Cooking A Good Steak
12-19-2016
, 08:40 PM
Meat temp looks perfect, Samurai. What is that potato looking patty? It looks good, but need to know what it is please! Also, please up your knife game; given your name, I expect better. 
12-19-2016
, 08:47 PM
12-19-2016
, 11:18 PM
First steak with Anova. Crust didn't develop much because I was a bit concerned with overcooking it.
12-19-2016
, 11:21 PM
12-19-2016
, 11:36 PM
Here's highlights from tonight's Strip cook:
Pre-sear:
Resting
Interior
Overall great but a slight step back from my Friday lunch strip. I had the heat up a bit too high on the low cook and the temp got away from me--mid to high 120s when I pulled it (115 is ideal imo). Gave it an extra long rest (almost 15 min) before the sear. Finished probably 7-9 degrees warmer than perfection.
Will probably take a steak break in preparation and anticipation for the Christmas roast.
Pre-sear:
Resting
Interior
Overall great but a slight step back from my Friday lunch strip. I had the heat up a bit too high on the low cook and the temp got away from me--mid to high 120s when I pulled it (115 is ideal imo). Gave it an extra long rest (almost 15 min) before the sear. Finished probably 7-9 degrees warmer than perfection.
Will probably take a steak break in preparation and anticipation for the Christmas roast.
12-19-2016
, 11:37 PM
12-19-2016
, 11:38 PM
12-20-2016
, 01:40 AM
12-20-2016
, 02:51 AM
The recent wagyu itt has looked pretty amazingly delicious. Having said that, I have to say that I am pretty much in the good old ribeye preference camp. I find wagyu to be just too damn rich! At our office party this weekend there were 1/2" wagyu appetizer 1/2" cubes that were so damn rich I couldn't eat more than three of them. 
Great recent steak pics btw... thread has evolved to a point where handing out kudos and props is pretty much all one can say anymore.
Great recent steak pics btw... thread has evolved to a point where handing out kudos and props is pretty much all one can say anymore.
12-20-2016
, 04:06 AM
Someone last page mentioned trying out the other 95% of the cow as I was buying chuck for mincemeat.
The pie idea fell through so I loaded with seasons, fried on Friday, and then oven baked for 24 min at 300.
Truly it was the best I've had in a while and the 3rd day was better than the 1st. It think the last 24 oz tenderized in the fridge and in it's juice as I slowly warmed it up. Didn't take too many pics but the middle turned out way redder than I normally do.
The pie idea fell through so I loaded with seasons, fried on Friday, and then oven baked for 24 min at 300.
Truly it was the best I've had in a while and the 3rd day was better than the 1st. It think the last 24 oz tenderized in the fridge and in it's juice as I slowly warmed it up. Didn't take too many pics but the middle turned out way redder than I normally do.
12-20-2016
, 12:19 PM
12-20-2016
, 01:21 PM
Quote:
I hate to just barge in and I haven't really read much but if you want a quick synopsis on how to cook a steak without sous-vide and circulators and Ferran Adria's kitchen equipment here's a good general guide. Feel free to add if I've missed something or have questions about things I've missed. This is for medium-rare temperature. If you like it done more, turn on your oven to 375 before you start cooking.
What you need: steak, salt, black pepper, paper towels, thermometer (it can be a tongue thermometer if you don't have a meat thermometer), cast iron skillet (or a thick stainless steel pan; cannot be non-stick!), stove top.
1.) Know what cut of meat you like. If you don't know, use this site: http://www.thekitchn.com/shopping-fo...ld-know-207368
2.) Where you go to buy your steak matters. Spend the extra money. I could go into the socioeconomics of it but it's not worth it. You get what you pay for.
3.) Make sure the steak is thick. When I say thick, about twice the thickness of your knuckles, and of course for tenderloins this is different. If you like it thin, go get sushi or something.
4.) If you're cooking the steak the day you buy it, put it on a plate and put it in the fridge. No salt, no pepper, no oil. Just let it sit in the fridge uncovered. You want to create a dry surface so that it's easier to get a strong sear. Cover it and there's humidity. Salt it and it draws the liquid out of the steak. No salt until just before cooking.
5.) Pre-heat your pan and pull the steak out of the fridge. I like cast iron pans for the cooking of my steaks. If you're using a regular pan add a little canola/veg oil to the pan. It is very important that the pan is clearly bigger than the steak. You don't want to steam your beautiful steak. (If you grill and you feel comfortable getting a great sear on your grill, more power to you, use it. But it's been snowing here and I can get a better looking sear on the stove top. That means more flavor.)
6.) You want that pan hot. When you start to heat your pan on high heat, take a paper towel and make sure your whole steak is dry. This step is often forgotten by home cooks but is very important. Liquid on the surface of your steak = steam. You do not want to steam your steak at any level. That means less flavor. After you dry your steak, salt and pepper your steak. You want a fair amount of salt. Think about how thick that steak is-- it needs a fair amount of salt. Your steak is dry so you may have to press the salt into the steak if you're using kosher salt. With regards to black pepper, I put as much black pepper as salt.
7.) You should be watching your pan. When it starts to smoke (not smoking like the fire alarm is going to go off but a light smoke), your pan is ready to have the steak admitted. Put the steak in the pan, press it into the pan, and turn the heat to medium. Do not touch the steak, let that sexy beast get some color. The color you are looking for is called mahogany. This applies to all meats that are being seared but the color of mahogany is more easily seen and applied to steaks. Mahogany!
8.) After the first side gets to mahogany, flip it over and do it again. I turn the heat up just before I flip the steak. Every time you move the steak in the pan the temperature of your pan fluctuates. Try to trust your gut on this one. You're a better cook than you think, trust your instincts.
9.) When mahogany is getting close on the second side, test the temperature with your thermometer. Med-rare is 135 but you're pulling her off 10 degrees before you get there so you're looking for 125-128. 125-128 and she comes off. (For medium pull out at 135-138; medium well 145-148; well done 160.)
10.) Put the steak on a cutting board or on your plate and let her sit for 10-15 minutes. Be patient. If you cut into that steak immediately, all of the liquid escapes and you haven't allowed for the liquid to reset itself because it's literally still cooking. Even though it's out of the pan, the steak is still cooking!
11.) If you're really cool, add a knob of butter to the still hot pan. Have a handful of mushrooms and onions and toss them in. Get all the good stuff from the bottom of the pan on your mushrooms and onions. Put the mushrooms and onions to one side of the pan and put asparagus on the other side. Add garlic and have your oven at 400. When the asparagus is just cooked through, your steak will be well rested and ready for the accompaniments.
12.)
What you need: steak, salt, black pepper, paper towels, thermometer (it can be a tongue thermometer if you don't have a meat thermometer), cast iron skillet (or a thick stainless steel pan; cannot be non-stick!), stove top.
1.) Know what cut of meat you like. If you don't know, use this site: http://www.thekitchn.com/shopping-fo...ld-know-207368
2.) Where you go to buy your steak matters. Spend the extra money. I could go into the socioeconomics of it but it's not worth it. You get what you pay for.
3.) Make sure the steak is thick. When I say thick, about twice the thickness of your knuckles, and of course for tenderloins this is different. If you like it thin, go get sushi or something.
4.) If you're cooking the steak the day you buy it, put it on a plate and put it in the fridge. No salt, no pepper, no oil. Just let it sit in the fridge uncovered. You want to create a dry surface so that it's easier to get a strong sear. Cover it and there's humidity. Salt it and it draws the liquid out of the steak. No salt until just before cooking.
5.) Pre-heat your pan and pull the steak out of the fridge. I like cast iron pans for the cooking of my steaks. If you're using a regular pan add a little canola/veg oil to the pan. It is very important that the pan is clearly bigger than the steak. You don't want to steam your beautiful steak. (If you grill and you feel comfortable getting a great sear on your grill, more power to you, use it. But it's been snowing here and I can get a better looking sear on the stove top. That means more flavor.)
6.) You want that pan hot. When you start to heat your pan on high heat, take a paper towel and make sure your whole steak is dry. This step is often forgotten by home cooks but is very important. Liquid on the surface of your steak = steam. You do not want to steam your steak at any level. That means less flavor. After you dry your steak, salt and pepper your steak. You want a fair amount of salt. Think about how thick that steak is-- it needs a fair amount of salt. Your steak is dry so you may have to press the salt into the steak if you're using kosher salt. With regards to black pepper, I put as much black pepper as salt.
7.) You should be watching your pan. When it starts to smoke (not smoking like the fire alarm is going to go off but a light smoke), your pan is ready to have the steak admitted. Put the steak in the pan, press it into the pan, and turn the heat to medium. Do not touch the steak, let that sexy beast get some color. The color you are looking for is called mahogany. This applies to all meats that are being seared but the color of mahogany is more easily seen and applied to steaks. Mahogany!
8.) After the first side gets to mahogany, flip it over and do it again. I turn the heat up just before I flip the steak. Every time you move the steak in the pan the temperature of your pan fluctuates. Try to trust your gut on this one. You're a better cook than you think, trust your instincts.
9.) When mahogany is getting close on the second side, test the temperature with your thermometer. Med-rare is 135 but you're pulling her off 10 degrees before you get there so you're looking for 125-128. 125-128 and she comes off. (For medium pull out at 135-138; medium well 145-148; well done 160.)
10.) Put the steak on a cutting board or on your plate and let her sit for 10-15 minutes. Be patient. If you cut into that steak immediately, all of the liquid escapes and you haven't allowed for the liquid to reset itself because it's literally still cooking. Even though it's out of the pan, the steak is still cooking!
11.) If you're really cool, add a knob of butter to the still hot pan. Have a handful of mushrooms and onions and toss them in. Get all the good stuff from the bottom of the pan on your mushrooms and onions. Put the mushrooms and onions to one side of the pan and put asparagus on the other side. Add garlic and have your oven at 400. When the asparagus is just cooked through, your steak will be well rested and ready for the accompaniments.
12.)