How do you like YOUR meat?

[dd74]

Okay - I've finally found the core difference between men and women - it comes down to "rare" and "well done."

I don't know about the guys on this board, but I'm a kind of "rare" guy. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm touching on barbequing.

I mean, what is this? Some sort of science I'm just not in tune with?

I try smoking up some steaks and salmon for the wife and our friend - another woman - and they kept complaining about how rare everything was. Plus I get this line of dialogue...

Friend: "the kids won't eat it!"

Guess what? They ate it. And wanted more.

Ever try digesting a well-done steak while in your late thirties? It takes at least two days.

By the time I finished cooking the meat, it was practically "uncuttable" (maybe a word, maybe not - I don't care). As I write this, I'm suffering mightily.

Am I wrong? Am I still a cave man enamored with the newness of fire and it's ability to make something a little more tasty at a temperature a tad above body warmth?

I don't get it. Everything was burned through though.

It took me nearly a whole bottle of red wine to rinse the Kingston charcoal out of my mouth.

[Planter91C2]

rare beef is good, very rare venison is great

[BlueSkyJaunte]

It may be a cultural/upbringing kind of thing.

The Japanese will NEVER overcook anything (well, of the things they actually cook, anyway). My wife's family is a perfect example of this, but they're not my only data point.

My wife is convinced that I'm a vegetarian because of the way my family prepares meat--EVERYTHING is "well done". She says I never learned what I was missing, so it doesn't bother me.

My wife cried after the Thanksgiving we spent at my aunt's house because the turkey was so dry and overcooked.

[dc914guy]

A good steak should be a dark, cool red on the inside, when you overcook meat (esp. Beef) it gets tough and looses all of it's flavor!

[Jim Richards]

My wife likes steak rare, I like them medium rare. My son really doesn't like steak all that much. dd74, your theory's goin' down in flames.

[dd74]

Originally posted by BlueSkyJaunte
It may be a cultural/upbringing kind of thing.

The Japanese will NEVER overcook anything (well, of the things they actually cook, anyway). My wife's family is a perfect example of this, but they're not my only data point.

My wife is convinced that I'm a vegetarian because of the way my family prepares meat--EVERYTHING is "well done". She says I never learned what I was missing, so it doesn't bother me.

My wife cried after the Thanksgiving we spent at my aunt's house because the turkey was so dry and overcooked.

There is nothing worse than overcooked Turkey or Chicken. It's like eating splinters. I would have cried too, especially as Thanksgiving is one of those days men fast before stuffing themselves into oblivion...

[dd74]

Originally posted by Jim Richards
My wife likes steak rare, I like them medium rare. My son really doesn't like steak all that much. dd74, your theory's goin' down in flames.

Nah, your situation is "rare."

[JavaBrewer]

Both the wife and I enjoy our steaks medium. I got grossed out with rare steak at BBQ once and was never the same. Son hates all meat products except for pork and hot dogs, daughter likes steak (tri-tip) and pork. Mmmmmm poooorrk. Wilbur never stood a chance.

[dd74]

Kids not liking meat is interesting to me. I imagine it's the work that goes into it - cutting, chewing , etc.

[jens_uk]

Originally posted by dc914guy
A good steak should be a dark, cool red on the inside, when you overcook meat (esp. Beef) it gets tough and looses all of it's flavor!

Well-done well-done meat (as in meat that is prepared skillfully to non-redness) need not be tough. And you can retain a lot of juiciness and all the flavor in a pink-free slab of beef - Dad does it all the time on the grill, and he has thus far retained his amateur chef status. Some decent restaurants can do well-done without hitting tough or try. I am still learning how.

[CJFusco]

my parents and girlfriend insist on having everything well done...

if you ask me, nothing tastes better than a nice, pink, juicy cheeseburger... or steak...

I am a rare guy. I get angry with restaurants that won't cook any less than medium.

[TimT]

Sushi

I like my beef rare,
Tuna steaks just get some grill marks on them.... yum

[Moses]

I think it should be a crime to incinerate a nice cut of beef. Medium rare is warm, pink, juicy perfection. Am I making you hungry?

The other question is why do girls order filet? It is the most tasteless of all beef cuts. Ask any cattleman, a real steak is a Sirloin, New York, Rib Eye or T-Bone.

[emcon5]

I like my plate to look like a set from C.S.I..

Tom

[elwood-914]

"Just kick the cowboy off and put it on a plate"

[Bob's Flat-Six]

I like it still fighting for it's life, that's what the knife is for

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

i like to hear it "MOOOOOOOOOO" as it melts in my mouth.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by elwood-914
"Just kick the cowboy off and put it on a plate"

LOL. My father in law's version of this one was, "Knock the horns off and walk it on in."

I'm a vegetarian. 20 years now. Man, could I eat some prime rib back before. I once walked in to a restaurant, had 2 drinks and ordered a full blown prime rib dinner. Salad, baked potato, the works. Finished it up with 2 glasses of wine and ordered another COMPLETE prime rib dinner. Ate it too.

BTW, I've since quit drinking as well.

To cook a steak so that it doesn't surrender its juices to the fire, first put it on a real hot griddle for a minute each side or until just the surface is hardened and slick. Then cook it anyway you like. The juice will cook the meat by steaming it and then run out all over the minute you cut into it. It helps to hold the steak flat with a heavy maple plank while searing. Or during the whole cooking if you continue with the griddle. Used to be a place up on the Kern River north of Lake Isabella (CA) that did this. They also had incredible prime rib. I'd drive 4 hours to eat it. No more. Well, and the place burned down in one of the Sierra fires a while back.

[ZAMIRZ]

I love my red meat well done, maybe a little rare, but I'm not a fan of a really rare steak. I once dated a vigen for 2 weeks and I ended up dumping her at In'N Out when she told me she couldn't eat dinner there. I felt kind of bad about it until I found out she was a total freak about a week later (I know, I know, why didn't I realize this before I went out with her.....).

[dd74]

Originally posted by ZAMIRZ
I love my red meat well done, maybe a little rare, but I'm not a fan of a really rare steak. I once dated a vigen for 2 weeks and I ended up dumping her at In'N Out when she told me she couldn't eat dinner there. I felt kind of bad about it until I found out she was a total freak about a week later (I know, I know, why didn't I realize this before I went out with her.....).

Which In-and-Out? The one on Van Nuys. That's a famous date-dumping ground.