Roast beef - pink at ends?

[Slarti]

I've been meaning to post about this for weeks, but only think of it when the PC is off.

When I roast a boned and rolled beef joint for Sunday dinner, because Mrs S hates to have any blood showing in her meat I tend to cook it at gas mark 1 for about twice the time that would be normal. This ends up with the meat moist and tender but not bloody.

But, since I started doing this, I've noticed that the ends of the joint are pinker than the middle and I'm sure that when I cooked it at higher temps for a shorter time it used to be the other way round.

Is my memory playing tricks on me and it was always pinker in the middle?

If not, why do the ends stay pink?

Slarti

[redsturgeon]

I've been meaning to post about this for weeks, but only think of it when the PC is off.

When I roast a boned and rolled beef joint for Sunday dinner, because Mrs S hates to have any blood showing in her meat I tend to cook it at gas mark 1 for about twice the time that would be normal. This ends up with the meat moist and tender but not bloody.

But, since I started doing this, I've noticed that the ends of the joint are pinker than the middle and I'm sure that when I cooked it at higher temps for a shorter time it used to be the other way round.

Is my memory playing tricks on me and it was always pinker in the middle?

If not, why do the ends stay pink?

Slarti

Is what you are seeing what is known as the smoke ring in BBQ circles?

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_techniq ... _ring.html

John

[Slarti]

Is what you are seeing what is known as the smoke ring in BBQ circles?

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_techniq ... _ring.html

John

I don't think so as the middle of the roll is pretty even in colour, while the end 2 or 3 slices from each end are pinker in the middle while the outsides are the normal darker colour of the outside of a joint.

If that makes sense.

Slarti

[CindSein]

Is it the problem of the beef????

[TonyB]

I think it is likely to be the 'smoke ring' as identified by RS and maybe caused by the combustion gases from your gas oven. Its likely that this 'pinkness' is actually just underneath all the surface of your joint but because the end slices are essentially all surface just more noticeable than a mid slice which is mostly non surface. Next time you roast a joint, have a close look at a centre slice to see if you can see a small pink layer near the surface.

You can create a similar effect by brining the meat for a short period of time by adding some curing salts containing sodium nitrite to the the brine, the longer you leave it in the larger the layer of pink.

TonyB

[Slarti]

I think it is likely to be the 'smoke ring' as identified by RS and maybe caused by the combustion gases from your gas oven. Its likely that this 'pinkness' is actually just underneath all the surface of your joint but because the end slices are essentially all surface just more noticeable than a mid slice which is mostly non surface. Next time you roast a joint, have a close look at a centre slice to see if you can see a small pink layer near the surface.

You can create a similar effect by brining the meat for a short period of time by adding some curing salts containing sodium nitrite to the the brine, the longer you leave it in the larger the layer of pink.

TonyB

It is only something that I have noticed since going to very low and slow cooking, so as to get no blood and tender, but I will check next time we do a beef joint in a few weeks and report back.

Out this Sunday, chicken scheduled for the following, so it might be the one after that.


Slarti

[TonyB]

I think the article referenced above explains the chemistry sufficiently that you will only get the 'pinkness' when using low temperatures. If its something that is putting you off you could start the joint off at a high temp say for 15 or 20 mins or brown the ends in a frying pan then roast at low as normal, this will also have the advantage of giving you a little bit of caramelisation on the surface.

TonyB