Where Is Against the Grain on Beef
Have you ever eaten corned beef and found that some bites were chewy and tough, while others were tender?
If you're like most people, the difference was probably in how the meat was cut.
You see, it's important to slice corned beef across the grain in order to make it tender.
That doesn't mean slicing it in a cross-shape or anything like that; instead, you need to orient your knife so that it runs perpendicular to the striations of muscle in the meat.
In fact, if you're using a pre-sliced slab of corned beef (for example, from a deli) then a good way to think about this is as "not with the slices." In this article, we'll go into more detail about what exactly cutting against the grain means when working with meat and how to slice corned beef against the grain at home.
What is the grain on corned beef?
When you buy corned beef, you may notice something strange about it: a layer of grain.
You might be wondering what this is and where it comes from.
The answer is: the grain on corned beef is actually a layer of fat that surrounds the meat.
It's not harmful; it's just part of the meat!
The grain comes from the animal's fat cells and tissues, so when you cook corned beef, you'll see this layer of fat separate from the main piece of meat.
The presence of this layer is normal and natural, but if you don't like it, you can always remove it before cooking by slicing off some of the outermost part of the corned beef slab before putting it in your pan or slow cooker.
Which way is the grain on corned beef?
The grain runs in a specific direction on each cut of meat, and knowing which way it goes is one of the most important things you can learn about cooking.
The grain runs through connective tissue within the meat, so cutting against it can leave your food tough, gristly, and chewy—not something anyone wants to eat.
In general terms: cutting perpendicular to the grain will result in tenderness; cutting parallel with the grain results in chewiness.
How do you know which way the grain runs in meat?
When slicing or cutting meat, there are many ways to determine which direction the grain runs.
However, it's important to note that each method will give you a slightly different result.
- Cut with a sharp knife.
- The first method is to use a sharp knife and cut against the grain as you normally would for any type of meat (or vegetable).
- Use a ruler or cutting board with a grid on it.
- This method involves placing your raw corned beef next to one side of your ruler, then holding up another edge of the board so that both edges line up perfectly with each other and form an X shape on top of where the piece of corned beef sits.
- Then just slide your knife down along both lines in between them!
- If you want more accuracy in this step, try using two rulers (or two boards) instead; one for measuring out how far apart they need be placed from each other before putting them together like this again so that every time they're put together again during slicing/cutting time they'll have no gaps between them anymore because everything fits perfectly into place now thanks..
What does cutting across the grain mean?
The term "against the grain" is a common way of describing how meat should be sliced.
Cutting in a direction that runs perpendicular to the direction of muscle fibers is known as cutting across the grain, and doing this will result in tender, more evenly cooked cuts.
Why?
Well, when you cut with the grain you are slicing through all those nice little lines and creases present on your piece of beef or pork (or whatever other kind of meat).
These lines are made up of connective tissue that's tough to chew through even after being cooked!
If you instead slice along them (along what would be considered as having been cut with the grain), then there's more surface area for juices to seep into, which means moister meat for you!
How to slice corned beef against the grain?
When you cut corned beef against the grain, you're cutting in the opposite direction of its muscle fibers.
This makes for a much more tender and desirable slice.
If your goal is to get a piece of corned beef that looks pretty on your sandwich, cutting against the grain probably isn't necessary.
However, if you want to make an impressively tender dish and are willing to put in a little extra work, this can help tremendously.
One good way to begin slicing your meat is by using a sharp knife and working quickly with cold meat; this will prevent it from getting too warm before you have time finish slicing all of it up.
If possible (depending on whether or not you cooked it), re-heat your slices after they have been sliced so they get nice and warm again—this will also help prevent them from getting tough when reheating them later on!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many good reasons to slice your corned beef against the grain.
This practice will help make sure that your meat isn't tough or chewy, and it will also maximize the flavor.
If you want to take your dinner to the next level, try doing what we do: after slicing against the grain and letting it simmer in its own juices for a few minutes, brush on some warmed mustard on top.
It's an added step that makes all the difference!
You might even find yourself wondering how you ever resisted this technique for so long.
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Source: https://cookindocs.com/how-to-slice-corned-beef-against-the-grain/
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