Beef Heel
By: Anonymous

About

Beef heel muscle is a Chinese cut of meat. It has considerable amounts of connective tissue and when cooked it balls up to resemble some sort of internal organ. Other beef cuts with a bit of fat and plenty of connective tissue, like rib meat, shank or chuck are fine too. Cut into small chunks and cook for 2 hours. Most Chinese plain noodles are suitable, but thin, round noodles are most common for this dish in Taiwan. The vegetables from the stock can be eaten separately.

Information
Other names: Heel of Round, Denver Pot Roast, Diamond Roast, Pike's Peak Roast
Translations: Liellopu Papēža, Jautienos Heel, Carne de vită Heel, Govedina Heel, Thịt bò gót, Heel wołowiny, Heel Beef, गोमांस खीर, Carne Heel, Говядина Каблук, Βοείου κρέατος Heel, لحوم البقر الكعب, 쇠고기 뒤꿈치, Hovězí paty, Baka takong, 牛肉脚跟, Carn de taló, Goveje meso Heel, Hovädzie päty, Manzo Heel, בקר Heel, Nötkött Heel, Говеђа Пета, 牛肉ヒール, Boeuf talon, Oksekød Heel, Carne de tacón, Яловичина Каблук, Naudanliha Heel, Говеждо пета


Physical Description
This cut comes from the end of the round, right before the shank of the leg on the cow and as such has pieces of several different muscles.
Colors: Should be a deep red with little internal marbling


Tasting Notes
Flavors: Deep and meaty flavor
Mouthfeel: If undercooked it will be very tough and stringy.
Food complements: Goes well with root vegetables.
Wine complements: A full bodied red that can stand up to the deep flavor of the meat.
Beverage complements: Brandy
Substitutes: Any other beef parts.


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: Choose a beef heel that is muscular and red in color. Don't choose one that looks dried up, browned or wrinkled. Then, it's too old and about to get rancid.
Buying: Beef heel is available at any butcher's shop for the freshest and best price. Though they can be offered at your local grocery stores in the meat section, as well as Asian markets.


Preparation and Use
 
Cleaning: Clean the beef heel by chopping it up and boiling away all the toxins that come with raw meat.


Conserving and Storing
Store any leftovers in the freezer for longer storage and an airtight container in the refrigerator for immediate use.