A good steak is cooked hot and quick

[tabs]

As said it is the Grade of meat...when looking through the case I pick th eones with the most marbleing...

I only use Mesquite Lump charcoal on my Weber Grill.

Oak and Olive woods also burn hot and clean..The Rio here in LV was only using Olive wood and as such was hard to get from my supplier...they used a Cord a week..

[Kistle]

Can someone post some pics of what "perfect" marbling looks like? Also, why are Filet Mignons so tender when there is little to no visible fat/marbling?

JA

[TimT]

This is extreme marbling





Japanese Wagyu (Kobe Beef)

You can buy American raised Wagyu, it cannot be called Kobe though...

[javadog]

This ain't bad:



Marbling makes a steak more juicy. Filets are tender because of where they come from on the cow. In general, the least-worked muscles are the most tender and the least flavorful, while the reverse is true of the most-worked muscles. Filets also tend to be cooked medium rare, or rarer. The longer you cook a steak, the tougher and less flavorful it gets.

JR

[jeffgrant]

Originally Posted by javadog

In general, the least-worked muscles are the most tender and the least flavorful, while the reverse is true of the most-worked muscles.

Yep.

There's a reason you generally only see filets with bacon wrapped around them.

[rusnak]

Oak would be harder to get. You'll be able to get a lifetime supply of peach or almond, which burn extremely hot, due to crop prices and water. Even with the perfect cut, you can ruin your steak if you can't cook.

[Rusty Heap]

Thermal Pen.

GOD of thermometers.

instant readings 2-3 seconds after poking meat.

Cal/Certed to .7F accurate.

well worth the money to get one. I and many others LOVE theres.

ThermoWorks - The New Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen

[asphaltgambler]

What I do:

I only buy Prime (grading) sirloins / NY strip from COSTCO - the meat quality is extremely important -I do not buy any rib cuts =too fatty for my taste - It is difficult to find prime graded beef in most areas - we are lucky

I use a charcoal grill with a thick cast iron grated grill surface- pile the coals across @3 layers deep - light and give @45 min to achieve max heat usually 400+

I marinate the steaks at room temp 2 hrs before grilling - light sprinkle of Montreal Steak seasoning + drizzel of olive oil - this will ensure the meat will start to "break down" resulting in a more tender steak.

Just prior to putting them on the grill - I crank the coal bed to 1" under the grill grate - and salt the meat liberally - once on the grill I watch carefully - giving about a 1-1/2 min per side to sear
then back the coal bed down to @3" clearance - cook time depends on thickness

I have the oven pre-heated to 190 when the steaks are done - they hit there for @4 mins and I add a dab of unsalted butter -then serve

most people rave about my steaks -

[AirKuhl]

Here's what works for me. I've been told I make a pretty decent steak.

Meat:
Look for well marbled, I like Costco for price/quality ratio. Or if you have a local hippie type grocery, check for grass-fed beef. Get bone-in if you can, bone = flavor.

Optional: if you are really hardcore about this, buy a whole strip or ribeye. Put it fat side up on top of a rack in a roasting pan. Get a very clean cotton dish towel, wet it, wring it out, drape over the meat, and stick it in the fridge for at least 7 days. Every day, replace the towel with a clean one. Remove, trim off any discoloration if needed and cut your steaks from this about 1.5 inches thick (or use the bones as guides if bone-in). Warning, if you do this once you will be so spoiled by how much better it tastes that you'll have to do it this way from now on.

Prep:
Room temperature. Dry rub of your choice, never marinade. Keep it simple.

Outdoors:
Infrared ceramic grill.
Barbecue grill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heats to 900F. I have one of these, a gas grill, a smoker and a Weber and I use them all, but this is best for steaks by far.
If you want to just stick to what you already have, the idea is get a nice even sear as quickly as possible.

In general up to 1.5 " thick you cook it directly, 2" or more and you'll probably need to finish with indirect heat/oven.

Indoors:
Rub with salt and LOTS of crushed pepper. Get a cast iron skillet hot and add about a tablespoon of oil and then another tablespoon or two of butter. As soon as the butter settles down and starts to brown, throw in the steaks. Don't move them at all. They are probably stuck to the pan, which is good. After ~4 minutes they will come unstuck, flip and cook another 4 minutes, remove and rest as below.

In the meantime, VERY CAREFULLY add around a quarter cup of booze to the pan. I like bourbon for this. It will flame up pretty violently so watch your eyebrows. If not, carefully light it with a match and let it burn out. Gently scrape and mix all those bits on the bottom. Add about a 1/2 cup per steak of heavy cream, heat to a boil and whisk and reduce until it's thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and add salt if needed. I also like to add back a tiny splash of bourbon. Put the steak back into the sauce just to coat and warm, then plate and pour remaining sauce over the top.


Timing and resting:
You can check doneness by feel:
Touching For Doneness
Take it off the heat, slap some butter on top (garlic compound butter works really well) or my favorite, crumbled blue cheese. Tent with foil and ignore for 10 minutes. Don't forget to pour those juices over the top when serving.

[Rusty Heap]

good posts and tips above, thanks to all.....I've been tempted but never dry aged a hunk of meat!


couple of old posts of mine on the subject of yummy BBQ! Picture intense, so if you're hungry, don't click!!!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/5146764-post14.html

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/580852-jerked-pork-loin-scallops-lamb-chops-oh-my.html

[asphaltgambler]

I do know that Ruth's Chris - have/had ovens specially made to their specs - extremely high heat ability = something like 1100 (or more) degrees so that meat almost instantly sears

and they dry age their meat

[304065]

I once asked to see the Broiler at Lugers in Brooklyn. (OK, only steak cognoscenti know that there is also one in Great Neck)

The waiter looked at me like I had two heads and said, "Sir, I have been working here for seven years and EVEN I have never seen the broilers.

They are like 1200F, half a dozen of them. That and as Tim says, a supply chain honed over a century (since 1887) mean that it's the steak that all others are compared to.

If you are visiting New York City and like to eat, Luger's is a must. Bring cash as they don't take credit cards and be prepared for double porterhouse unlike any other on earth.