{"id":4067,"date":"2021-05-03T13:21:43","date_gmt":"2021-05-03T12:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.matusz-vad.hu\/?p=4067"},"modified":"2021-05-03T13:21:43","modified_gmt":"2021-05-03T12:21:43","slug":"a-szurkemarha-magyar-arnyalata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.matusz-vad.hu\/en\/a-szurkemarha-magyar-arnyalata\/","title":{"rendered":"Hungarian shades of grey (beef)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

I received an honourable private invitation from the Hungarian Grey Cattle Breeders Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought we'd do a bit of professionalism before I reveal exactly what kind of invitation we're talking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Let's see where we stand on the grey cattle front at the moment!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the origin of the grey cattle is not known exactly, it probably arrived with the Hungarian settlers. In the Middle Ages, there is evidence of the breed living in the Carpathian Basin. Solid-bodied, hardy, its colour is highly variable from silver grey to dark crane colour, its horns are long and of varying positions. By the 1800s, 99% of the domestic cattle population was Hungarian cattle (i.e. grey cattle).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country's most profitable export, the driving force behind the country's medieval development. As a yoke of oxen, it played a decisive role in the cultivation of arable land. Widespread mechanisation and the reorganisation of cooperatives doomed the breed. At its lowest point, in the 1960s, the national herd was reduced to just 3 State Farms (6 bulls, 200 cows).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I present to you the association<\/strong>, who take the fate of these animals to heart and work tirelessly to restore this meat to its former popularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is about the Hungarian Grey Bear Breeders Association and MSZTE Ltd.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Their aim:<\/strong> Breeding, protection, dissemination, presentation, development and utilisation of the valuable qualities of the Hungarian Grey cattle according to the rules of genetic conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The breed is considered a national asset, the \u201cpure preservation of which is in the interest of the future\u201d.In January 2015, a proposal was made to include the Hungarian Grey Cattle in the Collection of Hungarian Heritages. As a result, the Hungarian Grey became a Hungaricum. In April 2015, it was included in the Collection of Hungaricums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of the breed is growing today. They produce resistant, high quality organic meat, excellent calf breeder, high genetic and aesthetic value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was kindly invited to the first gastronomic professional event, the \u201cChef Workshop\u201d of the Hungarian Grey Cattle Breeders Association and MSZTE Ltd.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Interest from the gastronomy community is welcome, but priority registration is essential. The relaunch of catering is also a priority for the association, so of course there will be room for professional dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's see exactly what you can expect when you visit the kitchen of the Kende Gasztro show on Tuesday 04 May 2021:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opening will present the association, past, present and future. Chef Antony Friedrich will serve and taste dishes made from grey cattle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will be done:<\/strong> grey beef goulash soup, grey beef Wiener schnitzel and hamburgers. Of course, there will be an informal discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the day Zsolt Horv\u00e1th, aka Kicsi Zs\u00f3 Chef, restaurant owner<\/strong> will create interesting things with BBQ techniques, but let him tell you about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a few minutes of phone interview, I asked him how he got involved in the life of the association and what he has to offer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why grey cattle and why now? How did you get involved with the association?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I've been cooking for six years and I've never used Hungarian ingredients, and if I have, I've only used them very rarely, in meat. The problem is that you may be able to cook them, but they can't be cut here at home by butchers, butchers, or Hungarian slaughterhouses...they haven't really been able to cut them from Hungarian stock to make them suitable for this kind of cooking. They didn't know how to portion the cuts of meat in the form and quality that they did, they knew what sirloin was, they knew what sirloin, brisket and beef ribs, which I for example will be roasting at this event, but they were only soup ingredients. I was approached six months ago by Zolt\u00e1n Katona and Tam\u00e1s Budafoki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question was, do I want to deal with this meat?! I actually said my fears then, that not only is the meat itself not a specifically fat-cured BBQ friendly meat but also, achieving that particular shape from that particular cut of meat hasn't really worked so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They said they would be able to solve it and they were right. We exchanged a lot of information, both in pictures and in video... The goal was to be able to shape the meat in the cutting plant there to the level that I wanted, and they did it. Gradually over six months we got to the point where now when I say brisket, they can produce brisket that has the flat and the point on it and is of good quality, or if I say beef ribs or sort ribs (that's meat cut into 3 ribs and cubes of about 30 cm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is the difference between grey cattle and the beef you have been using?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What I work with, have worked with, is Australian or Canadian beef...<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's a different way of keeping cattle, there will be time here to negotiate with the grey cattle farmers so that they can keep the cattle in a way that is good for us users, which was unthinkable ten years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It looked like they said they had the cattle and started slaughtering. The cattle grew, they thought the bigger the better, the more meat they had, but they also got cows that had been milked or big animals that were not good quality meat. Nothing works overnight, when they can charge the price for the meat that we would expect, knowing when to slaughter it, how to slaughter it, how to keep it, that's when it will really kick in. It's good to get on board at the beginning of every party, so that's why I thought I'd like to use my expertise and experience to help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What kind of food will you be serving and what will you be preparing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It's clear that I'm going to come up with delicious, delicious BBQ meats cooked in a Bodrog Smoker. I will be making two types of meat and one speciality. One will be a beef brisket and the other will be a beef rib, just the two things that have always been critical with Hungarian meats in BBQ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They cut out a beautiful one this time, I was able to bake it well during the test baking, it has a good texture. This will be one that I will show you using the EASY BBQ technology we have developed. I will cook the meat the day before, they will be regenerated in water afterwards. This will be the beef ribs. I'll start cooking the brisket the night before, I'll finish it there. I'm going to present the freshly prepared and marrow meat, that's a great love of mine, which I cook in a wood fired offset Bodrog Smoker. This oven is the very first Bodrog Smoker, six years old now. I will be making a sour salsa as a side dish, which will be served on sourdough bread to guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, in case anyone is hungry, as a local patriot from Szeged, I have brought you an authentic goulash recipe, and you already know where to get the meat. And if you miss the first MTSZE event, don't worry \u201cThere is another one\u201d :D. Jokes aside, there will be more similar gatherings in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Szeged grey cattle goulash<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n