how do you like your steak? [Cooking]
2009 Jul 8
Doneness: I like a true rare, but order it blue in most restaurants because they overcook the crap out of meat in NA. In Europe, I'll order a medium rare, because they like to undercook and it'll probably come our rare.
Favourite cut: Hands-down, bone-in rib steaks.
Toppings: None really... some olive oil, sea salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary. If the steak is beautiful, then don't hide it!
Are you sure monty? That steak on the right looks like the one you posted a couple of days back! :)
Favourite cut: Hands-down, bone-in rib steaks.
Toppings: None really... some olive oil, sea salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary. If the steak is beautiful, then don't hide it!
Are you sure monty? That steak on the right looks like the one you posted a couple of days back! :)
2009 Jul 8
Although I rarely order steak out, sometimes it is the most appetizing thing on the menu when you are compelled to be at a particular place for whatever reason.
I typically a order a steak in a resto rare/bleu or rare. I will usually preface this by explaining to the server that I don't want a "conservative rare" which I find to be closer to med/rare in many Canadian restos. For me there has to be blood and the middle has to be a bit cool, otherwise I really don't enjoy it.
In the winter I grill a steak on a cast iron grill (with a bit of butter) and finish it in a 375ish oven. I generally use the poke test (i.e: when it feels like the fleshy part of the base of my thumb when my hand is relaxed it is done for my taste). In the summer I do it on charcoal and finish it wrapped in tinfoil off the heat. It is a bit harder to gauge this way as charcoal can be so hot sometimes.
As far as cuts go, I find a bone-in rib steak to be the best value for a straight grilling steak, although I do enjoy hanger/onglet and flank/bavette steaks if grilled to rare and sliced diagonally.
Last year when cooking for a crew I bought a whole striploin and cut it into 2" thick steaks, grilled them over really high heat and then finished them all in a pan on the top rack of the BBQ. They were the nicest steaks I had ever done, and the thickness prevented them from overcooking and resulted in beautiful med-rare result that almost anyone can enjoy.
I typically a order a steak in a resto rare/bleu or rare. I will usually preface this by explaining to the server that I don't want a "conservative rare" which I find to be closer to med/rare in many Canadian restos. For me there has to be blood and the middle has to be a bit cool, otherwise I really don't enjoy it.
In the winter I grill a steak on a cast iron grill (with a bit of butter) and finish it in a 375ish oven. I generally use the poke test (i.e: when it feels like the fleshy part of the base of my thumb when my hand is relaxed it is done for my taste). In the summer I do it on charcoal and finish it wrapped in tinfoil off the heat. It is a bit harder to gauge this way as charcoal can be so hot sometimes.
As far as cuts go, I find a bone-in rib steak to be the best value for a straight grilling steak, although I do enjoy hanger/onglet and flank/bavette steaks if grilled to rare and sliced diagonally.
Last year when cooking for a crew I bought a whole striploin and cut it into 2" thick steaks, grilled them over really high heat and then finished them all in a pan on the top rack of the BBQ. They were the nicest steaks I had ever done, and the thickness prevented them from overcooking and resulted in beautiful med-rare result that almost anyone can enjoy.
2009 Jul 8
Come on Monty... the second pic you posted was of a very nicely cooked steak. The first one was burned in one corner, not from the 'high heat of the grill', but from grease flareup ;-)
I like boneless rib eye, or striploin, often trimmed myself from a full 'vac pac' piece. Cooked rare, to medium rare, depending on the original quality of the meat (I usually cook better meats for less time...) I've had, and enjoyed pan seared and/or blackened steak, but not recently, which reminds me I should try it again with all the good advice posted (Thanks Tracinho)
I like boneless rib eye, or striploin, often trimmed myself from a full 'vac pac' piece. Cooked rare, to medium rare, depending on the original quality of the meat (I usually cook better meats for less time...) I've had, and enjoyed pan seared and/or blackened steak, but not recently, which reminds me I should try it again with all the good advice posted (Thanks Tracinho)
2009 Jul 8
Thank you to all - I'm drooling. I need a portable dental sucker because any good description of food will send my salivation into overdrive.
I like my steak true rare (although I agree with many of you in that most places overcook and it ends up medium-rare). My favourite cut is a boneless ribeye with saltiness and good pepper.
I'm so encouraged to see so many of you like rare / ribeye. Most in my social circle have turned their noses up at my steak preferences (many opt for leaner and more well-done). At one BBQ, one friend looked at my meat and said "I can think of so many other ways to get worms..."
Funny thing - the more aged the meat, the fresher the produce, the more lovely and simple the food, the less likely I am to get sick. I often react badly if food is over treated / canned / processed / battered and fried. People seem to buy into this myth that you need to totally overcook your food (tough meat, mushy vegetables) in order to ensure they're safe. I'll take a 21 day dry aged rib eye with a quick vegetable stirfry over some microwaveable pre-packed pot roast and frozen vegetable any day.
Mmmm.
I like my steak true rare (although I agree with many of you in that most places overcook and it ends up medium-rare). My favourite cut is a boneless ribeye with saltiness and good pepper.
I'm so encouraged to see so many of you like rare / ribeye. Most in my social circle have turned their noses up at my steak preferences (many opt for leaner and more well-done). At one BBQ, one friend looked at my meat and said "I can think of so many other ways to get worms..."
Funny thing - the more aged the meat, the fresher the produce, the more lovely and simple the food, the less likely I am to get sick. I often react badly if food is over treated / canned / processed / battered and fried. People seem to buy into this myth that you need to totally overcook your food (tough meat, mushy vegetables) in order to ensure they're safe. I'll take a 21 day dry aged rib eye with a quick vegetable stirfry over some microwaveable pre-packed pot roast and frozen vegetable any day.
Mmmm.
2009 Jul 8
Monty - Put me down for Medium Rare
("Uhh, Mon-teee, we b-b-q today?"... D@mn right we do!)
"The Man" mans the Gas Grill around here... and we BBQ all year round (sometimes a challenge when you gotta go out and "dig out" the BBQ... Winter 2008 was very interesting... by Spring the BBQ was sort of in a little snow fort in the backyard... surrounded by huge walls of snow). I'd guess that we fire up the Grill 3 or 4 nights a week.
We rarely (pun intended) order steak when we are out, because we find that most restaurants that advertise steak on their menu, don't necessarily know how to cook it well... so we opt for other types of foods. The exception is when we are on vacation... about a week out, we start missing a steak... usually we do a lot of research to find a good spot so we are not disappointed (most often a steakhouse or a very high end restaurant).
We often travel with friends, and the gal likes her steaks extremely rare... I guess they are called Chicago Blue... just seared on the outside. We always wonder if the waitstaff / kitchen will get the order right... we usually kid the server when taking the order... that she wants it SO RARE that if she isn't fast enough, it will run across her plate... our funny little story usually works... and my girlfriend gets a not too overdone steak (at least rare and not medium).
Also on the subject of steak...
A couple of years ago we took a French Bistro Cooking Class at the Waring House Cooking School in Picton... and "The Man" learned from the Chef how to cut steaks from a larger cut of beef, and how to cook steaks in a pan and finish them in the oven, he thought that was fascinating.
EDIT... Should have also stated that our favourite cuts are Rib Eye, Filet Mignon and Striploin.
("Uhh, Mon-teee, we b-b-q today?"... D@mn right we do!)
"The Man" mans the Gas Grill around here... and we BBQ all year round (sometimes a challenge when you gotta go out and "dig out" the BBQ... Winter 2008 was very interesting... by Spring the BBQ was sort of in a little snow fort in the backyard... surrounded by huge walls of snow). I'd guess that we fire up the Grill 3 or 4 nights a week.
We rarely (pun intended) order steak when we are out, because we find that most restaurants that advertise steak on their menu, don't necessarily know how to cook it well... so we opt for other types of foods. The exception is when we are on vacation... about a week out, we start missing a steak... usually we do a lot of research to find a good spot so we are not disappointed (most often a steakhouse or a very high end restaurant).
We often travel with friends, and the gal likes her steaks extremely rare... I guess they are called Chicago Blue... just seared on the outside. We always wonder if the waitstaff / kitchen will get the order right... we usually kid the server when taking the order... that she wants it SO RARE that if she isn't fast enough, it will run across her plate... our funny little story usually works... and my girlfriend gets a not too overdone steak (at least rare and not medium).
Also on the subject of steak...
A couple of years ago we took a French Bistro Cooking Class at the Waring House Cooking School in Picton... and "The Man" learned from the Chef how to cut steaks from a larger cut of beef, and how to cook steaks in a pan and finish them in the oven, he thought that was fascinating.
EDIT... Should have also stated that our favourite cuts are Rib Eye, Filet Mignon and Striploin.
2009 Jul 8
can't speak for the "et al" contingent, but i'd agree w/ those among the carnivorous-brethren here who might detect some rhetorical obfuscation by the thread-starter, an attempt at drawing attention away from the earlier photographic evidence.
Anyway, while vegetarian, i live w/ a carni and am here to gather info (on her behalf). And, i'll add that my last "steak" resembled this:
laocook.com
none of that sissy bbq stuff. :-)
Anyway, while vegetarian, i live w/ a carni and am here to gather info (on her behalf). And, i'll add that my last "steak" resembled this:
laocook.com
none of that sissy bbq stuff. :-)
2009 Jul 8
doneness: MOO!!! cold inside with a nice char...in the lower 48, we call it Pittsburgh, which is less done than Chicago
cut: bone-in rib, ribeye, KC (bone-in NY) in that order
seasonings: clarified butter (you're eating steak!), sea salt (Hawaiian red salt if available), copious amounts of black pepper
on the side: my "shut down London" hot sauce, horseradish, worchestershire or roasted garlic depending on my mood
and there better be lots of sauteed shiitakes :D
cut: bone-in rib, ribeye, KC (bone-in NY) in that order
seasonings: clarified butter (you're eating steak!), sea salt (Hawaiian red salt if available), copious amounts of black pepper
on the side: my "shut down London" hot sauce, horseradish, worchestershire or roasted garlic depending on my mood
and there better be lots of sauteed shiitakes :D
2009 Jul 8
F&T: chicago blue is charred outside with a rare/blue center much like the original photo i posted.
that's how i like my steak. i would equate burnt to a well done steak that has a crust that tastes like burnt toast. i tent mine in foil afterwards and throw a little homemade garlic butter on.
to each his own...
here's the full size image for you to bewilder, jerks.
img20.imageshack.us
that's how i like my steak. i would equate burnt to a well done steak that has a crust that tastes like burnt toast. i tent mine in foil afterwards and throw a little homemade garlic butter on.
to each his own...
here's the full size image for you to bewilder, jerks.
img20.imageshack.us
2009 Jul 8
Blue, rare, med.rare at most. I prefer a rib steak, ny strip, filet, skirt, flank... love classic brandy sauces (peppercorn included), chimichurri (duh) or bordelaise sauce with it. Also love horseradish. Definitely season with salt & pepper, use smoked pepper (one of my secret ingredients) or sometimes a pepper and smoked paprika if available. Also, garlic butter.
2009 Jul 9
New York's and Ribeye's (of late). Grilled to rare to medium-rare. Seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper, rubbed with fresh garlic, fresh thyme and evoo. I often toss some dried thyme twigs into the BBQ to create some smoke near the end of the cook.
I am planning to try some dry aged beef soon! I hope i am not disappointed.
I am planning to try some dry aged beef soon! I hope i am not disappointed.
2009 Jul 9
My top three cuts:
- Ribeye/côte de boeuf, rare (pref. dry-aged)
- Hanger, medium-rare (last one we had was 100-day wet aged, and it was heavenly)
- Skirt, medium-rare (love the texture on this bad-boy)
My top flavourings:
- Kosher salt and cracked pepper
- Or The Salty Don's smoked sea salt with herbes de Provençe and smoked pepper. - Sometimes I'll throw some finely chopped shallot on top right after it's taken off the heat: they sweat and soften a bit while the steak rests. Quite an experience.
My top accompaniments:
When it comes to sides, caramelized onions, mushrooms, frites, or mashed potatoes all get my nod. Mash is important to capture all those juices that leach out of your meat! I'm not anti-sauce: I just never do it myself.
A big-honkin' Pinot, Rhône, or Bordeaux is also a must.
- Ribeye/côte de boeuf, rare (pref. dry-aged)
- Hanger, medium-rare (last one we had was 100-day wet aged, and it was heavenly)
- Skirt, medium-rare (love the texture on this bad-boy)
My top flavourings:
- Kosher salt and cracked pepper
- Or The Salty Don's smoked sea salt with herbes de Provençe and smoked pepper. - Sometimes I'll throw some finely chopped shallot on top right after it's taken off the heat: they sweat and soften a bit while the steak rests. Quite an experience.
My top accompaniments:
When it comes to sides, caramelized onions, mushrooms, frites, or mashed potatoes all get my nod. Mash is important to capture all those juices that leach out of your meat! I'm not anti-sauce: I just never do it myself.
A big-honkin' Pinot, Rhône, or Bordeaux is also a must.
2009 Jul 10
Da b's favorite steaks..
#1 bone in rib-eye
#2 Top sirloin "baseball" steak (cut from the lower portion center cut)
#3 Skirt Steak and Flank Steak (love them both)
#4 Hanger steak
#5 Sterling grade tenderloin
How rare?
I used to like things bloody rare(blue), now I prefer if I'm eating it cooked, rare to mid rare, and if I'm going for a cold center, I like it raw and sliced nice and thin. Skirt and flank, cooked over hardwood to mid rare and sliced thin for tacos and the like..
Aged or not?
Aged for sure, "dry" not "wet"
Toppings?
I'm sure you guys can figure out what to put on my steak! (no portobellas!)
Sides?
Okay, I'm gonna say it ``Ceasar`` salad!! I love a good caesar!! Lots of anchovy, I put some fresh red chillies, good olive oil, buttery croutons and parm!! I also like fermented fruit sauce`s like worcestershire and the like as a condiment.
#1 bone in rib-eye
#2 Top sirloin "baseball" steak (cut from the lower portion center cut)
#3 Skirt Steak and Flank Steak (love them both)
#4 Hanger steak
#5 Sterling grade tenderloin
How rare?
I used to like things bloody rare(blue), now I prefer if I'm eating it cooked, rare to mid rare, and if I'm going for a cold center, I like it raw and sliced nice and thin. Skirt and flank, cooked over hardwood to mid rare and sliced thin for tacos and the like..
Aged or not?
Aged for sure, "dry" not "wet"
Toppings?
I'm sure you guys can figure out what to put on my steak! (no portobellas!)
Sides?
Okay, I'm gonna say it ``Ceasar`` salad!! I love a good caesar!! Lots of anchovy, I put some fresh red chillies, good olive oil, buttery croutons and parm!! I also like fermented fruit sauce`s like worcestershire and the like as a condiment.
2009 Jul 10
100-day rib steak may be a bit extreme, but I'd love to see how it would develop.
My understanding is that the hanger steak works better wet-aged because there isn't really any fat on it.
If it were dry-aged it'd not break down as much as, say, a rib steak does, I suspect because it may get more of the icky bacteria instead of the lovely ones?
Oh, who cares. Just give me the dang steak already.
My understanding is that the hanger steak works better wet-aged because there isn't really any fat on it.
If it were dry-aged it'd not break down as much as, say, a rib steak does, I suspect because it may get more of the icky bacteria instead of the lovely ones?
Oh, who cares. Just give me the dang steak already.
2009 Jul 13
Snoopy Loopy & Irishgal2 - LOL, good one!
Now that we are on the topic of sides (my steak comments are farther up the thread)...
Sauteed Mushrooms, Onions and Sweet Peppers (each individually or a medley).
Baked Potato with sour cream. Sweet Potato with loads of butter.
Fresh Corn on the Cob.... lots of butter and fresh ground pepper.
Fresh Asparagus with butter and lemon.
Seafood... Lobster tails hands down, but shrimp or scallops are welcome too.
Any ya, like Da Butcher a well made Caesar Salad is also a winner.
Now that we are on the topic of sides (my steak comments are farther up the thread)...
Sauteed Mushrooms, Onions and Sweet Peppers (each individually or a medley).
Baked Potato with sour cream. Sweet Potato with loads of butter.
Fresh Corn on the Cob.... lots of butter and fresh ground pepper.
Fresh Asparagus with butter and lemon.
Seafood... Lobster tails hands down, but shrimp or scallops are welcome too.
Any ya, like Da Butcher a well made Caesar Salad is also a winner.
monty
much to the amusement of zymurgist and Pete-in-Ottawa, my recent posts/pictures re: Brian's Butchery got me thinking about the time i did my first blue steak for a customer when i worked in a small local resto.
this guy came in and ordered two 16oz NY striploins, blue, with nothing else on the plate! no sides. not even a garnish. it was quite amusing, yet eye opening because being young(er) i had never really heard of anyone ordering a steak outside the scope of rare/med rare/med/well done. the idea of blue steak or anything like chicago style/black & blue was totally foreign to me.
so how do you like your steak? what's your favourite cut? what toppings/sauces do you like, if any?
PS - this is NOT my photo haha