of flavor.
05:25"...Woo! I mean, who doesn't love this? It's such a showstopper."
05:33Filet mignon is the ideal cut of beef for the dish, because it's very tender. However,
05:38you can also experiment with other cuts, like New York strip or boneless ribeye.
05:43The sauce is also key. Many chefs sauté shallots, butter, and peppercorns in the pan
05:49the steak was cooked in, then deglaze with cognac or brandy and add the cream at the end.
05:53This results in a truly heavenly dish bursting with many different flavors.
05:58Ask Aussies what dish they consider quintessentially Australian,
06:02and many will tell you it's a good old-fashioned meat pie. As Jason Kennedy said,
06:07"...slow-cooked, tender and flavorful meat and gravy with flaky pastry. Hard to beat."
06:12The delicate pastry encases the tender meat and gravy, creating a dish full of delicious
06:17texture and flavor. Plus, it's hearty, portable, and easy to eat. You can fill an Aussie pie with
06:23pretty much anything you desire, like chicken, fish, beef, vegetables, or cheese, but steak is
06:28one of the most common fillings. The key is to use quality ingredients like a rich, buttery short
06:33crust for the pastry, slow-cooked cuts like chuck roast for a chunky meat filling, and flavorful
06:39ingredients for the gravy like garlic, onions, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste.
06:45Argentina has a long history of cattle ranching, so it should come as no surprise that steak is an
06:50integral part of Argentinian culture. Asado was specifically born out of gaucho traditions
06:56that date back to the 18th century. Killian Guzzo, executive chef at Miami's Lafayette Steakhouse,
07:03said,
07:03Asado in Argentina is a unique culinary experience
07:07where the ritual of preparation and cooking is as important as the meal itself.
07:12When we're growing up in Argentina, you know, asados are a family moment and we all get together."
07:18A traditional asado starts with a fire made with wood. Often, only one person is appointed
07:23as the grillmaster. That person is responsible for cooking meats like short ribs, flank steak,
07:28and tenderloin. Daniel Yojai Cruz, head of product at Wild Fork, expounded,
07:34Beef is really at the center of everything, and minimal seasoning is needed for such flavorful
07:38cuts of meat. The Philly cheesesteak combines two things Americans love — steak and sandwiches.
07:44The dish was invented in the 1930s by a man named Pat Olivery, who ran a hot dog stand close to
07:51Philadelphia's Italian market. One day, Olivery decided to switch things up and add chopped beef
07:57and grilled onions to a hot dog bun, instead of a frank. Once cheese got added to this new type of
08:02sandwich, the Philly cheesesteak was born. The real reason Philly has the magic touch
08:07when it comes to cheesesteaks is the ingredients. First, you need a roll that is crusty on the
08:12outside but soft and pillowy inside. The steak is also key — only ribeye steak will do.
08:18The final touches include chopped onions cooked on the grill and either cheese whiz or provolone.
08:23If you're dining at an Italian restaurant and happen to see Bistecca alla Florentina on the
08:29menu, many experts say you'd be remiss not to try it. Also known as Florentine steak,
08:36the dish is essentially steak grilled over flames and seasoned very simply.
08:40What makes it so special, then? As Gabrielle Marie Yap explained,
08:44this dish features a T-bone steak from the Chianina cattle breed, one of the oldest cattle
08:49breeds in the world. It's traditionally cooked over a wood or charcoal fire,
08:54and seasoned with just salt, black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
08:58Thanks to the lean meat and fine marbling of Chianina beef, this steak is indeed complete
09:04without any kind of fancy sauce. Plus, cooking it over fire imparts a unique flavor. Gousseau said,
09:10"'It's simple but delicious,' with grilling that highlights the quality of the meat."
09:16One of the most popular Korean barbecue dishes, bulgogi, typically consists of thinly sliced
09:21beef that is marinated in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce. The meat is then either grilled
09:27over charcoal or sauteed in a skillet. Bulgogi is often eaten with rice or rolled up in a lettuce
09:33leaf. The trick for making supremely tasty bulgogi is choosing the right cut of steak.
09:39You want something that is tender and has a good balance of fat and lean meat,
09:43like ribeye or sirloin. The beef should be sliced as thin as possible so that it soaks
09:48up all the marinade and cooks evenly on the grill or skillet. A typical bulgogi marinade
09:53contains sweet, salty, and savory elements like soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil.
09:59It may also contain root juices from pears or kiwis to help tenderize the meat.
10:04The result is a dish that's beautifully textured and packed with flavor.
10:09The national dish of Cuba has an interesting name that bellies its bold flavors.
10:14Ropa vieja actually translates to old clothes, and the legend has it that the dish was born
10:20when a poor man was so hungry, he cooked his own tattered clothes. As he cooked,
10:25he prayed, and the clothes miraculously transformed into a rich meat stew.
10:30The reality is, the name probably comes from the way the shredded beef in the dish looks.
10:35Either way, it's a supremely tasty meal that originated in Spain,
10:39but got its uniquely Caribbean flavors from Cuba.
10:42Ropa vieja typically consists of a tougher cut of beef, like flank steak. The meat is slow-cooked
10:49with a colorful mix of bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and beef broth, as well as spices
10:54like cumin and oregano. Everything is simmered together until the beef is tender enough to
10:59shred with a fork. It's typically served with rice and beans and fried plantains,
11:03with lime wedges on the side.
11:06Tons of people can't get enough Hungarian goulash. Historians believe the dish dates
11:11back to the 9th century, and over the centuries, the peasant dish made it into the kitchens of
11:16nobility and eventually across the world. Goulash typically consists of tougher cuts of beef that
11:22are slow-cooked with bright ingredients that give it vibrant flavor. These could include tomatoes,
11:27bell peppers, garlic, and beef broth. However, goulash also has a touch of smokiness
11:33and slight heat from the paprika. Unlike many similar dishes, goulash is typically served in
11:38its broth rather than cooked down until it becomes ultra-thick. It can be eaten on its
11:43own or with crusty bread to sop up the liquid goodness. Pepper steak is the perfect stir-fry
11:50dish, packed with tasty strips of marinated steak and bright veggies. As Nick and Fer Joseph said,
11:57this dish is a delightful blend of savory flavors, incorporating ingredients like soy
12:01sauce, honey, and garlic. The peppers add a colorful, crunchy element that complements the
12:07tender beef perfectly. It's a well-balanced dish that brings together sweet, salty, and umami
12:13flavors. Chinese pepper steak is pretty easy to make at home. To start, you'll need a tender cut
12:18of beef like flank steak, cut into strips. There are many different recipes for the marinade,
12:23but most include soy sauce and cornstarch. You can also add ingredients like black pepper,
12:28sesame oil, ginger, Shaoxing cooking wine, and honey for extra flavor.
12:34Let the meat absorb the flavors, then sauté it with onions and bell peppers. Pepper steak
12:39is often served with rice, which acts as the perfect canvas for its vibrant flavors.