[Sca-cooks] Chuck vs Bottom Round

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Apr 27, 2008, at 11:18 PM, Barbara Benson wrote:

> Hello!
>
> In keeping with the chat regarding keeping prices down for feast I
> have a dilemma. I managed to find Boneless Chuck Roast on sale last
> week and bought as much as I could, which unfortunately turned out to
> be only enough to feed half of my feast. I have that downstairs in my
> freezer. And Chuck is what I tested my recipe on, so I know how it
> will react.
>
> Now there is a sale on Bottom Round Roast and I am wondering if the
> two cuts can be treated in the same manner. The cooking method is a
> long, low braise (like a pot roast).

Cubes or multi-serving, roast-like chunks?

> For those of you who are much
> more knowledgeable about meat I see my options as thus:
>
> 1) Buy the balance of the meat in Bottom Round and cook both.
> 2) Keep the chuck for my family's use over the next couple of months
> and buy all Bottom Round at the reduced price.
> 3) Stick with the Chuck and make up the difference with the
> non-discounted Chuck I can get at Sam's.
>
> What should I do? Is there enough of a difference between Chuck and
> Round in flavor that it will significantly impact my recipe? From what
> I can determine the biggest difference is that Chuck is fattier than
> Round. Can I make up the difference by getting some free beef fat and
> larding the Round roast?

You could certainly do that, but it sounds rather labor-intensive when  
done in quantity. My own opinion is that the two cuts are reasonably  
similar in many respects, but not identical, and if this is something  
akin to a pot roast or sauerbraten type dish, I'd go with the round,  
and if a stew type dish, the chuck.

Personally, I prefer chuck in general: while it is somewhat fattier,  
it's also got more connective tissue, which, when braised slowly,  
makes for a moister texture and a more gelatin-rich, more velvety  
broth/gravy/sauce.

But bottom round in a big chunk slices better than chuck, generally.

If this is a stew-like dish, you could probably mix them if the round  
is cut slightly smaller than the chuck: it can be a bit dryer because  
it's leaner and has less collagen, but in smaller pieces the surface- 
area (presumably some liquid will adhere) to mass ratio will make a  
difference.

Adamantius




"Most men worry about their own bellies, and other people's souls,  
when we all ought to worry about our own souls, and other people's  
bellies."
			-- Rabbi Israel Salanter