thebandit27 Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Reverse sear works well; sous vide works best IMO. However, I still do mine by searing and finishing in the oven because it's fast...and because the poke test never fails. Now, getting my wife to eat a steak that's below mid-well doneness...that's a whole different task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I started grilling, then sear---> oven (after a cooking class with a Ruth's Chris chef), and now sous vide when I have time. Searing and into the oven gives more temp control. I had my brother in law here with family. When I presented what I thought were perfectly cooked steaks (sous vide) from a whole tenderloin his daughter gave it the stink eye. When I turned my back it went into the microwave. Had I known it would have gone back into the cast iron for a little sear on each side..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Using butter is cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I started grilling, then sear---> oven (after a cooking class with a Ruth's Chris chef), and now sous vide when I have time. Searing and into the oven gives more temp control. I had my brother in law here with family. When I presented what I thought were perfectly cooked steaks (sous vide) from a whole tenderloin his daughter gave it the stink eye. When I turned my back it went into the microwave. Had I known it would have gone back into the cast iron for a little sear on each side..... Searing then finishing in the oven is the most popular technique in professional kitchens. I liked doing that because it allowed me to have several going at one time. There is only so much room on the French top or limited number of burners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Searing then finishing in the oven is the most popular technique in professional kitchens. I liked doing that because it allowed me to have several going at one time. There is only so much room on the French top or limited number of burners. How do they do banquets? Getting 300 perfect (in theory, anyway) steaks out about the same time would seem to lend to going sous vide, but I really have no idea. That would be an awful lot of hot water, but you can keep them "on hold" and ready for a quick sear. I'm way too curious about this. I have ZERO desire to start doing banquets at the Hyatt, but I've considered taking a basic culinary class at a local college. Curious with time on my hands, but not sure the best avenue for learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Using butter is cheating. Blasphemy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I don't use a lot of butter (using olive oil by the bucket), but there are times..... I don't do much red meat, but when I do, butter may find it's way into the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 How do they do banquets? Getting 300 perfect (in theory, anyway) steaks out about the same time would seem to lend to going sous vide, but I really have no idea. That would be an awful lot of hot water, but you can keep them "on hold" and ready for a quick sear. I'm way too curious about this. I have ZERO desire to start doing banquets at the Hyatt, but I've considered taking a basic culinary class at a local college. Curious with time on my hands, but not sure the best avenue for learning. I worked in hotels so I have a lot of experience with banquets. Now this was pre-sous vide keep in mind. We'd mark the steaks on the grill during the day and put them in sheet pans. As the guests we're sitting down, or during the reception or as the first course was about to go out (varying ways and times to do it) we'd load the pre-marked steaks into 500 degree convection ovens to finish to medium rare...actually more on the medium side. People that like their steaks on the rarer side are ok with medium however the opposite is rarely (no pun intended) true. Now here's the cool part. We would put the vegetables and starch on the plates in the morning or afternoon way before service. This allowed us to take our time and put a great presentation on the plate vs slopping the veg and starch on with the protein at the last minute. We'd put lids on the plates, stack them and load them into cold hot boxes. An hour or so before dish up we'd fire up the hot boxes with their electric heaters and sterno. That way at service we only had to plate the protein, sauce and garnish. It's quite an art. Biggest plated party I ever did was 800 and what a feat that was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 (edited) I worked in hotels so I have a lot of experience with banquets. Now this was pre-sous vide keep in mind. We'd mark the steaks on the grill during the day and put them in sheet pans. As the guests we're sitting down, or during the reception or as the first course was about to go out (varying ways and times to do it) we'd load the pre-marked steaks into 500 degree convection ovens to finish to medium rare...actually more on the medium side. People that like their steaks on the rarer side are ok with medium however the opposite is rarely (no pun intended) true. Now here's the cool part. We would put the vegetables and starch on the plates in the morning or afternoon way before service. This allowed us to take our time and put a great presentation on the plate vs slopping the veg and starch on with the protein at the last minute. We'd put lids on the plates, stack them and load them into cold hot boxes. An hour or so before dish up we'd fire up the hot boxes with their electric heaters and sterno. That way at service we only had to plate the protein, sauce and garnish. It's quite an art. Biggest plated party I ever did was 800 and what a feat that was. Oddly, while I have no desire to DO that, I find it fascinating. Partly because I like food and cooking, and partly because we used to do as many as 3 black tie events a week. (When I couldn't get one of my 3 tux shirts back from the cleaners in time, we had to cut back!) Thanks. Sounds like a good system, so I guess sous vide isn't needed? Edited June 6, 2017 by Augie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Oddly, while I have no desire to DO that, I find it fascinating. Partly because I like food and cooking, and partly because we used to do as many as 3 black tie events a week. (When I couldn't get one of my 3 tux shirts back from the cleaners in time, we had to cut back!) Thanks. Sounds like a good system, so I guess sous vide isn't needed? It's a awesome system. Stressful but awesome. I can't tell you how many times I'd go out to the dining room and count chairs and end up with more than we had food for. I always made sure to do that before the guy with the storeroom key went home. Nothing worse than the last server coming in with an empty tray and saying "pick up 4 filets and 6 salmon!" Ummm we were told the head count was 250 not 260. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 It's a awesome system. Stressful but awesome. I can't tell you how many times I'd go out to the dining room and count chairs and end up with more than we had food for. I always made sure to do that before the guy with the storeroom key went home. Nothing worse than the last server coming in with an empty tray and saying "pick up 4 filets and 6 salmon!" Ummm we were told the head count was 250 not 260. OY! THAT would suck! Wasted food is bad, people not being fed is worse! My wife chaired the catholic charities ball for several years and would raise $300k +/- each year. You invite people who can write $25k checks for a good cause, but they expect a meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 OY! THAT would suck! Wasted food is bad, people not being fed is worse! My wife chaired the catholic charities ball for several years and would raise $300k +/- each year. You invite people who can write $25k checks for a good cause, but they expect a meal. We always figured something out. We'd threaten that if the mistake was the host's they'd get scrambled eggs and !@#$ing like it. Never ever mess with a crew where half are on parole and the other have are on the lam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Blasphemy! It's good, for sure. But still cheating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 It's good, for sure. But still cheating! Anything that adds flavor is not cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 It's good, for sure. But still cheating! Butter is cheating? You don't want to play golf with me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Butter is cheating? You don't want to play golf with me! I really hope this has nothing to do with one of the guys bending over to pick up his ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I really hope this has nothing to do with one of the guys bending over to pick up his ball. I'll just let you ponder that for a while..... But it's interesting that that would come to your mind first..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I'll just let you ponder that for a while..... But it's interesting that that would come to your mind first..... And so quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Butter is cheating? You don't want to play golf with me! Haha. I played this morning. I took so many mulligans that it was like I was playing my own individual game of "best ball." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Haha. I played this morning. I took so many mulligans that it was like I was playing my own individual game of "best ball." Best ball is the way to go! Even if you are, ummm, only playing with your own....... never mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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