Cover Vantador shows you why breeds of cattle matter, and how they differ, to really up your steak game
Vantador shows you why breeds of cattle matter, and how they differ, to really up your steak game
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What does it mean to have a good steak? Vantador revisits the qualities of what defines a good piece of meat, and makes it better
For years, the gold standard of a great steak would usually rely on a few determining factors: tenderness and juiciness. We’ve been told countless times to prize the feeling of the “melt in your mouth” sensation, but at Vantador, they want to shift the narrative.
A good steak isn’t necessarily dependent on how easily your knife slides through the meat, but rather the whole experience of the bite, the flavour, the texture, and everything else that came before it arrived on your plate.
The obsession with the most tender steak often leads diners towards younger cattle or heavily marbled Wagyu. Whilst still having their individual qualities, it’s time to stop reducing a good steak to limited confines. Vantador has been challenging that mindset, encouraging diners to try out different cuts of beef that might not be the typical choice, and emphasising that texture is a virtue, rather than a flaw.
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It’s not hard to fall in love with different types of beef once you have a bite out of the Rubia Gallega, a Spanish breed of cattle native to the autonomous community of Galicia in north-western Spain. Unlike commercial cattle, these cows tend to be raised for eight to fifteen years, in comparison to the usual 18 to 24 months.
This breed of cattle, championed globally by the iconic Jose Gordon of El Capricho (widely considered the world’s greatest steak producer), allows the animal to develop a deep, yellow fat and a muscular complexity that young cattle don’t have.
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Vantador also employs a few techniques to really amplify the quality of their meat, including dry-aging done by their in-house specialist team that spans anywhere from 30 to 90 days. The process of dry-aging evaporates the moisture in the meat, and the natural enzymes begin to break down the connective tissue. The result does lead to a more tender bite, but also, it unlocks another level of flavours: blue cheese, nuts, and earthy mushrooms.
Using their asado grill, the Maillard effect also comes into play. When the steak hits the grill at a high heat, a chemical reaction occurs between amino acids and reducing sugars, creating a crust that seals the juices in the steak, and also providing a bitter-salty contrast to the rich interior.
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When dining in Vantador, it’s important to be open to new flavours and be educated by their knowledgeable team. For someone not well versed in the world of steaks, some cuts might look darker, or have a “beefier” flavour, but it’s crucial to understand the nuanced profile that only specialised techniques can produce, and ones that Vantador has mastered time and time again.
Credits
Images: Vantador
