Thai-french Beef

[bellagrego]

Hi, Esaan Beef lovers. Don't get bent out of shape if you have a different view than the one I am going to report here. Food and suppliers are subjective and we all have opinions. First , let me say, I heard many positive reports about this hidden jewel bef supplier in , should I say,m out 10K from Sakon Nakon. After six months and many querries , I found a nice guy,m from America, that could actual give precise directions to this hidden from view, signed in Thai, purveyor of beef, of sorts.

I hopped on my trusty scooter and found it this time. Down the new fresh concrete, around the curve and up to the place to find that prime/choice/good as Aussie beef. Easy as pie, there is was, butchering in full view non-stop on some red meat. Checked the cleanliness that was disable and all looked OK. Checked the menu and prices. higher than a cat's ass I might add. Filet at 1000, ribeye, 700, sirloin 400. That is gross per kilo. Regardless of my budget I reached deep and bouht two nice ribeyes and 2 sirloins. That was 100baht out the door on order. The meat was cut and I was aghast at the lack of trimming. The ribeyes, double tail on would experience a 50% loss in fat and grissle as well as another 20% in excessive,non aged overwet presentation. That worked out to about a small fortune in baht each. Going with the only game in town premis and the high reports I had been given, I took my fresh kill home and proceeded to prepare properly the steaks. Three days of ageing, one day of marinate and then they were ready to go. Sorry to say, the end result, after all that baht and all that work was dismal at best. The finished product was tough, stringy, and unfit to be called beef. In fact, it appeared to be on the hoof about 8-9 months till slaughter and the feed, wild range grass with rice husk. what should one expect under those growing conditions. Bottom line.

This is Thai meat, tough and rough, not USA corn fed, not Auzzie quality either. Save your money, forget steak in Thailand except a trip to Brunos or MataHari in Pattaya, or a high dollar hotel in bangkok. Eat the pork, It is far better in quality and cheaper too. Makro, Tesco, and Big C, as well as the local markets kill daily and a prime filet is as good as it gets.

bella

[metisdead]

I have bought a lot of Thai French sirloin and rib eye steaks over the years and have never had a tough one. I buy at the Villa Market downtown BKK. In that aspect, maybe by the time I have bought my steaks, they have been properly aged? I googled aging of beef and due to copyrights am unable to post a quote, however it stated that the aging process is between 21-28 days at 32-34 degrees fahrenheit with relative humidity of 85-100%. Therefore the 3 day aging process is not adequate.

You bought your beef freshly slaughtered and not aged properly, therefore the toughness.

[ericthai]

Can you advise where this shop is? I would like to give it a try. I too buy from villa in BKK adn they are always good. Actually bought from Tops and they are ok, eatable. DO you have a phone number for this guy and where in Issan?

[bkksw]

Let's not bad mouth Thai-French beef lest we end up having to eat just Thai beef..

I've been buying Thai-French beef for over four years now.. and have never been disappointed. In a blind side by side taste test I did once, most (all but one) preferred Thai-French fillets over Argentine and US fillets purchased from the same place (Villa) at the same time and prepared exactly the same at the same time..

Thai-French beef is tender enough to be eaten "rare" (center barely warm) with ease.

I'll admit to mostly buying fillets.. Fillets have much less fat than any other cut.. so a small 1" thick fillet a few times a week is still fairly healthy.

I prepare them in a simple way. Wipe them with olive oil, rub in freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder (not salt, any type of salt should only be put on beef AFTER its cooked or the meat gets much tougher), soak them in a red wine base with fresh cut white onion slices and beaten garlic (crunched and munched in one of those Thai stone things) for 30 minutes, and then grilled for 2 minutes per side (for med-rare) at 2100f.

Usually grilling fillets is not recommended.. but at a quick grill at 2100f works out really well. You'll only get this heat from an infrared burner/cooker.. I imported mine from Texas Pit Crafters (you can google it) in Texas..

You'll love them.. a butter knife is all that's required. While not as tender or tasty as US Prime.. they still rate high.

And not to pick on your cooking style.. but you should never marinate beef for longer than an hour. Depending on the base of your marinade the properties can change.. and actually toughen meat rather than tenderizing it. Marinate qualify beef for taste only, not to tenderize. I wouldn't eat any beef that would benefit from a full day of marinating..

One more thing. Unless you have a very dry perfectly temp controlled fridge.. you're not aging meat by just sticking it in your fridge. You're making it more tough. The longest beef should be kept in the refrigerator section is 48 hours. If you won't use them before then, freeze them and slowly thaw them the day before intended use.

The person who posted 85-100% humidity.. for "dry aging" it should be 85% period.. 100% is water.. Too much or too little humidity isn't good. I know some places say 85-100%.. but that's just silly.. Most meat sent to retail butcher shops is packed in plastic bags in their own juices and vacuum packed.. this is "wet aging" and is probably the way Villa gets theirs. Have you noticed each time they break open a new section of beef its in the thick plastic?

Regardless, you can get really sick from beef improperly "aged" at home. Sticking a piece of beef in the fridge at home for long periods of time is more commonly referred to as "rotting."

Dry aging is the absolute best.. but is only used these days on the most expensive cuts of meat and usually must be specially ordered. Dry aging requires very precise refrigeration and monitoring to be successful.. and most homes, even sub-zero equipped homes, just aren't properly equipped.

I used to live in an area where the local farmers and ranchers would slaughter their own beef.. or call a butcher truck out to do the deed and slice it up as ordered. They'd usually wait until fall weather when the temps never rose above 34-35f.. and then hang the two sides in the barn with a cheesecloth covering which they'd keep wet over the next 21-30 days. The butcher truck would stop by, kill the beef, prepare the sides, wrap the internals if they wanted them (seems everyone did.. I guess they eat brains and organs or maybe they turn it into dog food), hang the sides and wrap them in the cloth.. and then show up 21-30 days later and do the butchering.. quite the business..

[MAJIC]

I have bought a lot of Thai French sirloin and rib eye steaks over the years and have never had a tough one. I buy at the Villa Market downtown BKK. In that aspect, maybe by the time I have bought my steaks, they have been properly aged? I googled aging of beef and due to copyrights am unable to post a quote, however it stated that the aging process is between 21-28 days at 32-34 degrees fahrenheit with relative humidity of 85-100%. Therefore the 3 day aging process is not adequate.

You bought your beef freshly slaughtered and not aged properly, therefore the toughness.

Theres another Thai French Butchers, meat from Sakon Nakon in Udonthani.

First off after all that tough c**p from Tesco Lotus and Tops you tend to think wow this is great,by the third time in the shop one realises you have been eating S*** for so long,now you cant even tell a mediocre piece of meat from boot leather.

My first Roast beef in the UK after 7 years,now that was magical,and the consistentency is still there week after week.

[puchooay]

There have been numerous posts on TV about beef in Thailand.

Alot of different opinions and that can only be good for a forum.

I live in Buriram. A long way from Sakorn, Bangkok and Pattaya, especially if only in the hunt for a steak. There are several places where beef can be bought here. First there is the Muslim market just around the corner from the lake in the town centre. The fillet, rump or sirlion top is usually 130 bahtkg. There is a lady selling in the night market for 120 bahtkg. Makro also,now, have a range of beef from 135-165 baht kg.

I am of the feeling that it is not particularly what beef you buy but what you do with it.

Many people have, in the past, posted their best and favourite methods of marinating beef. Whether it be baking soda, wine, vinegar or what ever.

I live out in the country so I use the most abundant and arguably the best marinade you can get.......Papaya.

Get yourself a steak and lay it flat on a board. Peel a papaya and place the peel, green side up, along the steak,making sure all the steak is covered. Squeeze the peeled side of the papaya so some juice drips out onto the steak too. Carefully turn the steak over,using another board or plate, and repeat on the other side. Cover and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours. DONOT forget about it. Too long and the enzymes in the papaya will completely eat through the membrane in the meat and you will end up with a mush.

Take the steak out of the fridge, clean off the papaya and cook as you wish. There. No travelling mile upon miles and a nice steak at about 130 baht kg.

Off to the kitchen to prepare one for lunch.

Enjoy your steak(Wherever,However and Whenever)

[DonaldBattles]

There is a great misconception about Thai French Beef. They have been around doing this for 36 years therefore the name is remembered. I have been to the slaughter facility at Sakorn Nakorn. Further, I have sold Thai French beef for many years. A few years ago they got into big financial trouble ere basically out of business. It is reported that a major supermarket supplier of many imported food items bought into the company and insisted that prices be raised to almost that of imported Australian beef. Rest assured that there is nothing special about this product as compared to 2 other beef suppliers in Thailand. When you are using a straight Brahaman beef cow it is always going to be tough. Those that cross breed result in a better product. The seeman for cross breeding is expensive as it has to be imported. The Kasetsart University at Nakorn Pathom has been trying to develop a special Thai beef cow for years but have not been successful. One of my major suppliers kills his beef cattle earlier with less weight and they are more tender. The supply of quality Thai beef is so short that you can not depond on wholesale from one supplier. I see little hope for the Thai beef cattle industry as they continue to have to fight the black market animals from surrounding countries. Pen feeding is also expensive. To most Thais beef is beef and they are not willing to pay the price for quality.

[DJH77]

There is a great misconception about Thai French Beef. They have been around doing this for 36 years therefore the name is remembered. I have been to the slaughter facility at Sakorn Nakorn. Further, I have sold Thai French beef for many years. A few years ago they got into big financial trouble ere basically out of business. It is reported that a major supermarket supplier of many imported food items bought into the company and insisted that prices be raised to almost that of imported Australian beef. Rest assured that there is nothing special about this product as compared to 2 other beef suppliers in Thailand. When you are using a straight Brahaman beef cow it is always going to be tough. Those that cross breed result in a better product. The seeman for cross breeding is expensive as it has to be imported. The Kasetsart University at Nakorn Pathom has been trying to develop a special Thai beef cow for years but have not been successful. One of my major suppliers kills his beef cattle earlier with less weight and they are more tender. The supply of quality Thai beef is so short that you can not depond on wholesale from one supplier. I see little hope for the Thai beef cattle industry as they continue to have to fight the black market animals from surrounding countries. Pen feeding is also expensive. To most Thais beef is beef and they are not willing to pay the price for quality.

I started a Beef-Ox farm 9 years ago in Mukdahan to supply the Thai-French meat company with my Italian partner who oversees the business. We keep around 100 animals all Pen Fed and your right it is expensive and this naturally is passed on to the consumer, hence the price of the Steak. By Thai standards this is still a good business with good returns. Like anywhere in the world you can sometimes purchase a tough piece of beef no matter what the cut, but in general the quality is very good.

I also recently opened an up market Restaurant in Mukdahan, the first and only one of its type as we provide a Big variety of Steaks, All sizes, From various suppliers, Aussie or NZ Lamb,Seafood etc. The surprising thing is that the Thai's are more than happy to pay the price for good quality Beef and we sell almost as much Lamb, which most people say they don't eat but once they try it they love it. Of course i'm talking about the well off not the average person. So there is a Market there once they know it is available and it comprises 90% of our clientel and they all return again & again. They like the Prestigeous atmosphere that also relates to their position in society and it gives them somewhere to take their visiting business associates or government officials to entertain them and they never question the Bill. But if anybody reading this is interested in the Cattle business I am willing to sell my 80% share in this well established & profitable Farm for 5 million Baht. DJH77.

[bellagrego]

I have bought a lot of Thai French sirloin and rib eye steaks over the years and have never had a tough one. I buy at the Villa Market downtown BKK. In that aspect, maybe by the time I have bought my steaks, they have been properly aged? I googled aging of beef and due to copyrights am unable to post a quote, however it stated that the aging process is between 21-28 days at 32-34 degrees fahrenheit with relative humidity of 85-100%. Therefore the 3 day aging process is not adequate.

You bought your beef freshly slaughtered and not aged properly, therefore the toughness.

Way off the mark, there grasshopper. Toughness is due to feed, mushy is due to un-aged. Ageing at home is for 3 days open in the refrigerator. I don't question that you have gotten what you consider as good meat from this source but i suspect you may be a Brit and have never tasted a KC steak or anything close. It's all in goof fun so don't start a war with a Yank, we kicked your butts the last time.

[bellagrego]

Let's not bad mouth Thai-French beef lest we end up having to eat just Thai beef..

I've been buying Thai-French beef for over four years now.. and have never been disappointed. In a blind side by side taste test I did once, most (all but one) preferred Thai-French fillets over Argentine and US fillets purchased from the same place (Villa) at the same time and prepared exactly the same at the same time..

Thai-French beef is tender enough to be eaten "rare" (center barely warm) with ease.

I'll admit to mostly buying fillets.. Fillets have much less fat than any other cut.. so a small 1" thick fillet a few times a week is still fairly healthy.

I prepare them in a simple way. Wipe them with olive oil, rub in freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder (not salt, any type of salt should only be put on beef AFTER its cooked or the meat gets much tougher), soak them in a red wine base with fresh cut white onion slices and beaten garlic (crunched and munched in one of those Thai stone things) for 30 minutes, and then grilled for 2 minutes per side (for med-rare) at 2100f.

Usually grilling fillets is not recommended.. but at a quick grill at 2100f works out really well. You'll only get this heat from an infrared burner/cooker.. I imported mine from Texas Pit Crafters (you can google it) in Texas..

You'll love them.. a butter knife is all that's required. While not as tender or tasty as US Prime.. they still rate high.

And not to pick on your cooking style.. but you should never marinate beef for longer than an hour. Depending on the base of your marinade the properties can change.. and actually toughen meat rather than tenderizing it. Marinate qualify beef for taste only, not to tenderize. I wouldn't eat any beef that would benefit from a full day of marinating..

One more thing. Unless you have a very dry perfectly temp controlled fridge.. you're not aging meat by just sticking it in your fridge. You're making it more tough. The longest beef should be kept in the refrigerator section is 48 hours. If you won't use them before then, freeze them and slowly thaw them the day before intended use.

The person who posted 85-100% humidity.. for "dry aging" it should be 85% period.. 100% is water.. Too much or too little humidity isn't good. I know some places say 85-100%.. but that's just silly.. Most meat sent to retail butcher shops is packed in plastic bags in their own juices and vacuum packed.. this is "wet aging" and is probably the way Villa gets theirs. Have you noticed each time they break open a new section of beef its in the thick plastic?

Regardless, you can get really sick from beef improperly "aged" at home. Sticking a piece of beef in the fridge at home for long periods of time is more commonly referred to as "rotting."

Dry aging is the absolute best.. but is only used these days on the most expensive cuts of meat and usually must be specially ordered. Dry aging requires very precise refrigeration and monitoring to be successful.. and most homes, even sub-zero equipped homes, just aren't properly equipped.

I used to live in an area where the local farmers and ranchers would slaughter their own beef.. or call a butcher truck out to do the deed and slice it up as ordered. They'd usually wait until fall weather when the temps never rose above 34-35f.. and then hang the two sides in the barn with a cheesecloth covering which they'd keep wet over the next 21-30 days. The butcher truck would stop by, kill the beef, prepare the sides, wrap the internals if they wanted them (seems everyone did.. I guess they eat brains and organs or maybe they turn it into dog food), hang the sides and wrap them in the cloth.. and then show up 21-30 days later and do the butchering.. quite the business..

One thing we all agree on is that everyone here is an expert on something and love to show off our skills in this forum. Arguments, disagreements, misquotes, references and personal expertise on near everything. why should Beef be any different. We can't even agree on how to kill it, cook it or eat it. No surprise, we are falangs We know everything.

[metisdead]

I have bought a lot of Thai French sirloin and rib eye steaks over the years and have never had a tough one. I buy at the Villa Market downtown BKK. In that aspect, maybe by the time I have bought my steaks, they have been properly aged? I googled aging of beef and due to copyrights am unable to post a quote, however it stated that the aging process is between 21-28 days at 32-34 degrees fahrenheit with relative humidity of 85-100%. Therefore the 3 day aging process is not adequate.

You bought your beef freshly slaughtered and not aged properly, therefore the toughness.

Way off the mark, there grasshopper. Toughness is due to feed, mushy is due to un-aged. Ageing at home is for 3 days open in the refrigerator. I don't question that you have gotten what you consider as good meat from this source but i suspect you may be a Brit and have never tasted a KC steak or anything close. It's all in goof fun so don't start a war with a Yank, we kicked your butts the last time.

I find out now that dry aging of beef is rarely done by supermarkets nowdays, a process of wet aging is done now where the beef is wet-aged in a vacuum sealed bag, this process apparently only takes a few days. On dry aging, the beef’s natural enzymes break down the connective tissue in the muscle, which leads to more tender beef.

BTW, I ain't a Brit, so your suspicions are wrong.

Have a nice day.

[lockman]

Can you advise where this shop is? I would like to give it a try. I too buy from villa in BKK adn they are always good. Actually bought from Tops and they are ok, eatable. DO you have a phone number for this guy and where in Issan?

Between Kilo Marker 12 and 13 on Highway 223 about 10 KM outside Sakon Nakhon South side of highway.

[ericthai]

Can you advise where this shop is? I would like to give it a try. I too buy from villa in BKK adn they are always good. Actually bought from Tops and they are ok, eatable. DO you have a phone number for this guy and where in Issan?

Between Kilo Marker 12 and 13 on Highway 223 about 10 KM outside Sakon Nakhon South side of highway.

Thank you, can you give anymore information like a name of the place? Phone number would be great.

Thanks

Eric

[pianoman]

Can you advise where this shop is? I would like to give it a try. I too buy from villa in BKK adn they are always good. Actually bought from Tops and they are ok, eatable. DO you have a phone number for this guy and where in Issan?

Between Kilo Marker 12 and 13 on Highway 223 about 10 KM outside Sakon Nakhon South side of highway.

Thank you, can you give anymore information like a name of the place? Phone number would be great.

Thanks

Eric

Pon-Yang-Khram Livestock Breeding Co-operative NSC Ltd. Located some 12 Km out of town on the 223 road to Khok Si Suphan.

Pon-Yang-Khram Livestock Breeding Cooperative

0-4271-4397 or 0-4271-4319

You should be able to find or get in touch with them with the information above... That is way more info than I had 7 years ago when I traced down the place and started to enjoy their products...

Pianoman

[ericthai]

Can you advise where this shop is? I would like to give it a try. I too buy from villa in BKK adn they are always good. Actually bought from Tops and they are ok, eatable. DO you have a phone number for this guy and where in Issan?

Between Kilo Marker 12 and 13 on Highway 223 about 10 KM outside Sakon Nakhon South side of highway.

Thank you, can you give anymore information like a name of the place? Phone number would be great.

Thanks

Eric

Pon-Yang-Khram Livestock Breeding Co-operative NSC Ltd. Located some 12 Km out of town on the 223 road to Khok Si Suphan.

Pon-Yang-Khram Livestock Breeding Cooperative

0-4271-4397 or 0-4271-4319

You should be able to find or get in touch with them with the information above... That is way more info than I had 7 years ago when I traced down the place and started to enjoy their products...

Pianoman

Piaoman,

Thanks soo much.. Will make a trip to check these guys out.

Eric