General information on LUMA D.A.C. products
All Luma meat products come from breeders and are subject to the highest quality standards. Luma applies strict criteria in selecting animals, so only the best cuts of meat are processed. Working together with our producers and suppliers, Luma bases its selection mainly on how the animals are raised, their age, intercellular fat percentage (marbling) and their conformation. This careful selection process ensures that all products meet the highest standards. Regular communication and close cooperation with other specialists in the meat industry allow Luma to constantly improve its existing products and to develop new ones.
- Remove Luma beef/pork/veal from the vacuum bag
- Blot with paper towels and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature
- Heat two tablespoons clarified butter or oil in a pan until very hot
- Sear the meat in the butter or oil for one minute on each side
- Reduce heat, continue cooking the meat for 2 minutes on each side
- Remove the meat from the pan
- Let rest for 2-3 minutes
- Season lightly with coarse salt
- Cut against the grain and serve
Note: Luma products absorb heat more quickly than does conventional meat, which reduces the cooking time.
Tip: All Luma products are best served rare. Leading chefs do not even serve Luma pork well done. Serving Luma meat rare keeps it incredibly juicy and tender and ensures the best flavour.
For ecological and health reasons, Luma recommends that meat be consumed in moderation. However, the nutrients in the meat are a vital component of most people’s diet. This makes it all the more important to focus on products of the highest quality when choosing meat.
Luma Beef represents beef at its finest. Luma only ages the meat of cattle raised under proper conditions. In the Luma process, the meat is aged on the bone for up to 56 days using a natural mould culture. This gives these extraordinary cuts of meat their distinctive aroma and unique taste.
The term beef generally refers to young male and female animals that are not yet fully grown. The cattle that provide the highest quality meat are usually between 14 and 30 months old. Their flesh is heavily marbled and meaty. The flesh of cattle that are younger than 14 months is not yet fully formed. And when the cattle are older than 30 months, their flesh gradually becomes harder and tougher. The sex of the animals, the way they are raised and what they are fed also play a role in determining the quality of the meat. The meat of bullocks comes from males that have not been castrated. Animals that are castrated at an early age are called oxen. Because of their higher quality, oxen are more valuable than bullocks. Once a female (a heifer) has its first calf, it is referred to as a cow.
Beef is a major provider of essential building blocks for our bodies, particularly high-quality, easily processed protein. The protein in beef contains important amino acids which the body itself does not produce. The consumption of beef also provides the body with valuable vitamins (A, B, C and D), which help in the formation of red blood cells, aid growth and vision, and are vital to the nervous system. Trace elements and minerals are also crucial to ensuring the body’s metabolism. Beef fat contains healthy, unsaturated fatty acids. Fat itself is not a bad thing – it’s also a source of key building blocks for our bodies.
Fillet
The fillets is found in the loin area on both sides of the spine. This is the most expensive and valuable cut of beef. The animal makes very little use of the muscle, which results in fine-grained, tender and lean meat.
Because of its relatively low fat content, this cut often has less flavour. But Luma's aging process – fillets are aged for 28 days – and our exclusive mould culture make Luma’s fillets far more flavourful than conventional fillets.
Fillets are ideal for pan-frying. The meat can be cut against the grain into medallions or roasted whole. Thinly sliced carpaccio is also an absolute delight.
Sirloin
The sirloin is cut from the hindquarters of the animal. It has a higher intramuscular fat content than the fillet and has an additional layer of fat (the white rind on the steak). The flesh is tender and well marbled.
Luma ages its sirloins for 56 days. The aging process and the mould culture make the sirloin incredibly tender and flavourful.
The sirloin turns out very well whether it is pan-fried as a steak or roasted whole. Another delicious way to prepare the meat is to cut it into pieces when it’s cold.
Ribeye
The ribeye consists of various muscles between the sixth and twelfth rib, that is, between the neck and the hindquarters. The flesh of the ribeye is lightly grained and, when the quality is high, heavily marbled.
Luma ages ribeyes for at least 56 days, making them incredibly tender, in spite of their somewhat firmer structure compared to the fillet or sirloin. The heavy marbling makes them extremely juicy.
Thick-cut ribeye steaks from the grill are a Luma favourite. The ribeye is also excellent when pan-fried or roasted whole.
Shoulder steak
Because the shoulders of the animal bear a tremendous amount of weight, the flesh has a relatively high percentage of connective tissue, making it fairly firm. The fat content is lower than in the finer cuts.
Upon request, Luma will age cuts from the shoulder or haunches. These cuts are very aromatic and versatile. Luma's aging process and use of its mould culture bring the tenderness and flavour of the shoulder cuts to a new level.
These cuts are ideal for braising or roasting.
Luma Veal means the finest pink veal. In Luma's natural aging process, the meat is aged on the bone for up to 28 days using a mould culture. This makes these fine cuts of meat even more tender and gives them a mild aroma and unique taste.
Because of the age of the animal (3 to 6 months), veal is very tender, though the flavour is less intense than that of beef. There are two kinds of veal – white and red. Calves that produce white meat receive only milk and low-iron feed. Calves that receive feed containing iron such as grass or roughage develop pink to red flesh. The taste of red veal is superior to that of white veal, and its tenderness and flavour make it the preferred variety of chefs.
Like beef, veal is an important source of protein, vitamins and trace elements (see Beef). Of course, the composition of these essential substances is different in veal than in beef. Nutrition experts recommend veal because it is easy to digest and relatively lean, while still supplying a lot of protein.
Fillet
As with beef, the fillet is found on both sides of the spine in the loin area. Many gourmets consider this the best cut of veal. A veal fillet is very lean and tender.
Treatment with the mould culture and storage on the bone – in this case, for 21 days – gives the Luma veal fillet an incredibly fine texture and interesting flavour.
The veal fillet is best roasted whole or it can be cut against the grain and pan-fried.
Veal tenderloin
The veal tenderloin comes from the lower part of the back. This cut corresponds to the beef sirloin.
An aged veal tenderloin is nearly as tender as a fillet. After being aged for 35 days it provides an unforgettable culinary experience.
Veal tenderloin is outstanding when roasted whole. Luma also recommends cutting the meat into steaks and pan-frying them without removing the rind of fat.
Cutlet
The cutlet comes from the back of the calf. The cut is similar to the beef ribeye, except that the cutlet has the bone attached. This cut is very tender since the animal is young and has made little use of this muscle.
Luma applies the mould culture to the cutlet and ages it for 35 days. This process makes the cut even more tender and gives it an extremely intense flavour.
Cutlets with a layer of fat are ideal for pan-frying. The whole loin makes a fantastic roast.
Luma Pork means uniquely healthy pork. The top-quality pigs used by Luma are fed only natural products and large quantities of flaxseed. This adds crucial omega-3 fatty acids to their lard. We age the meat on the bone for up to 28 days using Luma’s special mould culture. This gives these fine cuts of meat their distinctive aroma and a flavour that is unlike that of any other pork.
Today’s pig breeds are omnivorous and all of them are ultimately descended from wild pigs. However, they no longer have much in common with the wild animal because years of breeding have made pigs what they are today: a mass product. Pork is pink, tender and finely grained. Young animals between 6 and 8 months provide excellent pork. In fine gastronomy, preference is given to pork that is heavily marbled and finely grained, which makes the meat juicy and tender. Special breeding conditions are required to achieve this quality and good pork is rare because very few pig farmers are willing to take on this added expense.
Pork also contains a lot of high-quality protein, essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements. The ratio between unsaturated and saturated fatty acids in pork fat is very favourable, meaning that lard is actually healthier than some vegetable fats. A number of essential vitamins like B1, B2, B6 and B12 occur in abundance in pork; these vitamins are critical for the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins. Other examples of the positive properties of high-quality pork are fats like omega-3, which reduce the risk of heart attack, and trace elements such as selenium, which act as antioxidants and reduce the risk of cancer.
Fillet
The fillet is found in the loin area on both sides of the spine. As with beef and veal fillets, the pork fillet is tender, lean and finely grained meat.
Luma is the only firm in the world to store pork fillets on the bone – they’re aged for 21 days – giving the meat a special aroma and making it extremely tender.
The fillet is ideal for roasting whole. Cut into thick slices, it is also very good pan-fried.
Loin
The loin is tender and fine-grained. It is on the lean side, which means it is often dry when pan fried.
The pork that Luma uses has a high percentage of intercellular fat, ensuring that the pork steak remains moist when pan fried. Aging on the bone (35 days) and the addition of the mould culture make the meat especially juicy. This process changes the taste, guaranteeing an extraordinary dining experience, with creamy and tasty fat.
Luma recommends cutting the pork loin into steaks and quick frying them, or roasting or braising the cut whole. To ensure the best possible results, the pork – contrary to the general consensus – should not be cooked through. However, this method of preparation should only be used with high-quality pork like Luma Pork.
Cutlet
The cutlet is located between the neck and the loin. It is well marbled and gourmets prize it for its juiciness and flavour.
Luma’s cutlets are heavily marbled as a result of their feed and the way they are raised. Our special storage method (35 days) ensures that Luma’s pork cutlets lose almost none of their juice. The fat is very creamy and the use of the mould culture gives it an extraordinary flavour.
The pieces cut from the cutlet are ideal for the grill or for pan-frying. Since the bone is still in the meat, the taste is even more intense.
Pork belly
The belly is located below the shoulder. The flesh is coarse-grained and marbled. The fat content is relatively high, making the meat unbelievably tasty. Pork belly is often processed into bacon.
After 28 days in the aging room, the flavour and consistency of the belly have changed. The flesh is now more tender and has an even more interesting taste.
There are various ways to prepare pork belly, including boiling, braising, frying and grilling.
Upon request, we will be glad to age other pork cuts for you.
