The Meat-off

It’s Friday and that, in my book, spells food!

Someone with knowledge of my love of things meat-related sent me this link to a Paul Lukas piece on meat. Specifically, he runs his own little bracket tournament by placing various cuts of specific proteins into an “eat-off” to determine the final four best cuts. Specifically, the winners of the beef region, the pork region, the sausage region, and something called the “Meatscellaneous Region” face off.
At the risk of spoiling the article for you, he has a standing rib roast, known to my friends who get it here as “rib eye on a stick”, as the winner of the beef bracket.  Personally, I’m a porterhouse guy – 2 cuts of meat in one, the basis of the classic “Bistecca alla Fiorentina – nothing beats a well-marbled, properly grilled and rested porterhouse.
I concur with his choice of bacon on the Pork bracket. And if you don’t own the Everything Tastes Better With Bacon cookbook, you’re really missing out. Buy it, cook your way through it – you can thank me later on your way to refill the Lipitor.
He places bratwurst as the sausage winner – I’d go with a nice cajun boudin myself – although no question the brat is a strong choice.   Kind of a lightly spiced boudin without the rice if you think about it.  Finally, he has chicken tails as his fourth finalist.  A bold choice although not a familiar or popular cut.   I’d have gone with the Osso Bucco.   Who doesn’t love a good braise and that dish is the king (with an apology to all the Moms’ pot roasts).
My winner would be the Porterhouse; his was the rib roast.  Who is yours? Fun concept and maybe something to try in real life this summer.  Who’s in?