Q:
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Beef Wellington looks so elegant, but it looks difficult to prepare.
Is it as hard as it seems? |
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No, Beef Wellington is easy to prepare, yet looks and tastes so wonderful. Our Mini Beef Wellingtons take only 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to bake. Your guests will be so impressed because it will look like you spent hours in the kitchen. |
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How long can I keep beef frozen in the freezer? |
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Here are some guidelines for how long you can safely store beef products, but always remember - WHEN IN DOUBT - THROW IT OUT! Uncooked hamburger and stew meat can be frozen for 3-4 months. Uncooked, fresh steaks and roasts for 6-12 months. Unopened lunch meats can be frozen and stored for 1-2 months (when stored in freezer wrap). If you have leftover dishes with cooked beef in them, you can freeze them for about 2-3 months. |
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What is the difference between a Black Angus steak and a regular steak? |
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Black Angus is a breed of beef known for its palatability and tenderness. Angus beef is featured in many supermarkets and restaurants as premium beef. |
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Q:
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I love corned beef, but we usually only have it on St. Patrick's Day. Do you have a recipe that I could prepare any time of the year? |
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Corned Beef isn't just for St. Patrick's Day. It is a perfect meal for any family gathering and is great for leftovers. Traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage takes only 30 minutes to prepare and while it cooks you'll have time to socialize or get a few things done. Leftover Corned Beef can be piled on rye bread for quick, delicious sandwiches. |
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I love the taste of prime rib but I never know how much time to plan for cooking it. How long does it take to cook a prime rib roast? |
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The cooking time depends on the size of the roast that you choose and how you want it cooked. You should figure approximately 20 minutes per pound for a roast done to medium. Also, after you remove the roast from the oven, you should tent it lightly with aluminum foil and allow it to stand for 10-15 minutes. Remember that during this time, the roast will continue cooking and the temperature will increase 5-10 degrees. This standing time gives the juices in the roast a chance to cool so that when you cut the roast the juiciness will not be lost. |
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Q:
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Do I have to let my food cool completely before I place it in the refrigerator? |
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No. Warm or hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator. The rule of thumb when serving is to not let the food sit out longer than two hours. Ideally, leftovers should be refrigerated immediately. |
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Q:
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What is the protein diet I keep hearing about? |
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The protein diet that is so popular right now is the Atkins Diet. This diet discourages eating carbohydrates and encourages eating a lot of protein. The premise of the diet is, when carbohydrates are limited, the body burns its own fat and high protein foods help to stave off hunger. The problem with this diet is that our bodies prefer carbohydrates as our primary energy source. Eliminating carbohydrates and requiring the body to digest extra protein is taxing on the kidneys, can cause calcium leaching, and may lead to dehydration. Long term effects include digestion of the dieter's own body muscle to provide their brain with the glucose it needs to keep functioning, which will in turn slow down their metabolism in the long run. The effect of this is that if the person goes off of the diet, they will gain back even more weight due to a lowered metabolic rate. The beef industry recommends a balanced diet, built on the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. |
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The "Food Pyramid" says people should eat 2-3 servings from the meat group per day. Doesn't this seem like a lot? |
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The Food Guide Pyramid does suggest 2-3 servings from the meat group each day. The serving size, however, is listed as 2-3 ounces, which would give you a total per day of 4-9 ounces of beef or other meats. Given the quality and lean choices of beef and other meats available today, that is not an excessive amount. Plus, these foods, and in particular beef, are noted for being an excellent source of ZIP (Zinc, Iron and Protein), important nutrients that your body needs. So be sure to include items from the meat group for a well-balanced diet. |
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There's so much conflicting information - I'm confused! Can beef be part of a heart-healthy diet? |
A:
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Beef today is much leaner than the beef of 10 to 20 years ago. You might be surprised to learn that a 3 ounce portion of round steak has less saturated fat than a skinless chicken thigh. When looking for lean cuts of beef in your meat case, look for cuts that contain the words loin or round in the name. |
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Q:
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I'd like to revamp my cooking style so we can still eat what we like yet I'd like to make it leaner. What are some low-fat cooking methods I can incorporate in my cooking? |
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Low fat cooking methods include grilling, stir frying and broiling. Also, rinsing cooked ground beef crumbles with warm water can reduce the fat content of the meat by up to 50%. |