What to use instead of beef chuck
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
Advertisement
Collagen-rich cut that turns tender over a long braise
Chuck is hard-working shoulder full of connective tissue. Hours of wet heat convert that collagen to gelatin, which is what makes the meat shreddable and gives the sauce its cling.
Boneless beef short ribRan out
1:1 by weight
More fat and more collagen, so it is richer and shreds sooner. Skim the pot; there will be a lot of rendered fat on top.
Beef shank, the osso buco cutRan out
1:1 by weight
The most gelatin of any cut, so the sauce sets to a jelly in the fridge. Needs an extra hour and there is more waste around the bone.
Brisket pointRan out
1:1 by weight
Cooks into slices along the grain rather than chunks. Use the fatty point; the flat end goes stringy in a stew.
OxtailRan out
1 1/2 lb oxtail per 1 lb chuck, to allow for the bone
The richest of the lot and the most work to eat. Four hours minimum before it gives up.
Lamb or pork shoulderRan out
1:1 by weight
Same structure and much the same timing. Pork is sweeter and about an hour faster; lamb pushes a goulash toward the Middle East.
What doesn't work: Pre-cut supermarket stew meat trimmed from round or sirloin. Those muscles barely work and carry almost no collagen, so long cooking only squeezes water out of them; three hours makes them drier and stringier rather than tender.
Browned beef flavour and body in a chilli or goulash
The fond from searing chuck is where most of the meat flavour in the finished pot comes from, and the fat that renders out is what carries paprika or chilli through the sauce.
80/20 ground beef, browned hard in batchesRan out
1:1 by weight
No shreds, so the chilli is uniform rather than chunky, and it is done in 45 minutes instead of three hours.
Bison or venison, with added fatRan out
1:1 by weight, plus 2 tbsp oil or a chopped rasher of bacon
Much leaner and more mineral-tasting. Without the added fat it goes dry the moment it passes tender.
Shredded king oyster mushroom with cooked lentilsPlant-based
8 oz mushroom + 1 cup cooked brown lentils + 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tsp tomato paste per 1 lb chuck
Gets the shredded texture and a good deal of savour. The sauce never picks up gelatin body, so finish with an extra tablespoon of oil.
What doesn't work: Beef stock plus a cheaper lean cut. The stock adds salt and background, and it cannot put back the rendered fat and gelatin that were supposed to come out of the meat itself; the chilli tastes well seasoned and still watery.