Restaurants have ovens that get pretty dam hot, so I think in some ways they have an advantage. A lot of them also do something most people don't see - they slap butter on your steak. lol. The thought of that just sounds scary, but they taste soooooo good. Or better yet, find some wagyu steak, eat that and enter nirvana.
My understanding was most restaurants cook their steaks sous vide and then slap it on a grill for a minute before serving, not with ovens.
grill first and then oven. That's the best way to do it ...but most of us don't have piping hot ovens ready to go. btw, searing meat is a myth. Alton Brown did cooking myth show and covered that topic. Based on remaining moisture content, he found little difference in moisture content between a seared steak and a steak cooked at a consistent temp. and actually the seared steak had less. The best thing you can do to retain moisture is don't poke it while cooking and then let the meat rest a few minutes in it's own juice and the meat will actually draw back some of that moisture. If you cut/puncture the meat too soon after cooking, the juices escape never to return. All that said, a good Googled: Sear Steak Myth. First hit = http://bbq.about.com/od/grillinghelp/a/aa032805a.htm
I've seen them being cooked sous-vide, but I'm not certain that "most" do it that way. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm no expert in this, but I think sous-vide is usually done by higher-end restaurants, if at all. I'm sure every restaurant is different, but I'm willing to bet that most of those restaurants sear it in a pan and then cook the rest in an oven. The ovens they use go from 1000 to almost 1800 degrees, probably, though. Which is why I said, I doubt we'll be able to achieve that heat in our home ovens. If we did, we'd probably have to call the fire department.
Interesting. Thanks for posting that. I hadn't heard about this, but I enjoy watching the cooking nerd whenever I see him on. His shows are interesting.
Medium rare is the way to go, well done brother. Not that many places can put out the perfect medium rare and I can't make my own steak to save my life. Envious, I am.
What is that - kobe beef? I hear the marbling on that is so good, you don't need seasoning and you could eat it raw, though a little char on it would make it.
My rich aunt took us to have kobe beef once. The reports are true. Never had a steak like it since. Granted, I don't eat much steak, but it tasted kind of like heaven.
Kobe beef is one of a handful of wagyu beef types. True Japanese Kobe beef is like fat with a hint of meat. :grin: American Kobe/wagyu beef, I believe, has less fat/marbling in it. I've had wagyu once at III Forks, and it's probably the best steak I've ever had (14 oz. filet). I don't really eat steaks at restaurants much, but that was incredible.
Best steak for me is dry aged beef, sous vide to 125-130 degrees, and hit with a blow torch or a really hot cast iron pan for just a few seconds to get a crust.
My roommates and I tried to make some back in my days. Maybe we're just r****ded at steak making, but it was always burnt or too salty or too much this and that. But the gravy was good at least. Easy to make those.
I see that the searing myth was already discussed. Also if you let your steak reach almost 60 to 70 (just set out for 40 mins prior) degrees before placing them on the grill it is less of a shock to the protien and helps them denature easier and become more tender. Also pull the steak 5 mins or so under what you believe you want it cooked for the carryover cooking time as the temp in the steak will continue to rise in temp another 10 degrees. Let rest for atleast 10 mins so the juice will redistribute. A butter that someone mentioned like matre d or a good chimichuri would make it even better.
