Need help cooking the perfect steak.

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am a recovering vegetarian and would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked

steak

Quoted message said:

(a long time ago) it came out really really tough. After 7 years of
vegetarianism, I am sure craving a good steak. Any suggestions?

I learned way back in Home Ec is to prevent a steak from being tough,
don't season it with salt before cooking. Also, buy a good steak to
begin with: some are inherently tougher than others. The one my family
favors are ribeye steak because their fat content gives good flavor.
Also, we
don't buy really thick steaks; usually a pound, give or take
a bit is just right because we found that really thick steaks
are not only tough but often tasteless as well. I hope this
helps.

Ron

kitamaria said:

I am a recovering vegetarian and would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked steak
(a long time ago) it came out really really tough. After 7 years of
vegetarianism, I am sure craving a good steak. Any suggestions?

a recovering vegetarian, that's funny. To answer your question though it
would help to know what your preference is for the level of "doneness".
Rare, med-rare, med, med-well, or well. Personally I wouldn't recommend
goin' beyond med at the most but you're eatin' it. So, how do you like
it done?

--
Steve

It's not a good idea to squat while wearing spurs.

kitamaria said:

I am a recovering vegetarian and would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked steak
(a long time ago) it came out really really tough. After 7 years of
vegetarianism, I am sure craving a good steak. Any suggestions?

Best is on the grill over hardwood charcoal.

If you're limited to inside cooking, the method that works well for me
is pan searing both sides of the steak on a cast iron skillet with
very little oil over very high heat -- probably 3 minutes first side
and 2 minutes second side. Transfer the steak to under the broiler and
finish to your desired doneness. Just a couple of minutes per side for
rare/med. rare, longer if you like it (ick) well done.

I like to top the steak with a garlic/shallot butter or gorganzola
sauce but plain is fine.

I use in order of preference good quality (i.e. not supermarket)
ribeye, New York, or T-bone for the tenderest, most flavorful steaks.
If you're not having steak every day, it's worth paying a bit more to
get a good one every once-in-a-while.

kitamaria said:

I am a recovering vegetarian and would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked
steak (a long time ago) it came out really really tough. After 7
years of vegetarianism, I am sure craving a good steak. Any
suggestions?

It depends on the steak and whether you're inside or outside. Don't
be chintzy when buying the steak - you want a good cut of meat that's
nicely marbled (assuming it's not a filet), nice a red, no strange
smells, etc. The cut is up to you, but I tend to prefer filets when
I'm feeling particularly carnivorous and ribeyes at other times. I'll
fire up the Big Green Egg to maximum heat (700 degrees or so), throw
on a couple of nice thick filets, leave them there for about two
minutes, turn them over, choke the heat off completely, and leave the
steaks for another two minutes. Works like a charm. I prefer to
season the steaks with salt and pepper only, although occasionally
I'll use a nice rub as a marinade for steaks I'm cooking outdoors.
Other cuts? You might want to be more aggressive with the marinade,
such as for New York strips and whatnot. Sometimes we'll go with a
T-bone, for example, and something a bit acidic on those works well.
Consider this: a bit of olive oil, mixed with rice wine vinegar, soy,
and garlic. Or I like to use a lime juice vinagrette with garlic and
a little chili paste or powder. Just depends on the mood, I suppose.

For indoors, assuming a nice ribeye for example, sear the steaks in a
good quality heavy oven-safe pan. Cast iron is the best, although my
All Clad skillet works just fine. Sear for about 2-3 minutes per side
(no oil). Finish the steak in a 500 degree oven for anywhere from 3-5
minutes (depends on the thickness and the degree of doneness desired).
Let rest, covered under foil, for at least five minutes. The steak
will continue to cook for a short period, and that will also give the
juices a chance to recede. Sauces or seasonings? That's up to you.
I never really understood the blue cheese thing (personal preference,
I suppose), although I do like a combo of roasted shallots, roasted
garlic, and [censored] mushrooms sauteed (same pan) with a hint of soy
sauce, or Worcestshire and a small spoon of Dijon mustard. Saute
these while the steaks rest, and enjoy.

Sorry about the drool as I typed this - I think it's time to head over
to Harry's Farmer's Market and get a couple of filets to go. 🙂
--
"Life is hard. Life is harder when
you're stupid". - John Wayne

"Politics is war without bloodshed while
war is politics with bloodshed" - Mao Zedong

'99 FLHRCI

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am a recovering vegetarian and would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked steak
(a long time ago) it came out really really tough. After 7 years of
vegetarianism, I am sure craving a good steak. Any suggestions?

Sure; the first point is to purchase good quality meat and the right cut.
Make sure to purchase a USDA Choice or Prime Grade Steak. I suspect you are
not into the taste of animal fat ergo I would suggest a New York Steak or a
Fillet Mignon, I enjoy a rib steak but it would have more fat than the
others. Salt and pepper the steak about an hour before cooking.

To pan fry the steak do the following: Heat the pan until a drop or water
dances on the surface. Add a small amount of olive oil and then as the
olive oil is heating add about a tablespoon of butter - real butter and add
the steak to the pan. Keep the fire up (high) after 3 or 4 minutes of
cooking gently lift the steak with some tongs and if it is the color you
like turn it over and reduce the heat. I don't know how you like your steak
the amount of time on the 2nd side should govern the doneness. If you have
one use an instant read thermometer about 135 to 140 for Rare.

When the steak is done remove and plate the steak and put the plate and
steak in a warm oven. Deglaze the pan with some red wine and when reduced
in half and turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of room temperature
butter. Swirl the butter into the reduced wine until glossy and fully
incorporated. Shallots or garlic or other things can be added but first
time out don't mask the taste of the beef too much.

Pour the sauce over the Steak and enjoy!

Dimitri

Steve Calvin said:

kitamaria said:

... would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked

steak

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(a long time ago) it came out really really tough.

The key is a combination of timing and degree of doneness. Steaks
remain tender until the last bit of pink is gone. While there is pink
in the center almost all of the heat goes into making the rest not
pink. When there is no pink in the center almost all of the heat goes
into making the steak tougher. This means it is very easy to make
a tender steak that is rare or medium because there is a large
timing window when you can take a steak off the grill. This also
means it is very hard to make a tender steak that is well done
because there is a tiny timing window of only a few seconds while
the steak is both perfectly well done and also still tender. Cooking
a perfect well done steak is past the skill level of 99% of cooks.

Quoted message said:

To answer your question though it would help to know what your
preference is for the level of "doneness". Rare, med-rare, med,
med-well, or well.

I use the hand method. Hold your hand open and feel the flesh
between the thumb and index finger. That's what rare feels like.
Touch thumb and index finger and feel the same spot. That's
what meduim feels like. Curl your hand into a fist, just the fist
shape not tight and feel the same spot. That's what well done
feels like. Tighten your fist and feel the same spot. That's
what tough feels like because you kept it in the pan about 30
seconds past the threshhold of well done.

Quoted message said:

Personally I wouldn't recommend goin' beyond med at the
most but you're eatin' it.

Personal tastes form a feedback loop when it comes to well
done steaks. Few can pull off a well done steak that's still
tender, so few think it can even *be* done, so few ask for
their steaks well done. It pushes the average preference
towards medium.

There's another way to get it well done safely: Slice it very
thin so it's many thin sheets and stir fry the sheets. This
is how Philly cheese steak sandwiches are cooked as well
as plenty of other recipes. Thinner sliced beef is far less
sensative to becoming tough because it has so many of
its connective fibers cut.

What's *my* opinion of the perfect steak? Hunt for that
one cook in a hundred who is able to pull off a well done
steak (skill). Have your steak cut thinly just in case
(technique). Have it cooked just barely well done, in a cast
iron frying pan (equipment) because cast iron holds heat and
does not change temperature as quickly as a fast response
pan like All Clad. Before putting the steak in rub with
garlic and dust with a little salt and a tiny bit of pepper
(details). Serve with mushrooms that have been sauteed
in that All Clad skillet (trimmings) and some nice pan fried
veggies.

"Doug Freyburger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Steve Calvin said:

kitamaria said:

... would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked

steak

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(a long time ago) it came out really really tough.

The key is a combination of timing and degree of doneness. Steaks
remain tender until the last bit of pink is gone. While there is pink
in the center almost all of the heat goes into making the rest not
pink. When there is no pink in the center almost all of the heat goes
into making the steak tougher. This means it is very easy to make
a tender steak that is rare or medium because there is a large
timing window when you can take a steak off the grill. This also
means it is very hard to make a tender steak that is well done
because there is a tiny timing window of only a few seconds while
the steak is both perfectly well done and also still tender. Cooking
a perfect well done steak is past the skill level of 99% of cooks.

This is a really bizarre theory. Why would the biochemical processes of
cooking care what color the meat is? I agree that well done is an
abomination when it comes to steak, but I cannot see how the colort would be
related to the toughness.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

I think medium to medium well is my preference....

Hmm, I just bought all-clad stainless steel and don't have any cast
iron, --is stainless steel just as good? Also, where besides a
supermarket would you buy steak?

Thank you all so much for your comments --I appreciate your time and
can't wait to experiment with them all! Thanks again, Krista

Quoted message said:

Why would the biochemical processes of
cooking care what color the meat is?

Color is a biochemical process. Pink is meat without the proteins
denatured. Once there is no more pink, all of the protein are
denatured and the heat energy must find the chemical reaction
with the next highest activation energy. In specific the binding of
connective fibers to make the meat tough. There is an amazing
lack of overlap of the two reactions. While the easier denaturing
process is proceeding very little of th heat energy is consumed
binding connective tissue. Caveat - Thicker steaks have enough
volume that both reactions can offer together, so it is a function
of thickness.

Quoted message said:

I agree that well done is an abomination when it comes to steak

You have not found any cook capable of knowing what second
to pull a tender well done steak off of the grill/pan. Check. I
have. I can't do it myself but I have encountered 2-3 cooks who
can do it. I married one of them.

You have not experinced it therefore you do not believe it is
possible. I have experienced therefore I both know that it is
possible and I also know the degree of skill needed. It's not
like you're the first person I've encountered who hasn't dealt
with a top 1% steak-cooker skill person.

Quoted message said:

but I cannot see how the colort would be related to the toughness.

Chemistry. Heat of activation. Heat tends to flow to the reaction
that has the lowest heat of activation. The greater the difference
in heat of activation, the greater the ratio that the two reactions
proceed. Denaturing a protein only changes its shape, breaking
the curves of the amino acids and randomizing them into other
curves. The binding of connective tissue must require more
activation enegy.

Try an experiment. When cooking a ton of steaks at the
family reunion next summer, put on 50 at the same time. Pull
them off one every 20 seconds. The first will be rare. The last
will be tough. Find the one with the least pink and the first
one with no pink. The one after that will be the first tough one,
but not the first one with no pink. Then consider just how hard
it would beto do that with only one steak on the grill. It can be
done but the difficulty is why you don't at this time believe it
can. Hitting a hole in one in golf can also be done. That's
also why my version of the perfact steak is cut thin enough
that the risk of toughness is reduced if you can't hit that one
second of perfection.

A perfect well done steak is tender and delicious and an
experience to be relished. Still tender, still juicy, demonstrating
extreme skill in its timing. Every second past that point adds
toughness.

On 1/6/2005 12:57 AM Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these
great (and sometimes not so great) words of knowledge:

Quoted message said:

I am a recovering vegetarian and would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked steak
(a long time ago) it came out really really tough. After 7 years of
vegetarianism, I am sure craving a good steak. Any suggestions?

As other have mentioned, the first step is purchasing a GOOD cut of
meat. While everyone has their favorites, I like a "T" bone/porterhouse
steak. I find they are inherently tender and have a nice flavor.

The second thing is not to over cook it. That can turn the best of
steaks into "shoe leather".

My personal preference is to marinade the steak first. I am probably
going to hear a lot of gasps on this one, but I like to marinade my
steaks in Adolph's Meat Marinade for 24 hours (not the Steak Marinade).
My experience with the meat marinade has been the steaks come off the
grill very tender and with excellent flavor. On the couple of occasions
where a steak has been "well done" (by request and/or accident) the
steak has still been tender.

Now with the steak, steam some broccoli stalks and drizzle some butter
over them and add to this a twice baked potato and, IMHO, you have a
meal fit for royalty.

Quoted message said:

I just bought all-clad stainless steel and don't have any cast
iron, --is stainless steel just as good?

That's like asking "Which is better a hammer or a screwdriver?"
it depends on how you will be using it. A cooking method that
requires quick temperature response will want the All Clad with
its better conductivity. A cooking method that requires slow
temperature response will want the cast iron.

For example if you want to cut it into little pieces and do a
stir fry, not even the All Clad will respond fast enough and you
will want a thin wok.

You're question really can't be answered in general, only based
on individual preference. Some want non-stick, some want
steady heat, some want fast response. Each will prefer a
different tool.

Quoted message said:

Also, where besides a supermarket would you buy steak?

For price-quality compromise I like Costco. For top quality find
a butcher and pay the extra price.

kitamaria said:

I think medium to medium well is my preference....

ok, that gets a little "tougher". No pun intended. ;-)
As others have said, pick a good piece of meat. Ribeye or
porterhouse would be nice.

I'd sear it quickly over your heat source of choice (a hot grill would
be mine) on both sides after applying salt and fresh ground pepper on
both sides. I'm not a big fan of marinades, especially on good pieces of
meat. After it's seared, lower the heat and let it gently cook. Take
it off of heat a few minutes before you think that it's done for you.
Let it "rest" for 5 minutes or so. Believe me, it will continue to cook.

The "hand" method which was mentioned earlier works well but it takes
some practice. Try an instant read thermometer until you get the hang
of it. For medium to medium well, pull it off of the heat at 140dF
internal temp and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then adjust from there.
Don't plan on perfection the first time out of the gate.

Post back and let us know how you make out.

--
Steve

It's not a good idea to squat while wearing spurs.

Quoted message said:

Color is a biochemical process. Pink is meat without the proteins
denatured. Once there is no more pink, all of the protein are
denatured and the heat energy must find the chemical reaction
with the next highest activation energy.

Ok... but a steak isn't a fluid; heat isn't evenly distributed. While
you're still busy denaturing proteins in the middle, you must be also
binding connective fibers and making the meat tough on the outside, all at
the same time (at least with a steak of any reasonable thickness). (Not
being a food chemist, I'll take you word for it that that's what happens.)

Quoted message said:

In specific the binding of
connective fibers to make the meat tough. There is an amazing
lack of overlap of the two reactions.

Why is that? This is what I don't get. It's not like losing the last of
the local pink suddenly makes that meat a much more efficient conductor,
passing the rest of the heat along to the middle where it's still needed. :-)

Of course, this is only really of academic interest for me; I like a steak
rare to medium-rare anyway (and not just because it gets tough when
overcooked; it tastes better when more rare also, for me).

Quoted message said:

Chemistry. Heat of activation. Heat tends to flow to the reaction
that has the lowest heat of activation.

Heat tends to flow (in a solid) according to how good a conductor of heat
that solid is. It doesn't depend on whether a low-activation reation is
waiting to the left rather than to the right. :-)

-C

Maybe that is my problem, I think I have always overcooked steak. I do
appreciate the scientific take on it. thanks!

kitamaria said:

Maybe that is my problem, I think I have always overcooked steak. I do
appreciate the scientific take on it. thanks!

I never liked beef when I was a kid. My mother used to cook it until it was
grey, tough and flavorless. They were from a generation that was squeamish
about meat that looked like it might not be cooked. Somewhere along the
line I discovered that if it was cooked only until was was pink (at most)
it was much tastier nd had a nicer texture.

Dave Smith said:

I never liked beef when I was a kid. My mother used to cook it
until it was grey, tough and flavorless.

Heh...did your mother ever cook in the Navy? That's where I really started
to loathe steaks: They'd get cuts from the lowest bidder, take them straight
from the freezer to the griddle, cook them until they were completely grey
inside, and toss them onto your dining tray. But the worst part about it was
the attitude that they were doing you a FAVOR by giving you STEAK! :-)

I've managed to overcome that aversion since getting out of the Navy, but it
took well-nigh ten years.

Bob

"kitamaria" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1104991051.325252.224950
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

I am a recovering vegetarian and would like to learn how to cook a
really good steak. I just bought some new All-Clad cookware hoping
that better cookware would do the trick. The last time I cooked steak
(a long time ago) it came out really really tough. After 7 years of
vegetarianism, I am sure craving a good steak. Any suggestions?

kitamaria,

As well as the other advice, there is the matter of aging the beef.

I learned never to cook "red" meat. I let it sit in the fridge until just
before green/slime stage, sometimes two weeks or more.

It does gross out some folks, but a tastier steak is hard to find, imho,

Andy

--
"Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!"
- Ed Sullivan (1964)