My housemate often manages to pick up reduced meat from the local supermarket (Sainsbury's in the UK) at the time he comes home.
It's usually silverside, topside or brisket of beef. Occasionally it's pork shoulder.
Without fail however my meat ends up "tough". Here's the exact procedure I follow for my standard "roast":
- Take frozen joint of meat out of the freezer around 8-10AM.
- Prepare 2 onions, celery, carrots and half bulb garlic. Throw them in my roasting pan.
- Season joint with salt and pepper, pour extra virgin olive oil over it, sear it in a frying pan.
- Cook at 20degC less than the suggested temperatures for the suggested times according to my MasterChef book, specifically for that cut of meat. For instance tonight's brisket was 900g - I cooked it at 160degC for 1h30m.
- Rest for 10-15m while I make the gravy and finish off the potatoes in another pan.
I cook it at 20deg less because it's a fan oven.
Can anyone explain the factors that affect how tough the meat becomes? Am I not searing properly? Is the meat prone to being tough because it's not fresh (reduced stuff)? Is it not defrosting for long enough?
Thanks in advance,