Steak: Anyone think this is worth trying?

[LL21]

but, but, but.........it's also one of the few slices of Heaven one can experience here on Earth.

Perhaps I tend to like living on the edge...hehe

I know it's bad for you but self control gets the better of me and there is far worse I could to harm my body. Call me a rebel but I can't go without my bacon.

Tom

I remember a story about the Hillcrest Country Club when George Burns was alive. The Non-Smoking signs went up, and out of respect for George Burns, they said 'No Smoking for Anyone under Age 95'...and installed a ventilator above the table where he usually sat... I dont smoke, but i do like a dram of whisky from time to time.

 

[garylkoh]

I'd rather live like George Burns and have my bacon It's a slice of heaven that I couldn't live without.

One of his most famous quotes when he was asked how old he was - "You're only as old as the woman you feel." My wife tells me that I'm at least 12 years younger than I actually am.

Back OT - the top press is a wonderful tool...... but then the best way to cook steak is sous vide, and then sear both sides.
http://www.chefsteps.com/activities/improvised-sous-vide-cooking-pot-on-a-stove-method

 

[treitz3]

Ah, that reminds me of Keith_W's thread here at the WBF http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?6240-Objectivist-ribeye-steak&highlight=sous+vide

Tom

 

[Keith_W]

I don't think that would be a very good idea. If you think about it, the aims of cooking steak are:

1. Develop Maillard flavours (more browning equals more flavour)
2. NOT overcook the interior.

The problem with most methods of cooking steak is that the heat is not ferocious enough to fulfil both aims, particularly if you have a thinner cut of steak. When cooking steak, you HAVE to think about how heat travels through the meat. This is pretty evident when you cut into the steak. A poorly cooked steak only has a thin sliver of medium rare in the center, with most of the steak overcooked. A well cooked steak has more medium rare, with only a thin band (perhaps 1mm) of the surface overcooked.

To illustrate, here is a picture from a site that purportedly teaches you how to cook steak. Notice the thick band of overcooked meat in their medium rare steak:

And this is one that I prepared earlier. Notice how the entire steak is medium rare, from surface to surface, with only a tiny band of overcooked meat and a well browned crust:

I can tell you that if you were to use the method suggested, the way the heat travels through the meat would result in a steak that looks more like the first picture than the second with the likelihood that the surface will not be browned enough. Why? Because you need heat ... and A LOT OF HEAT ... to get nice browning. A pre-heated slab of cast iron won't do it.

I'm not sure if I have posted this method on WBF before, but Heston Blumenthal has developed a method to cook a steak by flipping it often. Using thermal imaging, he showed that the side away from the pan loses heat very quickly. The traditional method of cooking steak calls for leaving the steak unmolested for a set time and then flipping it once. What this will do is overcook a band of meat without adequate crust formation. Frequent flipping provides little pulses of heat to each side of the steak in 15 second intervals, which means the steak cooks more evenly, more quickly, and with a better crust.

I have pushed this method even further. This method actually selectively heats the surface of the steak. I haven't seen it published anywhere else, so I think I can claim it as my invention This is what I do:

- 15 seconds on one side
- flip, 15 seconds on the other side
- remove steak from pan and rest for 15-30 seconds. During this time, heat escapes from BOTH surfaces of the steak. In the meantime, the pan heats up and starts to caramelize meat particles already on the pan. Remember that Maillard reactions are autocatalytic - meaning that you get more rapid browning if there are already Maillard molecules present. By the time the steak is returned to the pan, the pan is incredibly hot.
- repeat until the steak is cooked.

This method works well for thinner cuts of steak, OR if the heat source is inadequate. For thick cuts of steak, I still recommend two stage cooking (as in my other thread).

 

[Steve williams]

I must admit I don't cook steaks on the pan.

Keith what make stove of you use and I assume its gas. How many BTUs dies it put out. I agree about "very hot"

 

[Keith_W]

Steve I cook steak on a pan when I have no choice.

I do use a gas stove. Not sure about BTU's since we're metric But it makes 10 MJ/h.

 

[JackD201]

For thick cuts, like Keith, I Sous vide. Yeah I cheat! LOL.

From there it's on to a searing pan or a REALLY hot grill, two flips.

 

[GaryProtein]

Gentlemen

don't you know how unhealthy bacon is to eat whether it be cooked slow or normal.

I guess this one pound bacon sandwich would be out of the question.

 

[GaryProtein]

For thick cuts, like Keith, I Sous vide. Yeah I cheat! LOL.

From there it's on to a searing pan or a REALLY hot grill, two flips.

That really is cheating. It takes all the question out of how the meat will turn out.

I adjusted my gas grill to produce extremely high heat for when I want it. I use a natural gas orifice with propane so the valve controls the low heat and the larger natural gas orifice controls the high because much more gas is allowed to pass. I almost tripled the BTU output when I'm on HI. Please don't tell the fire marshal!

 

[JackD201]

That really is cheating. It takes all the question out of how the meat will turn out.

I adjusted my gas grill to produce extremely high heat for when I want it. I use a natural gas orifice with propane so the valve controls the low heat and the larger natural gas orifice controls the high because much more gas is allowed to pass. Please don't tell the fire marshal!

LOL! Don't worry your secret is safe with me!

In my case, I HAVE to cheat. When the family gets together that is 14 adults and 6 carnivorous nephews and nieces. Sous Vide and flash searing is the quickest most efficient (and yummiest!) way to get everybody having their main course at the same time.

If it's just my wife and two bigger kids, typically I just get one thick ribe eye (1 1/2") Sear and pan bake (with a lid) flipping it over frequently using just the residual heat of the heavy pan. I then just deglaze the pan with some wine, add some stock, finely chopped shallots, a whole clove of garlic, whatever herbs catch my eye in the herb garden and whisk in some butter at the end. I finish with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

It's served family style, sliced at biases with the pan juices on top.

Sometimes for a bit of interactive fun, I purposely cook it rare on a grill and we have a ceramic Hibachi (just four or five brickets) in the middle of the dining table for the second stage of cooking and everybody can finish their slices exactly how they like.

 

[GaryProtein]

. . . .If it's just my wife and two bigger kids, typically I just get one thick ribe eye (1 1/2") Sear and pan bake (with a lid) flipping it over frequently using just the residual heat of the heavy pan. . . . .

. . . and what do the other people get to eat????

 

[rblnr]

Given family history of heart disease, I watch my saturated fats closely -- I eat about 1/3 as much steak as I might like to. So when I do have it at home, it's wood-grilling or nothing for me. Been liking pecan wood lately with beef; my grill is made of 10ga steel with heavy, raisable grates and really holds heat well. Usual method is to sear each side -- 1 1/4" ribeye or strip usually, then cook indirectly (hood closed, not over the flame). Total cook time is around 7 min. for med. rare.

Thinner stuff like hangar I'll have pan fried in a restaurant once in awhile, and I've seen some use presses like the one pictured. Was in Argentina earlier in the year, watched/talked some technique and bought the Francis Malman book -- plan to incorporate that into my repertoire over time. Any steak lover should get him/herself out to Las Lilas in Buenos Aires -- had a spectacular steak there. Some of the cuts in Argentina are different than NA and really good.

And btw, here's how you cook lamb:

 

[Steve williams]

me too Bob

Rarely have steak but always grilled

 

[Mosin]

For thick cuts, like Keith, I Sous vide. Yeah I cheat! LOL.

From there it's on to a searing pan or a REALLY hot grill, two flips.

Jack, I don't think you cheat.

I referenced Jack's post because he spoke of a searing pan, and I mentioned a searing pan earlier. However, I didn't mention how I use one, so no one knew what to do with my post. I should have explained.

That particular pan was recommended to me by a chef many years ago because it excels at task of searing meat
very quickly. It is a heavy carbon steel one that heats evenly like cast iron, but much, much faster, and because it is steel it is so smooth that a well-cured one does not stick. In fact, mine sticks less than any non-stick pan I have ever used. Another aspect is that it actually requires a lot less heat from below to get it to operating temperature. The company, de Buyer of France, has been making variants of the same pan for almost 200 years. It is well-respected among professionals in the culinary arts...of which I am sadly not a member by any stretch of the imagination.

So, how does one use it?

The idea is to sear the meat very quickly and evenly, and then move it to a grilling area. We are talking seconds here. I heat my pan with a lot of heat, say 25-35,000 BTU...guessing, and after searing I move the meat to an adjoining open broiler. Then, I tend to work one steak at a time, flipping it a lot like was mentioned by someone else earlier. It is a very fast way to cook a steak while still maintaining control. Still, less heat is actually necessary for that particular pan.

Like Gary, I cheat.

I have a natural gas open broiler with a 60,000 BTU burner built into my screened-in porch. I can't have it inside because match-lit equipment indoors is a big no-no, although having it the way I do is also cheating. It has a 1/2" natural gas feed, which is larger than residential equipment, but smaller than typical commercial equipment. I convinced the installers from the gas company to bump my incoming gas by 25%. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone...oops! Anyway, the broiler area consists of two 16" X 16" sections that have two 40,000 BTU burners each. If you aren't familiar with them, a broiler has the burners a lot closer to the grates than a typical grill, so constant attention is required. It's a "like it, or hate it" deal that has a learning curve for most of us. I had a removable section made, so that I can convert it into a grill whenever I want by lifting the grates. I use that sometimes. I have other grates for more delicate items like fish and small pieces of chicken. I tried to make the thing as adaptable as possible, so it even has steel plates, so that it can be used as a French-top range. The hood you see is useful when you need a rotisserie, but I use it mostly as a cover when the unit isn't in use. Normally, it is sitting on the floor someplace. Anyway, that's my rig.



Here's a link to the pan I use. By the way, the linked place has fantastic prices!

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/eurodib/511032/p371591.aspx

 

[JackD201]

. . . and what do the other people get to eat????

LOL! The girls aren't big eaters Gary. Personally, I'm good with 6 to 8 ounces after soup and a salad. Need room for dessert you know.

 

[Steve williams]

can you guys explain what you mean by a cheater with natural gas using propane inflows

 

[Mosin]

can you guys explain what you mean by a cheater with natural gas using propane inflows

The pressure of natural gas to the equipment is much lower than that of propane, so the opening in the valve, the orifice, is larger. So, Gary used a large orifice that was intended for natural on his propane equipment. This allowed much more usable gas in, so he gets more heat. The "cheat" is that he is way outside building code specification. However, he is safe enough because of how he has it configured. This, of course, would be a matter of conscientious debate, if a building inspector ever saw it.

 

[Steve williams]

Understood.

I use propane but use proper propane intakes. Sounds dangerous or is this something commonly used by everyone. How do you know if you won't melt your grill and/or you wont blow up. I have a Ducane DCS which uses ceramic heaters if that helps.

 

[Mosin]

No, it is highly uncommon. I suspect Gary's stuff is robust enough to handle it, as in heavy steel of some variety.

Me? I just added a bit more flow of natural gas to my house. I didn't modify the incoming on the equipment itself. That's still a code cheat, however. In my case, the gas company guys knew the limits that are actually safe. The code is very conservative in that area. Mine might be some exception to the conversation because it is actually integrated into the house structure. Your Ducane, for example, is portable; it is none of the building inspector's business what you do with it, as long as it stays outdoors.

 

[GaryProtein]

Understood.

I use propane but use proper propane intakes. Sounds dangerous or is this something commonly used by everyone. How do you know if you won't melt your grill and/or you wont blow up. I have a Ducane DCS which uses ceramic heaters if that helps.

Steve, what you will notice is your ceramic rocks or rods, or those with Webers will see their stainless steel "flavor bars" disintegrate at a noticeably higher rate of speed when you crank up the BTUs by using an oversized orifice. The burners also take a bit of a beating with somewhat more corrosion. I have that problem too.

I have been doing this since I was a teenager and I oversized my parents' grill orifices (a forty year history with this) and never had any type of dangerous event.

I have to say, the super high setting is only used for searing, not full time cooking. Obviously for barbeque-ing, you would use the lowest and/or indirect heat setting.

BTW, my grill is not plumbed in to a household source, so technically, I'm not properly using the grill, but I'm not violating a building code because it isn't built in!


One more thing, Steve. I'm surprised a man in your profession doesn't have more experience with other types of "plumbing!"