The PERFECT Steak

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

Only some?

 

I could have sworn that entire process was science.  Understanding the application of energy in the form of heat to a piece of meat and the subsequent effects on the muscle fibers of meat, or cooking, is all science.  

 

Why does your charcoal grill or cast iron pan produce different results than your gas grill (unless maybe you have a powerful infrared burner)?  What's driving the maillard reaction and how do you optimize conditions for this chemical process to achieve the perfect crust? Why salt your meat? Why DON'T you salt the interior of your burger patty while shaping and only season the outside?

 

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-reviews/how-to-buy-a-grill/charcoal-vs-gas

 

Taste is subjective.  Once you understand the science of cooking process become much less subjective.  Then its more a tradeoff between convenience, time, and other limiting constraints.  

 

 

Sounds good professor!

[Augie]

2 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

Only some?

 

 I could have sworn that entire process was science.  Understanding the application of energy in the form of heat to a piece of meat and the subsequent effects on the muscle fibers of meat, or cooking, is all science.  

 

Why does your charcoal grill or cast iron pan produce different results than your gas grill (unless maybe you have a powerful infrared burner)?  What's driving the maillard reaction and how do you optimize conditions for this chemical process to achieve the perfect crust? Why salt your meat? Why DON'T you salt the interior of your burger patty while shaping and only season the outside?

 

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-reviews/how-to-buy-a-grill/charcoal-vs-gas

 

Taste is subjective.  Once you understand the science of cooking process become much less subjective.  Then its more a tradeoff between convenience, time, and other limiting constraints.  

 

 

Getting the perfect steak is absolutely about science. There’s no question about that in my mind. What is the “perfect steak”? That will vary for different people. Ribeye? Tenderloin? Temp? Seasoning? That is indeed all subjective, and what you do with the meat to get it there is all about science. 

[GoBills808]

2 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

Only some?

 

I could have sworn that entire process was science.  Understanding the application of energy in the form of heat to a piece of meat and the subsequent effects on the muscle fibers of meat, or cooking, is all science.  

 

Why does your charcoal grill or cast iron pan produce different results than your gas grill (unless maybe you have a powerful infrared burner)?  What's driving the maillard reaction and how do you optimize conditions for this chemical process to achieve the perfect crust? Why salt your meat? Why DON'T you salt the interior of your burger patty while shaping and only season the outside?

 

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-reviews/how-to-buy-a-grill/charcoal-vs-gas

 

Taste is subjective.  Once you understand the science of cooking process become much less subjective.  Then its more a tradeoff between convenience, time, and other limiting constraints.  

 

 

Exactly...like how painting is basically a scientific process. There's a certain chemical composition in the various pigments relating to how they reflect segmented wavelengths of visible light, different porosities of canvasses, bundling of fibers into applicators that will deposit a volume of paint depending on their geometric configuration and bristle length/width...it's totally science.

[RochesterRob]

2 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Getting the perfect steak is absolutely about science. There’s no question about that in my mind. What is the “perfect steak”? That will vary for different people. Ribeye? Tenderloin? Temp? Seasoning? That is indeed all subjective, and what you do with the meat to get it there is all about science. 

  Subjective and one of the reasons I hate Chef Ramsey.  A woman was on a few months back for a show that was about grilling season.  Her approach was to get the seasoning onto the surfaces of a burger but have the center taste like pure beef.  He wanted the thing to taste like something you would find at Applbee's complete with overdone through out garlic type taste.  For me there is nothing better than the taste of good fresh lean beef and anything else in that burger should be a pleasant interlude at most to the taste of good fresh lean beef.  I lament the passing of the local butcher as good fresh beef is hard to find and the meat counter guys at Wegman's dread to see me coming.  Sometimes they have the pack of 95 percent waiting for me and hand it off like a football.  Further note that dressing maybe a little above super casual will command some respect at a store such as Wegman's.  

[Gugny]

14 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Getting the perfect steak is absolutely about science. There’s no question about that in my mind. What is the “perfect steak”? That will vary for different people. Ribeye? Tenderloin? Temp? Seasoning? That is indeed all subjective, and what you do with the meat to get it there is all about science. 

 

Hunts or Heinz?

[Augie]

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

Hunts or Heinz?

 

We are a Heinz family! 

 

Along those lines, what’s with mayo on a burger? That’s never been a thing for me! 

2 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  Subjective and one of the reasons I hate Chef Ramsey.  A woman was on a few months back for a show that was about grilling season.  Her approach was to get the seasoning onto the surfaces of a burger but have the center taste like pure beef.  He wanted the thing to taste like something you would find at Applbee's complete with overdone through out garlic type taste.  For me there is nothing better than the taste of good fresh lean beef and anything else in that burger should be a pleasant interlude at most to the taste of good fresh lean beef.  I lament the passing of the local butcher as good fresh beef is hard to find and the meat counter guys at Wegman's dread to see me coming.  Sometimes they have the pack of 95 percent waiting for me and hand it off like a football.  Further note that dressing maybe a little above super casual will command some respect at a store such as Wegman's.  

 

Ouch! That hurt! You may not love the meat options/guys there, but I went into a Wegman’s last week while I was back in WNY just to look around. I don’t have ANYTHING near me that can compete with Wegman’s. I hadn’t been in one in a LONG time. Very nice. 

[Cripple Creek]

19 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I’ll maintain that a well seasoned cast iron pan is the absolute best way to cook a steak. Finish in the oven if you have any medium pussies.

 

S&P heavily...canola oil brushed on pan with a cloth.  Hit heavily on both sides to create a nice crust.  Throw in a stick of butter, some fresh herbs of your choosing, and baste away.

 

Ribeyes are the play.  The fattier the better.

Filets are for dolphins fans.

100% agree with your filet thought.  I don't know any men who have filet as their #1.

 

Regarding your canola oil idea...if you use a cloth wouldn't you be wiping it on?

19 hours ago, Augie said:

At the same time, if it’s a couple decades of time saved dicing.......

You ain't got decades, pops. Are you sure you spent enough cash?

[Augie]

16 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

 

You ain't got decades, pops. Are you sure you spent enough cash?

 

That’s why I went back today and returned it for the next model up! I also ordered the super duper slicing and dicing blades for an additional $130 which will be delivered to my front door so I can slice and dice the heck out of a field full of fruits and veggies for the vegetarian joining our family! 

 

I could have had a boat, or a used convertible sports car, but now we shall eat healthy!  

[The Dean]

6 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  Subjective and one of the reasons I hate Chef Ramsey.  A woman was on a few months back for a show that was about grilling season.  Her approach was to get the seasoning onto the surfaces of a burger but have the center taste like pure beef.  He wanted the thing to taste like something you would find at Applbee's complete with overdone through out garlic type taste.  For me there is nothing better than the taste of good fresh lean beef and anything else in that burger should be a pleasant interlude at most to the taste of good fresh lean beef.  I lament the passing of the local butcher as good fresh beef is hard to find and the meat counter guys at Wegman's dread to see me coming.  Sometimes they have the pack of 95 percent waiting for me and hand it off like a football.  Further note that dressing maybe a little above super casual will command some respect at a store such as Wegman's.  

 

 

The demise of the local butcher really is a sad thing. We finally got a small (limited inventory) butcher with exceptional product. They are a side project of a local farm-to-table restaurant, that gets rave reviews. Pricy, but worth every penny.

 

With that said, I typically pick up a nice big steak, or small roast, and ask the store butcher to grind it for me. I like to know exactly what the beef is. I don't want "95% lean" if it's round, as I despise round in a burger. Tell me what the product the ground meat is made or, in addition to the fat content. In those instances where I really want a burger but there is no butcher on duty, I'll get ground sirloin and mix it with ground chuck.

[BringBackFergy]

40 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

 

The demise of the local butcher really is a sad thing. We finally got a small (limited inventory) butcher with exceptional product. They are a side project of a local farm-to-table restaurant, that gets rave reviews. Pricy, but worth every penny.

 

With that said, I typically pick up a nice big steak, or small roast, and ask the store butcher to grind it for me. I like to know exactly what the beef is. I don't want "95% lean" if it's round, as I despise round in a burger. Tell me what the product the ground meat is made or, in addition to the fat content. In those instances where I really want a burger but there is no butcher on duty, I'll get ground sirloin and mix it with ground chuck.

We still have a butcher in our town. He’s taught me quite a bit about sausage making, curing, smoking, etc. His ground chuck is amazing. In addition, he makes a ground bacon burger which adds fat and flavor to the ground chuck. We’re in a town of about 4000 so, yes, he’s old school and does a great job. Would prefer to pay him $15 for three pounds of really tasty burger than $10 for bland burger at grocery store. Same goes for his sausage, steaks and smoked pork chops.  Love the small town butchers. 

[RochesterRob]

42 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

 

The demise of the local butcher really is a sad thing. We finally got a small (limited inventory) butcher with exceptional product. They are a side project of a local farm-to-table restaurant, that gets rave reviews. Pricy, but worth every penny.

 

With that said, I typically pick up a nice big steak, or small roast, and ask the store butcher to grind it for me. I like to know exactly what the beef is. I don't want "95% lean" if it's round, as I despise round in a burger. Tell me what the product the ground meat is made or, in addition to the fat content. In those instances where I really want a burger but there is no butcher on duty, I'll get ground sirloin and mix it with ground chuck.

  It's not that Wegman's employees are bad but the stock they have to work with.  I am a real stickler for fresh.  I like real lean beef for anything going into the pan but for the grill it's best to have a bit more fat.  Anyways, I feel like you that I want to know what cut of beef I am dealing with before I buy it if possible. 

[Augie]

30 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

We still have a butcher in our town. He’s taught me quite a bit about sausage making, curing, smoking, etc. His ground chuck is amazing. In addition, he makes a ground bacon burger which adds fat and flavor to the ground chuck. We’re in a town of about 4000 so, yes, he’s old school and does a great job. Would prefer to pay him $15 for three pounds of really tasty burger than $10 for bland burger at grocery store. Same goes for his sausage, steaks and smoked pork chops.  Love the small town butchers. 

 

I’m NOT in a small town, and I had hoped that we had found a butcher in Buckhead the quality of the place(s) I used in Sarasota, FL. It looked like the real deal! I asked for a few pounds of boneless beef short ribs. “Oh, we don’t do boneless”, to which I asked “why not, if thats what I want?”  I was making a boneless dish. 

 

He acted all surprised when I got on the phone in front of him and called Whole Foods, got Tyler in the butcher department and he was happy as hell to cut 3 pounds of boneless short ribs for me (as he had done before). I’m not a real WF fan, but they have advantages and are not as expensive as they used to be, especially compared to Publix. 

 

If anyone in Atlanta knows of a great butcher, I’d love to hear from you!  The place that let me down was NY Butcher Shoppe in Buckhead.

 

I know we have Sarasota people here. If you haven’t, try the Butcher Block on 17th or Geier’s on 41, just south of Alpine Steak House, which is also good. 

[BringBackFergy]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

I’m NOT in a small town, and I had hoped that we had found a butcher in Buckhead the quality of the place(s) I used in Sarasota, FL. It looked like the real deal! I asked for a few pounds of boneless beef short ribs. “Oh, we don’t do boneless”, to which I asked “why not, if thats what I want?”  I was making a boneless dish. 

 

He acted all surprised when I got on the phone in front of him and called Whole Foods, got Tyler in the butcher department and he was happy as hell to cut 3 pounds of boneless short ribs for me (as he had done before). I’m not a real WF fan, but they have advantages and are not as expensive as they used to be, especially compared to Publix. 

 

If anyone in Atlanta knows of a great butcher, I’d love to hear from you!  The place that let me down was NY Butcher Shoppe in Buckhead.

 

I know we have Sarasota people here. If you haven’t, try the Butcher Block on 17th or Geier’s on 41, just south of Alpine Steak House, which is also good. 

Where do you get your sausage?

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

Where do you get your sausage?

On very rare occasions, while the wife is out of town (about half the time), I’ll just get a couple hot Italian sausages from Publix. Sad, I know. 

 

It’s a long story, but as much as I enjoy cooking, I don’t have anyone to cook for or with, and cooking for one takes most of the joy out of it. I had a Bubba Burger with pepper jack cheese last night.  

[BringBackFergy]

20 minutes ago, Augie said:

On very rare occasions, while the wife is out of town (about half the time), I’ll just get a couple hot Italian sausages from Publix. Sad, I know. 

 

It’s a long story, but as much as I enjoy cooking, I don’t have anyone to cook for or with, and cooking for one takes most of the joy out of it. I had a Bubba Burger with pepper jack cheese last night.  

Off topic,  but try making some homemade sausage.  Grab some pork butt on sale and pork fat.  Grind with some spices. Buy some casings. Fill them. Sautee in a fry pan with garlic, capers, olive oil, olives, diced tomato. Toss in pasta. Bottle of wine. And watch football. Heaven!!  

[The Dean]

29 minutes ago, Augie said:

On very rare occasions, while the wife is out of town (about half the time), I’ll just get a couple hot Italian sausages from Publix. Sad, I know. 

 

It’s a long story, but as much as I enjoy cooking, I don’t have anyone to cook for or with, and cooking for one takes most of the joy out of it. I had a Bubba Burger with pepper jack cheese last night.  

 

4 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

Off topic,  but try making some homemade sausage.  Grab some pork butt on sale and pork fat.  Grind with some spices. Buy some casings. Fill them. Sautee in a fry pan with garlic, capers, olive oil, olives, diced tomato. Toss in pasta. Bottle of wine. And watch football. Heaven!!  

 

 

I used to regularly make my own Italian sausage. (With the help of The Senator, we'd also make some Polish.)  But I no longer have the grinder/stuffer. Sometimes I'll make patties using ground pork. Fortunately an Italian friend of mine makes some that tastes quite a bit like mine (only not as hot!).

 

And I should be embarrassed to post this, but I'm not, somehow. The Greenwise Italian Chicken Sausage at Publix has become a real staple in my kitchen. Way, way better than their pork Italian sausage, IMO. And I'm a huge pork fan.

[Augie]

1 minute ago, BringBackFergy said:

Off topic,  but try making some homemade sausage.  Grab some pork butt on sale and pork fat.  Grind with some spices. Buy some casings. Fill them. Sautee in a fry pan with garlic, capers, olive oil, olives, diced tomato. Toss in pasta. Bottle of wine. And watch football. Heaven!!  

That sounds AWESOME, but I’d need a bigger kitchen and pantry to add a grinder and any other gear. The new food processor is a monster!  Plus the cases for blades! I think the gluten free wife is still storing the bread maker somewhere. 

[The Dean]

43 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

 

It’s a long story, but as much as I enjoy cooking, I don’t have anyone to cook for or with, and cooking for one takes most of the joy out of it. I had a Bubba Burger with pepper jack cheese last night.  

 

 

I get that. I still love cooking, even for myself. But it's the cleaning up I hate. That's a bit nicer when you have someone to share the workload worth. (Not nice enough for me to actually live with somebody, though.)

 

Tonight's Thai inspired stir fry. Better than it looks, and WAY hotter:

 

Realized after I made it, I had forgotten to add the basil (sitting right there on a paper towel--out of camera range).. WTF? It's Thai basil chicken, for Christ's sake!

 

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by The Dean
Stupidity

[Augie]

1 minute ago, The Dean said:

 

 

I get that. I still love cooking, even for myself. But it's the cleaning up I hate. That's a bit nicer when you have someone to share the workload worth. (Not nice enough for me to actually live with somebody, though.)

 

Tonight's Thai inspired stir fry. Better than it looks, and WAY hotter:

 

 

 

 

 

I go to the park and hit tennis balls with an Indian guy from Malaysia most weekdays. We both like to cook, and he has inspired me to do different things. “Normal” is totally different for people all over the world. I like the idea of that exploration. 

[Cripple Creek]

8 hours ago, The Dean said:

 

 

 

I used to regularly make my own Italian sausage. (With the help of The Senator, we'd also make some Polish.)  But I no longer have the grinder/stuffer. Sometimes I'll make patties using ground pork. Fortunately an Italian friend of mine makes some that tastes quite a bit like mine (only not as hot!).

 

And I should be embarrassed to post this, but I'm not, somehow. The Greenwise Italian Chicken Sausage at Publix has become a real staple in my kitchen. Way, way better than their pork Italian sausage, IMO. And I'm a huge pork fan.

If you still have it and care to share please post your recipe. I'm always looking to tweak mine.