Putting Aside Nationalistic Bias, It’s Really Delicious

21 – Freshness of meat is important for steak tartare and meat sashimi (mungtigi).

“I apologize. You are already the owner of the sword, so how could I intervene? Isn’t it true that the role of a sword changes depending on who holds it? A sword that kills countless people can become a sword that saves people depending on who holds it.”

Lancelot, regaining his composure, poured out a discourse on the philosophy of swords.

“I was surprised because I didn’t know that the famous sword would be used for cutting meat. Perhaps there would be no need to kill people. I forgot that you put down your knighthood. You are a powerful knight capable of subduing a bull alone, so your sword is soon a path….”

Snore.

Ah, I fell asleep for a moment.

Lancelot’s seemingly endless introduction to swordsmanship was concluded by the Baron of Britain.

“Thank you. I rushed here in a month when I heard that a bull had appeared in Cornwall Mountain, worried about being late. Thanks to you, it ended without a single casualty, how should I repay this grace…?”

“No, Baron. Isn’t it also a grace to do business in the territory? I should repay that grace.”

It’s basic lip service.

In fact, it was flattery to some extent based on facts.

If the Marquis had refused my business, I would have never been able to run it and would have been driven away any time.

Even a countryside lord has the authority of a king within their territory.

I was able to run my business thanks to the permission of the Marquis, whether it was to recruit me as a knight or because he wanted to have an additional knight within his territory.

“Hehe, you are too humble. Many people would have been hurt if it were not for you.”

“Duke Heimer and the young lord were directing the soldiers well. Even if I hadn’t been there, the damage wouldn’t have been significant.”

“You really are modest. An inspiration to all knights.”

“That is high praise.”

“But are you really okay with just taking this meat?”

“Of course.”

Wild bull meat was a rare ingredient, not easily seen unless it’s their mating season.

The fact that I obtained such a precious ingredient was already worth it.

Considering the dishes made from the bull meat that filled two carts, the reward far exceeded expectations.

I couldn’t process all of the meat by myself.

While there would be curious customers, among common people, bull meat had a reputation of being inedible, excluding the aristocratic gourmands.

I’m not sure if all this meat will be sold.

‘If the meat doesn’t sell, I can just freeze it and sell it to the Golden Wagons.’

Cobi and Camilla, who had already tasted the meat, would know its value.

However, there was nothing more regrettable than turning that precious bull meat directly into frozen meat.

‘Everyone should know that taste.’

The Marquis said,

“If you ever need help from our family, just let me know. I will definitely repay the favor I received.”

“I understand.”

“Ah, and by any chance, could I purchase some of that bull meat?”

“Is it for consumption? Or for sale?”

The Marquis leaned towards me and lowered his voice.

“I heard bull bones are good for vitality. Is that true?”

Ah, yes.

“I understand what you’re saying. If you come to the restaurant, I’ll prepare a dish for you.”

“Can I visit right away this time?”

“Weren’t you in the city for work?”

The Earl of Britten let out a sigh.

“It’s already gone wrong. The merchants we were trading with refused to buy our products any longer. That’s why I went there, only to be coldly turned away.”

No wonder he returned earlier than expected.

“In that case, let me comfort you with some delicious food.”

“Thank you kindly. I’ve wanted to visit since receiving Liana’s recommendation, and now it seems I will. Taking a break like this might be nice too.”

Having loaded all the butchered and deboned meat onto the cart, we mounted our horses and set off.

First, we must bring the meat to the restaurant before we can do anything else.

There was a limit to what we could do here without any tools.

“Let’s hurry. We should go and cook quickly.”

There was only one reason to hurry.

We just slaughtered a freshly caught cow today, so shouldn’t we taste a beef omakase?

The fresher the meat, the more delicious it is.

How fresh the meat is affects its taste.

“Haime, you must learn this too. In the end, the way a sword is used varies. You need to know how to adapt…”

Lancelot, at some point, had shifted his educational target to Haime and started expounding on educational theory.

Haime nodded his head, eyes sparkling as if he’ll remember every word.

“I’ll keep it in mind, Captain!”

We went back to the Lord’s castle with the bull meat.

***

“Shall we go tomorrow?”

“Yes, it will take about a day to prepare a dish using ox bones. And today is not a day for business.”

“What kind of dish…? Did bone dishes always take that long?”

I nodded my head.

There are dishes using ox bones here as well.

Originally in the world, there was a bone dish called marrow.

It is a dish made by roasting ox bones split in half, and it was famous for its deep flavor.

In the capital, some wealthy nobles were said to enjoy it as a gourmet food.

Unfortunately, I don’t know how to make that dish.

The ox bone dish that is common in this world is not my specialty.

What I am trying to make is a bone soup made by boiling those bones thoroughly.

“We have a separate dish we use in our restaurant.”

“Hmm… I wanted to eat it right away.”

Lord Britten seemed disappointed, looking at the meat of the bull loaded on the carriage, his mouth watering.

“If you would like to enjoy the bull’s meat right away, there is another method.”

“What method?”

“There’s something called ‘mungtigi.’ You slice the freshly caught ox’s rump and eat it as it is….”

Mungtigi, named for the process of slicing the rump into thick slices.

It was a famous dish known for the freshness that could only be achieved with freshly caught beef.

Usually, beef tartare and beef sashimi were made using the rump, but when a freshly slaughtered one is sliced thicker than sashimi, it becomes Mungtigi.

In fact, it’s a dialect of Daegu to call the freshly caught beef sashimi.

The taste dimension is different from the beef sashimi eaten at a general beef tartare restaurant.

‘In fact, it is closer to the difference in the freshness of the meat.’

Anyway, the difference in dimension is true.

Come to think of it, there were many famous restaurants in Daegu.

Mungtigi, pork entrails, Junghwa Bibimbap, sweet rice cakes, and so on.

Ah, I’m salivating.

“Are you saying we’re eating raw bull meat?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

At that, the young lord closed his mouth.

He seemed disgusted.

“Well, that’s fine. I’d like this to be given to the knights and soldiers, not me.”

Naturally, bull meat wasn’t a favorite ingredient because it was tough and not eaten well cooked.

“Are you sure? You might regret it.”

“Well, it’s fine. Hahaha.”

Many nobles showed aversion to the idea of eating raw meat.

Not just the nobles, but a considerable number of commoners also preferred to eat meat cooked in one way or another.

How barbaric, they might say.

Not knowing this taste is barbarism.

Raw meat, like steak tartare, is so delicious.

It’s one of my favorites, along with K-sushi and live octopus.

Surprisingly, raw beef has been a unique Korean cuisine eaten only in Korea for a long time.

China generally ate most ingredients cooked, and Japan historically consumed more fish than meat.

If sushi is in Japan, then steak tartare is in Korea.

I feel pity for the young lord who doesn’t know this taste.

But I won’t force him to eat.

Forcing someone to eat isn’t gentlemanly.

“Understood. Then, I’ll serve you a dish made with beef bone broth for the young lord.”

“I’m not sure if I can wait until tomorrow.”

“Waiting for food can also be considered a part of gourmet dining.”

“That’s true. Waiting is also a part of the culinary experience. Okay, come back tomorrow. I’ll cover all the expenses for feeding the hardworking soldiers, so feed them to their heart’s content.”

“Understood.”

Cheers erupted among the knights as the lord declared that he would personally slice the beef.

The soldiers did not openly express their excitement, but the corners of their mouths subtly lifted.

Even the tough and famous bullfighting meat was a luxury ingredient.

When would they have the chance to taste it?

Ah.

Indeed, the lord who looks after his people is the best.

Thank you. Director, no, my lord.

We will provide the best service at our knight’s restaurant.

Returning to the castle with twenty escort soldiers in tow, I thickly sliced the yet-to-be-moved tenderloin of the bull with my lake’s sword.

I had to test the freshness before serving it, didn’t I?

The sliced tenderloin was so packed with juices that it stuck to the lake’s sword.

“That’s perfect.”

It was a shame that there was no sesame oil available at the moment.

There was sesame oil in the restaurant, but I couldn’t wait until I got there.

As I cut the tendons in place with the tip of my sword, the bright red raw meat remained, gleaming like a ruby.

“Are you really going to eat it?”

Everyone’s attention turned to me.

And then, I put a freshly sliced lump of meat into my mouth in one bite.

“Mmm~! This is it!”

The texture of the fresh meat was chewy and had a springy feel as I bit into it.

The elasticity of the meat was even stronger than that of regular beef, clinging to my teeth.

There was no trace of gamey or rancid smell.

On top of that, the scent of the meat’s fat settled in every corner of my mouth.

The depth of the bull’s taste remained, even after swallowing the meat, maintaining its presence.

“Amazing.”

It was truly amazing.

Under Lancelot’s direction, the knights and soldiers moving the meat looked at me in a daze after I ate a mouthful with a deadpan expression.

“To think you’d eat that tough bull meat raw without hesitation; you are indeed a true knight.”

“I, Heimer, am impressed by Sir Lucas once again today.”

It seemed that misunderstandings continued to accumulate.

“I-I was impressed too! You truly are a knight among knights, just like Sir Lucas said!”

Upon hearing a young boy’s voice, I turned my head to see a boy with light brown hair, just like young Lord Britten, staring at me with shining eyes.

He seemed a bit scared at how I ate the raw meat.

I could see why the soldiers and knights remained behind.

It was the young lord.

The future ruler of the territory, who, along with Heimer, responded well to the early stages of the crisis.

It was Henry Britten, the young lord of House Britten.

“Young lord, it’s an honor to meet you.”

“You don’t have to be formal with me.”

“But why didn’t you go with your father, my lord? Why did you stay?”

“I volunteered to stay behind because I wanted to try the bull meat.”

“Is that so?”

The boy nodded vigorously.

“In that case, hurry and join the knights in moving the meat.”

“Uh, uh?”

“Isn’t it that we can eat once we finish up quickly?”

There was nothing like manual labor to sharpen one’s appetite.

“All right!”

The boy rushed in between the knights who were moving the meat.

Henry seemed to have a rough idea why he stayed behind.

Ever since he had caught the bull, he felt a gaze fixed on him.

Despite trying to ignore it, he stayed behind so blatantly.

‘The soldiers and knights must be enjoying the free food.’

If he had to cook in commemoration of the victory anyway, it would be better to minimize his work.

While Lancelot and the knights put the meat in the refrigerator, I took out the cow’s leg and tail to be served to the lord tomorrow and cut them into pieces using the Lake Sword, soaking them in water.

The lingering taste of the tidbits in my mouth didn’t disappear until all the bones were dealt with.

It’s deep. So deep.

“What would be good for a bull omakase menu?”

First, tartare and tidbits.

But, tartare is closer to a side dish for alcohol rather than a meal…

“Should I at least grill it on charcoal?”

Not a bad idea.

The different cuts will have different tastes, so you don’t even need a fancy dish for a satisfying meal.

Fresh bull tartare with freshly grilled bull meat.

K-sushi paired with K-barbecue?

No matter how you think about it, the menu selection is the GOAT.

Ah, it’s you again, GOAT.

“Lancelot, leader, could you help me with this?”

“What do you need help with?”

Lancelot and the knights, who have finished moving the meat, approached me with anticipation in their faces.

“While I’m dealing with the bones, please prepare these.”

After checking the list, he swallowed hard.

“I’ll go and prepare with the kids right away.”

It seemed like it would take some time to prepare everything alone, so I decided to ask for help.

“Are you planning to eat in the backyard again today?”

“Yes, the knights and I will eat there.”

“Thank you. I’ll have another precious experience today.”

“Just don’t eat three pieces at once this time, since it’s a valuable piece of meat.”

“Ahem, of course, I won’t. I’ve learned my lesson from you last time, so I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

Lancelot hastily left the room.

Taking the meat out of the refrigerator, I held the Lake Sword – no, the Butchering Sword.

After asking the knights to run errands, I placed the meat to be grilled on a cutting board and quickly sliced it.

Starting with the tenderloin, then the sirloin and filet, along with the ribeye. There were also top sirloin, flank, hanger steak, and even ribs.

The sword swiftly separated the muscle and fat, categorizing the cuts.

Indeed, it was the Butchering Sword.

Its edge was sharp.

This is why they say a good knife is essential.

I removed the unnecessary fat and connective tissue and split the tendons.

My hands moved without hesitation.

It was a high-level butchering show that only a cook with seven years of experience could perform.

Of course, everyone was too busy to appreciate it.

The cuts I prepared didn’t need any special techniques; grilling them allowed their texture and flavor to be fully enjoyed.

Beef, when grilled over charcoal, can bring out a deep taste just by dipping in salt or a bit of sauce.

“Wow, look at the marbling.”

White fat was embedded between the layers of meat like snowflakes.

It was indeed a work of art created by the meat itself.

The meat of a fighting bull, or more precisely, the meat of a fighting bull that was de-boned using mana, didn’t have any odors or off-tastes; its flavor was complete in and of itself.

It was the beef with the deepest flavor among all types, but it was also a cut that had divided opinions due to its unique chewiness.

The meat, so tough that someone might say it’s knightly to eat it.

But what if that meat wasn’t tough?

It could, of course, bring out the ultimate taste just by itself.

What more needs to be said?

That’s it.

When I finished cutting the meat for grilling to feed 60 people, Lancelot came in.

“It’s all ready.”

“It’s finished sooner than I thought.”

“Everyone is eager. Whether it’s because you ate that raw meat earlier or because we can eat expensive meat, I don’t know.”

Lancelot looked at the pile of meat I had just cut.

“By the way, do we usually get that much? I’ve heard that the amount of edible parts is small despite the bull’s large size.”

“Ah, of course. It will be delicious.”

“I’m looking forward to it too. I ate bull meat in the past, and I still can’t forget the taste.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So, I know what it means that you ate that meat raw.”

Lancelot nodded his head.

“You must know since you’re a knight too, but eating that tough bull meat is already considered knightly. Eating it raw means you’re already at the peak of being a knight…”

While Lancelot was talking about the knight’s philosophy, I cut the meat that I had separated by parts into the proper size and portioned it.

Whoosh!

I heard the sound of water and looked to see Heimer and the knights washing vegetables they had picked from the backyard.

Maybe because they saw me making bulgogi over my shoulder, they did a good job.

“I heard from Lancelot. The meat that is eaten in the backyard is supposed to be very tasty!”

Henry shouted, following Heimer.

His face was full of anticipation.

The excitement about trying new food seemed to outweigh any guilt he had about eating the bull meat before his father.

If Jay knew, he would have cried, thinking he had raised his child in vain.

“Did you tell him everything?”

Upon hearing my words, Lancelot averted his eyes.

“Ahem, I wrote it in that review, too…”

“I’ve actually read everything you wrote.”

“What, what? Did you ask that question knowing all along?”

His reaction was better than I expected.

It’s fun to tease him.

“Well, well, I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. Compliments about the food are compliments for the cook, after all.”

I carried the meat and headed to the table in the backyard.

“Did you properly light the charcoal, by the way?”

“Yes, I did. It’s not even cold, so why did you ask me to light it?”

“We’re going to grill the meat with that.”

“With charcoal?”

“Yes, in my hometown, it’s called charcoal grilling.”

The knights’ eyes sparkled.

They looked forward to it with excitement.

But before that,

“Everyone, try this once.”

I handed the cleaned muttigi to the knights.

Seeing the raw meat so fresh, they wouldn’t fall off the plate, the knights pursed their lips.

Well, look at these people.

“Can’t the knights eat this?”

“I’m more interested in that charcoal grilling thing…”

“I, I also prefer to eat it cooked…….”

Tsk.

These knights are so timid.

It must be due to a natural aversion.

Udun can eat it raw without any problems.

The princess’s knights had the same reaction, didn’t they?

After eating it, they changed a bit, but at first, they all looked at it as if it was a monster.

I don’t know why those who are tired of blood on the battlefield are so afraid.

Lancelot, will you at least have the courage?

“There’s someone who should try it before me.”

Lancelot pointed to Henry.

“Me?”

“Yes, how can you eat it first before your master. Didn’t you stay to experience the knight’s life together? Try it once. It won’t taste bad.”

It wasn’t the wrong thing to say.

“Hmph, fine. I should set an example for my young master at times like this.”

The youngest, Henry, picked up a ruby-like lump with his fork.

As expected of the young master.

“You can dip it in this sauce.”

I offered a sauce made by mixing garlic, red pepper powder, soybean paste, and sesame oil.

I know the mainland seasoning is a bit different, but I couldn’t know everything, so I made a special sauce as similar as possible.

“Well, then I’ll eat it.”

With trembling hands, Henry dipped the lump in the sauce, closed his eyes tightly, and ate the raw meat.

Chewing it up.

When everyone was focused on Henry’s mouth.

“Wow!!! Huh? What?”

“Sir Soyoungju, what’s the matter?”

“How does it taste?”

“Tell us!”

Everyone waited for Henry’s loud response.

“Was Tauro meat always this tender? It melts softly in my mouth.”

The thin-sliced meat, no, beef sashimi, melts gently in the mouth.