Galicia chuck
The chuck, a piece that we extract from the shoulder close to the shoulder blade, is the king of simmer!
The gelatinous stripe that crosses it in its centre and its marbling give it an amazing texture and this incomparable mellowness while melting, during a long and low-key cooking.
Galicia beef, or Rubia Gallega, is a race of meat of exception originally from Galicia, a region in the North West of Spain.
This land, mountainous and temperate all year round, allows the animals to be left in nature in all season.
Close to the Atlantic Ocean , the beasts feed on lush and salty grass from the sea spray, of clovers and sea plants.
The farming is very extensive: farmers raise their cattle as if each animal was a pet, making sure they don't undergo any kind of stress. For example, the calves are never separated from their mother. These farming methods ensure an extremely tender meat. Moreover, while a classical butcher's shop beef is killed within 3 to 5 years, a Galicia Blond is killed within 8 to 15 years. This mature age gives the beasts an intense taste.
Taste-wise, this meat's major asset, ideal for a long ageing, is the important but harmonious concentration of intramuscular fat, also known as "marbling". It actually is about thin layers of fat that give the meat its marbled aspect, but also and especially its extreme tenderness and its delicate buttery taste, slightly spicy and salty.
Galicia beef has been elected "best meat of the world" by Beef Magazine in 2013 and supported in 2014 by the television report Steak Revolution. We're talking about a meat not only of exception which invites itself at the great starred chefs' table but also of sustainable luxury and which respects nature.
The savouring of a piece of Galicia's Blond is an event you won't forget!
In its vacuum pack, the meat can be stored 7 days in the fridge.
In its wrapping, the meat can be stored for a maximum of 2 to 3 days, at a temperature between 2°C to 4°C.
To extend the storage time limit, you may use the freezer.
We nevertheless recommend you consume it within 3 months.
Preferably, take the meat out of the freezer 24 hours in advance and let it slowly defrost in the fridge.
If you prepare it bourguignon- or tajine-style, simmered, allow 1h30 of cooking and 45 min of pressure cooker.
You may cook it one day, and warm it up the next, it will be even better! You should also think about cooking large quantities so you can store one part in the freezer: the simmered dishes are very well stored there and you will gain time for your meals to come.