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The Perfect Steak

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Started 3 years ago by Walker
Latest reply from Ndcent

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Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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I've been toying with some new steak-making techniques. I've not had much luck lately with the grill, which is probably in need of a replacement as it's old and cheap and doesn't cook consistently at all.
So tonight, I tried the popular indoor technique of pan-searing one side on the stove, flipping, and throwing in the whole pan into the oven to finish. It worked out pretty well, although I think a higher quality cut of meat would have worked even better. I think I was more impressed with finally finding a recipe for steak fries that turned out to be pretty damn awesome.
Anyway... I figured I'd hit up all the professional and non-professional foodies on here for some tips on their favorite ways to cook the perfect steak at home.
Share away!

Posted 3 years ago #
some dude in clintonville
Clintonville (obviously)
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When grilling, do you use gas, or charcoal? A well cooked charcoal grilled steak is a wonderful thing.

Posted 3 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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It's a gas grill. It's cheap and has way outlived its life expectancy, but I'm hesitant to replace it with something nicer until we get our fencing replaced in the back yard. Maybe next summer.

Posted 3 years ago #
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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Really stupid-simple Steak au Povre
Take a tenderlon steak about 1.5"-2" thick, roll it in crushed pepper with a few pinches of salt and a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg (if available).
Fry on a hot pan for 2-4 minutes per side (I like mine rare, so less is more for me) and turn. I like to get the "edges" if possible, but only for 30-60 seconds. Set the steaks on a platter in a warm (180F-200F) oven and lightly cover with foil.
Turn down the heat in the pan and pour in a glass of strong red wine. I like a not too expensive zinfandel like "Seven Deadly Zins".
Use a spatula to deglaze (scrape the drippings off) the pan and mix with the wine. Turn up to a little less than medium heat and reduce the wine till it starts to thicken. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn and stir often.
When the pan sauce is reduced (15-20 minish depending on how hot medium is and how impatient your are) plate your steaks and pour the sauce over.

Posted 3 years ago #
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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Okay. Please trust me. This is what you do. Forget everything you know. Get a pan really, really hot - a really nice heavy stainless pan, or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, or even a nonstick pan (yes, I'm serious). Heat it over high heat. You can add a pinch of butter and olive oil (not just butter, because it burns). Dry your steak really well - I like to use a great, well-marbled cut, such as flat iron, skirt, or ribeye. Sprinkle heavily with salt and pepper. Place it in the pan and leave it there. Turn the heat to medium/medium high. Place about 1/2 stick butter in the pan. As it melts, take a spoon and spoon butter over the steak, continuously, for about 2-5 minutes, depending on the thickness. If you are using a thinner steak, such as flatiron or skirt, go 2 minutes, a thicker, 1 1/2 inch ribeye, about 5 minutes. Turn the steak and add the other half of the stick of butter and continue to baste the steak - nonstop - for however many minutes you cooked the first side. At no point should you stop pouring butter over the steak. Remove the steak for the pan and place it on a cutting board; allow it to sit for about 5 minutes and then eat.
After you remove the steak from the pan, you can proceed with the pan sauce-making, as described above; however, when the sauce is reduced by half, I would mount it with a few tbsp of butter; stir with a whisk. Even better, after adding the butter, add a few drops of lemon juice - off the heat - stir and pour over.
YUM

Posted 3 years ago #
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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MMMM butter....

Posted 3 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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Lisa, isn't that technically deep-frying? :wink: I'm not being critical, mind you -- sounds amazing.
In terms of first principles, selecting a good cut of meat is key (a well-marbled ribeye is my favorite). Searing is a double-edged sword: for decades the conventional wisdom has been that it seals in liquid, but it turns out that's not true. In fact, it dries meat out a bit, but that mostly happens right at the surface where you don't notice it so much, and the upside is it does caramelize it and improve the flavor. Last thing is, resting for 5-10 min. or so allows juices to reintegrate back into the meat. One way to do this without letting the meat cool down too much is to wrap it in aluminum foil and throw it in a cooler full of bunched-up newspaper.
As to preparation, meat lovers say that the only acceptable seasonings are salt and pepper. Colleen does a phenomenal Tuscan steak using salt, pepper, and lemon. That said, I wooed her in part with a ribeye recipe featuring a marinade consisting of chopped garlic, soy sauce, and peppercorn (not dijon) mustard -- throw all three in a Ziploc along with the steak, marinate for a half-hour or so, and then throw on the grill.
On the grill, I tend to use direct heat and lots of it, and pull the steaks off when they've firmed up to the point that I'm pretty sure they're right around medium rare. That's hard to quantify... maybe a third to a half of the way from raw-floppy to stiff-overdone. Better to use a meat thermometer to get to the desired internal temp if unsure.
Good luck. (Writing this really makes me salivate... man, I like steak.)
EDIT -- funny, just after writing this I happened across this recipe for New York strip steaks. It involves making a salt-and-egg-white crust around the steaks and baking them in the oven... a technique I've heard of with other meat but have never tried myself. Interesting....

Posted 3 years ago #
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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I usually rub mine down with a bit of oil then kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Salt and pepper (oil depending on how it's being cooked) is just about the only seasoning I put on most meat and veggies I cook.

Posted 3 years ago #
Coremodels
Really close to Explorer's Club.
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I actually do something similar with the butter, but on the grill.
I take close to half a stick, separate it into 2-3 good size pads, and then set them on top of the steak while it is on the grill...then grill for 4-7 minutes for that side...flip, drop the butter on the now grilled side, repeat...eat.

Posted 3 years ago #
bayrea
Dublin, Oh
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If you have a good quality cut of meat its best to keep it simple on the grill. I light dusting of lawry's season salt on each side. Crank the grill up to high. Sear both sides on high heat, then turn it down to low and cook it to your desired taste, medium, rare, or well done. Works like charm for me everytime.

Posted 3 years ago #
Ndcent
OTE
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An honest steak's place is on the grill.
A thick ribeye or ny strip is what I lean towards these days.
Salt and pepper a must, butter optional.

Posted 3 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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So I guess what most people are saying is that I need to just go buy a new grill.
:(

Posted 3 years ago #
Ndcent
OTE
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Walker wrote So I guess what most people are saying is that I need to just go buy a new grill.
:(
My last grill's life was extended with the use of a new burning element (<$20 @ Andersons) and a good cleaning. Has the burner shit the bed in your grill or what?

Posted 3 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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I actually think the lesson is that, as long as you don't insult it (by over-seasoning or over-cooking), a good cut of meat is a wonderful thing, however prepared. :D
But if you do go the new grill route, consider a charcoal grill and a chimney. The chimney really speeds up startup.

Posted 3 years ago #
Tenzo
Chicago Lakeshore
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bayrea wrote If you have a good quality cut of meat its best to keep it simple on the grill. I light dusting of lawry's season salt on each side. Crank the grill up to high. Sear both sides on high heat, then turn it down to low and cook it to your desired taste, medium, rare, or well done. Works like charm for me everytime.
We have a winner
It's a steak
One of the wonderfull things about a steak is it's simplicity.
OK, one hint. Leave it out of the fridge for awhile

Posted 3 years ago #
BCOZ

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Regardless of the cooking apparati:
1) Let the steak warm to room temperature before cooking (30-40 min. you won't die)
2) Salt & pepper 2 sec. before it hits the heat. Not sooner.
3) Bake a potato, for the luvva christ

Posted 3 years ago #
Rockmastermike
CORNspiracy HQ
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Bear wrote I actually think the lesson is that, as long as you don't insult it (by over-seasoning or over-cooking), a good cut of meat is a wonderful thing, however prepared. :D
+1!
But if you do go the new grill route, consider a charcoal grill and a chimney. The chimney really speeds up startup.
++2!
I would add that using good hardwood charcoal makes for a cleaner taste than using 'briquettes'.
a good stainless steel chimney will last years and makes charcoal almost as convenient as gas. No 'lighter fluid', and only a very short wait.

Posted 3 years ago #
Mercurius
First Avenue
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Rockmastermike wrote
Bear wrote I actually think the lesson is that, as long as you don't insult it (by over-seasoning or over-cooking), a good cut of meat is a wonderful thing, however prepared. :D
+1!
But if you do go the new grill route, consider a charcoal grill and a chimney. The chimney really speeds up startup.
++2!
I would add that using good hardwood charcoal makes for a cleaner taste than using 'briquettes'.
a good stainless steel chimney will last years and makes charcoal almost as convenient as gas. No 'lighter fluid', and only a very short wait.
This about how I do it here. A few hints on knowing when it's perfectly medium rare is leave it on one side (don't flip it!) until juices start coming out of the top then just flip it to the other side long enough to get sear marks. When you press on it, it should feel about as firm as the softest place on your palm. Resting is important, aged meat is important; I personally like to cut a thicker steak on the bias so you only have very short muscle tissues and get a bit longer nicer looking slices.

Posted 3 years ago #
KSquared
Literally Hell
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Carpaccio. That is all.

Posted 3 years ago #
Mercurius
First Avenue
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KSquared wrote Carpaccio. That is all.
I am a fan of rare :lol:

Posted 3 years ago #