Costata by R.Borgacci

What's this

What is the rib?

Chest or loin - also known internationally with the French noun "entrecôte" - is the name used to indicate what, after the tenderloin, is generally considered the most prized cut of beef.

Known to most as "sirloin", from an exclusively semantic point of view, the rib corresponds to a specific muscle group: the loin. On the other hand, in Italy, this term is used to indicate mainly the cut of beef; in contrast, the noun "loin" is common to all other animals such as the pig.

The rib steak, in addition to being quite expensive, also has decent nutritional properties. Obviously, as with all cuts of meat and various fishery products, these depend above all on: the subspecies or animal race, sex, age, nutritional status and processing level. Generally, being naturally poor in connective tissue, although it is moderately stressed in the movements of the animal, the loin is generally tender, not too fat - although this can vary a lot depending on the trimming, breed and breeding method - and medium digestible.

From a strictly dietary point of view, the rib steak belongs to the first fundamental group of foods - foods rich in high biological value proteins, vitamins (especially water-soluble from group B) and specific minerals (especially iron). However, cholesterol is not lacking, saturated fats - fortunately not prevalent on unsaturated fats - abundant purines and phenylalanine amino acid - these last two factors, not tolerated by those suffering from the specific metabolic complication. In general, large portions of rib are always inadvisable; even more so in overweight, hypercholesterolemia, hyperuricemia, phenylketonuria, in those suffering from digestive complications and liver or kidney diseases.

In the kitchen, the rib is used above all to prepare second courses; this does not remove the fact that it can be an excellent quality ingredient for selected minced destined for sauces, meatballs, hamburgers, etc. It is suitable for intense and quick cooking, such as grilling, grilling and possibly in the pan. Being particularly soft, it lends itself to being eaten "in the blood. Note : sometimes, the rib is replaced by a less valuable and much less expensive cut of meat, the rump.

The quality of the rib does not only depend on the raw material, but also on the processing. In fact, it is one of the cuts that changes the most following the maturation, that is the sort of "mummification" in cold storage - at low temperature but above 0 ° C - necessary to let the meat dry and to make it mature superior taste and aroma. However, this causes a lower yield of the meat, which dehydrates and requires a greater degree of trimming before cooking - to discard the slightly unpleasant surface layer from the aromatic point of view - loses weight and increases in cost.

Nutritional Properties

Nutritional properties of the rib

It can be placed in the first fundamental group, the rib is a food rich in high biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals. It has a medium or high energy intake - depending on the breed, the state of nutrition and the level of cleansing of the superficial fat - but it can also fluctuate a lot according to the variables we mentioned in the introduction.

Calories are supplied mainly by proteins and lipids; carbohydrates are absent. Peptides have a high biological value, that is they contain all the essential amino acids in the right quantities and proportions with respect to the human model. The prevalent amino acids are: glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine and leucine. Fatty acids are mainly unsaturated, especially monounsaturated, sometimes followed almost equally by the saturated; the polyunsaturates constitute the least relevant portion. Cholesterol is present in significant amounts but all in all acceptable.

The rib does not contain dietary fiber, gluten and lactose; if matured, it can mature small concentrations of histamine. Instead it has significant amounts of purines and phenylalanine amino acids.

From the vitamin point of view, the rib is a food that does not differ from the average of the products belonging to the same category - meats. It contains above all water-soluble vitamins of group B, in particular niacin (vit PP), pyridoxine (vit B6) and cobalamin (vit B12); thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), pantothenic acid (vit B5), biotin (vit H) and folates are less relevant. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and all the fat-soluble (vit A, vit D, vit E, vit K) appear to be absent or irrelevant.

Even with regards to mineral salts, the ribs do not stray too far from their group. The content of iron is good, but also of zinc and phosphorus; also brings potassium.

Diet

Costata in the diet

Rib is a food that can be included in most diets, but not frequently and systematically. If obtained from a young animal, then lean, without the addition of condiments and well trimmed from superficial fat, it could also be used in the diet of certain clinical conditions such as severe overweight and hypercholesterolemia. On the contrary, it would be better to prefer lean meats like chicken breast, turkey breast, horse muscle, pork rib, lean fish, etc.

The rib, rich in high biological value proteins, is very useful in the diet of those who have a greater need for all the essential amino acids; for example: pregnancy and lactation, growth, extremely intense and / or prolonged sports, old age - due to an eating disorder and a tendency to geriatric malabsorption - pathological malabsorption, recovery from specific or generalized malnutrition, debasement etc.

For the reasonable content of cholesterol and the acceptable percentage of saturated fats, it can be used in the diet against hypercholesterolemia, provided that the portion and frequency of consumption are acceptable. Note : in food therapy against dyslipidemia it is however less appropriate than fish - pinnutes properly called - rich in omega 3 (EPA and DHA). It is a neutral food for diets aimed at subjects suffering from hyperglycemia or type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension, except in the presence of severe overweight.

The rib is one of the products to be avoided, or to be consumed with extreme moderation, in the case of severe hyperuricemia - a tendency to gout - and calculosis or renal lithiasis with uric acid crystals. It should be completely excluded from the phenylketonuria diet. It does not show contraindications for lactose intolerance and for celiac disease; it should also be harmless for histamine intolerance.

The rib is an appreciable source of bio-available iron and participates in the coverage of metabolic needs, which is higher in fertile, pregnant women, marathon runners and vegetarians - especially in vegans. Note : iron deficiency can lead to iron deficiency anemia. It contributes to satisfying the phosphorus requirement, a very abundant mineral in the body - in particular in the bones in the form of hydroxyapatite, in the phospholipids of the cell membranes and in the nervous tissue etc. The zinc content - essential for hormone production and antioxidant enzymes - is more than appreciable. It is not to be considered an essential source of potassium, but still participates in satisfying the organism's request - greater in case of increased sweating, for example in sports, increased diuresis and diarrhea; the lack of this alkalizing ion - necessary for the membrane potential and very useful in the fight against primary arterial hypertension - induces, especially related to lack of magnesium and dehydration, the onset of muscle cramps and general weakness.

The rib is very rich in B vitamins, all coenzymatic factors of great importance in cellular processes. It can therefore be considered an excellent support for the functioning of the various body tissues.

It is not allowed in the vegetarian and vegan diet. It is inadequate for Hindu and Buddhist food; the beef rib should be considered a kosher and halal food - as long as it meets the specific slaughtering criteria. After total cooking, it is also allowed in the diet during pregnancy. The average portion of rib is about 100-150 g.

Kitchen

Cook the rib

The rib is a cut of meat that lends itself to any type of preparation, but could be defined less suitable in boiled and stewed meats. On the other hand, due to its chemical and physical characteristics - lack of connective tissue - organoleptic and gustatory, it is used above all in recipes with partial cooking - called blood.

Due to the high cost, it is unlikely that the rib is used in the formulation of mixed minced meats, for example for hamburgers, meatballs, sausages, ragù, etc. The most suitable methods of heat transmission are conduction (from metal to meat; more rarely from oil to meat), convection (from air to meat) and radiation (from embers, which release infrared, to meat) . The recommended temperatures are almost always very high and the times generally low or moderate; some recommend low temperature cooking, but it is a predominantly "niche" system that does not particularly enhance this product. The most widely used cooking techniques or systems are: grilled and spit-roasted - both grilled and gas and stone - baked, grilled, pan-fried and, albeit rarely, fried.

The most famous recipes based on rib chops are: grilled rib steak - considered a Florentine steak without fillet - t-bone and porterhouse. The most famous recipes based on ribs without bone are: sliced ​​beef (grilled or on the plate) with rocket and parmesan, or with garlic oil and rosemary, roast type roast beef, pan-fried slices with parsley, frayed of beef with balsamic vinegar, carpaccio or tartare - albeit less widely than the fillet - etc.

The food and wine pairing depends above all on the specific recipe. In principle, well structured red wines are recommended, especially those based on San Giovese, for example the very classic Chianti.

Description

Description of the cost

Anatomically speaking, the costata - although it would be more correct to speak in the plural, since every being has two (one on each side) - it is therefore constituted by the lumbar muscle. This, which has the function of supporting the weight of the back and belly, and extending the spine from the center of the body to the hips, is placed in the hind quarters of the beast. It has a more or less cylindrical or ellipsoidal and elongated shape. It is found in the most external loggia and is partly covered by subcutaneous adipose tissue, above which is the skin; inferiorly and laterally, it remains attached to the lumbar vertebrae.

It must also be emphasized that the lumbar muscles are divided into two types: the front one - towards the head - and the back one - towards the tail; in English these two cuts take the name of short loin (translated: "first loin or short loin") and sirloin (translated: "rump or, more generally, sirloin") - in this order - in the middle of which, from the opposite the vertebral column, is the fillet - ileopsoas muscle, in English "tenderloin". Note: Sirloin is a term used to indicate any muscle bundle other than the fillet, in cuts of meat with bone - T-bone, Florentine, etc.

In addition to singularly, the sirloin can be part of larger and more complex cuts of meat, such as Fiorentina steak, t-bone, porterhouse, carrè - of veal or pork - chops - pork or mutton or of sheep etc.