Beef Basics
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Beef Basics
Primal Cuts of Meat
Grades of Beef
Cuts of Beef from the Short Plate
Cuts of Beef from the Rib
Cuts of Meat from the Short Loin
Cuts of Beef from the Sirloin and Tenderloin
How to Make Papas a la Huancaina
How to Make Striped Bass Ceviche
How to Make Rocoto Relleno
Beef Basics
Healthy Grilled Shrimp And Veggies
Grilled Asian Vegetable Salad
Healthy Grilled Fruit
Atomic Deviled Eggs
Hot Off The Grill Kabobs
Simple Grilled Smashed Potatoes
Healthy Feta Turkey Burgers
Classic Fall-Off-The-Bone BBQ Ribs
Healthy Grilled Shrimp And Veggies
Grilling Sizzling Steaks With Flavor
Tasty Grilled Tuna Steaks
Hot Dog Grilling Guide
Victor Albisu may have been born in northern Virginia, but he seems “born” with Latin food in his blood. Victor’s mother is Peruvian, his father is Cuban; one grandfather was a baker; and two aunts owned their own restaurants in Miami – Latin food was central to his upbringing. In fact, he doesn’t have a single childhood memory that doesn’t involve some delectable Latin cooking or other. Then he went to le Cordon Bleu. But that’s getting ahead of the story. Victor spent every summer through his teens with family in Miami, pressing his first sandwiches at age five, mastering steaks a la plancha by seven, and paying close attention as his grandfather killed, gutted, and roasted whole pigs and caught, cleaned, and fried whole fish; while his grandmother made the rice and beans, empanadas and croquettes. Back at home, his mother, a great cook in her own right and owner of a Latin grocery store, reinforced his culinary bent. In high school, Victor apprenticed with the Argentine and Uruguayan butchers at his mother’s shop. “Beef in Argentina is like wine in France,” he explains, “the style of butchering is distinctive, and the trade is highly respected.” Working six days a week, often until 9 o’clock at night, he learned not only about cutting meat, but making chorizo (sausages) and matambres (stuffed meats) and just about everything else about the Argentine meat culture. Victor’s family had always promoted a lively interest in international politics, and when he went off to George Mason University, he planned to make that his career. In five years, he completed two degrees, but after graduation it took just a few years working with international contractors for USAID to learn that the theoretical side of international affairs interested him much more than the practical. So at age 24, he sold everything, moved to Paris, and enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu. He received his basic, intermediate and superior diplomas in cuisine, pastry, and wine, performing his internship at Arpège, a 3-star Michelin restaurant. “There I was living in the thick of Les Halles, keeping restaurant hours and woken at six every morning by a fishmonger yelling about scallops – I loved every minute of it.” Back in the states, Victor was hired as Executive Sous Chef under David Craig at The Tabard Inn, moving with him to La Bergerie in Alexandria, Virginia. From there, he went on to work at Washington’s 701, Ardeo, and Bardeo. He then became Chef de Cuisine at Ceiba restaurant and is currently pursuing his own ventures.
Beef Basics
Chef Victor Albisu discusses beef basics.
Transcripts
Victor Albisu: Hi, my name is Victor Albisu. I am the Chef de Cuisine here at BLT Steak in Washington, DC. Today, we will be discussing beef basics. In the videos to follow, we will be discussing different primal cuts of meat, different grades of beef and actual different steaks. We have our beef tenderloin, our porterhouse, three different versions of the New York strip, Rib eye, skirt steak and a hanger steak. As far as tools and materials are concerned all you need is a good quality piece of meat and willingness and an interest to learn. Safety is always a great concern so make sure that when you are handling not just beef but any meat, you are pulling it right out of the refrigerator on to a clean surface area and are handling it properly, no cross-contamination or any of that. Now a little bit on my background. I grew up in the butcher shop. This is a subject that I know a great deal about. I learnt from Argentinean butchers which in Argentina, the beef culture is like the wine culture of France. So when they were talking about beef and talking about different cuts, it's a passion more than just a profession. Throughout the videos to come you will be able to distinguish between different cuts of meat and you will be able to learn what it is that you like and what it is like that you look for when shopping and wanting to cook your own food at home.
So let's get started.
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