Australian cooking queen Lyndey Milan tells Recipe Finder her secrets to cooking with beef — the key is to give it a rest!

Australia has some of the best quality beef in the world. It's a highly nutritious meat, with five essential nutrients including iron, zinc, Omega 3, amino acids, protein and vitamin b12. But what's the best way to cook different cuts of beef? What should you look for when buying beef? Here are Lyndey's expert tips.

What are your favourite ways to use beef, especially during the cooler months?

While I love to cook beef on the barbeque all year round, I also love slow roasting, especially in winter. The cooking time may be long, but preparation is minimal and the results are always great. Oxtail and other casseroles are also favourites, especially with the addition of different herbs and spices to lift them from the ordinary. At the moment, I'm cooking Braised Oxtail from my new book Just Add Spice, co-written with Ian 'Herbie' Hemphill, almost weekly and loving the effect slow roasting and Arabic spices have on a secondary cut such as bolar blade.

What are some mistakes people make when cooking beef, and how can these be avoided?

Here are my top five tips:
1. To avoid uneven cooking, ensure beef is at room temperature before cooking;
2. For maximum flavour and aesthetic appeal, always start with a hot pan — learn to love the sizzle;
3. Take out the guess work and avoid under or overcooking by investing in a meat thermometer;
4. Never stick a knife into meat to see how it is cooked as this releases all the lovely juices, use tongs to 'press' test or a meat thermometer;
5. Give it a rest. Tent with foil and set aside for at least 5 mins (small steak) or up to 30 mins (large standing rib roast) before serving.

Which are the best cuts of beef to use for particular dishes?

I favour chuck, gravy beef or blade for slow cooking recipes like casseroles, stews and curries and a whole blade for unctuous slow roasting. The connective tissue in the beef benefits from long cooking — it becomes meltingly tender and resultant beef is full of flavour. For quick cooking, I like to cook rib eye on the bone or a hunk of rump on the barbeque, a standing rib roast in the oven and good quality mince — it is so versatile.

What should people look for in a good piece of beef?

Select firm meat that has a good red colour (not even a hint of 'greyness') with creamy white fat and a cut that is well suited to the dish you are going to cook. And if you are not buying from a butcher you know, always check the use by date.

How should people prepare beef for cooking?

It depends what cut and how you are cooking it. As a general all purpose rule, sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil.

What are some key ingredients to use when cooking beef?

I like the classics — herbs like bay leaves, thyme, sage and parsley and additional flavours such as garlic, mustard, horseradish and red wine. However due to beef's versatility I love how it also adapts to many different Asian and European cooking styles and flavours with ease.

What are your tips for the perfect roast beef? What do you serve with your roast?

Firstly, start with a good piece of beef, purchased from a reputable butcher. Season and flavour the beef simply with bay leaves, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast from room temperature, in a dish that best fits the meat's size, until medium (65C on a meat thermometer). Allow to it rest for at least 20 minutes — this gives you time to add red wine and a spoonful of redcurrant jelly to the pan juices for an easy sauce. I like to serve with roasted root vegetables, like baby carrots and parsnips, as well as steamed seasonal greens such as broccolini, sugar snap peas or cavalo nero.