Chomping On Steak

[SARGE]

I've enjoyed eating steak since a kid, yet I always get confused or at least amazed at how folks choose their meat. To me a steak, whatever the "cut" is a steak period, end of sentence. I've seen folks argue over t-bone, sirloin, filet mignon, porterhouse, etc., and to me they're all the same - a piece of meat to chomp on. Then we go into rare, medium-rare, medium, medium well, well done. I cooked steaks one night for over a hundred folks and became very frustrated so never did it again; washing the dishes afterwards was easier. Is it me, my taste buds, or simply enjoying any cut of meat cooked that exiles me from the normal folks? When I grew up a chunk of meat on the plate was good enough, regardless of which part of the cow it came from, much less to which degree it was cooked. :confused:

[newbuilder14]

I see where you are coming from - to me they all taste the same - they only thing that makes them different to me is the tenderness - I like really tender meats that I don't spend a long time chewing each bite. :-)

[ztx]

Definitely agree with ya' man. I remember going down to Red Lobster, the waiter asked me how I wanted my steak, and I ended up having someone else order for me. :o

[Stuey]

Growing up, my mother and grandfather cooked some really nice steaks. I have no idea what kind of cut, but it was with a bone and it was tasty.

Then I got to college and learned through trial and error a few things.

Top round is pretty cheap but somewhat tough. Sirloin is a very decent all-around cut and is pretty tender, somewhat lean, and pretty affordable. I've bought t-bones very rarely and rib eyes every now and then, and they're a bit tenderer and a better choice if you love thicker steaks.

Flank steak is stringy and great for things like corned beef.

Now I'm at a different place and the local supermarkets don't have the selection I'm used to. It's either roasts or top round or odd cut t-bones.

I developed my tastes from trial and error, and well, different cuts are chosen according to preference and cooking methods. If you want a quick and easy steak, you don't get a flank steak. Sirloin is much more forgiving to overcooking than top round. I find that well-done steaks have a tougher texture than I like and dry out a bit.

Different center temperatures result in different textures and juiciness levels. I *hate* rare meat since it tastes cold and slimey. It feels kind of like supersoft bubble gum. As I said, well-done is usually too tough and dried out depending on the cooking method. My preference is medium cooked steaks or medium-well, where the center is pink. That results in an overall softer and juicier steak.

I sometimes buy certain cuts when they're on sale. I like leaner cuts so I don't get rib-eyes often, and besides, they're costlier.

It's similar to how some people prefer white meat over dark meat when a roasted chicken is brought to the table. Or how yellow squash is sometimes prefered over zucchini. Or red leaf lettuce over romaine. Red onions or white onions or yellow onions.

I don't recall having filet mignon though. $16 for a puny piece of beef... oy.

I don't know if I should mention, but now there's Kobe beef, grass-fed beef, and random other kinds of exotic choices for those willing to shell out the dough.

mmm now I want me some steak!

[HAL9000]

I never buy steaks... too expensive... I buy a roast and slice it up... gives me a good thick steak... same thing right?

I prefer rare.. and if done right and served right away, it won't be cold and slimey, it will be very tender and full of flavour that you just don't get in a well done steak. I always cook my own, even when invited to a BBQ.

[juppy]

I've never personally seen the difference in the kind of steak either, Sarge. To me, it's all in how you cook it. I say this because we've paid for Sirloins and T-bones before, and they were okay, but several times I have grilled a cheap ol' piece of Round steak and it has come out softer and juicier than the expensive ones. For my own tastes, I like 'em a little on the rare side......not so much that it still bellows at me when I stick it with my fork, but a nice bit of pinkish-red in the center is good. I just can't stand dry, overcooked meat though, and I cringe when I'm at a restaurant and someone orders a steak well-done OR they put ketchup on it. If you have to put ketchup on a steak, IMO, the steak must not have been tasting that good to begin with.

[Stuey]

I agree! Nobody should ever put ketchup onto steak (steak fries are allowed!).

Non cold & slimey rare beef? Party at Hals!! A roast?? Gimme gimme!!

Sigh. There won't be roasts at my place often. My soon to be wifey doesn't eat moo =(.

[FLG]

It really all depends on how good you cook it. Me or my father are usually is the ones who grill; he can grill some cheap steaks and they taste great, but give him a nice cut of steak right from the butcher and it comes out even better. Now, give that same piece of steak to my mother and it definatly wont come out as good.

I prefer my steak almost medium-well. Just cooked enough so the inside is still pink. Also, the only time i would ever think of putting anything on my steak is if its not all that good to begin with. Especially if its over cooked and dry.

[MaxRat]

I agree...

I think it all depends how a cut is cooked....I am not a very good cook but I can grill a steak pretty good...

I like top-round steak if it straight off the grill...it's tender till it chills then it's tough as a boot....

I prefer ribeye or sirlion and usually buy those....I prefer mine medium rare....it just tastes better....The wife was/is a well done person and even she notices a rare steak has better flavor....

I know people who can take a cheap steak and make it so tender and tasty but I have no clue....

I prefer to buy off the meat truck around here...they are pre-marinated and frozen....I just cut em' out of the package and throw em' on the grill and they fall apart....

Now if I want a good steak and dont want to cook...I go to Applebee's...round here it's good...better than most...good dinner on the down low...

Now they have a steak place in the next town that is just awesome and hard to get a table at....you pick your own steak from their butcher and they cook the cut you select...they are all huge....most are 2inches thick and get thicker from there...best $50.00 dinner to be had...Thats per person.... for a hole in the wall...

[rjfvillarosa]

I like my steak so rare that "in twenty minutes a good vet could get him back on his feet". :)

[786ARS]

I just let my dad order for me, Mainly because he likes steak. I prefer fast food and typical indian/pakistani cooking. But I havn't got a clue as to how the steak is cooked or the type. I just know it as steak.

[EzyStvy]

Speaking of rare cooked steaks did anyone see the movie with Woody Harrelson called The Cowboy Way?

When asked how he wanted his steak cooked he replied: “Lop off its horns, wipe its nasty ol rear end and slap it on a plate.”

I on the other hand prefer medium well..

[HAL9000]

I agree! Nobody should ever put ketchup onto steak (steak fries are allowed!).

Non cold & slimey rare beef? Party at Hals!! A roast?? Gimme gimme!!

Sigh. There won't be roasts at my place often. My soon to be wifey doesn't eat moo =(.

LOL.. try it Stuey.... I cut my steaks over an inch thick and will get 5 of them out of an $8 roast.

[sdkfz]

http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/aboutbeef/types.asp

http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/aboutbeef/pdf/beef_cuts.pdf

[Stuey]

I've found that Applebees and Fridays don't have great steaks, only because they end up sitting on the counter and change from medium to well done as they get cold.

Texas Roadhouse is a GREAT place. You get to choose your steak there too, and the bread and sides are phenomenal. But the nearest one now is 200 miles away. =(

The best steak I've had these days is an 8 oz honey barbecue sirloin from Chilis. My electric oven/range this year is so crappy and the supermarket's selection so limited that half the time I want a steak, I just drive over to Chilis.

I tried a new thing last year... chunky Sirloin chili! It wasn't spicey enough though. I need less chile powder and more fresh hot chilis. It seems as if all the jalapenos I get are green paper sweet. Maybe I'll try limiting myself to fresh habaneros and dried anchos... (Can you feel your lips burning yet?!)

[juppy]

Something else I meant to put in my original post was a little tip that some may not have heard yet. I was watching a show on outdoor grilling awhile back and the host said to NOT leave your steak on the grill until it looks *exactly* the color/doneness that you want, because the heat in a steak will continue cooking the steak for another 5 minutes after you take it off of the grill. I thought this was a load of bull, but it's actually true. I started leaving steaks a little more rare than I like, and by the time I get them inside to the table and get ready to eat, they're a little more done than they were out on the grill. This can account for people that have a problem of their steaks turning out too well done or dry, especially if you're cooking them to medium doneness or more.

[clroberts]

We have a Texas Roadhouse that opened up around 5 miles away from where I live and they do have excellent steaks. I do enjoy a steak that just melts in your mouth. That is probably why the lightly cooked meat is so tender and juicy. But actually you can get a well done piece of meat to be very tender and juicy too. I have some marinade recipes I use with the Durkee Seasonings that are pretty good. They use either Vinegar or Lemon Juice in the Marinade to help tenderize the meat. There's another method aside from grilling meat and that is smoking meat. I don't have a smoker, but this method does produce some very very good pieces of cooked meat such as briskets.

[fleeingpepper]

I like Porterhouse cooked medium well.

Although my uncle sent me some whiskey marinated steaks as a gift and those were really really good too.

[Stuey]

A good alternative to a grill is the broiler. mmm.

And juppy - you're absolutely right. The same rationale is also used when baking cookies. (mmm cookies).

I prefer dry rubs over sauces. A little cajun seasoning for color and kick, and some Mrs. Dash "no salt extra spicey" mix. I used to like McCormick's "spicey montreal" seasoning, but it has too much salt.

I also have some random dry rubs that my cousin sends me every now and then.

Dinosaur Bar B Que (http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/browseProducts.php?cat=1) is my favorite sauce/cajun spice brand these days. I don't remember why, but I concluded that the ingredient lists are better than others. I recommend the cajun seasoning and the wango tango sauce. My fiance loves the Mojito and we both love the Creole Honey Mustard for chicken.

Sarge - sorry if this is a hijack.

[David M]

Steaks all taste the same agreed....the difference is how tough they are, how they are cooked and how they are seasoned.

I have never been big on steak because it all tastes pretty much the same. Seafood though, is a much different story.

[HAL9000]

I will totally disagree that an unseasoned, unmarinated steak tastes the same depending on how well it is done... I find far more flavour in a rare steak than a well done one.

[glc]

Different cuts do have different flavors, it's not just the seasonings and/or marinades. If you don't notice any difference (or just don't care) between different steaks done differently, you are just not a steak enjoyer and there's no point in you spending good money on a good steak. Everyone's taste buds are different.

You can take a good cut of steak, do nothing to it, throw it on a grill and do it medium rare, and it will be tender and tasty. At least it is for me. Marinades and seasonings just make it even better.

[mbossman2]

cut certainly has a lot to do with it but so does grade. Choice is better than select and prime is better than choice---you can definitely tell the difference and not just in your wallet.

then of course you can get into the "brand" name beef - Angus beef and the "top of line" (and most expensive) Kobe beef....which is a whole different discussion.

[mairving]

I went to Texas de Brazil (http://www.texasdebrazil.com/) not too long ago. They had about every cut of steak along with pork, chicken and lamb. If you want to taste difference between cuts, then that is the place. The big difference is steaks is marbling, type of cut and aging. The more marbled it is usually the better it is because the marble (fat) holds flavors better and is less. I personally prefer Sirloins since they have the best taste.

[mbossman2]

highly marbled steaks need to be cooked in such a way that they are cooked but the fat doesn't melt away and drip out leaving a dry piece of meat behind (hi temp searing and rare is the preferred method and doneness)

[juppy]

The big difference is steaks is marbling, type of cut and aging. The more marbled it is usually the better it is because the marble (fat) holds flavors better and is less.I didn't learn about the marbling until about two months ago. Up to that point, we always bought whatever looked the leanest and had the best red color. But a show I saw on tv said just what you said, that the marbling holds the flavor better, plus they said the marbling will make it more tender as well. I haven't grilled any steaks since watching that show, but next time I get some steaks to slap on the grill I'm gonna try some with the marbling in them and see what happens.

[fleeingpepper]

Omaha Steaks sell some steaks already marinated in stuff. I already said that I got some whiskey marinated steaks for Christmas, and they were so juicy and good. Another marinade I like is GrillMates seasoning with vinegar, water, and olive oil.

[Stuey]

I've always wanted to order from omaha. How is the delivery process? I live in a dorm-type apartment (again) and have to go to the local post office to pick up all my packages. Can it hold its chill for a bit or must it go directly from truck to fridge?

[SARGE]

I've always wanted to order from omaha. How is the delivery process? I live in a dorm-type apartment (again) and have to go to the local post office to pick up all my packages. Can it hold its chill for a bit or must it go directly from truck to fridge?

Comes packed in dry ice. Sooner you can pick up and freeze, the better.

[Stuey]

Aww, I guess I won't be ordering from Omaha anytime soon then =(.

Thanks for the info though. I'll certainly order a few things when I move in June. They sell salmon steaks and chicken too! *drool*

[David M]

Comes packed in dry ice. Sooner you can pick up and freeze, the better.

Wouldn't fresh steak taste better than frozen? I know fresh fish, chicken etc tastes better than frozen. I don't think I have ever had previously frozen beef.

[fleeingpepper]

Mine came in on a Monday with the dry ice melted because it sat around on the weekend when UPS was closed. Even though the ice was melted when it came in the food and stuff in there was still cold. And I'm not sure if UPS delivers to dorms, or if you were talking about the post office (USPS).

[Stuey]

I pick up all of my packages at a US post office within walking distance. Knowing that it can stay fresh over a weekend makes me feel so warm and grumbly inside!

[Stuey]

I went to the local Pathmark for the first time tonight. They had ok looking beef but not the cut I was looking for today.

However, I saw "Aussie free range beef" so I picked up a two steak packet. Might be tasty.

Last week I cooked beef for myself for the first time in a few months. Top round. Ick. It was a thick piece which is only goof for london broil type strip cutting, not as a steak. I went a few days later and got a slightly thin rib steak - the difference was phenomenal.

[hitchface]

Wouldn't fresh steak taste better than frozen? I know fresh fish, chicken etc tastes better than frozen. I don't think I have ever had previously frozen beef.

Fresh usually does taste better. When it is cooked from frozen, all of the juices/blood/whatever basically evaporate very quickly, and you end up having to cook it longer in order to unfreeze it. Even if it thaws, you end up losing a lot of the juices to simple condensation and whatever drizzles out is usually diluted with water. This is especially true with chicken.

It is usually better to let that meat thaw in open air in its own drip pan, so that it can soak up whatever is there, and then pan sear it so that it forms a shell on the outside that more or less locks in moisture. I usually do that with fresh meats too, especially on steak. If you have steak seasoning, rub it right in before you sear it, and you will have this awesome spice layer on the outside with the most juicy inside.

Well folks, thats all we have time for today, but when you are cooking in your kitchen, remember to kick it up a notch. Bam!

[Kasturi]

Whenever I cook my steaks, whether on a grill, oven or in a skillet I always pour a little Ameretto (sp) over them. It gives them a nice almond flavor after all of the alcohol cooks off.

[Litespeed]

Sarge, went to Nick & Sams on McKinney last night. Dinner was pricey but one of the best steaks I have ever eaten; and this coming from a West Texas boy that has had his share of good meat. I go the 22 oz. bone-in rib eye cooked rare and the wife got the bone in filet cooked medium-rare. Absolutely wonderful. Service was amazing. Any one ever visiting Dallas I would highly recommend Nick & Sams Steak House

[glc]

How pricey was it, Lite?

[Litespeed]

How pricey was it, Lite?

We had: Shrimp appetizer, she had a salad; we had two steaks, two sides, two cocktails, 1 bottle of wine and split a dessert. Including tip was about $193. We did get a pretty nice bottle of wine. But all that and great service. It was for a nice occasion and I would do it again.......hopefully after I work off a few pounds. Every now and then wife and I like to go out and have a little get away at a nice place.

I really thought all in all we got what we paid for, especially living here in Dallas where you can go crazy trying to choose a place to go eat. Dallas the home of too many restaurants, especially steak houses and Mexican food places.

[hitchface]

Wow. I know this Japanese steak house in Vancouver. You are looking at about 50 dollars per meal without drinks, tips or dessert. That was about the most expensive place I've ever known...but that one tops it.

[glc]

50 bucks a head is the going price in mainstream decent downtown Chicago restaurants such as Lawry's and Nick's Fishmarket.

If you like prime rib, you should go there, Lite.

http://www.lawrysonline.com/theprimerib_dallas_gen_info.asp

[hitchface]

Man, you guys have some expensive eatin'! You can get some really good Brazilian BBQ around Vancouver for less than 25. And thats Canadian, too!

[Litespeed]

50 bucks a head is the going price in mainstream decent downtown Chicago restaurants such as Lawry's and Nick's Fishmarket.

If you like prime rib, you should go there, Lite.

http://www.lawrysonline.com/theprimerib_dallas_gen_info.asp


I think that Lawrys is just up the road. And I love a nice cut of Prime Rib with hot Au Ju. Well I am hungry again.

[jfk]

Cool. Meateaters. Gotta love it.:)

I enjoy T-bones and Porterhouse, when I can afford a treat. There IS a difference due to where they come from. Sorry Hal, but roasts come from the round or shoulder....there is a HUGE difference in tenderness due to that. You can marinade them to your heart's content, but they can never match the tenderness of loin cuts due to the differences in the muscle fibers inherent in tissue from those regions.....they tend to be short muscle fibers which tend to be tougher due to the nature of what they do in the animal. The tenderness of other cuts of steaks comes from their position on the Loin, which is where steaks come from. Sorry for the basics, my BS is in Animal Science from MSU, so a couple meats classes, as well as meat judging is in my background, not to mention a couple years working at a butcher shop. I probably need to get a life.............:)

[Stuey]

I will DEFINITELY look for this Aussie Beef again. It was pretty affordable ($5 or $6 a lb for rib eye) and proved to be delicious.

I checked out the site and they have some pretty good beef cooking tips for newbies and intermediates. I've been flipping my beef at random; I never knew to gauge the flip time by watching for the fluid to rise to the top.

http://www.australian-beef.com/beef/cooking/cooking.html

Does anybody know how to get a uniform color throughout the beef? A few years ago I went to Outback and the steak was pink throughout the 3/4" or so inch depth of it. How? I always end up with a gradient. Red/pink center and the edges are seared with some slightly well done portions. Since the oven in this apartment stinks, I've been using a stove-top grill pan.

[SARGE]

Does anybody know how to get a uniform color throughout the beef? A few years ago I went to Outback and the steak was pink throughout the 3/4" or so inch depth of it. How? I always end up with a gradient. Red/pink center and the edges are seared with some slightly well done portions. Since the oven in this apartment stinks, I've been using a stove-top grill pan.

If you want it even throughout, cook it accordingly. It's an art that comes easy to many, not so easy to the rest. Here are ways the interior should look:

http://www.alazing.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?DSP=393

[glc]

Hitch, we are talking the whole dinner including tax and tip, not just the entree. We are also talking classy restaurants with white tablecloths.

[HAL9000]

Cool. Meateaters. Gotta love it.:)

I enjoy T-bones and Porterhouse, when I can afford a treat. There IS a difference due to where they come from. Sorry Hal, but roasts come from the round or shoulder....there is a HUGE difference in tenderness due to that. You can marinade them to your heart's content, but they can never match the tenderness of loin cuts due to the differences in the muscle fibers inherent in tissue from those regions.....they tend to be short muscle fibers which tend to be tougher due to the nature of what they do in the animal. The tenderness of other cuts of steaks comes from their position on the Loin, which is where steaks come from. Sorry for the basics, my BS is in Animal Science from MSU, so a couple meats classes, as well as meat judging is in my background, not to mention a couple years working at a butcher shop. I probably need to get a life.............:)

I like em rare... borderline blue rare... and really, I don't notice much of a difference... on a steak that is more well done, then ya, I notice a difference in cut.

[jgis19]

Sarge, went to Nick & Sams on McKinney last night. Dinner was pricey but one of the best steaks I have ever eaten; and this coming from a West Texas boy that has had his share of good meat. I go the 22 oz. bone-in rib eye cooked rare and the wife got the bone in filet cooked medium-rare. Absolutely wonderful. Service was amazing. Any one ever visiting Dallas I would highly recommend Nick & Sams Steak House
In the Metroplex I don't think you can beat Dels or Silverfox.

[clroberts]

How many people have lived on a farm and eaten a Cow that has been freshly butchered? I am just wondering if that is the ultimate in great tasting meat. I did eat chicken one time at a campout in scouts that was from a chicken that was killed on the spot. I even watched as they held out its neck and hit it with an axe. (And then let it run around headless until it finally stopped moving!) That chicken was pretty good if you ask me.

[hitchface]

Hitch, we are talking the whole dinner including tax and tip, not just the entree. We are also talking classy restaurants with white tablecloths.

I'm talking about the same thing. That Japanese place will put you at about 75-80 with everything, but its a very very nice place. No tablecloths here, instead there are pro chefs (they have to cook in front of you, so they had better be pro) and some fancy-pants hardwood tables and dishes. Pretty nice.

[jfk]

How many people have lived on a farm and eaten a Cow that has been freshly butchered? I am just wondering if that is the ultimate in great tasting meat. I did eat chicken one time at a campout in scouts that was from a chicken that was killed on the spot. I even watched as they held out its neck and hit it with an axe. (And then let it run around headless until it finally stopped moving!) That chicken was pretty good if you ask me.

Freshly butchered is NEVER as good as aged meat. We had a ham in the cooler where I worked at one time. That ham aged for almost a year....had green mold on it.....really NASTY green mold.....it was INCREDIBLE. Never is fresh slaughtered meat as good as aged meat. The aging process adds tenderness that can't be touched by fresh slaughter.......