Beef. There could be an entire college or culinary school year long class just to study it. Types of beef, the parts or cuts of the cow, the best beef for a particular recipe, how to choose it, it’s an overwhelming amount of information for the consumer or home cook. In this Savory Ingredient Spotlight, Latin Chef Victor Albisu strives to explain beef basics. He is a Cordon Bleu graduate, with an deep family history in meats, Latin America, and food. Victor apprenticed with his Peruvian mother, owner of a Latin Grocery store, working closely with Argentine and Uruguayan butchers.
“Beef in Argentina is like wine in France,” he explains, “the style of butchering is distinctive, and the trade is highly respected.” Working long hours as a student making chorizo and matambres (latin stuffed meats), Victor absorbed all that he could about beef culture, and then went on to culinary school. Since then, he has been a chef at the 3 star Michelin restaurant Arpège, and Chef de Cuisine at Ceiba restaurant, and now is involved in his own ventures.
Join Chef Victor Albisu as he celebrates beef, and explains the basics, in these two videos. Cheers!
