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Is this decent way to cook a steak?

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SaltyNuts said:
Haha, ok, thanks guys, probably going to try your method tonight soulcougher, then try and find a cast iron skillet that will work and use Pixel's/Alton Brown's method for my next steak. Will report back! Thanks!
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You will need a cast iron skillet for reverse sear method also. Luckily they are cheap. Think i paid $15 or so on Amazon for a Lodge skillet. Think they can be found at Walmart also.
 
The reverse sear is most interesting to me during cold month in MN.
I have used something similar for pork. Works really well.
 
Why do people like the taste of rancid burnt pepper/butter? I'm guessing they don't, and have no idea why their steak tastes off (doing it wrong).

I do use large grain salt and fresh ground black pepper on the steaks before "slow" cooking them. But once they come out of the oven and rest a bit I wipe them off to remove most/all the pepper and whatever oil/moisture happens to come off. Then I smear a bit of high temp (500+) avocado oil on each side of the steak and toss it on a cast iron pan that's around 475f. There will still be some smoke from the meat/animal fat, but without burning an entire pan full of butter/oil there's way less and even my basic microwave fan/filter can handle it.

Example:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01973E21S/ref=s9_acsd_al_bw_c_x_3_w
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IQ00B04/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3NHXC57KNKIRA

After the sear, if you still like a butter flavor you can drop some on there, and if you like a pepper flavor you can fresh grind a nice mix on there as well. I get peppercorns in bulk (and place them in a reusable grinder), but you can buy them packed with a grinder as well.

Example:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ATJUJ9Y/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w
https://www.amazon.com/Mccormick-Peppercorn-Medley-Grinder-0-85-Ounce/dp/B005VHFRV4/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487620840&sr=8-5&keywords=peppercorn+medley&th=1

Another option after the oven or water bath, use one of those charcoal chimneys with a grate on top to flame sear the steak. You can use real wood coal and/or add wood chips on top for more flavor.

Edit, examples:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009P166SU?ref=emc_b_5_t
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D5DDT0G/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

chimney-grill-1.jpg
 
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People seem to think you have to cook the steak at really high temperature. High temperature is great for burning the oil and butter. I don't know about you but I hate the taste of burnt butter and garlic.

Watch the Gordon Ramsay steak video. Pay close attention to the stove burner and forget the pan and the steak and the action above. Look at the giant flame or the lack of. He's probably using medium high heat. Not high. That's important but he doesn't mention it. But he does mention why he adds butter later after he adds olive oil. The olive oil he squirts right before he adds the butter protects the butter little more from the heat. So does not cooking at high.
 
Thanks ponyo. I'm definately going to cook on medium heat in the pan tonight after I get it out of the oven (going to use the oven first tonight because the filet is pretty thick, and I like my steak more medium than rare). But that gordon ramsey video is interesting. Definately going to add olive oil to the pan when I sear it first, then butter, pepper, etc. only towards the end.

Question, if you don't think filets are good, what are your preferred cuts of meat? I myself think I prefer NY strips, but got the filets just to try them.

Eliteretard, thanks for those links and input! Will watch when I get home.

Thanks!
 
soulcougher73 said:
You will need a cast iron skillet for reverse sear method also. Luckily they are cheap. Think i paid $15 or so on Amazon for a Lodge skillet. Think they can be found at Walmart also.
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Lodge is good. i have a Lodge 13.25 inch cast iron skillet, and a Lodge 6 Quart Blue Dutch Oven. I'm sure the Dutch Oven works just as good as a Le Creuset, and it looks beautiful.
 
SaltyNuts said:
Having a filet tonight. Here is what I'm thinking:

Heat up a pan as hot as possible. Add a good amount of butter. Add the steak. As soon as one side is nice and seared, flip it over (make sure there is still butter in the pan) and sear the other side. Then throw it in the oven that has been pre-heated as hot as possible. Cook to desired wellness (medium for me).

Thoughts? I tried the above the other day, but finished it on a charcoal grill. It tasted great, but didn't taste like a steakhouse style steak (it tasted great, but just a different taste). I want it to taste like it cam from a fancy restaurant.

The filet came from HEB, prime filet ($20 a pound I believe), so it should be quality.

Thanks!
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Don't add butter until you're right about to take it out. It will burn. You want "brown butter"...which has a nice nutty flavor. Burned butter tastes foul.

Right before removing the fillets, add 2-3 tbps of butter (real stuff, no margarine or "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter) to the edge of the pan. It will begin to brown immediate. Swirl it around the pan, then tip the pan to gather the brownbutter to the edge. Spoon it over the fillets- it should sizzle and bubble on the meat as you're spooning it.

Take the fillets off the heat, and let them rest. Rinse your pan immediately and wipe out (it will be perfectly seasoned for the next meal).

Otherwise, you're good to go.
 
Yup I've learned pretty quickly that I didn't need the heat on full blast with my cast iron. I'd say 75% of the way and let it heat up. I throw in the butter and herbs after the first flip.
 
Wow Fritzo, thanks for that explanation, I literally almost orgazimed just reading it! Talk about food porn haha.

Thanks Pixel, will take a look at the Alton Brown recipe! I've read other people recommend the Lodge brand on amazon - on other pans come of the comments are "you are better off getting a Lodge" haha.
 
soulcougher73 said:
LOL totally forgot about this. You will get tons of smoke when searing. We had 4 windows open. Luckily last time smoke alarm didnt go off, but it has before in the past.
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It's really annoying. I rent in an urban area. The fuckin smoke alarm is so sensitive, and we have really high ceilings so I can't just reach up or use a step stool to take the battery out before I do steaks. You need an actual ladder. Not buying a ladder just for that. Luckily it has a button on it that shut's it up when pressed. Unfortunately that lasts for like 20 seconds. So I poke it with a broom handle every 20 seconds, taking time to run back to the stove and flip the steaks when needed. You could take a video of me doing it to Benny Hill music and it would be funny.

It's really annoying.
 
SaltyNuts said:
smackababy, sous vide is where you leave it in a bag in medium water like all day while you are at work correct? Then you get home, sear it with a propane torch? Is that right? What temp would you recommend? I actually bout one of those sous vide things per a thread on this forum, haven't tried it yet, but I will!
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For something like a steak, you won't do more than like 2 hours. I think at around 4 hours the meat texture really is broken down and not what you want in a steak. As far as temp, I think 140F is medium, but I never go above 127 (I prefer rare, myself). I go about an hour and a half. One hour on a timer and then however long it takes me to prepare whatever else I want with it. Take the steak out of the bag, wash an excess seasoning that wasn't absorbed and dry. Then, just sear it closely with a propane torch. Careful with the fatty areas, as those will flair up.
 
I see smackababy. You actually wash away excess seasonings with water? Are you not worried that will take away some of the taste? Also, I was looking on amazon, and it seems butane torches are the most common ones for searing, etc. Do you prefer propane for some reason? Thanks!
 
SaltyNuts said:
Thanks ponyo. I'm definately going to cook on medium heat in the pan tonight after I get it out of the oven (going to use the oven first tonight because the filet is pretty thick, and I like my steak more medium than rare). But that gordon ramsey video is interesting. Definately going to add olive oil to the pan when I sear it first, then butter, pepper, etc. only towards the end.

Question, if you don't think filets are good, what are your preferred cuts of meat? I myself think I prefer NY strips, but got the filets just to try them.

Eliteretard, thanks for those links and input! Will watch when I get home.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I don't like the oven method because it spatters all over the inside of your oven. A hot pan- 4 minutes on each side for a 1.5" steak- should give a medium rare without an oven.
 
PixelSquish said:
It's really annoying. I rent in an urban area. The fuckin smoke alarm is so sensitive, and we have really high ceilings so I can't just reach up or use a step stool to take the battery out before I do steaks. You need an actual ladder. Not buying a ladder just for that. Luckily it has a button on it that shut's it up when pressed. Unfortunately that lasts for like 20 seconds. So I poke it with a broom handle every 20 seconds, taking time to run back to the stove and flip the steaks when needed. You could take a video of me doing it to Benny Hill music and it would be funny.

It's really annoying.
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You'll get smoke from the oven as well. If you're a student living in a dorm, this will set off the fire alarm. Everybody will love you when the fire department shows up. Don't cook this way.
 
Fritzo said:
I don't like the oven method because it spatters all over the inside of your oven. A hot pan- 4 minutes on each side for a 1.5" steak- should give a medium rare without an oven.
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Stove gives you better control. Restaurants use the oven because it frees up the precious stove space. Most people don't have the space problem when cooking at home so they should just use the stove.
 
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So ponyo, in your view, is an oven no better than a stove at slowly getting heat to the center of the steak so its well done enough for the person cooking it? I would guess it is, at least a little, in that in an oven heat is coming from all directions, not just the bottom. But I could be wrong. Thanks!
 
Who doesn't like a good thick steak/roast every now and then? You don't need the oven for thin steaks (MMMmmm...carne asada), but I think it's useful to get a properly cooked steak even at 1.5" (like the image below).

1434696082145
 
SaltyNuts said:
So ponyo, in your view, is an oven no better than a stove at slowly getting heat to the center of the steak so its well done enough for the person cooking it? I would guess it is, at least a little, in that in an oven heat is coming from all directions, not just the bottom. But I could be wrong. Thanks!
Click to expand...

For steaks most people eat, oven is unnecessary. But for really thick steak, I would use the oven because I don't want to stand in front of the stove and baby the steak for 30-60 minutes. You can cook thick steak perfectly fine just using the stove but using the oven lets you relax. So that's really the only time I would use the stove and the oven.

But I like to grill my steaks. So I rarely cook the steaks inside the house other than the occasional sous vide steak. But even for sous vide steak, I like to finish the searing outside on the lump charcoal grill.
 
SaltyNuts said:
Murloc, when you say "let it rest, it should raise to the perfect temperature in the middle", are you saying put it back in the oven and let it rest, after you sear it on the grill? Or turn down the temp on the grill and let it rest there? Thanks.
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it means let it rest on a warm plate or something isolating, I have a big wooden thing to cut the meat on at home.

After searing, the outside of the steak is warmer than the inside. After some minutes without adding any heat anymore the temperature reaches an equilibrium so the center will become warmer and the outer parts won't be ultrahot anymore.
If you find that it's cooked too much even if the internal temp was okay, this might be something to be careful about.
This is something that happens regardless of the cooking method as heat always comes from the outside.

I second the idea about not burning pepper and the butter impurities. You can add it after.

Germanic restaurants serve
Kraeuterbutter
with steaks.
I will try doing this at home once as it's not common here but very tasty.
You melt it over the steak when serving and it's godlike because fat really takes up the taste of the herbs.
 
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February 20th... Is this the latest date in the month on ATOT for the first how-to-cook-a-steak thread? Maybe I missed an earlier one.
 
ponyo said:
You'll get smoke from the oven as well. If you're a student living in a dorm, this will set off the fire alarm. Everybody will love you when the fire department shows up. Don't cook this way.
Click to expand...

There are dorms that allow kitchens? LoL. My dorm barely let us have microwaves.
 
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