Steak etiquette: Cut it all up at once, or one piece at a time?

[Scarpozzi]

This Necro has to be a mistake.

 

[Bjorn He]

My question was "What does it matter if a steak is warmer or colder?"
Just because a steak gets colder, it needn't get worse taste, and if its taste isn't worsening, I don't think there is any difference between eating it when it's kept warm and when it gets colder.

I didn't think about that the food gets colder when I cut it into pieces and started eating with only the fork. It was some Swedish etiquette expert who wrote somewhere on Internet that "om man delar hela köttet i bitar så kallnar köttet fortare" (translated: "if one cuts the whole of the steak into pieces, it gets colder faster") and that is the reason to the etiquette that one is supposed to cut and eat one piece at a time.
However, it doesn't mean one is absolutely forced, or either forced at all, to cut one piece at a time. I don't think one is absolutely forced, or either forced at all. If its taste isn't worsening, there is no difference between eating it when it's kept warm and when it is colder.

 

[dullard]

If its taste isn't worsening, there is no difference between eating it when it's kept warm and when it is colder.

I'm not sure if you are trolling us or serious.

Food tastes different at different temperatures. How many people do you know that prefer their coffee at room temperature, their beer gently warmed before drinking, their cheese in frozen chunks, their lettuce frozen, or their ice cream boiling? How many people really want their fries cooled to room temperature? Or anything fried for that matter. This applies to steak too. Temperature of steak certainly impacts flavor.

 

[Bjorn He]

Will the steak really get its taste worsening, if cutting it into pieces so that it gets colder?

 

[dullard]

Will the steak really get its taste worsening, if cutting it into pieces so that it gets colder?

Put your steak in the refrigerator. Eat it cold, with the fat all congealed and slimy. Then get back to us.

 

[CZroe]

Put your steak in the refrigerator. Eat it cold, with the fat all congealed and slimy. Then get back to us.

I like cold steak.

 

[MtnMan]

Pick it up and bite off a chunk...

 

[CZroe]

Pick it up and bite off a chunk...

This.

 

[MtnMan]

Will the steak really get its taste worsening, if cutting it into pieces so that it gets colder?

If cut up, the juices will run out. Of course I would expect someone that cuts it up, like you would for your kid, probably ordered it overcooked in the first place.

 

[ponyo]

My question was "What does it matter if a steak is warmer or colder?"
Just because a steak gets colder, it needn't get worse taste, and if its taste isn't worsening, I don't think there is any difference between eating it when it's kept warm and when it gets colder.

I didn't think about that the food gets colder when I cut it into pieces and started eating with only the fork. It was some Swedish etiquette expert who wrote somewhere on Internet that "om man delar hela köttet i bitar så kallnar köttet fortare" (translated: "if one cuts the whole of the steak into pieces, it gets colder faster") and that is the reason to the etiquette that one is supposed to cut and eat one piece at a time.
However, it doesn't mean one is absolutely forced, or either forced at all, to cut one piece at a time. I don't think one is absolutely forced, or either forced at all. If its taste isn't worsening, there is no difference between eating it when it's kept warm and when it is colder.

There's not that big of a difference if you serve the steak whole or sliced. I always slice flank/skirt/flap meat steak before serving. And if I'm eating the steak with lettuce as a wrap, I'll often slice the whole steak before eating.

Here's breakfast flank steak I cut into pieces before serving. Ate it as lettuce wrap.

 

[Captante]

I have heard there is a reason that a diner is supposed to cut and eat one piece at a time, when eating a steak: The reason is that if one cuts the whole of the steak into pieces, it gets colder faster.

However, I don't think this reason means one is absolutely forced, or either forced at all, to cut one piece at a time. I didn't think about that the food gets colder when I cut my food into pieces and ate it with only the fork, and I did not either dislike the food just because it got colder. Just because it gets colder, it needn't get worse taste.
If its taste isn't worsening, there is no difference between eating it when it's kept warm and when it gets colder, what does it matter if it's warmer or colder?

Is it national necro day in OT or something?

Bitcoin, bulk beef, steak. Hopefully the threads with $2k+ audio cables next.

Hmmmmm .... God-bot Swedish-Steak edition?

 

[aigomorla]

One piece at a time or it cools down too fast.
Having a larger mass means the center stays warm longer.
Cutting it up means your creating more surface area for heat to escape as well as the juices, so when i see people pre cut the entire thing, i sort of sigh especially if its a really good piece of steak.

But unless its going in a salad or wrap like Ponyo states, you should always eat it a piece at a time.

 

[JEDIYoda]

You all cut steak??? I eat it by hand.......

 

[Bjorn He]

Normally, I cut the food into pieces and eat it with just the fork, which seems to be relatively common in America. But I don't think the food tastes worse just because it gets colder, and I have not either thought about that it gets colder when cutting it into more pieces than one at a time.

If its taste isn't worsening, I don't think it matters if a steak is warmer or colder, what's the difference between eating it when it is warm and when it gets colder?

 

[sdifox]

Normally, I cut the food into pieces and eat it with just the fork, which seems to be relatively common in America. But I don't think the food tastes worse just because it gets colder, and I have not either thought about that it gets colder when cutting it into more pieces than one at a time.

If its taste isn't worsening, I don't think it matters if a steak is warmer or colder, what's the difference between eating it when it is warm and when it gets colder?

Temperature has a big impact on taste and texture. Especially fatty food.

 

[dullard]

Temperature has a big impact on taste and texture. Especially fatty food.

I'm beginning to think that Bjorn He has only had crap and/or severely overcooked steaks and thus might not be able to tell the difference between warm garbage and cold garbage.

 

[ponyo]

Normally, I cut the food into pieces and eat it with just the fork, which seems to be relatively common in America. But I don't think the food tastes worse just because it gets colder, and I have not either thought about that it gets colder when cutting it into more pieces than one at a time.

If its taste isn't worsening, I don't think it matters if a steak is warmer or colder, what's the difference between eating it when it is warm and when it gets colder?

As long as you don't let the sliced steak sit for like an hour after you cut, it's fine. People here act like it makes huge difference if you slice it first than eat vs cutting as you eat. Difference is minimal. There are way bigger things to worry about like seasoning and cooking it properly. I've seen the pictures of people's cooking here. Most can't cook worth a damn. They should put more focus on cooking rather than trivial stuff like slicing it all before eating.

I'm beginning to think that Bjorn He has only had crap and/or severely overcooked steaks and thus might not be able to tell the difference between warm garbage and cold garbage.

Really the difference is minimal. Even the fancy steakhouses will slice large cuts like Tomahawk steak into pieces before serving it to you. You would think they committed some kind of sin the way you guys talk.

 

[dullard]

Really the difference is minimal. Even the fancy steakhouses will slice large cuts like Tomahawk steak into pieces before serving it to you. You would think they committed some kind of sin the way you guys talk.

1) We are arguing against the statement "its taste isn't worsening". It is worsening, plain and simple. Fat congeals, juices run out, meat shrivels, taste buds are impacted differently as chemical sensors are impacted by temperature, etc. It isn't a sin though.

2) There is a subtle but important difference between (A) cutting up a normal steak into bite size bits and (B) cutting a thick steak, properly rested so that the juices won't just pour out, into smaller but still large chunks. Your photo above is FAR from bite-sized pieces.

 

[JujuFish]

Not a steak guy at all, but I cut with my left and eat with my right, so I'm wrong no matter where I am.

 

[sdifox]

Not a steak guy at all, but I cut with my left and eat with my right, so I'm wrong no matter where I am.

why is that a problem?

 

[JujuFish]

why is that a problem?

I don't know. Everyone in this thread has talked about cutting steak with your right hand. The differences are whether you eat with your right (switching) or left (not switching).

 

[CZroe]

I don't know. Everyone in this thread has talked about cutting steak with your right hand. The differences are whether you eat with your right (switching) or left (not switching).

I was told that it was a British versus American etiquette thing for formal table manners. IIRC, Brits switch hands between cutting and eating so they may want to pre-cut the next bite or two.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I was told that it was a British versus American etiquette thing for formal table manners. IIRC, Brits switch hands between cutting and eating so they may want to pre-cut the next bite or two.

Lefties for the win!

 

[JEDIYoda]

Normally, I cut the food into pieces and eat it with just the fork, which seems to be relatively common in America. But I don't think the food tastes worse just because it gets colder, and I have not either thought about that it gets colder when cutting it into more pieces than one at a time.

If its taste isn't worsening, I don't think it matters if a steak is warmer or colder, what's the difference between eating it when it is warm and when it gets colder?

nobody likes to eat cold steak! Might as well serve the steak uncooked!!

 

[JEDIYoda]

If I am BBQ`ing sateak i always cook my steak medium rare! But when I cook into it if the middle is cold it goes right back on the grill!1 Cold meat is a no no!!