Cooking the perfect Steak??

plasto

I like a good rare steak, i usually buy sirlion, but its always tough when i cook it my self......any suggestions?

Tnx

chilli_pepper

rub some olive oil and cracked black pepper on steak and cook on a very hot griddle pan for 3 mins each side , maybe less if you like it very rare

Nordie

Make sure the pan is very hot. Also pounding it with a mallot helps to tenderise it. Do you get your meat in the same place, could be the meat itself?

daveirl

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sharkman

daveirl wrote:

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Yep , the real trick is letting it stand . Very important !

olaola

A juicy strip - don't put a thing on it.
Hot hot BBQ, about a minute and a half each side.
Let it stand for a while. VOILA!

Mr Magnolia

Sear first then season, not the other way around as a lot of chefs do. If you season before cookinh the salt draws out the flavour and goodness and the pepper burns on the hot pan.

If every steak you cook is tough try a differant butchers. Also you could try a striploin, it's a better cut of meat, slightly more expensive than sirloin.

Nordie wrote:

Also pounding it with a mallot helps to tenderise it.

It will, but it's not good for the meat

ruprect

Leave it to get to room temp before cooking

Mr. Presentable

1 You need good quality meat. It should have been hung for 21 days at least

2 Lightly season - you don't want to overwhelm the flavours

3 Hot pan, or skillet. Give the meat a few seconds all round to seal it

4 Reduce the heat and/or put the pan under a grill to continue cooking

5 If you like it rare, a good way of judging it is, press your cheek with your fingers. That's how rare steak should feel to the same touch.

6 Rest for 2-3 minutes. More than that will let the meat get cold

General thoughts on the cut of meat.
Sirloin is the most flavoursome of the popular steak cuts, but tends to be the least tender. Striploin is leaner and more tender than sirloin. Fillet is lean, tender but weak on flavour. If you like your steak lean, my advice is buy it fatty and remove the fat after cooking. The fat holds the most flavour.

corblimey

I was watching the F-word earlier this week, and when cooking a very tasty looking rib-eye, Ramsay proceeded to put a big knob of butter into the pan towards the end of the frying. As the butter melted, he sort of spooned it over the steak, basting it as he went. He then poured the remains of the pan juices over the steak on serving.

Anyone ever tried this? Does it make any diff? Would it work on any cut?

Mr Magnolia

corblimey wrote:

I was watching the F-word earlier this week, and when cooking a very tasty looking rib-eye, Ramsay proceeded to put a big knob of butter into the pan towards the end of the frying. As the butter melted, he sort of spooned it over the steak, basting it as he went. He then poured the remains of the pan juices over the steak on serving.

Anyone ever tried this? Does it make any diff? Would it work on any cut?

I was watching that. Basting any meat during cooking helps keep the flavour and goodness in, same way you'd bast a oven-roast or chicken really.

It would work on most, if not all cuts but start with a little butter at the end of the process, make sure your pan isn't too hot or the butter will burn and ruin the meat, this is why basting is generally done with the natural fat of the animal.

Because the Rib-eye was so lean he used the butter. If you try it let me know what you think

plasto

I buy my meat in superquinn, what do u wreckon their meet is like?

I live in lucan, any recommendations?

Thanks for the replies....ill try them all if i get a good quality steak!

Plasto:D

Nordie

plasto wrote:

I buy my meat in superquinn, what do u wreckon their meet is like?

I live in lucan, any recommendations?

Thanks for the replies....ill try them all if i get a good quality steak!

Plasto:D

I get my meat in Superquinn too, their steaks are good, especially the rib-eye. Actually all their meat is good.

Take the advise of the threads, a good hot pan which seals in the juices, don't season the meat with salt beforehand, just a bit of black pepper, and if you like it rare just a few mins on each side. The key to a good steak is a very hot pan.

county

if your sirloin is tough i would question the meat,most probably not hung long enough

Oirthir

Superquinn generally do mighty good meat, but don't be afraid to source a good local butcher. It'll be much cheaper and s/he can be an absolute fountain of knowledge on everything from a matching sauce for your meat, to how best to cook it.

Minder

Take the meat out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperture before cooking.

I also read that leaving the meat to marinade in pineapple juice will tenderise it. Must be dried properly before cooking to prevent it from broiling. Or alternatively buy the best steak you can afford, from a butchers counter - not one of those in a vacuum sealed box sitting on a pillow of its own juices.

I picked up this method in a food magazine -

The steak is started on a hot griddle for a minute on each side. Then dipped in some red wine on a plate - dry on some kitchen paper and back on the griddle for a minute each side. Repeat with soy sauce, then with balsamic vinegar.

The crust that forms on the outside was very interesting. But it will have to be a chunky piece of meat if it is to stay rare after all the cooking time.

olaola

plasto wrote:

I buy my meat in superquinn, what do u wreckon their meet is like?

Their meat is very good - and it is hung for longer than the usual butcher.
I would recommend a striploin.

plasto

All the advice has been noted......i have been busy eating steak, striplion is a nice piece of meat.
I now talk to my butcher, he's giving me some good stuff.....i am now a beef junky!!

Thanks for all the help.:)

CJhaughey

Have you tried Ribeye? I prefer this to all other cuts including fillet.
Some butchers don't stock it, others do...

garimac

daveirl wrote:

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I try hold my habd a few inches over pan, when I cannot keep hand there for 10 seconds, I start to cook..

Gwynston

Yes, a very hot pan!
I ruined quite a few Tefal non-stick frying pans cooking steaks! Recently bought an expensive cast-iron skillet with a much more durable kind of non-stick surface and it's great!

I've been buying the 28-day matured striploin from Tesco which comes vacuum wrapped with long use-by dates. (Not the usual styrofoam pack which the meat can move around inside). This new packaging means you can keep them for a week or two longer before using for more maturing. I must say, they're noticeably more tasty than regular supermarket-bought steak.

SlummyMummy

Yes I use an iron grill pan too (Le Crueset); take the meat outta the fridge, allow to come to home temperature and brush lightly with oil, get the pan really really hot and cook on each side for 4 mins (though will depend on the thickness of the steak). Season and allow to rest before serving!

daveirl

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BaZmO*

4 minutes on each side will get you a perfect medium steak, presuming the steak is about an inch thick of course.

There's a trick that I've seen done to determine if your steak is done.
If you touch the tip of your thumb against the tip of your first finger as if to make an "ok" sign the feel of the muscle on the thick part of the thumb (mount of venus part on the attached picture) should have the same feel as a Rare steak.
Thumb and second finger = Medium Rare
Thumb and third finger = Medium
Thumb and little finger = Well Done.

Try it now, it works.

Gwynston wrote:

I've been buying the 28-day matured striploin from Tesco which comes vacuum wrapped with long use-by dates. (Not the usual styrofoam pack which the meat can move around inside). This new packaging means you can keep them for a week or two longer before using for more maturing. I must say, they're noticeably more tasty than regular supermarket-bought steak.

Me too, absolutely delicious.

Gwynston

Hmm, that sounds a bit convoluted to me BaZmO and subject to error...

I just make a small cut to see what it looks like inside. Take it off when it's a little under-done for your liking as it will continue to cook more for a minute or two once removed from the heat.

Minder

Gwynston wrote: »

This new packaging means you can keep them for a week or two longer before using for more maturing. I must say, they're noticeably more tasty than regular supermarket-bought steak.

The steak will not mature any longer once it is cut and packaged. As I understand it, beef is not cut into the final steak until the desired maturation has taken place. This prevents air borne bacteria from attacking the cut surfaces of the meat. Also the maturation process dries the beef which helps to concentrate the flavour. As the steak is vacum packed, the moisture cannot escape.

A fine tasty steak it may be, but it will not get any better for spending two weeks in your fridge, and the longer you keep it, the higher the risk of spoiling.

Steveirl

Nordie wrote: »

I get my meat in Superquinn too, their steaks are good, especially the rib-eye. Actually all their meat is good.

Take the advise of the threads, a good hot pan which seals in the juices, don't season the meat with salt beforehand, just a bit of black pepper, and if you like it rare just a few mins on each side. The key to a good steak is a very hot pan.

I cook my steaks in the OVEN only !! not on a PAN as i dont like it to burn or taste oily. The steaks in the Oven are really nice i think.
Why does everyone cook on the Pan ?

Paddy Fields

My ex-wife used to cook steak in the oven. It was a long time back but if I remember correctly it was quite dry and not such a great flavour. I now cook it myself on the pan and use just a little olive oil.

Seaneh

marinade in a ziplock bag with garlic, thyme, black peppercorns a bay leaf and some olive oil (not virgin or extra virgin!) for anywhere from 2 days to a week.
Always cook from room temp. take it out of the fridge AT LEAST 10 minutes before you cook it.

Pan so hot it's about to start smoking.
A little rapeseed or ground nut oil.
meat to pan for 30-45 seconds (depending on how thick it is).
turn, season seared side.
turn again, season and bang it into a preheated oven for about 5 - 10 mins depending on whether you want rare or well done.

LET IT REST FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES!

while it's resting you can deglaze the pan with a knob of butter some red wine or stock and whatever else you fancy throwing in there and make yourself a nice simple sauce to go with it.

the touch test is the best way to tell how well done it will be, your cheek = rare, chin = medium, forehead = welldone.

leopardus

I found this video instructive. Alton Brown from 'Good Eats'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiQ0VOJmCbg

Can't embed the video?

Mr. Presentable

There are a couple of things need to be remarked upon here.

1 Do not use olive oil. Olive oil is not suitable for frying.

2 If your pan is smoking whatever oil you are using is burning. Do not burn your fat.

A little beef lard would be the perfect fat - if you must use one. Keep it simple - the Jamie Olivers etc of this world are book-sellers - I'd lay money they don't cook what's in the book at home.