We get our meat from a local farmer and buy it by the side, which lasts us a year. They've treated us well, so for any special cuts, we go to them. We ordered a chateaubriand for Christmas from them... 2.5lbs. They guaranteed that it would be a nice dry-aged, never frozen piece of meat, so it's not like we can just call them and tell them that we really only need 1 lb. of meat now. However, with the weather, it's just going to be only dh, dd, and me now. Obviously the meat is WAAAAY to big for 3 people, one of whom is 7 years old. I'm leaning toward cutting it in half and making two smaller chateaubriand and serving the rest on New Year's Eve. I would probably freeze the other half in that case. I just don't want to have leftovers (that have to be warmed up, ruining the meat) from this beautiful cut of meat. What do you all think? What would you do?
WWYD in this situation (large Chateaubriand)
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justplainbill
Executive Chef
Sorry to hear 16 oz is waaay to big a portion for a special occasion.
getoutamykitchen
Master Chef
Invite your fellow DC members for dinner!
I would also cook it all and then make some fabulous sandwiches for lunch the next day out of thinly sliced leftovers.
linicx
Senior Cook
I think a 2.5# roast is not nearly as large as the imagination. Cook it.Saturday or Sunday make open-face hot beef sandwiches. You should be able to make some yummy gravy out of the dripping. IF your 7 year old likes beefas much as mine did - it won't go to waste.
Seriously, thouth, if it was a 10# roast it would be another matter.
Seriously, thouth, if it was a 10# roast it would be another matter.
13oz each...ok that might be a BIT much. Go out skating or tobogganing first to work up an appetite!
I'd cook it all though. No sense messing with a beautiful piece of meat. The leftovers can be gently warmed in some broth or something so they don't get over cooked. Serve slice thinly on baguette. MMMM.
I'd cook it all though. No sense messing with a beautiful piece of meat. The leftovers can be gently warmed in some broth or something so they don't get over cooked. Serve slice thinly on baguette. MMMM.
So... here's what I ended up doing. From each end, I sliced steaks to make Steak Diane for New Year's Eve. I ended up with a little more than 1lb. chateaubriand from the very center. I vacuum sealed the steaks and will keep them in the fridge. I decided that they probably didn't need to be frozen.
The chateaubriand was delicious. We didn't finish it and we still felt like we had overeaten.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Had I made the whole thing, we simply would not have eaten it all, even as leftovers, before it went bad. I think I made the right call, for us and our eating habits.
The chateaubriand was delicious. We didn't finish it and we still felt like we had overeaten.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Had I made the whole thing, we simply would not have eaten it all, even as leftovers, before it went bad. I think I made the right call, for us and our eating habits.
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Thanks for the update. Four of us polished off a 9 pound goose yesterday in one sitting.
I thought I'd point out that chateaubriand is from tenderloin, and I don't really consider it a roast, although you do have to finish it off in an even heat to cook it through properly. There are no drippings from a chateaubriand, as it is nearly fat-free. And 2.5lbs. of filet mignon *IS* that much meat. It doesn't shrink like a regular roast. So, 2.5lbs. uncooked yields nearly 2.5lbs. cooked. It really is a lot of meat!
I'm glad you enjoyed your meal, and you were wise to do it your way. Steak diane sounds like a wonderful idea!
Thanks, Alix! I have to admit that having a single piece of meat that we paid nearly $60 for inspired me to use it to the best of its abilities. Maybe I'm a scrooge after all.
Not a Scrooge, merely a wise chef who makes every morsel count.
That was probably a whole goose, so there's not as much meat as you might think.
Yes, you're right. It still sounds like a lot, though, to me. We get 5lb. chickens and the 4 of us (the 4th person being my mom who lives with us, but was able to leave ahead of the weather and got to my sister's, so she wasn't here) are able to make 3 full entrees out one 5lb. chicken. Roasted the first meal, something with chopped chicken the second meal (which I'll often freeze for a quick meal later) and chicken and noodles or chicken and noodle soup from the carcass the 3rd meal.
Claire
Master Chef
My dear friend who makes Christmas dinner (a prime rib roast) invites everyone back for thick roast beef sandwiches a few days later (which can be done in a very elegant manner). I, being of less hospitable nature (haha) would freeze it and decide at a later date. Our weather has been such that I understand not knowing who is coming out of the cold for supper!
