Stringy corned beef
When I get a corned beef sandwich at a restaurant usually the meat has a grain and is kind of stringy. However, when I buy corned beef at a supermarket it smooth and looks similar to roast beef. What is the difference?
Best Answer
In addition to the direction the corned beef was sliced, you need to boil the corned beef just below a hard simmer -- not on a hard boil. I have relatives who crank the knob to 11 and boil the thing into "stringy meat toothpicks", and that's no matter which way you cut it. I cook a 3 pound corned beef in 1 gallon of water on just a hard simmer for about 4 hours and get fantastic results.
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Quick Answer about "Stringy corned beef"
To help prevent stringy corned beef, cut the meat at right angles to the direction of the grain. Cutting the meat into thin slices is another way to shorten the muscle fibers and help make the meat more tender than it would be with thicker slices.Why does my corned beef fall apart when I cut it?
The low constant heat of a slow cooker will get you that falling apart, amazingly tender corned beef. It does take some planning and time. If you are low on time I got you covered with this Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Recipe. But if you have the time, make your corned beef in the slow cooker.Is my corned beef overcooked or undercooked?
If the meat is tender, the fork should easily slide in and out of the meat. You can even use the fork to pull apart the meat fibers. And if the fibers fall apart easily, that means the meat is tender. However, if you don't see the same results, you've failed to cook corned beef properly.Can you overcook corned beef?
Yes, it's possible to overcook corned beef. When this happens, the meat will be tough and dry. Keeping the temperature low and checking the internal temp of the meat should help you to avoid this fate. If all else fails, you can reheat the slices in a bit of liquid to help moisten them.Why did my corned beef come out stringy?
This may be due to the direction in which the corned beef was sliced. In order for it to look smooth, it must be sliced against the grain. If you want stringy corned beef ( sometimes called "pulled corned beef"), you cut it along the grain.More answers regarding stringy corned beef
Answer 2
This may be due to the direction in which the corned beef was sliced. In order for it to look smooth, it must be sliced against the grain. If you want stringy corned beef ( sometimes called "pulled corned beef"), you cut it along the grain. You can tell which way the grain is by the lines on the top of the whole piece of meat.
Answer 3
A good restaurant's "corned beef" started out as a big piece of meat, was salted and cured for a while, then was cooked and sliced on a slicer. A supermarket's "corned beef" might be that, or it might be a bunch of miscellaneous beef pieces left over from butchering, which are mixed with salt, curing agents, and as much water as allowed by law, formed into loaves and cooked, then sliced. Since they're made from small pieces of beef, there's very little grain or stringiness.
If you want good corned beef from a supermarket, go to the deli counter and make sure they're cutting it from something that looks like it came from an animal. (There are brands of prepackaged corned beef that aren't awful, but they can be difficult to find.)
Answer 4
Nope.! It’s the point cut that is stringy. The flat cut stays together in slices more uniformly. If you like the stringy cut, you just have to be prepared to remove a lot of fat as the point cuts are about 50% fat whereas the flat cut has less fat - I would guess around 1/3.. You can cut it against the grain Still, and the strings will still be evident... they’ll just shorter…As cutting against the grain will cut the strings in intervals. Or if you want long strings i.e. pulled corn beef you would just fork pull it with the grain. Either way a major fat layer will have to be removed, (Unless you’re one of those people who enjoys the fat)but you will have the most tender corn beef after the fact. Any of the tried-and-true three cooking methods will work with either flat or point cut. Yummm
Answer 5
My experience is it can be stringy. But I think how it's cooked and cut is part of it. I've had it at deli's and not be stringy. I have tried different cooking temperatures and cutting across the grain. When I make it I buy a 3 pound piece. When it cools down I can almost the whole thing. LOL
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