Marinade can be used to flavour thinner cuts of beef – like steaks. Larger cuts, like roasts can be brined to add moisture and then rubbed. You can also sprinkle dried seasonings on cooked beef. Be a little stingy if you’re doing this, dried herbs and spices can be pretty powerful if they aren’t cooked first!
A ‘rub’ is when you generously sprinkle the seasoning over your cut of meat and then use your fingers to rub it in well. The seasoning that you use could be easily mixed up at home or it could be a store-bought pre-mix. Check out our shelves in store for a wide range of our favourite spices.
Know your spices and how to work with them to bring out the best tastes to your beef cut:
Basil
We love basil on almost everything. Basil can give beef a nice “Italian” sort of flavour. Use it alone, or with a combination of oregano, rosemary, and thyme for even more flavour.
Bay Leaves
Bay leaves are wonderful for adding flavour to a large roast. Put a few bay leaves in the broth when you’re cooking a beef roast, or when you’re making beef stew or beef soup. Just remember to take the bay leaves out before you serve it – they don’t taste very good to chew on!
Black Pepper
You can never go wrong with plain old salt and black pepper. Use this as a staple whenever you’re cooking beef.
Cayenne Pepper
If you like a little more heat, then cayenne pepper might be for you. Use this in place of – or in addition to – black pepper for a little smokier heat.
Chili Powder
Chili powder is another great way to get some spice into your meat. Go easy at first, it’s always easy to add more chili powder later, but you can’t take it out if you add too much!
Cumin & Curry Powder
If you like Indian flavours, you’ll enjoy cumin and curry powder. Use them sparingly if you aren’t used to them – cumin and curry powder can be overpowering!
Garlic
Garlic goes with absolutely everything! Add some to your slow cooker when you’re making a pot roast, toss some in a stir fry, or even add it to your ground beef. You can never go wrong with roasted garlic, garlic powder, or minced garlic.
Mustard
If you like an easy flavour, mustard or dry mustard powder is it. It packs a lot of punch with only a little bit of effort.
Onion
Onion, like garlic, goes with just about everything. It’s delicious cooked with a roast, grilled to top a steak, or mixed in with ground beef for tacos or sloppy joes.
Oregano
If you love Italian seasoning, you’ll want to pile on the oregano! Oregano is one of the ingredients in most Italian seasoning blends, and it’s delicious with beef.
Parsley
Most people think of parsley as a garnish, not as a flavour. But it can add a nice fresh flavour to any beef dish.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a classic herb to include in beef broth or in the pot with a pot roast. Toss in a few sprigs of fresh rosemary anytime you’re slow cooking beef, and you won’t be disappointed!
Sage
Sage usually goes with turkey or chicken, but it’s also delicious with beef! Add a little bit of dried sage to ground beef for a rich flavour.
Tarragon
Tarragon has a bit of an anise (black liquorice) flavour to it. If you like anise, then you’ll definitely want to try a little tarragon in your next beef dish.
Thyme
Thyme is so versatile. It mixes well with garlic, parsley, and sage. Try a combination of these the next time you make ground beef, or toss it in the broth with your next slow cooked roast.
