Brian,

Do you actually cook steaks? Have you ever posted one here?

Econs strategy makes perfect sense cooking a steak ducasse style.

Yes.

No. No plans to in the future unless I screw something up and can't figure what I did wrong (or it would be instructive, which seems unlikely), or have somehow become the god of steaks. I doubt that I have much likelihood of becoming the god of steaks. I'll leave the excellent pics to those who can take excellent pics.

I am asking questions for a reason. AFAIK, lower temp searing shouldn't lead to a less done steak with the same quality of crust, unless I am missing something.

I'm happy to learn that I am missing something, hence my question.

Brian,

Ducasse method is low and slow pan cooking with butter basting and no high temp sear step. Google ducasse steak and you’ll get a good nyt article and a better chowhound post that goes into details.

Thanks. Sorry for my stupid question.

I'm sure I'll have other stupid questions soon.

Brian,

No worries, polite response gets polite answer!

Just took your initial post as dogging Econ as opposed to a question.

Yeah being modest and honest gets you top quality (we're taking Michelin star quality) assistance here. Enjoy the ride.

the reasons to go with a lower temp are first that it allows more even cooking (so less gray band) and second that the steak will be at the desired degree of done-ness longer, giving you greater margin for error

I'm just not seeing how you get less gray band and less overall doneness and a similar crust with a lower temp. Gray is about the temperature of the meat, afaik, not just the gradient.

This is where my thinking is stuck*: We could all make a steak gray the whole way through with no gradient by following a recipe for a slow cooked pot roast. We can all make a steak that has no gray band by just burning the **** out of the outside at 5000 degrees for a few seconds, despite there being a huge temperature variance between the outer tenth of a millimeter and the next tenth of a millimeter.

(I understand the greater margin of error part as far as the crust is concerned, I think)

*I'm assuming that is where I am stuck. Maybe it is just a misunderstanding about butter or something else.

Brian,

That 5000 degree seared steak with no gray band is raw in the middle, though.

Take your thought all the way to sous-viding a steak at say 130. That’s one extreme, low and slow. Completely even all the way through.

The other extreme is searing at high heat until the center reaches 130. Burned on the outside, well done big gray band, medium rare at very center.

Now think about the range of cooking temps/times between those two extremes.

another week, another steak

this time oven reverse sear





bonus: sous vide salmon

Haven't posted in a while, but always reading this thread. With playoff football and a 75 degree sunny day here in Orange County (mid January lol), a steak felt right.

There was a time when this grilled prime ribeye would have been considered rather nice. These days itt, it's like meh, amateur hour. Ha. Which is amazing, actually. Props to the pros in here. Anyway, tasted great! Not my best work at all but we're all human, what the hell, why not post it. I included the vid of the charring only because, I mean who wouldn't think, well that steak is ruined. But check it out, very little grayband! Interior was nut on.

Imo, if you season a steak right with salt and pepper, or what you like, there is a lot of room for error on the cook; it still tastes damn good. A beautifully cooked steak can also be ordinary if you blow the seasoning. That's my experience anyway.

Nah. That’s still pretty damn elite.

That does not as charred as I would expect.

Sparks,

You’re dead on re: the seasoning. A perfectly seasoned ok cooked steak is much better than an underseasoned perfect doneness steak.

Steak friends,

Need a quick refresher, as I'm going to fire up some bacon wrapped filet Christmas gift Lolmaha steaks tonight. Going for sous vide into cast iron to hopefully produce edible crisp bacon.

Going right from freezer into the bath, but I'm not sure how long they'll need to swim. I think I went 130 degrees the last time, but am a bit foggy and the thread is long. Do not want to die.

Also they are pre-vac sealed obv - is it worth cracking them to add any additional s/p/butter and re-sealing? Assuming I should just toss them in as-is and s/p after the bath.

TY!

130F is safe to be in the water bath for as long as you want. I would recommend 1 to 2 hours. Definitely get them out of their packaging and add butter, salt, pepper, and aromatics; then reseal and put in the bath.

Disclaimer: I've never cooked a bacon-wrapped filet so I don't know if any of the advice above will work for the bacon.

Ate at MICHAEL JORDAN'S STEAKHOUSE last night while we were at the new casino up here, I was pretty impressed at lack of gray band, sear wasn't great, but sides/chimichurri made up for it

I’m legitimately surprised there isn’t a jump man branded into that steak. Jordan needs to get his **** together.

Have some friends coming over tonight, who are well aware of the mad **** I talk with my steak game. So I thawed out 2 x aged ribeyes and 1 x aged prime strip. Gonna serve with Kenji Mac and Cheese and Kenji Greek Salad, with NY cheesecake for desert. Will be Team Sous Vide tonight which is easiest for multiple big steaks. Here they are before salting.

Also I love when Sparks shows up. Such a treat.

Bdv,

Damn do those look good!

Sounds healthy

lol I pop off about some Omaha Steaks and then daddy comes and saves the thread.

Quick shot after bagging with butter, rosemary, and fresh garlic slices:

SV at 127. Gogogogogo