The Steak thread - Page 2

Oberon · 03-21-12, 09:29 PM

A lot of it is down to the quality of the beef I'd say, having a good palette to start off with and all that. I used to live on a cattle farm, didn't actually run it (although did help out from time to time) but lived next door to the guy that did. Well, at one point we had a cow go down off the list, so to speak, so she went to the slicers and we got a portion of the meat...and when I say a portion, I mean enough to fill up our freezer. We were eating beef for weeks after! But damn, if that wasn't the nicest beef I've had in a long time, it was just right.
So it makes you wonder what goes on between the farm and the supermarket/butchers.

mookiemookie · 03-21-12, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by razark

That method sounds pretty good. I might have to try it, since the grill is out right now. Instead of the garlic powder, have you ever tried rubbing the steak with a clove of garlic cut in half?

I've done that when I made bruschetta, and that turned out well. Never thought about doing it with steak. Good idea!

Quote:

Texans know meat! If you're referring to the fact that there's no grill involved in my method, it's because I live in an apartment, so I don't get to grill as often as I like.

Oberon · 03-21-12, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

it's because I live in an apartment, so I don't get to grill as often as I like.

Convert a window-garden box into a grill. Problem solved!

razark · 03-21-12, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

I've done that when I made bruschetta, and that turned out well. Never thought about doing it with steak. Good idea!

I learned it from my dad. He considers garlic to be a side dish. His garlic bread includes chunks of raw garlic, in addition to whatever gets baked on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Texans know meat! If you're referring to the fact that there's no grill involved in my method, it's because I live in an apartment, so I don't get to grill as often as I like.

Yeah, Houston isn't as bad as some areas. I've lived in a few towns that would have no problem lynching someone that cooks a steak inside. Most apartments had a grill on the balcony, or even in the parking lot.

frau kaleun · 03-21-12, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

Whats the best way to get the perfect restaurant-style steak?

I call it "going to my sister's house." Of all the nice things she's done for me over the years, marrying her husband was by far the nicest.

What I'm saying is, the man is a master when it comes to grilling meat. Restaurants wish they could serve a steak like what he puts on your plate.

He also does fried chicken to die for.

gimpy117 · 03-21-12, 09:55 PM

i do happen to work in a meat dept...any questions?

Skybird · 03-22-12, 06:29 AM

Got surprised this monrning by an article in the news on how to do steaks. The author, who runs a steakhouse here, gave this recommendation when using a kitchen stove, not a BBQ grill.

Good meat, of course, you guys mentioned the important things already.

For a 200 gr steak done medium: a heavy black iron pan, using cleared butter, heating it up like hell until it smokes, then do the steak 3 minutes each side. After that, take it off, put in the oven at 180°C for another I think 6 minutes (on the griddle, not in the pan). After that, put it in alumimium foil and let it rest for another 5 minutes.

The baking in the oven in the second step is to make sure the heart of the meat gets well done, without burning the outside anymore and turning it into black ashes. The heated oil in the pan seems to create a hard skin very fast, preventing the juice to escape. The resting period is to normalise temperature so that the juice inside settles nicely and does not escape when you cut the meat immediately.

Sounds like a bit of more work than just leaving the meat in a pan all the time, but if it works...

However, I still do not know when to use spice like salt, pepper, garlic, rosary. Before or after cooking the meat? Garlic especially can burn to ashes if you put it into hot enough oil, it just takes seconds. And salt on raw meat extracts juice that normally you want to catch inside, don'T you. So: salt and spice before or after cooking?

Will get some work on the balcony done today, and then - try some of the advise here. I like yoiur precision approach, Mookie - its like I approached pizza and espresso - with timers, thermometers and precision scales!

The only thing I do not like about cooking steaks is that it makes a big mess in the kitchen, and oil everywhere...

If you guys ever happen to stay in Germany for a while and take an appartement, do not get the idea to BBQ on the balcony without making sure it is permitted. It can easily get you into trouble, even with police and lawyers involved. Many Germans hate people grilling in public parks (which can be a problem indeed, especially in Berlin where they do it in crowds of many hundreds), and in many houses it is forbidden due to the smelly cloud drifting away, and security concerns over open fire. We exaggerate it, I admit, and I do not agree with the strict ruling. The problem in Berlin is that hundreds of grilling people in Tiergarten and other parks often do not care to take away the waste they have produced. The park often looks accordingly. Which is a shame, since Berlin has many, big and nice parks. But the Berliners are a very dirty type of people, and Berlin is a very dirty city. Not even mentioning the mess caused by non-caring dog owners...

joegrundman · 03-22-12, 07:08 AM

salt will draw out moisture, which is why i say salt just before cooking. this way the salt can dissolve into the skin of the meat. if you just sprinkle salt on afterward then you still have granules of salt on the steak, which is unattractive.

there is also a modern approach called sous vide. very interesting results can be obtained with this.

the technique is as follows:

seal your meat with any flavourings you desire in a vacuum bag.

immerse the bag with the meat in water at the exact temperature you require - e.g. 60 degrees C for a rare steak

leave for 7 hours or so

then remove from bag and quickly season and fry at high temperature to brown the outside

it produces extremely good results, but it is not so easy to manage at home

the long cooking allows the proteins to set and any toughness to loosen, but it doesn't overcook because it never gets hot enough

here's a link to an article on sous vide steak
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/h...ide-steak.html

and here are some photos showing how a sous vide setup can be arranged at home for not much money

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...998339&index=0

if you are of an experimental frame of mind, you will have fun with this!

btw - the steak guy 's claim that browning the meat seals it and prevents loss of moisture is only partially true, as i'm sure you realise. if even that. High heat causes water to evaporate directly, leaving a dryer pan. a low heat causes water to exit the meat into the pan making it appear wet.

Gargamel · 04-06-17, 07:06 PM

Didn't want to start a new thread for a simple comment... so....

Usually when i get my steaks from the store, I put each one in it's own ziplock, or sometimes enough for one serving each for the household.

But our schedules don't really allow for good meal planning, as we have random times we get home in the evening, or too late altogether. So defrosting the steaks when we want steaks is an issue, since we can't leave them out to thaw as they may not get used that day. And I hate using the microwave, as it tends to cook a small part of the meat.

This may not be revolutionary, but I have discovered this neat little trick for rapidly thawing the steaks, and it works well for any meat.

Make sure the zip lock is sealed, and doesn't have any holes in it. Draw up a large bowl/pot of hot water and let the bags soak in the water for 20 minutes or so. Voila, thawed meat. This takes about the length of time it takes me to start the charcoal, and chop up the veggies for sauteing. When the veggies are done, the grills ready, and the meats freshly thawed.

This technique as works pretty well for bagging the meat. Put the meat in a bag, leaving the opening slightly open, and submerge the bag in water. It forces the air out of the bag, so when you freeze it, it reduces the chance of freezer burn.

Skybird · 04-07-17, 05:43 AM

Steaks with - veggies...? Brrrr...!

Heresy! Leave a man his meat!

Gargamel · 04-07-17, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

Steaks with - veggies...? Brrrr...!

Heresy! Leave a man his meat!

Chopped Onions, Garlic, Green peppers, and mushrooms, pan fried in thick butter, spicy seasoning if you desire, laid over the meat.

And since I usually use a montreal steak rub, I almost never use a steak sauce because of the flavors the veggies impart.

With a side baked potato of course.

But I have it down to an art. Light the grill, chop the veggies, level the grill, throw the veggies in the pan, throw the potatoes in the microwave, cook meat for 4 minutes (I yell at siri a lot during this process), stir veggies a few times throughout, flip the meat for another 4 minutes, when the meat is almost ready remove veggies from heat, remove meat, serve everything on a plate.

Skybird · 04-08-17, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargamel

, laid over the meat.

You mean - it touches it...?

03-21-12, 09:55 PM	#6
gimpy117 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 3,243 Downloads: 108 Uploads: 0	i do happen to work in a meat dept...any questions? __________________ Member of the Subsim Zombie Army

03-22-12, 06:29 AM	#7
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,634 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Got surprised this monrning by an article in the news on how to do steaks. The author, who runs a steakhouse here, gave this recommendation when using a kitchen stove, not a BBQ grill. Good meat, of course, you guys mentioned the important things already. For a 200 gr steak done medium: a heavy black iron pan, using cleared butter, heating it up like hell until it smokes, then do the steak 3 minutes each side. After that, take it off, put in the oven at 180°C for another I think 6 minutes (on the griddle, not in the pan). After that, put it in alumimium foil and let it rest for another 5 minutes. The baking in the oven in the second step is to make sure the heart of the meat gets well done, without burning the outside anymore and turning it into black ashes. The heated oil in the pan seems to create a hard skin very fast, preventing the juice to escape. The resting period is to normalise temperature so that the juice inside settles nicely and does not escape when you cut the meat immediately. Sounds like a bit of more work than just leaving the meat in a pan all the time, but if it works... However, I still do not know when to use spice like salt, pepper, garlic, rosary. Before or after cooking the meat? Garlic especially can burn to ashes if you put it into hot enough oil, it just takes seconds. And salt on raw meat extracts juice that normally you want to catch inside, don'T you. So: salt and spice before or after cooking? Will get some work on the balcony done today, and then - try some of the advise here. I like yoiur precision approach, Mookie - its like I approached pizza and espresso - with timers, thermometers and precision scales! The only thing I do not like about cooking steaks is that it makes a big mess in the kitchen, and oil everywhere... If you guys ever happen to stay in Germany for a while and take an appartement, do not get the idea to BBQ on the balcony without making sure it is permitted. It can easily get you into trouble, even with police and lawyers involved. Many Germans hate people grilling in public parks (which can be a problem indeed, especially in Berlin where they do it in crowds of many hundreds), and in many houses it is forbidden due to the smelly cloud drifting away, and security concerns over open fire. We exaggerate it, I admit, and I do not agree with the strict ruling. The problem in Berlin is that hundreds of grilling people in Tiergarten and other parks often do not care to take away the waste they have produced. The park often looks accordingly. Which is a shame, since Berlin has many, big and nice parks. But the Berliners are a very dirty type of people, and Berlin is a very dirty city. Not even mentioning the mess caused by non-caring dog owners... __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

03-22-12, 07:08 AM	#8
joegrundman Ocean Warrior Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,689 Downloads: 34 Uploads: 0	salt will draw out moisture, which is why i say salt just before cooking. this way the salt can dissolve into the skin of the meat. if you just sprinkle salt on afterward then you still have granules of salt on the steak, which is unattractive. there is also a modern approach called sous vide. very interesting results can be obtained with this. the technique is as follows: seal your meat with any flavourings you desire in a vacuum bag. immerse the bag with the meat in water at the exact temperature you require - e.g. 60 degrees C for a rare steak leave for 7 hours or so then remove from bag and quickly season and fry at high temperature to brown the outside it produces extremely good results, but it is not so easy to manage at home the long cooking allows the proteins to set and any toughness to loosen, but it doesn't overcook because it never gets hot enough here's a link to an article on sous vide steak http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/h...ide-steak.html and here are some photos showing how a sous vide setup can be arranged at home for not much money http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...998339&index=0 if you are of an experimental frame of mind, you will have fun with this! btw - the steak guy 's claim that browning the meat seals it and prevents loss of moisture is only partially true, as i'm sure you realise. if even that. High heat causes water to evaporate directly, leaving a dryer pan. a low heat causes water to exit the meat into the pan making it appear wet. __________________ "Enemy submarines are to be called U-Boats. The term submarine is to be reserved for Allied under water vessels. U-Boats are those dastardly villains who sink our ships, while submarines are those gallant and noble craft which sink theirs." Winston Churchill

04-06-17, 07:06 PM	#9
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,273 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	Thawing Didn't want to start a new thread for a simple comment... so.... Usually when i get my steaks from the store, I put each one in it's own ziplock, or sometimes enough for one serving each for the household. But our schedules don't really allow for good meal planning, as we have random times we get home in the evening, or too late altogether. So defrosting the steaks when we want steaks is an issue, since we can't leave them out to thaw as they may not get used that day. And I hate using the microwave, as it tends to cook a small part of the meat. This may not be revolutionary, but I have discovered this neat little trick for rapidly thawing the steaks, and it works well for any meat. Make sure the zip lock is sealed, and doesn't have any holes in it. Draw up a large bowl/pot of hot water and let the bags soak in the water for 20 minutes or so. Voila, thawed meat. This takes about the length of time it takes me to start the charcoal, and chop up the veggies for sauteing. When the veggies are done, the grills ready, and the meats freshly thawed. This technique as works pretty well for bagging the meat. Put the meat in a bag, leaving the opening slightly open, and submerge the bag in water. It forces the air out of the bag, so when you freeze it, it reduces the chance of freezer burn. __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

04-07-17, 05:43 AM	#10
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,634 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Steaks with - veggies...? Brrrr...! Heresy! Leave a man his meat! __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

03-21-12, 09:29 PM	#1
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	A lot of it is down to the quality of the beef I'd say, having a good palette to start off with and all that. I used to live on a cattle farm, didn't actually run it (although did help out from time to time) but lived next door to the guy that did. Well, at one point we had a cow go down off the list, so to speak, so she went to the slicers and we got a portion of the meat...and when I say a portion, I mean enough to fill up our freezer. We were eating beef for weeks after! But damn, if that wasn't the nicest beef I've had in a long time, it was just right. So it makes you wonder what goes on between the farm and the supermarket/butchers.