Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:24 am Post subject: Steak
A couple of you guys mentioned it and I didn't see a thread started, so here it is.
What are your favorite cuts?
What grade do you usually get?
Have you had US Kobe? What about Japense Kobe (Wagyu)?
At what temp do you usually pull it?
Favorite marinades?
Favorite dry rubs?
Do you like sauce on it? If so, do you make your own or is it store bought?
What kind of foods do you eat with your steak?
Do you prefer dry-aged or regular beef?
I think that's a good start for now and I'll add more questions later if I can think of some.
Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Posts: 28461 Location: Chillin on the Delaware.. from the Jersey Side
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:03 pm Post subject:
If it is a good piece of meat.... no rubs, no marinades, no sauces...
One caveat I will get flamed for... it has to be well-done... I don't want to see any pink.
As for sides... a nice big ole baked potato with sour cream & butter. As for veggies... salad or broccoli. If I'm grilling, fresh white corn on the cob...
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90310 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:17 pm Post subject:
Dry aged ribeye or porterhouse from the local butcher, rubbed with sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil, grilled medium rare.
Served with sliced beefsteak tomato or caprese salad, asparagus, home-made risotto or baby red potatoes with garlic, butter, and rosemary, and crusty bread from the local bakery.
Wine is either a good cab, borolo, or amarone.
Desert: NY-style cheesecake (no adornments), and french-pressed sumatran coffee. _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Prime is nice, but choice is fine and more economical.
I've had US Kobe, but wasn't all that swayed. I've even seen ground Kobe, which sounds to me like a cheap marketing technique -- the advantage Kobe has is in the way its fat is marbled, and that's destroyed when the meat is put through the grinder. I've never had real Wagyu, but if I understand correctly it isn't exported.
It's sacrilege to eat a good steak at anything other than a perfect medium rare -- 145 degrees.
A good steak doesn't need marinades or dry rubs -- just salt & pepper and throw it on the grill. If I do a lower grade cut -- for example, if I rotisserie a tri-tip, I'll use teriyaki. For ribs I use a combination of a dry rub that's my own concoction, followed by braising in a liquid that's also my own concoction. And I'll occasionally do a pan sauce like steak au poivre. But like I said, for any good cut it's just salt & pepper.
I'm traditional -- a steak, a starch and a vegetable.
One caveat I will get flamed for... it has to be well-done... I don't want to see any pink.
So, so sad. Next time you want to buy some steak, let me know. I have some old baseball gloves laying around that you can have.
Since I don't have a grill at the moment, I do mine on my stovetop. Cast iron, high heat, butter (olive oil is ok, but you'll get more smoke in your kitchen), salt, pepper. I'm not particularly good at taking it off the heat at the right time. Sometimes I nail it, but I usually err on the side of caution and underdo it.
I'm partial to top sirloin lately because I can usually get it on sale (last purchase was $3/lb) but I'm not picky either. Skirt, flank, sirloin, chuck, I don't care. It's STEAK!
My wife makes some killer sweet potatoes when we eat steak. _________________ Game recognize game, Granddad. - Riley Freeman, The Boondocks
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90310 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject:
Exick wrote:
TACH wrote:
One caveat I will get flamed for... it has to be well-done... I don't want to see any pink.
So, so sad. Next time you want to buy some steak, let me know. I have some old baseball gloves laying around that you can have.
Since I don't have a grill at the moment, I do mine on my stovetop. Cast iron, high heat, butter (olive oil is ok, but you'll get more smoke in your kitchen), salt, pepper. I'm not particularly good at taking it off the heat at the right time. Sometimes I nail it, but I usually err on the side of caution and underdo it.
I'm partial to top sirloin lately because I can usually get it on sale (last purchase was $3/lb) but I'm not picky either. Skirt, flank, sirloin, chuck, I don't care. It's STEAK!
My wife makes some killer sweet potatoes when we eat steak.
NY Strip and sweet potatoes. Yum! _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 36046 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 2:46 pm Post subject:
I hardly ever eat steak outside, I eat it at home. We usually buy choice RibEye or Strip Steak, I can't really tell the difference. I like it with lots of fat throughout the meat. I don't put any sauce on it, and I usually it eat with rice. I prefer mine medium rare, but sometimes we overcook it to medium. I don't eat it with steak sauce. Has anyone ever tried Korean beef before? _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
Rib-eye, cooked medium. If at a restaurant, I usually don't use sauce. At home, I might throw some A1 on it if it needs it... Occassionally, I go for Filet Mignon. Never tried Kobe beef (yet).
Sides: Baked potato loaded or an au gratin type (Fleming's has a side dish of au gratin potatoes, cream, jalapeños and cheddar cheese --SO GOOD), fresh bread & butter, caesar salad or mozzarella, tomato & basil. On occassion, creamed spinach. _________________ Rest In Paradise Kobe & GiGi
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90310 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:20 am Post subject:
k4lakers wrote:
Rib-eye, cooked medium. If at a restaurant, I usually don't use sauce. At home, I might throw some A1 on it if it needs it... Occassionally, I go for Filet Mignon. Never tried Kobe beef (yet).
Sides: Baked potato loaded or an au gratin type (Fleming's has a side dish of au gratin potatoes, cream, jalapeños and cheddar cheese --SO GOOD), fresh bread & butter, caesar salad or mozzarella, tomato & basil. On occassion, creamed spinach.
There should be no circumstance where a ribeye would "need" A1... _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Filet mignon wrapped in bacon to keep the meat from drying out. _________________ We are stardust
Billion year old carbon
We are golden
Caught in the devil's bargain
And we've got to get ourselves
Back to the garden
I've had Kobe Steak a couple times. I had it at Yamashiro's. I really can't give an accurate review of it though because it was covered in this Japanese teriyaki style sauce that I wasn't too fond of. It blocked out the steak's taste. I also had Kobe beef on mincheeseburgers once. That was really good. My steak of choice is a medium rare filet. I'm too picky about the cut, but it has to be medium rare.
We've only been talking about beef so far. Another favorite -- take a bunch of rosemary (not just the leaves -- enough branches to lay down on the grill), soak them in red wine for a while, lay them down on the grill, and lay some pork tenderloins on top. Grill lid closed over low heat to 160 degrees.
Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 29999 Location: Likely nowhere near you
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:25 pm Post subject:
Ostrich steak is also good....
...back when I still ate meat. _________________ Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying...'I will try again tomorrow.'
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90310 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject:
LarryCoon wrote:
We've only been talking about beef so far. Another favorite -- take a bunch of rosemary (not just the leaves -- enough branches to lay down on the grill), soak them in red wine for a while, lay them down on the grill, and lay some pork tenderloins on top. Grill lid closed over low heat to 160 degrees.
Serve with apple sauce, skin-on mashed potatoes, and the veggie of your choice. Drink a nice Pinot Noir with it. _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Prep work - Make sure your grill is clean - brushed with a wire brush and wiped down - no sense having last weeks hamburger bits stuck to your dinner. A charcoal grill is best, and some smoke in whatever manner you prefer helps too - wine soaked rosemary is a good touch, or hickory chips, mesquite, applewood - lots to choose from.
I prefer Rib-eye about 1 1/4 inches thick, rubbed with sea-salt or kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper that is gentlypressed into the steak so it stays. Then I whisk together olive oil and Worchestshire. I put the seasoned steak in a vaccum seal bag, pour in the oil and Worch. and leave it in the in the refrigerator for a couple days. You can add dried herbs, garlic salt, onion salt, crushed red pepper - whatever you like. Though you really don't need anything, it is fun to get creative and experiment with flavors you like. Use moderation when trying something new. I want the steak to be around 38 degrees when I put it on the grill so that the middle stays nice and pink despite the high-heat sear I will give the outside. Make sure the grill is hot and with a pair of tongs, place the steaks at a slight diagonal to the grill grates - about 30 degrees off of the long axis of the steak (about 1 o'clock if the top of the grill is 12 o'clock). Resist the urge to use a fork that will puncture the meat and let juices escape - the whole point of the high heat is to sear the outside of the steak and lock the juices inside. Once the you have visible grill marks charred into the steak, you want to rotate the steak (not flip it over) by about 60 degrees (about 11 o'clock). If your grill is properly clean and heated, the steak should lift right off when rotating - this is the side you will be serving facing up - so make it pretty. When the grill marks are just the way you like them, time to flip.
Once you flip the steak over, you are putting the grill marks on, rotating 1 o'clock/11 o'clock and cooking to order - but how do you know without cutting into the steak and letting the juices run out? Here is a little cheat to get you started. Hold your left hand out, palm up so you can see it ,and touch the tip of your index finger to your thumb gently. Now, with the index finger of your right hand, poke the part of your left palm between the thumb and wrist where your thumb muscle is. Keep poking with your right index finger as you move your left thumb from index finger, to middle finger, to ring finger to pinky - like you are counting on your fingers -1,2,3,4. Notice how your thumb muscle tightens as it reaches farther toward the next finger - just like how steak gets more firm as it cooks - Index finger = rare, Middle finger = medium rare, Ring finger = medium, Pinky = well done. When the steak has been flipped and rotated, poke it with your index finger and compare it to your thumb muscle test which will tell you if it is ready or needs more time - those on the well-done side may need to lower the heat as you cook or close the grill top so you don't char it. Those on the rare side shouldn't need to.
I cook it 3 minutes, rotate -3 minutes, flip - 3 minutes, rotate and pull when rare. Keep in mind with a hot grill, the steak will continue to cook a little, so pull it just before it is ready. Place on a cutting board or platter with the 'good side' facing up, tent with foil, and let it rest and cool a bit before serving.
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90310 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject:
JerryMagicKobe wrote:
Prep work - Make sure your grill is clean - brushed with a wire brush and wiped down - no sense having last weeks hamburger bits stuck to your dinner. A charcoal grill is best, and some smoke in whatever manner you prefer helps too - wine soaked rosemary is a good touch, or hickory chips, mesquite, applewood - lots to choose from.
I prefer Rib-eye about 1 1/4 inches thick, rubbed with sea-salt or kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper that is gentlypressed into the steak so it stays. Then I whisk together olive oil and Worchestshire. I put the seasoned steak in a vaccum seal bag, pour in the oil and Worch. and leave it in the in the refrigerator for a couple days. You can add dried herbs, garlic salt, onion salt, crushed red pepper - whatever you like. Though you really don't need anything, it is fun to get creative and experiment with flavors you like. Use moderation when trying something new. I want the steak to be around 38 degrees when I put it on the grill so that the middle stays nice and pink despite the high-heat sear I will give the outside. Make sure the grill is hot and with a pair of tongs, place the steaks at a slight diagonal to the grill grates - about 30 degrees off of the long axis of the steak (about 1 o'clock if the top of the grill is 12 o'clock). Resist the urge to use a fork that will puncture the meat and let juices escape - the whole point of the high heat is to sear the outside of the steak and lock the juices inside. Once the you have visible grill marks charred into the steak, you want to rotate the steak (not flip it over) by about 60 degrees (about 11 o'clock). If your grill is properly clean and heated, the steak should lift right off when rotating - this is the side you will be serving facing up - so make it pretty. When the grill marks are just the way you like them, time to flip.
Once you flip the steak over, you are putting the grill marks on, rotating 1 o'clock/11 o'clock and cooking to order - but how do you know without cutting into the steak and letting the juices run out? Here is a little cheat to get you started. Hold your left hand out, palm up so you can see it ,and touch the tip of your index finger to your thumb gently. Now, with the index finger of your right hand, poke the part of your left palm between the thumb and wrist where your thumb muscle is. Keep poking with your right index finger as you move your left thumb from index finger, to middle finger, to ring finger to pinky - like you are counting on your fingers -1,2,3,4. Notice how your thumb muscle tightens as it reaches farther toward the next finger - just like how steak gets more firm as it cooks - Index finger = rare, Middle finger = medium rare, Ring finger = medium, Pinky = well done. When the steak has been flipped and rotated, poke it with your index finger and compare it to your thumb muscle test which will tell you if it is ready or needs more time - those on the well-done side may need to lower the heat as you cook or close the grill top so you don't char it. Those on the rare side shouldn't need to.
I cook it 3 minutes, rotate -3 minutes, flip - 3 minutes, rotate and pull when rare. Keep in mind with a hot grill, the steak will continue to cook a little, so pull it just before it is ready. Place on a cutting board or platter with the 'good side' facing up, tent with foil, and let it rest and cool a bit before serving.
Nicely done! Only thing I'd add is that it is always preferable to err on the side of too rare. You can fix that, but you can't uncook a steak. _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90310 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject:
JerryMagicKobe wrote:
24 wrote:
Nicely done! Only thing I'd add is that it is always preferable to err on the side of too rare. You can fix that, but you can't uncook a steak.
Agree - and it is always important to marinate the cook.
Perhaps even pickle
I file this under: "Sauce is for the cook, not the steak". _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 36046 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:27 pm Post subject:
Is rare steak good? What about very rare? Has anyone ever tried Chicago style? _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
Prep work - Make sure your grill is clean - brushed with a wire brush and wiped down - no sense having last weeks hamburger bits stuck to your dinner. A charcoal grill is best, and some smoke in whatever manner you prefer helps too - wine soaked rosemary is a good touch, or hickory chips, mesquite, applewood - lots to choose from.
I prefer Rib-eye about 1 1/4 inches thick, rubbed with sea-salt or kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper that is gentlypressed into the steak so it stays. Then I whisk together olive oil and Worchestshire. I put the seasoned steak in a vaccum seal bag, pour in the oil and Worch. and leave it in the in the refrigerator for a couple days. You can add dried herbs, garlic salt, onion salt, crushed red pepper - whatever you like. Though you really don't need anything, it is fun to get creative and experiment with flavors you like. Use moderation when trying something new. I want the steak to be around 38 degrees when I put it on the grill so that the middle stays nice and pink despite the high-heat sear I will give the outside. Make sure the grill is hot and with a pair of tongs, place the steaks at a slight diagonal to the grill grates - about 30 degrees off of the long axis of the steak (about 1 o'clock if the top of the grill is 12 o'clock). Resist the urge to use a fork that will puncture the meat and let juices escape - the whole point of the high heat is to sear the outside of the steak and lock the juices inside. Once the you have visible grill marks charred into the steak, you want to rotate the steak (not flip it over) by about 60 degrees (about 11 o'clock). If your grill is properly clean and heated, the steak should lift right off when rotating - this is the side you will be serving facing up - so make it pretty. When the grill marks are just the way you like them, time to flip.
Once you flip the steak over, you are putting the grill marks on, rotating 1 o'clock/11 o'clock and cooking to order - but how do you know without cutting into the steak and letting the juices run out? Here is a little cheat to get you started. Hold your left hand out, palm up so you can see it ,and touch the tip of your index finger to your thumb gently. Now, with the index finger of your right hand, poke the part of your left palm between the thumb and wrist where your thumb muscle is. Keep poking with your right index finger as you move your left thumb from index finger, to middle finger, to ring finger to pinky - like you are counting on your fingers -1,2,3,4. Notice how your thumb muscle tightens as it reaches farther toward the next finger - just like how steak gets more firm as it cooks - Index finger = rare, Middle finger = medium rare, Ring finger = medium, Pinky = well done. When the steak has been flipped and rotated, poke it with your index finger and compare it to your thumb muscle test which will tell you if it is ready or needs more time - those on the well-done side may need to lower the heat as you cook or close the grill top so you don't char it. Those on the rare side shouldn't need to.
I cook it 3 minutes, rotate -3 minutes, flip - 3 minutes, rotate and pull when rare. Keep in mind with a hot grill, the steak will continue to cook a little, so pull it just before it is ready. Place on a cutting board or platter with the 'good side' facing up, tent with foil, and let it rest and cool a bit before serving.
Resist the urge to use a fork that will puncture the meat and let juices escape - the whole point of the high heat is to sear the outside of the steak and lock the juices inside.
The adage about locking the juices inside is known to be apocryphal. If you have an accurate enough scale (like to 1/100th of a gram) you can do careful before/after weighing of steaks using the "punctured" and "unpunctured" methods. The result: there's really not much difference, meaning an insignificant amount of juice is lost when you puncture it.
Quote:
I cook it 3 minutes, rotate -3 minutes, flip - 3 minutes, rotate and pull when rare. Keep in mind with a hot grill, the steak will continue to cook a little, so pull it just before it is ready. Place on a cutting board or platter with the 'good side' facing up, tent with foil, and let it rest and cool a bit before serving.
I like using technology.
I have a pretty accurate digital thermometer, with a remote probe that can withstand the heat of the grill. (It took several before I found one that really works well. I use this one: LINK).
I do what JerryMagicKobe says, essentially -- sear for 2-2.5 minutes, rotate 30 degrees & repeat, then flip & repeat the process. The goal here isn't to cook the steak, it's to sear the surface. Not only are the grill marks aesthetically pleasing, searing also causes a lot of chemical changes that are very agreeable to taste buds. (And as I said above, while it's a popular misconception, searing DOESN'T lock in juices.)
After the meat is seared I move it from the grill surface to the higher rack above the grill, lower the heat from high to medium, insert the probe, close the lid, and let it cook on indirect heat until it hits the target temperature. Yank the steak out, tent it under foil for five minutes, and the result is a perfect steak.
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