Carving Meat - How To Carve Beef

Carving meat such as beef requires a different approach and technique to a turkey or other bird.

It is also a little bit harder to give specific advice for, because your precise approach will depend on which joint is being carved, e.g chuck, sirloin or plate. However there are some principles of carving meat which apply to all joints.

Where To Start With Carving Beef

First and foremost - don’t rush in when it comes to carving meat. Beef carves much better, and is much more tender, if it’s rested for 10 or 20 minutes out of the oven. This because it is a muscle and the muscle fiber will begins to relax once heat is no longer being applied. This makes it easier to slice.

As with turkey, always use a carving fork to hold the meat. It can be a good idea to put a towel under the dish to stop it moving about. Depending upon the shape of the joint being carved, you may find it best to cut a thick slice off the bottom to make it sit flat on the dish and therefore easier to handle.

Then start slicing the meat. The most important thing to remember is to cut the meat across the grain of the muscle. This means that you slice parallel to the bone. Carving this way helps the meat to retain its juices and stay tender.

Equipment For Carving Meat

As with carving meat of ant description you need a good carving knife for beef. Different knives suit different people but the basics are that it should be sharp, of reasonable length and be comfortable to hold. There is no shortage of good quality carving knives on the market so you should have no difficulty obtaining one which suits you.

Once you have your knife keep it in good condition. The kitchen drawer is NOT the place for your carving knife!

Left in a drawer the knife will become blunt and the blade will be chipped. Keep it in a knife block or on a rack. Remember to sharpen it from time to time with a good knife sharpener.

Here is an excellent book on the subject of carving meat. it is available  from Amazon.com

Carving The Easy Way: An Illustrated Handbook On The Carving And Serving Of Meats, Poultry And Fish 

Ok the cover may not be exactly exciting! However this book does contain all you need to know about carving meat and the correct techniques.

Of course the first step to great roast beef is knowing how to cook it properly. There are some golden rules to follow when it comes to roast beef cooking - check out our page on this subject.