Beef

Lobel's of New York: A Family Tradition for Over 140 Years

Lobel's of New York is a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Online Meat Company.

The family-owned and operated business is located on the Upper East Side of New York. Ten years ago, Lobel's launched Lobels of New York (www.lobels.com), an online butcher shop, enabling its customers to order and have its products delivered to their door in all 50 states.

The Lobel family have been in the business for five generations. It all started back in the 1840's when Nathan Lobel began raising cattle in Austria, and with the help of his son, later added a slaughterhouse to the business. Nathan's grandson Morris joined the famly business as a boy, and in 1911, at the age of 17, he emigrated to the United States. He eventually settled in New York where he opened a butcher shop, first in the Bronx and later at the current location at 1096 Madison Avenue (at East 82nd Street) in Manhattan.

Gallery: Lobel's of New York

Service and quality have always been the hallmarks of the Lobel's business. Morris' sons Leon, Nathan, and Stanley, followed in their father's footsteps. Stanley remains active in the store, while his sons, David and Mark, as well as his nephew, Evan, have emerged as the fifth generation of the Lobel family to work in the business.

Tags: awards-main, beef, Lobels, Lobels of New York, luxist-awards, online shopping, outdoor-entertainment, steaks

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Washington Winery Gets Into The Beef Business

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine, Green

The owners of the acclaimed Leonetti Cellar winery in Washington have announced plans to get into the cattle business. Although wine and beef may sound like completely opposite pursuits Chris Figgins, CEO and winemaker for Leonetti Cellar, says "The whole idea is contrary to modern beef production. We're taking the estate winery model and applying it to beef."

Figgins purchased a ranch in the Wallowa Valley with his father four years ago in order to raise Scottish Highland Cattle, which have longer hair and tend to be leaner than other breeds. The cattle are grass fed on certified organic fields without the use of hormones and will be harvested humanely. In another connection to the wine business, Figgins plans to feed the cattle pomace, which is the skin, pulp and other solid remains left after wine grapes are crushed. The meat will be available via mailing list beginning this fall through the Lostine Cattle Company website.

Tags: beef, grass fed beef, leonetti cellar, lostline cattle company, organic, washington, wine, winery

A Guide to Meat Cuts

by Andrea Hangst (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

When it comes to grilling a steak, many home cooks often think that they can quickly run to the grocery store, pick any cut or steak they see, and just slap it on a hot grill and - voila! - a good dinner. However, many of us who have tried this have inevitably run afoul of the Great Beef Gods, with cinder-dry steaks or tough hunks of gray meat. Here is a very simple list of great cuts of beef for grilling, and the best ways to prepare them.

Steaks for One or Two

Filet Mignon: Butter soft, boneless and best served rare to medium-rare, this tenderloin steak is considered a delicacy. From the short loin, these exceptionally tender steaks are ideal for the high-heat sear of the grill because they are best served between rare and medium in doneness for best flavor. While filet mignon is famous for its tenderness, it lacks the deep meaty flavor and richness of the rib eye and strip steak. Consider topping the steak with a dab of butter after grilling.

New York Strip: Another meaty, big-flavored grilling classic, the New York Strip is cut from the tender short loin of the cow. Less marbled than a rib eye, but with a thick band of fat around the edge, the strip steak sears beautifully using direct heat over hot coals.

Porterhouse: The Porterhouse, like its little brother, the T-Bone, is a highly prized, and highly priced, cut. One half of this steak is the New York Strip, while the small meaty bit on the other side is a filet, cut from the tenderloin. These steaks come from the extra-tender "short loin" of the cow, which is located on the steer's middle-back. The meat is highly marbled and usually quite tender. They are excellent for grilling or quickly seared over hot coals and finished slowly over indirect heat. Marinating and seasoning can vary, but just sprinkling salt and pepper on it prior to putting it on the grill can also suffice.

Rib Eye: Arguably the champion of the grill, the rib eye steak is tender, flavorful and marbled with fat. The rib eye - named as such because it is the center cut of the rib section of the cow - are extremely flavorful but benefit from a good marinade. These can come bone-in or bone-out, or with a giant bone sticking out also called a "Tomahawk." Choose the bone-in rib eye to ensure a juicy, complex flavor. Most steak lovers prefer their meat served rare to medium-rare; this cut can even stand up to extra cooking time and still be richly flavored.

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"The Best of Beef & The Beauty of Barolo" With Chef Michael Lomanaco, February 9

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Services

A few months ago New York's famed Time Warner Center opened a new culinary club, Circle of Taste, free to join.

COT has just announced its first ticketed event -- "The Best of Beef & The Beauty of Barolo" -- a dinner to be hosted within Porter House New York's wine cellar by Chef Michael Lomanaco (shown) and Master Sommelier Roger Dagorn. All the wines will be a selection of highly-sought-after and difficult-to-acquire Barolo wines produced in limited quantities.

Erpacrife Nebbiolo Metrodo Tradicionale

Bollito Misto
Tender poached filet mignon, cotechino sausage and salsa verde
La Querciola Barolo Donna Bianca 2004 'cru Costa di Rose'

Brasato al Barolo
Homemade Pappardelle Pasta, Braised Beef Short Ribs
Scarzello Barolo 2004 'cru Sarmassa'

Arrosto di Costata
Roasted Dry Aged Prime Rib of Beef
Cascina Ebreo, Torbido VDT 2001 'Novello di Monforte'

Dessert - Torta al cioccolato alle pere
Pears with mascarpone and chocolate
Ca'de' Mandorli, Brachetto d'Acqui 2008

Dinner begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $175 per person, and the multi-course tasting menu is all-inclusive. COT members may reserve two seats. Perhaps get an early start to the Valentine's Day weekend!

Tags: beef, Circle of Taste, CircleOfTaste, food, New York, New York City, NewYork, NewYorkCity, NYC, Time Warner Center, TimeWarnerCenter, Valentines Day, ValentinesDay, wine

How to Select and Cook The Perfect Holiday Rib Roast

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

There are many elements that contribute to the perfect holiday meal. A beautifully set table, good wine, the guests and for many families, the beef rib roast has become part of the tradition. It can be daunting to figure out how to select, and cook a good roast.

Really the first step to a good meal is to start with the best ingredients. This is just as important with meat as it is with fresh fruits and vegetables. Lobel's of New York is an old fashioned family owned butcher shop that has been serving the city with the finest meat for over 50 years. They along with other purveyors such as Dean and Deluca, recently winning the Luxist Reader's Choice Award for Best Online Gourmet Food, have made it easy to have quality meat delivered to your doorstep.

Not only will Lobel's send you the perfect piece of meat but they have many suggestions on their web-site to help you pick and prepare the perfect roast. Their tips include:

To estimate the size of roast you will need by weight, rather than number of ribs, as the size of the eye varies and will affect the final size of your roast. They suggest 1 -1 1/4lbs per person. (see Lobel's chart here)
To think ahead about the size of your roasting pan. An average dry-aged beef rib bone is approximately 2 inches in length. Do the math ahead of time to make sure your roast will fit in your pan.
Bring the roast to room temperature before roasting.
To use an instant read thermometer to test for doneness but to not poke your roast full of holes! You want to keep the juices in the meat. Wait until you are close to the estimated cooking time before you start to test. (see Lobel's chart here)
Let your roast sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Lobel's offers several types of rib roasts, including Dry-Aged Waygu bone-in roasts which range in price from $359.98 for a 4lb roast to $1259.98 for a 14lb roast that comes with complementary horseradish and cream sauce. The USDA Prime Dry-Aged roasts run from $115.98 to $405.98 for the same sizes.

Dean and Deluca will ship you either a frozen or fresh 5 bone 9.9lb rib roast for $275.00 from their exclusive supplier Brandt Beef. A perfectly cooked version is pictured above.

Tags: beef, Dean and Deluca, DeanAndDeluca, holiday dining, HolidayDining, Lobels, Rib Roast, RibRoast, roasting tips, RoastingTips

UK Hotelier To Raise His Own Wagyu Beef

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Jonathan Denby, who owns three hotels in England's Lake District, takes the food he feeds his guests very seriously. In addition to thriving kitchen gardens, he has an entire farm devoted to raising livestock. Now he's taken it to the next level by importing embryos of Japanese Wagyu calves. Denby plans to become a Wagyu breeder to provide the famous luxury steaks for his three hotel restaurants. Denby is continue the Wagyu-style tradition by pampering his calves with massages, classic music and tastes of the local beer. While most restaurants and suppliers in the UK import the meat from elsewhere, Denby would be one of the few to offer meat he raised himself. His first two calves were just born recently so it will be a bit of a wait for that steak dinner.

Source

Tags: beef, calves, england, jonathan denby, JonathanDenby, lake district, LakeDistrict, wagyu

Gift for Meat Lovers: Wagyu Sampler

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

We know that the most expensive steak dinners in the world are made with wagyu beef, but what is a carnivore to do if he (or she) doesn't want to fly around the world just for a bite to eat? The Wagyu sampler from Lobel's of New York, one of the best places in the US to buy meat, would make the ideal gift for anyone with a taste for red meat, as well as for the finer things in life. It includes: 1 (2 lb.) Wagyu Dry-Aged Bone-In Hip Sirloin Steak; 2 (10 oz.) Wagyu Dry-Aged Boneless Strip Steaks; 2 (12 oz.) Wagyu Dry-Aged Boneless Rib Steaks; 1 (20 oz.) Wagyu Dry-Aged Porterhouse Steak; 2 (12 oz.) Wagyu Dry-Aged Boneless Center-Cut Sirloin Steaks; 1 (1.5-2 lbs. avg.) Wagyu London Broil; and 2 (1-1.25 lbs. avg.) Wagyu Skirt Steaks. You could most a killer barbecue with the sampler, but once you've head a taste of the wagyu, you might be inclined to keep it all for yourself. Price: $600.

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Tags: beef, meat, red meat, wagyu

Kobe Steak Sampler, Father's Day Gift of the Day

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

One of the traditions of Father's Day, for many families, is having a barbecue. Though at first it may seem odd to make Dad cook his own dinner, it is generally accepted that most of these guys enjoy doing it. So, to facilitate one of the best grilling days of the year, surprise your dad with a Kobe Steak Sampler for Father's Day. For $199, you get 2 each of the Kobe filet mignons (6 oz), Kobe NY strip steaks (10 oz) and Kobe top sirloins (8 oz). Due to the way the meat is raised, each piece should be some of the most tender beef you or Dad has had the opportunity to taste - let alone to cook. If you are having guests, you might want to think about the King of the Grill Sampler ($109.99), which includes 6 Kobe top sirloins and 8 Kobe burgers.