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Interview with Matthew Burgess
By: Steaklovers
What different breeds of cattle are you using at Maze?
We are using Casterbridge which is a cross breed of Dexter
and Hereford, Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Creekstone U.S.D.A
bred in Kansas and Wagyu (black Angus) from New Zealand and
Australia as the Japanese do not export their prime meat.
What is the secret to cooking good steak?
Using high heat over coals and cooking the steak quickly.
If the cut of beef has been aged correctly, the right solidification
of the blood has happened and you have medium marbling you will have
a fantastic flavoured juicy steak.
What is important to know when buying steak, what should you look for?
Most importantly, always try to use a local butcher. Don’t buy your meat from
a supermarket as most meat has been wet aged which results in lesser quality.
Depending on what cut your buying here is a quick breakdown
Sirloin -the fat on the meat should be dry and leave a slight oily texture on your
fingers. The meat should have medium amount of marbling and there should be minimal
amount of blood coming from the meat.
Ribeye is a naturally fatty cut of meat with 3 muscles running through it.
As for Sirloin, look for little blood and good marbling.
Fillet is an unused muscle and so should contain very little fat,
the marbling should be even and be very soft to the touch.
Which cut is your personal favourite?
Bone in Ribeye (Cote du Boeuf) as it contains the best flavour, ages well and is very moist.
What is your best tip for those who want to cook a great steak at home?
Most homes do not contain American range char broilers or char grills apart from a BBQ so
when I cook a steak at home I open all the windows, take out the batteries from the fire
alarm and get my heavy base pan smoking hot without oil (lightly brush oil on steak before
you cook) then let the steak go in the pan. There will be a lot of smoke, quickly cook it
on both sides, let it rest and enjoy!
What questions should you ask a butcher?
Most butchers will think you have been watching too much Jamie Oliver cooking shows if you
go and ask too many questions but I think fair questions should be;
What breed is the animal?
How long has it been hung?
Has it been aged?
Where did it come from?
How thick should a steak be?
At Maze Grill we serve our Ribeyes’ at 10 ounces, Sirloins at 8 ounces and Fillets
at 8 ounces, most recommended is 8 ounces or 220 grams. We had one customer from
Texas come to eat, after his meal came to the kitchen to thank me and explained his
local steak house does a Rib-eye at 30 ounces and if you eat it all, it’s free!!!
What is your opinion on fat and marbling?
Fat and marbling is essential when cooking a good steak as it’s where all the flavour lies.
There must always be good marbling in your cut of meat. If there isn’t, the animal has usually
been genetically grown quickly for the market, wet aged, sold cheap and usually had a pretty bad
life. We always get the skinny woman in asking to cut off the fat before we cook it, I will always
go to the table with the cut of meat explaining why it must be cooked with fat.
Tell us a bit about the wagyu beef, what is it and why is it so expensive?
Wagyu refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to
producing a high percentage of unsaturated fat. The meat from Wagyu cattle is known worldwide
for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavour,
tenderness and juiciness. In several areas of Japan, beef is shipped with area names. Some
examples are Kobe, Mishima, Ōmi beef and Sanda beef. Highly priced for their rich flavour,
these cattle produce arguably the finest beef in the world. These different breeds produce
beef that range from expensive to extremely expensive.
Some of the biggest Wagyū herds outside of Japan are farmed in New Zealand, both in feedlot and pastoral environments.
Australian Wagyu cattle are grain fed. Australian Wagyu Association is the largest Breed Association outside Japan.
Both Fullblood and Wagyu cross cattle are farmed in Australia for domestic and overseas markets, including Taiwan,
China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, the U.K, France, Germany, Denmark and the U.S.A.
What are the benefits to buying British meat?
For me there are a lot of purebred cattle in the UK such as Hereford, Aberdeen Angus,
Dexter, Shorthorn and the list goes on, British climate ensures a long ageing process
and more flavour in the meat.
How do you best bring out the flavour in a steak?
High cooking temperatures ensure the meats natural sugars and fat coming out,
caramelising for perfect flavour!!
What is your opinion on cooking with marinades?
You see a lot of tenderizing marinades in hotter countries due to their hanging process
where there isn’t much flavour in the meat it is a lot tougher due to no ageing.
Do you prefer dry or wet aging and why?
Beef must be allowed to age between slaughter and cooking, to disperse some of the bloody taste
and allow the flavour of the beef to mature. There are two techniques used for aging beef: wet
aging, and dry aging, and they result in very different flavours and textures. Most chefs on meat
agree that dry aged beef has a superior flavour and it is often found at most fine dining establishments in London.
Wet aged beef tends to be cheaper, and dominates the meat market; almost 90% of the beef sold commercially is wet
aged which is due to consumer demand and price. My preference is dry aged as it contains more flavour.
Which is your favourite dish at Maze Grill?
The 2 crab linguine with shell fish bisque and the Hereford bone in Rib-eye with sauce bordelaise.
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Don't miss Matthew Burgess's
delicious recipes here at steaklovers.net »
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