[Cooking Opinion] Grilling Steaks, What Level of Done-ness Do You Like and Why???

This looks like it's for apt dwellers or single people. I laughed when he used the butane torch. Meat is way too wet. Doesn't seem practical when cooking for groups. Steaks really need that grill mark and flavor. I avoid the cast iron pan because it splatters too much.

 

sous vide is how high end restaurants cook steak

you can torch it or grill it to get your sear

 

Medium.

 

This thread where all the fatties hang out?

 

I started cooking reverse-sear about a year ago, and I've never cooked a bad steak since - and I cook steak 2-3 times a week (4-6 steaks). It makes the process absolutely simple.

I usually buy my steak based upon price rather than cut. I load up when HEB has their Prime 1 cuts priced at $4-7 a pound. Most of the time they are 1", but every now and then I can find some 1.5".

I don't take the time to go to a butcher shop and get it cut like I want it, and the chains mostly cut 1" so the customer thinks steak is cheaper than it is. A 1.5" cut would increase the price dramatically (50% or so) for the same size steak (not thickness obviously). Perception is everything with the average customer.

I also only buy bone-in steak if it is a steal of a price, or if the bone-out cuts are too expensive or less than desirable.

 

here's a very simple Jaques Pepin technique, for a strip steak, cut 1" think:

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he has another recipe that i can't find right now, but essentially you sear the steak, whether on the grill or stove top, then place in a 200 degree oven to rest for ~30 minutes, maybe even longer. sort of a reverse, reverse sear.

 

That's the classic way to cook a steak, reverse-sear is just the reverse of it. I've found that reverse sear produces a superior (and more juicy) steak.

The theory is that when you sear it immediately, it loses a lot of the juices (due to the high heat). Where as putting it in the over before searing captures the juices (because of the low and slow method) which hold for the reverse-sear. That is one reason letting a reverse-seared steak rest (I rest mine for 8 minutes) is crucial, otherwise you end up with juices running all over the plate.

The classic vs. reverse-sear debate is one that will rage on for decades within the steak loving community. I'm for the latter.

 

tried the reverse sear on the Kamado last night, and finished on the stove in cast iron. it was really, really good, and with a little tweaking (and a bit more attention) could be great.

I used boneless ribeyes, ~1.5 inches thick, liberally salted and peppered, and kept the grill about 250 on the internal thermometer. actually temp on the great is typically a bit higher, so it was close to 275. i used an instant read thermometer, and pulled the steaks when they reached 120 degrees, then let them rest. the kids needed some focus so the rested longer than i'd planned, probably about 30 minutes.

the finished them in cast iron, with a mixture of butter and grapeseed oil, a minute or two/side, just until i got a nice brown crust (the butter helps).

the ended up just the rare side of medium rare, perfectly evenly cooked, and still very juicy, and did *not* have the roast beef like taste that comes from doing the first step in the oven.

when i do it again, i will probably get a slightly thicker cut steak, closer to 2", and pull it at 125. the longer rest didn't seem to have a real effect, but i might skip the oil/butter.

 

Glad it worked out for you. I found that after about my 4th or 5th time reverse-searing that I finally got the process down. Now after doing it for quite some time I can take just about any cut and thickness and produce a perfect medium-rare steak.

The resting shouldn't really affect the outcome all that much other than the fact that the quick seer may not get it warm all the way through after sitting for so long. It probably helped it retain more juices so the trade off is probably worth it.

I think 125 is the sweet spot for medium rare. I prefer searing with olive oil - I know some frown upon using it because of olive oil's smoke point, but I love it. I then occasionally serve with a dollop of garlic butter on top.

 

T-Rex method on the Kamado

Medium rare

 

what's the T-rex method?

 

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/trexsteak.htm

Searing, letting sit for 20 minutes as you get ceramic temp down then cooking.

 

My girlfriend is cooking a steak I froze a few months back. She won't let me do it. Pray for the meat.

 

Depends where I am. If it's a mediocre place, medium. But if it's a quality steak house? Medium rare.

 

That steak was ****ed the moment you tossed it in the freezer.

Better use it to make something else like brocolli beef or make sandwiches to mask the freezer taste.

 

Yeah, I meant to imply that the steak will be doubly ruined. I think frozen steak is salvageable to a certain extent.

 

here's a nice recipe from ace- similar to the one i posted earlier in the thread. i think i might heat the pan in the oven to get an even initial heat, and i like the addition of brandy or bourbon for a pan sauce. really can't go wrong with cast iron.

--
Seared New York Strip Steak With Pan Sauce
2" strip steak or Porterhouse
Butter
Kosher salt
Brandy (or any liquor with a fair amount of sweetness. Hell, bourbon would work)
one sprig of fresh thyme
Remove steak from refrigerator one hour before cooking.
Salt liberally on both sides.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Place seasoned cast-iron skillet on large burner over medium-high heat for about ten minutes. The goal is to heat the skillet thoroughly and evenly. If you have an infrared thermometer, shoot for 500° F. in the center of the pan. If the pan is smoking, it's too hot.

Turn on vent fan to high, or open the windows.

Place the steak (or two, but don't crowd the pan) in the middle of the pan and press down gently so that the entire surface touches the hot pan. Sear for about two minutes, then flip over and press down gently again. The goal is just to get a nice crust and not to cook the steak.

Using a pair of tongs, sear the edges of the steak for a few seconds, then place on a small cookie sheet to rest. If you are cooking more steaks, repeat the process.

Turn the burner under the skillet to its lowest setting, Then place the cookie sheet into the oven and reduce heat to 300° F. Cook for 6-10 minutes for a finish temperature of about 125°. The best way to judge this is to use a meat thermometer. And of course adjust the cooking time based on your preferred doneness.

Remove the steaks from the oven and allow to rest for several minutes.

While the steak is resting, deglaze the pan with a few ounces of the brandy. Be careful, as the alcohol will evaporate almost instantly and ignite over the skillet. This can be an exciting several seconds. When the alcohol is burned off, add two tablespoons of butter and the sprig of thyme to the pan and swirl to mix and pick up all of the lovely flavors from the seared meat. Scrape with a wooden spoon if necessary. This does not yield very much sauce...it's really just a bit of additional flavor. If you prefer you can then add cream to the pan and make a thicker, richer pan sauce.

Just before serving, pour any accumulated juices from the resting steaks into the pan, swirl a few times to incorporate, and serve on the side.

http://ace.mu.nu/