It can be somewhat devastating to overcook chicken, steak, or fish, especially after working so hard and investing so much money to make a lovely home-cooked meal. It’s quite simple to turn meat into a tough, chewy, dried-out mess, and you’re certainly not the first to do it. Even though almost everyone has burned meat to a crisp at some point, these tricks may be able to revive your meal.
On the grill, the stovetop, or in the oven, chicken is very simple to overcook. On the grill, the interior will typically remain moist even after you remove the burned edges. However, cooking on the stovetop or in the oven can be more challenging because the meat is frequently also dried out on the inside. For homemade chicken salad sandwiches, switch up the meal by shredding the dry chicken and adding mayonnaise, salt, and other spices of your choice. Slice the chicken into thin strips and add a mixture of olive oil or butter and herbs if you don’t want to change the recipe entirely. Drizzle that on top, and garnish with salt and pepper. You can also add barbecue sauce or your favorite vinaigrette.
Nobody likes dried-out beef, whether it comes from overcooked steaks or a roast. Slice up a steak and marinate it in your preferred sauce overnight. Use it in wraps, soups, shepherd’s pie or pastas. For roasts, add the sauce to the slow cooker and cook on low for a few hours. Shred the beef, and make some tasty barbecue sandwiches. Another idea is to make beef stroganoff. Stroganoff is nothing more than egg noodles, beef chunks, and your preferred vegetables. For busy nights, we adore this quick chipotle beef stroganoff.
Quick tip: Add some beef broth to the dry beef and simmer for a few minutes on the stove.
The worst meat to eat is dry pork, but there are ways to make it better, just like with chicken and beef. Make fried rice with pork or a stir-fry with pork after chopping it up into small pieces. For sandwiches with pulled pork barbecued in barbecue sauce, shred it. Place in a slow cooker. To use as a filler in pot stickers, you can also process the pork with green onions, cabbage, and garlic.
As you can see, there are dozens of recipes that will cover up the dried-out taste of overcooked meat, so it doesn’t have to be thrown away.
The Benefits of Buying Cheap Cuts of Meat
Cheaper cuts of meat are often tougher and chewier because they have more connective tissue. This is typically because they are from more heavily exercised muscles on the animal.
They are less expensive because there is less demand for them and the meat isn’t as tender.
But that doesn’t mean that cheaper cuts aren’t tasty. They might require more time to cook, but they might also be tastier, cost less money, and make a delicious stew!
Leftover beef doesnt need to go to waste. To use it in a variety of recipes, chop it up or shred it.
Brown the beef in hot olive or canola oil. To the skillet, add minced garlic and chopped onions, and cook over medium heat until the onions and garlic are soft. Place the mixture in a sizable pot or Dutch oven, then pour beef broth over the meat.
To reduce risk of foodborne illness, promptly refrigerate leftover roast beef. Discard any meat that has been at room temperature for more than 2 hours, as advised by the USDA. Consume roast beef within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for several months at 0 degree Fahrenheit.
Ramen noodles are ideal for a quick meal that can be prepared in a matter of minutes, and they offer a variety of roast beef preparation options. Add the roast beef to the hot ramen noodles after shredding it.
Turn the slow cooker’s heat to high until the meat is heated, then reduce it to low and let it simmer for two hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
How to Salvage Tough Roast Beef
You can usually tell if your roast beef is tough as soon as you begin to slice it
The meat will become relaxed and may even become slightly softer if you let it rest for 30 minutes before serving. However, once it’s prepared for serving and cooked, there isn’t much you can do.
To make your tough beef roast for Sunday lunch easier to cut and chew at the table, I advise slicing it as thinly as you can. Then, serve it with all of your favorite vegetables and potatoes and top it with gravy.
Then, whatever is left, cover and store in the fridge for another meal, just like you would tender Leftover Roast Beef.
