I'd love a job where I got to eat and rate expensive steaks. It looks like natural is better than bulked up.

http://www.slate.com/id/2152674

That's an interesting article. Now, let me add one thing: Anyone who puts A-1 sauce on a good steak should be thrown in the pokey and do hard time. If the meat is good, it doesn't need ANYTHING except some salt and pepper before cooking.

NOTHING!

Some of you folks might like a pan sauce, and that's okay, if you cook your steak in a pan. A pan sauce is like an extension of the meat.

Some might like some flavor of compound butter, and that's okay too. Butter is fairly light compared to the meat.

If you put a heavy sauce on perfectly good meat, you've just wasted a good piece of meat. That means no A-1, no Hollandaise, no Bearnaise, etc.

I have spoken.

That's an interesting article. Now, let me add one thing: Anyone who puts A-1 sauce on a good steak should be thrown in the pokey and do hard time. If the meat is good, it doesn't need ANYTHING except some salt and pepper before cooking.

NOTHING!

.

I agree 100%.

My grandfather was a butcher and my mother was raised over his shop. Although my grandfather died before I was born, I was indoctrinated from as early as I could remember that a good steak should have nothing but salt and pepper on it. I can remember when I was a kid, saw steak sauce commercials on TV and then would ask my mother to buy some at the store -- you would have thought that I was asking her to buy illegal drugs.

If the meat is good, it doesn't need ANYTHING except some salt and pepper before cooking.

NOTHING!

That's a fact, Jack! A really GOOD cut of beef should not be "soiled" wiith some condiment. That said, my personal favorite is salt encrusted prime rib. I got the idea/recipe from someone on this board.

That's an interesting article. Now, let me add one thing: Anyone who puts A-1 sauce on a good steak should be thrown in the pokey and do hard time. If the meat is good, it doesn't need ANYTHING except some salt and pepper before cooking.

.

A-1 is code to servers for "pay no attention to this table, for there is no tip at the end of this dinner."

Nearly as bad as people who ask for extra lemon and sugar so they can make their own lemonade and save the buck fifty.

A good steak...mmmm. Agree with the mohair on the A-1, what a waste of good meat with sauce on it. A nice steak with potatos and sallad. We're heading to a new steak restaurant on Saturday where they serve 200 g and 400 g of various cuts of meat. It's supposed to be one of the best in town.
Cheers, Wayne

A-1 is code to servers for "pay no attention to this table, for there is no tip at the end of this dinner."

Nearly as bad as people who ask for extra lemon and sugar so they can make their own lemonade and save the buck fifty.
ALso never order a steak well done at a good steak place. You'll get the worst cut in the place and often they'll hurry it up by throwing it in the deep fryer for a bit before serving.

//my own faves are probably Ribeye or NY Strip.

That's an interesting article. Now, let me add one thing: Anyone who puts A-1 sauce on a good steak should be thrown in the pokey and do hard time. If the meat is good, it doesn't need ANYTHING except some salt and pepper before cooking.

NOTHING!

Some of you folks might like a pan sauce, and that's okay, if you cook your steak in a pan. A pan sauce is like an extension of the meat.

Some might like some flavor of compound butter, and that's okay too. Butter is fairly light compared to the meat.

If you put a heavy sauce on perfectly good meat, you've just wasted a good piece of meat. That means no A-1, no Hollandaise, no Bearnaise, etc.

I have spoken.

Are you the foot?

This cracked me up. About 8-10 months into dating my now wife, I bought some very nice NY strips from the newly opened Whole Foods. Nice cuts of meat. I salted them, cracked fresh ground pepper, let them rest and grilled them to perfect med-rare.

When I set the plates down, my wife drove a stake into my heart and asked whether I had any A-1. I nearly passed out from the shock.

At that point, I politely insisted that she taste the unadulterated, properly cooked prime beef without adornment. She agreed and was born-again. We ceremoniously poured the A-1 in her fridge where it belonged - into the toilet. Of course, it left a nasty dark ring.

So, the moral of the story is the early bird gets the worm.

If a good steak doesn't need any sauce, why is it OK to add salt and pepper? Seems like a contradiction here.

I thought salting meat before cooking it makes it tougher. I always cook steak on the BBQ and never add salt or pepper.

Which steak tastes the best?

Tube steak.

others, ribeye and Lomo from Argentina (don't know what cut it was)

Gimme a filet medium rare with a drawn butter sauce...

Myth. It takes days for surface salt to draw moisture out of the meat.

And bring that meat to room temperature before it hits the fire. Cold meat won't crust. By the time the exterior comes to browning temp, the whole thing is done.

A-1 is code to servers for "pay no attention to this table, for there is no tip at the end of this dinner."

Nearly as bad as people who ask for extra lemon and sugar so they can make their own lemonade and save the buck fifty.


Ever been to the Angus Barn, which is near Raleigh?

The weekend I graduated from Duke, my parents, grandmother and I went to the Angus Barn for dinner. My grandmother refused to eat any meat that was not well-done (the rest of us were medium-rare types). The Angus Barn flat out refused to serve a well-done steak. The waiter called the maitre'd who explained this to Grandma -- she had two choices -- steak not well done or chicken. She ate chicken.

If a good steak doesn't need any sauce, why is it OK to add salt and pepper? Seems like a contradiction here.

I thought salting meat before cooking it makes it tougher. I always cook steak on the BBQ and never add salt or pepper.

Without going into any food science on how salt works and why pepper is used, I'll just say that seasonings draw out and enhance the flavor, while sauce covers it up. Salt and pepper also helps in carmelization, which means it helps form a crust. That's why you'll see salt-encrusted filet mignon or steak au poivre on fancy menus.

The only thing that makes meat tougher is overcooking it, or slicing it wrong, depending on the cut. You have to cut skirt steak on the bias, for example.

The wifey and I went to the Black Angus one day for dinner. When they seated us, there was A-1 on the table. The steak was bad enough that I used the sauce...:rolleyes: :mad:

Good Angus Rib-Eye...can't beat it......but

The best way to ruin a great steak (other than cooking it well-done)....is to grill it!

Burned grill lines over power the wonderful taste of a good steak.

If you are going to grill.....use a crappy piece of meat....at least then you are not ruining a good piece of meat.

IMO

Len

Grind a nice fatty cut up.

Form it into a patty.

Grill.

Place between 2 grilled buns.

Crisp lettuce.

Tomato and onion (fresh and sliced thin).

Heaven on a bun.

Don't even mention the "C" word!

Nice, they tested Niman Ranch. The local burger place serves that stuff, it's excellent.

Don't even mention the "C" word!Are you sure you don't mean the "K" word?

Are you sure you don't mean the "K" word?

Cheese or ketchup (also catsup).

Good Angus Rib-Eye...can't beat it......but

The best way to ruin a great steak (other than cooking it well-done)....is to grill it!

Burned grill lines over power the wonderful taste of a good steak.

If you are going to grill.....use a crappy piece of meat....at least then you are not ruining a good piece of meat.

IMO

Len

If you have a powerful enough grill it should be able to sear and then you can finish over indirect. I see no problems with grilling a steak

If you have a powerful enough grill it should be able to sear and then you can finish over indirect. I see no problems with grilling a steak

a grilled steak....where you couldn't taste the Grilled (read burnt) stripes.......totally destroys a good steak.

And i've had grilled steaks in, what many people consider, some of the best steakhouses in the world.

I've gotten to the point, where I don't care how good a steakhouse it is supposed to be...if it grills...it doesn't get my business.

Len

Len,

I understand that steak, like most food, should never be over cooked. However, if you don't cook a steak on the grill (meaning BBQ to me) then how? I think cooking a steak in a frying pan is a disservice to good taste.

I buy ribeyes and NY strips from the market (when they're on sale and keep the freezer stocked) and grill 'em 4 minutes/side over hot charcoal. Sure tastes good to me. OTOH, I've probably never been someplace swanky.

Len,

I understand that steak, like most food, should never be over cooked. However, if you don't cook a steak on the grill (meaning BBQ to me) then how? I think cooking a steak in a frying pan is a disservice to good taste.

I buy ribeyes and NY strips from the market (when they're on sale and keep the freezer stocked) and grill 'em 4 minutes/side over hot charcoal. Sure tastes good to me. OTOH, I've probably never been someplace swanky.
Probably my fave method when I'm not using the grill is to sear in a pan then transfer to the oven to finish to desired doneness...

Len, just out of curiosity, what is your preferred steak cooking method?

Obviously it depends on the cut but any general favorite?

Len, just out of curiosity, what is your preferred steak cooking method?

Obviously it depends on the cut but any general favorite?

Pierce with a small amount of garlic salt........

Broil approx 6 - 8 minutes per side (depending on size......serve on the rare side of medium rare.

Occasionally we will marinate overnight before the above.

Len

Probably my fave method when I'm not using the grill is to sear in a pan then transfer to the oven to finish to desired doneness...

broil 6 - 8 minutes per side depending on thickness (I'm talking rib-eye now).

Serve on the rare side of med-rare...knowing it will self cook a little even after it's out of the oven.

Len

broil 6 - 8 minutes per side depending on thickness (I'm talking rib-eye now).

Serve on the rare side of med-rare...knowing it will self cook a little even after it's out of the oven.

Len

do any of you wrap your steaks in foil and let settle for 10 minutes after cooking? I find they are much better if I do this...

do any of you wrap your steaks in foil and let settle for 10 minutes after cooking? I find they are much better if I do this...

as long as they appear undercooked when you pull them out & wrap them in the foil........if they look perfect when you wrap them, they will be overdone when you unwrap them.

Len

Its called "resting" the meat. It allows all the juices to reenter the tissue. If you cut into a steak to soon , your plate soon will have all that steak juice floating around the bottom. If you let it "Rest" the steak reabsorbs it and tastes that much better!

Len, what kind of oven do you have? most ovens don't get hot enough to give a steak a good crust. one of my ovens has an infrared heat source to give you a proper crust but most ovens suck at broiling.

no Bearnaise...
I LOVE Bearnaise with my steak. It gives me something to dip my taters in.

:D

Sear it in a skillet first. A couple minutes on one side, then flip it and stick it in the oven. Use an oven safe skillet, of course. That excludes most non-stick pans.

Sear it in a skillet first. A couple minutes on one side, then flip it and stick it in the oven. Use an oven safe skillet, of course. That excludes most non-stick pans.

Cheapo cast iron pan is all you need...I have a Le Creuset that I use, but it isn't cheap.

Cheapo cast iron pan is all you need...I have a Le Creuset that I use, but it isn't cheap.


+1000 i'm twisting up a big 18oz sirloin right now.

Len,

The garlic salt and marinade you mention appear to stray from Mohair's "nothing but salt & pepper" edict. I'm trying to learn from the conissiours among us, but I'm reading conflicting reports about how "best" to cook a steak. Broil in the oven, eh? Seems bland compared to the BBQ to me, but then I don't buy those $26-40/pound steaks, either. I do like the resting after cooking. I've always liked mine hot off the grill, but the juice really does run out then. We like ours between rare and medium rare, so the inside really doesn't get all that hot, and I hate cold steak. Next time I'll take it from the BBQ and stick it in a warm oven, wrapped in foil, with the plates.

my fav is filet mignon with shallots and port wine sauce. THey reduce the port to this thick sauce which is incredible!

Gimme a filet medium rare with a drawn butter sauce...
good man.

My fav would have to be Rip Steak Cap removed with a nice peppercorn sauce. The Rip steak is probably the most flavorful steak as it contains quite a bit of fat and is a prime rib sliced into steaks. The meat stays tender as the bone in the rip steak act as a bit of a heat sink preventing the middle of the meat to be cooked too quickly. Essentially the outside cooks much much faster than the inside which is precisely what you want. This would be cooked medium rare on the grill with some nice cross seared grill marks. This one I usually get a 1" cut and a big a$$ peice as the bone weighs quite a bit, making the steak seem little.

My second favorite is New York Strip. Simple. Meaning olive oil rubbed on both sides crushed black peppercorns and fresh minced garlic. Allowed to marinade for atleast 1/2 a day, but not overnight. Thick cut too atleast 1 inch thick. Heavily seared. I would run the BBQ on clean mode for a good 30 mins and make sure the gauge was pegged to H and then drop the steak in. 2 mins or less for both sides with the lid closed. Let it stand 4 mins. And serve.

Yum....

I personally like my steaks grilled on a nice powerful BBQ. but everyone has their own tastes and opinions. When you are at my dinner table and you want white wine with your rare steak, sure not a problem. You want me to pass the salt. Not a problem. You want ketchup sure. Whatever floats your boat. That is why each person has their own plate and utensils. How you enjoy the world's pleasures is different for each person.

I personally like my steaks grilled on a nice powerful BBQ. but everyone has their own tastes and opinions. When you are at my dinner table and you want white wine with your rare steak, sure not a problem. You want me to pass the salt. Not a problem. You want ketchup sure. Whatever floats your boat. That is why each person has their own plate and utensils. How you enjoy the world's pleasures is different for each person.

So you'll let me have my cabernet on the rocks?

So you'll let me have my cabernet on the rocks?

with a splash of 7-Up......:eek:

Any steak from City Hall restaurant in Phoenix/Scottsdale!

Just to interject... y'all should refer to McGee 'On food and cooking' for a decent discussion on the importance of browning, marinade, and temperature when cooking meat.

I've been a vegetarian/weedeater for ~20 years, but gawddamn people there is more than one way to skin a cat. Know your beast, know your technique, apply appropriately with cut/fat content, and show your respect. Eat good healthy food - please.

Len,

The garlic salt and marinade you mention appear to stray from Mohair's "nothing but salt & pepper" edict. I'm trying to learn from the conissiours among us, but I'm reading conflicting reports about how "best" to cook a steak. Broil in the oven, eh? Seems bland compared to the BBQ to me, but then I don't buy those $26-40/pound steaks, either. I do like the resting after cooking. I've always liked mine hot off the grill, but the juice really does run out then. We like ours between rare and medium rare, so the inside really doesn't get all that hot, and I hate cold steak. Next time I'll take it from the BBQ and stick it in a warm oven, wrapped in foil, with the plates.

Well, first of all, you don't have to listen to anything I say. Eat what you want, when you want, how you want.

Second, adding or enhancing flavor in meat before cooking is a lot different than smothering it with something afterwards. Garlic salt is just salt with garlic, and there's nothing wrong with that. (There's almost nothing that can't be made better by adding garlic.) I also have no problem marinating steaks. In fact, some cuts, like flank or skirt steak, need to marinate in order to tenderize them (tequila + lime = yum!). I find that the tenderloin (filet mignon) doesn't pack a lot of flavor because it is so low in fat, so I'll either marinade it or do a rub of some kind. Tenderloin almost always goes well with some kind of sauce, such as a red wine reduction made from the pan drippings, but definitely not A-1 or some other smothering sauce. Go buy some meat and do some experiments.

Prime aged porterhouse.

GRILLED, perhaps sea salt of a hint of pepper.

I take mine very very rare. Compliment with a great Claret (Newton 2003) or 2003 Stags leap Artemis or 2003 Shingleback Shiraz or the new 2004 Jefferson Vineyard Meritage. The cheese could be up to you. Personally, I like a Maytag Blue with a feashly baked wheat bread. You could go woth roots or turnips or the classic mashed potate done to the hilt with butter and half and half.

EVERYTHING ELSE is a detail......

I had a cousin who tried the A-1 thing. I told him to get the fvck out of my house. Freak on a leash. They are still out there.....

Prime aged porterhouse.

GRILLED, perhaps sea salt of a hint of pepper.

I take mine very very rare. Compliment with a great Claret (Newton 2003) or 2003 Stags leap Artemis or 2003 Shingleback Shiraz or the new 2004 Jefferson Vineyard Meritage. The cheese could be up to you. Personally, I like a Maytag Blue with a feashly baked wheat bread. You could go woth roots or turnips or the classic mashed potate done to the hilt with butter and half and half.

EVERYTHING ELSE is a detail......

I had a cousin who tried the A-1 thing. I told him to get the fvck out of my house. Freak on a leash. They are still out there.....

Ahem. Sea salt - not just any, please. In fact, nothing short of the fine grained sal de mesa from the gulf of California. Steak and tequila, baby.

Ahem. Sea salt - not just any, please. In fact, nothing short of the fine grained sal de mesa from the gulf of California. Steak and tequila, baby.

Grey Sea salt.

Otherwise, kosher is a kick as well.

I had the distinct pleasure of working at an Applebee's while in college and it stupefied me that people would put ketchup on their steak, even at Applebee's.

But as I'm still searching for better ways to prepare my steak, this thread has been excellent.