Salute to Beef: Locker owner shares tips for the best cuts, preparation methods

By Mitchell Hanson, mhanson@charlescitypress.com

The secret to great beef? Corn-fed cattle. And Iowa’s full of corn.

That’s why Iowans love their hamburgers, steaks, ribs and roasts, according to Roger Meirick, owner and manager of the Elma Locker and Grocery.

“We have the best corn-fed beef,” he stated. “And a million different things can be made from beef.”

What one makes, however, will be determined by the cut of meat used.

“The quality of cuts is so different,” Meirick stated. “High quality is well and evenly marbled.” He cites genetics and diet to be the most significant factors in how top-quality beef gets from the farm to our table.

One simple rule, he noted, was that fat equals flavor. That’s why Meirick is partial to the well-marbled ribeye steak when in the mood for some red meat — something he has in common with his customers.

“Our most popular steaks are ribeyes and tenderloins,” he said.

Enjoying a fine steak on its own is of high importance to Meirick. Though any cut of beef can benefit from a little sauce or seasoning, he states that the ribeye is “the most flavorful steak without anything added.”

His personal ranking of steaks went from the ribeye to the sirloin, with the t-bone, filet mignon and flatiron in between.

Beside finding a well-marbled cut, Meirick offered another simple rule to make the most out of a good steak.

“Don’t overcook it,” he said. “The more you cook it, the less flavor you get. It’ll be drier and chewier. Aim for rare to medium-rare.”

To clarify, he added that “people are so different on what they like, and it’s their own preference,” but he likes his steak cooked and flipped once on the grill, medium rare.

Of course, one’s appetite for beef encompasses far more than just steaks. Meirick went on to discuss roasts and his preferred kind: the similarly well-marbled chuck roast.

He also described the difference between roasts, explaining that “a round roast will be drier and leaner. It’s used for tenderized cube steaks and jerky.” If eaten on its own, Meirick recommended using a marinade to help break down the muscle tissue in a round roast.

He also stressed that a roast of any kind should always be sliced against the grain, to avoid it becoming stringy.

Meirick continued to describe various cuts of beef, moving from ubiquitous ground beef to the wholly unorthodox — heart, tongue and the previously common liver.

“Beef liver is good!” he said. He cooks his medium rare, dusted in flour and sauteed in butter. He added that the heart is another good organ meat, but expressed a fondness for beef tongue.

“It’s really tender and soft,” he explained. “It pulls apart well, and works really good in tacos.”

Whatever you decide to grill, roast or saute – from crispy-edged hamburgers to ultra-rare steak to well-roasted heart – Meirick was unquestionable in his final statement about beef: “It’s the best protein you can have.”

And with so many cuts, varieties, and yes, even organs, to choose from, he urged a restless spirit of experimentation with whatever one chooses to fire up this summer.