Tough Love for Meat

Big, tough chunks of meat or thin, tender slices--which cooks up best in the microwave? The answer is both.

The less-tender pieces, such as bottom round steak, will become tender if they are “pot-roasted” in lots of liquid on lower heat. The meat and liquid are first cooked on HIGH power to bring the temperature up, then the power is lowered to MEDIUM to simmer until tender. A lid or plastic wrap cover keeps in the steam given off by the cooking broth. That flavorful broth, loaded with vegetables, is then saved and spooned up for a tasty appetizer soup.

Tender strips, on the other hand, should be cooked on HIGH power and require no extra liquid. A 10-inch pie plate is the right diameter of dish to contain all the ingredients without spreading out the meat so thinly that it overcooks.

After the initial cooking of the garlic, the meat is arranged in a ring around the rim of the dish. This is so that the meat cooks more evenly from the space created in the center and the outside edge along the rim of the dish. The broccoli is added later because it takes less time to cook.

BOILED BEEF AND POTATOES WITH HORSERADISH AND MUSTARD

1 (2-pound) bottom round steak, trimmed

2 1/4 cups water

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

3 whole cloves

4 black peppercorns

2 sprigs parsley

1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried

4 medium boiling potatoes, washed but unpeeled

Horseradish

Mustard

Combine meat and 2 cups water in 2- to 3-quart microwave-proof casserole. Cover with lid or plastic wrap, turned back slightly on 1 side. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) 10 to 12 minutes.

Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery to meat. Stir in whole cloves, peppercorns, parsley and thyme. Cover again and continue to microwave on HIGH until boiling, 10 to 12 minutes.

Turn meat over. Cover again and microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 25 to 40 minutes, or until meat is tender. Let stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes.

Combine potatoes with remaining 1/4 cup water in 1-quart microwave-proof casserole. Cover with lid or plastic wrap, turned back slightly, and microwave on HIGH 8 to 12 minutes or until tender. Let stand, covered, until serving time.

Remove beef and potatoes from respective casseroles and reserve cooking liquid and remaining vegetables for Vegetable Beef Soup. Keep warm until after soup has been served.

To serve, thinly slice beef across grain and serve with potatoes, with horseradish and mustard on the side. Makes 8 servings, 206 calories per serving.

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

Reserved cooking liquid and vegetables from Boiled Beef

Freshly grated nutmeg

Remove 2 cups combined vegetables and broth and divide between 2 bowls. Top each bowl of soup with nutmeg. (Refrigerate remaining broth for another meal or serve.) Makes 2 cups, 52 calories per cup.

SLICED-BEEF-AND-ALFALFA-SPROUTS SANDWICH

1 ounce whole-wheat pita bread, cut in half

Mustard

Horseradish

2 ounces thinly sliced boiled beef

Sliced radishes

Alfalfa sprouts

Spread bread with mustard and horseradish to taste. Fill with beef, radish slices and alfalfa sprouts. Makes 1 sandwich, 224 calories.

BEEF TERIYAKI WITH BROCCOLI

3/4 pound round steak, cut into 1/4-inch strips

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons grated ginger root

1 pound broccoli, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

4 green onions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

Whole-wheat soba noodles, cooked

Cut beef strips into 3-inch pieces. Combine soy sauce, orange juice, vinegar and cornstarch in medium bowl. Stir in beef and let stand to marinate 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.

Combine sesame oil, garlic and ginger in 10-inch pie plate. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) 35 seconds. With slotted spoon, remove meat from marinade and stir into ginger-garlic mixture. Push meat to outer rim of dish, leaving center open. Cover with lid or plastic wrap, turned back slightly. Microwave on HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until meat is still slightly pink. Add broccoli and green onions to meat. Cover again and microwave on HIGH 1 to 3 minutes or until broccoli is tender-crisp.

To serve, place 1/2 cup cooked soba noodles on each plate and spoon over 1 1/2 cups broccoli and beef. Makes 4 servings, 349 calories per serving.

Note : Meat is easier to slice if it is still frozen. Unwrap frozen piece of meat and place it on microwave roasting rack or dish and microwave on DEFROST 5 to 8 minutes or until still slightly frozen. Slice meat as equal in thickness as possible for even cooking.