Brought to you by Nuffnang and Meat & Livestock Australia
Driving to a farm in Blayney on a Monday morning was an unusual departure from my work day routine. I was invited to go on set, watched a film production showcasing the journey of why Australian Beef is the greatest meat on earth.
Surrounded by the pale green hills with groups of cows peppered around the area grazing on grass leisurely, I listened to James Millner, a third-generation farmer who hails from Rosedale Charolais stud, sharing his stories enthusiastically about the history of his family business established in 1970 and his life as a breeder.
From the initial establishment of the Rosedale Charolais Stud the Millner family convinced Australian cattlemen of the importance of the Charolais breed to the beef industry. From this humble start to continuously improving the genetics of the herd to this day, it has required generations’ of hard work and determination.
And this my friends, is only the breeding part! I have not even got to the caring and maintenance part of the herd yet.
It has come to my realisation that there is a lot more than what “meats” the eye when it comes to cattle breeding and farming! As we are so far removed from the paddock side of things from being the end consumer, we forget about the amount of dedication that has gone into producing the Australian Beef we have today. I say this even though I drive by grazing cows on my daily commute, I still didn’t understand what happens from farm to table.
The next filming location was a visit to one of my favourite eateries in Orange, the Smoking Brothers. If there is anything to go by, my Instagram posts are my witness ha! Run by twin brothers, Smoking Brothers specialises in Southern American-styled barbecue cuisine and artisan condiments. Additionally, they are proud consumers of local Australian Beef!
Their specialty is the melt-in-your-mouth smoked brisket, bursting with flavours and incredibly addictive! Besides the smoked brisket, I am more than happy to go back to Smoking Brothers to seek more wisdom from Ben (one half of the Smoking Brothers) on how to cook various cuts of beef. On that night, Ben has treated us with his off the menu smoky and tender beef cheek dish which was divine!
When it comes to cooking beef, his attention to detail (to a point of taking into account the grain of the meat!) is refreshing. A lot of time, money and effort was invested to put together a smoker that ensures perfectly cooked beef. To me, it shows a chef who has high appreciation on the ingredients he works with. He also mentioned that the house made rub and condiments are designed to complement the beef, ensuring it has a place on the plate to shine!
My family do not consume a lot of beef at home but when we feel it is time to up our protein and iron intake, we splurge out for Australian steaks! Before I came to Australia, it was instilled in me by my parents to trust the quality of Australian Beef. My encounters with James and Ben have reaffirmed as to “why” I trust the quality of Australian Beef.
All this Australian beef talk is making me a tad hungry for a substantial piece of juicy and flavourful steak ha! With this, I am going to share with you my own steak marinade that will yield an end result that will rival a good local pub steak!
Ingredients
- 1 small French shallots, finely chopped
- 5 Tbsps cooking oil (e.g. olive/canola/rice bran oil)
- 1 ½ Tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce
- 2 tsps dried Italian herbs
- Freshly milled black pepper (about 1/2 tsp worth)
- 2 T-bone steaks (about 700g)
Instructions
- With a fork, whisk all the ingredients together until the mixture emulsifies.
- Marinate the steaks with the mixture for at least one hour or preferably overnight.
- Before grilling, scrape off the marinade and shallots using a paper towel to avoid excessive burnt bits on the surface of the steak.
Notes
This is marinade is not very salty and it simply creates a “briny” environment to tenderise and plump up the steaks ensuring tender and juicy texture. In terms of flavour, I would add more salt to taste after cooking.
Besides steaks on a barbecue, there are many ways to cook this nutrient dense protein. Here are a few ways for you to cook beef at home. Enjoy!
Actually mouth watering! Photography is absolutely incredible too!
This really does look delicious.